THE END OF THE WORLD

                  If you are reading this on Friday or Saturday, it means that the earth survived. Much has been written in the news lately about the Mayan calendar. The ancient Mayans of Central America were extremely accurate astronomers able to predict eclipses centuries in advance. They also had an extremely accurate calendar which dated from their claim of the beginning of the world on August 11, 3114 BC. What caused the buzz is the fact that the Mayan calendar ends with the Winter solstice in 2012, December 21. Many contemporaries around the globe embraced the idea of the end of the world on that day. Many others rejected the idea outright.

            Predictions of the end of the world have been a constant. Every century has had multiple predictions of the end of the world. It seems like we have one every year. Many have achieved great notoriety, like the 1970 book by Hal Lindsey, The late Great Planet Earth. Lindsey later pegged the Rapture in the year 1988. Guess what? All the hundreds of predictions have been wrong. I told the people in church Sunday if the end is here I'll see them in heaven. Otherwise I will see you here next Sunday.

            Jesus teaching on the end of the world states “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”(Matthew 24:36) If no one, not even the angels and, assumingly, the human Jesus, knew the time of the end, the ancient Mayans certainly did not. But the speculation causes us to stop and think. Like the old hymn questions, “Jesus is coming to earth again, What if it were today?” Jesus also tells us that the last day will come upon us suddenly and without warning. “As in the days of Noah”, He says. We will be going about life as usual and things will come to a sudden stop and we will be with Jesus for reward or punishment. To some, that may sound fearful. But we need not fear the end. The key is to be ready, to be able to say with the apostle John, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)

Grace and peace. 

I LOVE SANTA

            One segment in the current edition of Christianity Today asks the question “Should churches discourage belief in Santa Claus?” This has been a debate among Christians through the years. Some say parents shouldn’t “dupe” their children into believing that Santa exists, in essence lie to their children. Others maintain there is room for Santa in our Christmas celebration. He, it is claimed, represents the spirit of generosity and giving. Saint Nicholas, the bishop of Myra (in modern day Turkey) about 300 A.D. was known for giving secret gifts to all. As his legend was passed down through generations and cultures his name came to us as “Santa Claus.” Most current beliefs about Santa derive from the poem by Clement C. Moore, “A Visit From St Nicholas.” For two centuries this poem has shaped the concept of Santa here and around to world.

            As far as being “duped” by Christian Parents, mine went along with society’s make believe. Having a belief in Santa didn’t prevent me from embracing Christ and as a child I felt no conflict. Neither did I feel like my parents did me wrong by playing along with the stories of St. Nick, or the Easter Bunny for that matter.

            To me, getting rid of Santa Claus, as some zealous Christians wish to do, would be a tragedy. It would be nice if children could get as excited about the baby Jesus as they do about presents under the Christmas tree. But young children will never do that. Santa (or the pretense of a real Santa) has brought incalculable joy to children of every generation and, as a parent and grandparent, I know the joy of watching small children on Christmas morning. So much joy would be lost if there were no Santa deception.

            Parents should fess up to an older child who sincerely asks if Santa is real, but I, for one, am not in favor of bumping off Santa.  

Grace and peace. 

 

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

            In a recently published book, the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church has challenged some of the traditions of Christmas. One thing he states is the birth date of Christ isn’t December 25st. This has long been affirmed by bible scholars who generally accept his birth in April of 5 B.C. Another claim he makes is that there was no donkey or other animals at the manger.  This is an argument from silence. The biblical account does not mention any animals present. It mentions the manger but not a stable. But since mangers were in stables or caves and animals were kept in those stables and caves, it is safe to assume animals were present at Jesus’ birth. One thing he does not mention as far as I know (I haven’t read his book which has just been published) is that the wise men were not at the manger but a “house” and we have no idea how many there were. The “star” of Bethlehem would have been over the same house, not the manger.

            The Pope does deal with the angels. They were not at the manger. Reading in Luke’s birth narrative the angels were in the field with the shepherds and then went away into heaven. And the angels didn’t sing, they spoke.

             All my life I had assumed they sang. That’s what I was taught. And every Christmas season we sing “Angels we have heard on high, sweetly singing o’er the plains.” The question has been raised, “Do angels sing.” Some passages have them doing so, such as Revelation 5:11-12 “I looked and I heard the voice of many angels…singing with a loud voice.” But the word used for singing can also be translated as “saying.” But singing has been a part of worship in ancient and modern times. (It was banned in some early Protestant churches.) Surely the angels sing. I imagine them singing to the shepherds as Handel has them doing in his Messiah, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill, toward men!”

            Our manger scene at home will continue to have wise men, animals and angels. And let us continue to sing our carols with gusto, for I am sure God receives and approves our praise. 

Grace and peace. 

SEEING CLEARLY

           Tomorrow morning(Wednesday the 28th) I am scheduled to have a cataract removed from my right eye. In that I have clear vision in the left eye, I put up with the cataract for several years, but it has become so problematic I finally asked my Doctor to remove it, which he had volunteered to do years back.

