Sunday, December 17, 2017

My Christmas Prayer for 2017


When the rhetoric is vile and spewing forth hate

Fill my heart with love, my mouth kind words to relate

 

When characters are threatened by accusations

Keep my tongue from promoting the declarations

 

When news blares of another sniper with a gun

May my sheath, sword, and shield be your majestic Son

 

When I encounter neighbors burdened and in need

Grant me the blessing to give, not withhold in greed

 

When humankind divides by status, creed, and race

Help me pursue common ground, guide me by your grace

 

When conflict and confusion never seem to cease

Make me wise so that I might facilitate peace

 

When a brother has no one on whom to depend

Cause me to be silent, listen, and be a friend

 

When loneliness and despair threaten to destroy

Bring me hope, that encouragement I might employ

 

When I see people broken by sins frustration

Give me boldness to share knowledge of salvation

 

When they grapple in darkness unguided by sight

Let my life and voice become a beacon of light

 

When people doubt Bible truth and implication

Allow me patience for a gospel conversation

 

When stilled in weariness from our earthly story

Deliver heavens hope from the Lord of glory.

 

I Think Maybe I am Getting Old


I think maybe I am getting old. In recent weeks I have had a hankering to make contact with some old friends. I followed through on those yearnings. I called an old friend I had not spoken with in a few years. He told me the sad news of his oldest son being killed in an automobile accident. In the course of that week I spoke with another old friend and learned some of the stresses of his life. It is late in the year and I had some vacation time I needed to take. So this last week I drove to Missouri to see an old friend. We had an enjoyable visit.  But he has a few health problems that concern me and I know they trouble him. I move on and go see my mother and father in-law. I enjoyed the evening listening to their stories. They don't have any sons but since I married one of their daughters they claim me and I am proud of their claim. On the way home I meditate on my visits and I have a fresh reality that getting old has some challenges. And I think maybe I am getting old.

 

I get home and sleep in my bed one night and then take off in the in the other direction to Kentucky. My purpose is to attend a funeral visitation for the father of a pastor friend of mine. My friend is not as old as I am but I know from experience that losing your father will make you feel old. I continue on my journey and go spend the night with my aunt. We set up and talk past midnight and I am pretty sure that is past her bedtime. But I don't want to miss the opportunity share some old memories. Because, I think maybe I am getting old. Next morning I drive over to the town where I grew up. I go to the cemetery to visit the graves of my father and mother. I inspect the flowers resting on top of their stone and I surmise that they are in good enough shape that they don't need to be replaced just yet. I had made arrangements to see another old friend. His son is about the same age as me and I had spent a lot of time at his house when I was growing up, particularly on Sunday afternoons after church. We have a lot of church stories to tell and a lot of people to memorialize. I discover that this old friend and I have more friends in common that are dead than are alive. I think maybe I am getting old. 

 

I get home and I read an obituary in the Illinois Baptist. A pastor friend with whom I have enjoyed many moments of sweet fellowship has lost his wife of 52 years. I call my friend and he reminisces about her life and her home going. She had been suffering from cancer and her death is bittersweet. I think my friend feels old and I think maybe I am getting old. 

 

So I am absorbing my recent experiences with old friends. It causes me to understand that I don't want to spend much time in puny arguments. Life is short and there is simply too many difficulties and too much sorrow to waste energy squabbling. I would rather give my life to loving one another and rejoicing in the love of others.  That is my opinion. But maybe I am just getting old. 

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Conceived in Eternal Love


Conceived in Eternal Love

By Brent Cloyd, 2017

 

Joseph was a young man excited about life

A maiden named Mary was pledged to be his wife

But then he received news that he could not ignore

News that hurt and the community would deplore

Though they had not come together she was with child

This kind of shame would cause them both to be profiled

 

Being a good man he did not want to cause her pain

To force public disgrace, there was nothing to gain

I’ll quietly divorce her, he fretfully resolved

This will be better for all the parties involved

But as he was dreaming in the blackness of night

An angel appeared, spoke to him, and set things right

 

Take Mary as your wife, and do not be afraid

Years past the prophet spoke of a plan that was made

The child that grows in her is a gift from above

Wrought by the Holy Spirit, in eternal love

She is carrying in her womb a precious son

Through him for mankind abundant life will be won

 

You will call Him Jesus, a savior from heaven

In His powerful name God will stop sin’s leaven

Through His life and story God among us will live

By His atoning work He has much grace to give

So Joseph arose, as commanded, without delay

Took Mary as his wife, The Lord he did obey

 

Scripture said that from a virgin Christ would be born

To allow otherwise would create righteous scorn

So they refrained from sex until after the birth

Denying themselves the natural urgings of earth

When the time came there was born a child of great fame

God’s precious gift, a savior, Jesus was His name.