            I am grateful that today the operation is considered minor and does not require any special recovery. When I began in ministry fifty years ago, I would visit patients who had cataracts removed and they had to lie on their backs with their head between two sand bags, immobile, for TWO WEEKS.

            I hope afterwards to sing “I can see clearly now the fog has gone.” But what I and others really need is an operation to open our spiritual eyes. Like the blind men said to Jesus, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” (Matthew 20:33) God has given us new eyes in Christ Jesus, but so often we do not discern His will in our particular situation or see His glory in current events. Our song should be the hymn, “Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth Thou hast for me.”

            Speaking of spiritual sight, I love the old story of the little lady, who when called on to pray in her small church, always prayed the same prayer, “Lord remove the cobwebs from our eyes so we can see you more clearly.” She prayed the same prayer every time until she was finally interrupted by a man who cried out, “No Lord, don’t do it! Please kill the spider!”

            Maybe that’s what we need to do, kill the spider.

 

Grace and peace. 

LIVING ON HAPPY LANE

           When we lived in Bluff Park we often drove up Shades Mountain from Lakeshore on the Old Oxmoor Road. On that route you pass by a street named Happy Lane! I always wondered if the people who live on Happy Lane really are happy, or if someone moved to Happy Lane it would make them Happy.

            I’ve turned in to Happy Lane a couple or so times out of curiosity.  It winds down toward Shades Creek. For a while an abandoned building, which I assume housed a general store when the railroad was close to that location, stood at the head of the road. It has since been torn down and a large field covered with kudzu is left. There are some land parcels for sale. The four houses on Happy Lane are modest but I imagine comfortable enough. I have no idea as to whether their occupants are happy.

            But the truth is, you can live on your own happy lane. Those who are in Christ Jesus have the Holy Spirit within. Paul tells us, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22)  I focus on the word joy, which the dictionary defines as “the emotion of great delight or happiness.” The forgiveness, victory, and the present and future confidence we have in Christ gives us joy through the Spirit.

            But this is not the entire story. Happiness is not a matter of circumstances. Happiness is a matter of choice. Two people can be in the same circumstances or facing the same problems and one is happy and the other is unhappy. One can choose happiness because of the joy we have in Christ. 

Grace and peace. 

SUPERSTITIONS

            Over Halloween a T.V. segment reported that 52% of the U.S. population is superstitious. These are people who will not walk under a ladder, who will not sit on seat 13 or row 13, who avoid black cats, who knock on wood to drive away evil spirits, etc. etc. . There was a time, however, when I was among them. I wouldn’t have admitted to it, but I avoided walking under ladders, stepping on a sidewalk crack, etc. After all, why take a chance?

            Searching online reveals dozens and dozens of superstitions.  Some are familiar (i.e. lucky four leaf clovers, lucky horseshoes, lucky rabbits feet, some of spilled salt tossed over the left shoulder to avoid bad luck, breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck). I was reminded of the old one that it was unlucky to light three cigarettes on one match.

            But, many years ago, when I began to examine such things in view of what I claimed to believe, I saw that such superstitions are a denial of faith. In Proverbs 3:5-6 we are told to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your path.” Our days and each moment are in the hands of God, not subject to luck, spirits, or superstition.

            Now I walk under ladders without a second thought. I don’t have any prejudice against black cats and consider the number 13 as no different as any other number. When something good happens I praise the Lord. When something bad happens, I turn to the Lord for help and understanding. I seek to trust Him with every event, with every moment.

            Living this way gives one confidence and peace of mind. So let us trust in the Lord with all our heart. 

Grace and peace. 

CHANGING TIME(S)

             Remember to set your clocks back Saturday night. Otherwise you will be at Church an hour before everyone else. Daylight Savings Time is fairly well accepted now. But some still complain about changing times.

            A lot of people in my age bracket would like to change the times more drastically and go back to the 1950’s. For us that was a golden age. After World War Two people were prospering, buying homes and automobiles, going on vacations and sending their children to college. Rock and roll ruled musically, and T.V. shows were family oriented like “Father Knows Best” and “Ozzie and Harriet.”

            The emergence of the flower children and hippies in the 1960’s challenged the morals and lifestyles of our youth. Vietnam anti-war demonstrations and the civil rights movement further changed things.

            But, honestly, would we really want to go back to the 1950’s? For much of our population those were not a golden age. Instead, they were days of poverty and struggle. Besides, think of all the advances which have been made in 60 years. Because of medical advances I, and many more like me, am still alive. Medical discoveries, advances in care and changes in lifestyles have advanced the average lifespan by almost 20 years. Also, in spite of the current economic downturn, a greater percentage of the population has been able to achieve the “American Dream.”

            True, 2012 has some drawbacks and problems, but this is our time. Paul exhorts us “See that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time…” (Ephesians 5:15-16)

 

Grace and peace.