Thought for January 2024

A new year is upon us!

Much is shared about a new start in a new year. Yet there is also the need for reflecting on what is most important in one’s life. Through the holidays we have been reminded  of the importance of family and friends. And, of course, our faith has been in the mix as we have thanked God for all His blessings at Thanksgiving and then celebrated the birth of a Savior at Christmas - the most wonderful gift we could receive at the most wonderful time of the year.

I would hope and pray for each of us that these things would rise to their proper place of importance. That the lesser things would not take over the most important things. Sadly, many have allowed some things to supersede the truly important. Family relationships are failing and in dire need of attention. Churches are declining as many chose to be in other places. The impact of people with a true relationship with God is no longer evident in the society around us. Secularism is more impactful than spirituality.

As God’s people that are to live in community, we are called to put the most important things back in their proper place. God is to be first and foremost in our lives. He has loved us so greatly and done so much for us that we are forever indebted to Him. He calls us to love Him, love His church, and love the people He created. His Word is to be read and applied in our lives.

May God give us the eyes to see what He is doing and how we might be involved in His work, both in the church and the community in the year ahead. May we join with Him - serving Him as we serve and show love to those around us. The great hope of the Gospel is ours to share. May we do so joyfully and faithfully in the year ahead and may God richly bless us as we give ourselves to Him.

December 2023 Thought

Through the years many of us have, over and over again, heard the familiar carol, “O Holy Night”. We have listened to many recorded versions and undoubtably sung it ourselves hundreds, if not thousands of times. The lyrics are memorable and full of deep meaning when we truly stop and consider all that they communicate.

The very first verse sets the tone:
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth

Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn

Fall on your knees, oh, hear the angel voices
O night divine, O night when Christ was born

The announcement of a Savior being born comes to a world that is consumed in and destroyed by sin. We felt worthless and lacked the love and attention that God had originally planned for us to experience with Him. And yet, the declaration of One coming to set things back in order is, in a sense, a new morning - glorious, that causes weary humans to rejoice.

There is, in the air, a thrill of hope! The darkness won’t be dark forever - the light will overtake it; the sin won’t hold sway and cause death - life will overcome it; the brokenness causing feelings of unworthiness - the Savior will rescue and restore; the weariness will pass - songs of joy will ring out.

So in this wonderful season may we, as those who know this incredible Savior, be found full of hope…and joy!

May the last phrase of the song communicate where we find ourselves in the coming days:
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us praise His holy name

November 2023 Thought

Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.  - Psalm 105:1-4

This year is quickly drawing to a close. As we think back over these past months of 2023, where do our thoughts go? Without any doubt I am sure that there have been difficult days. Yet God invites us to look through those darker days and catch a glimpse of what He has been doing. Throughout all the events of the past year God has been faithfully and lovingly there aiding us through each and every one of them.

We are quick to remember the hard things, but God encourages us to remember the good things. He has been present and active in all these and He longs for us to acknowledge that and give thanks and praise to Him for all that He has done. His ever listening ear, His wonderful acts and the giving of His strength in moments of our weakness should cause us to well up with rejoicing, expressed in the words we speak and the songs we sing.

Our gaze is to be ever in His direction. He is to be our consistent and constant focus as we live our days here on this earth. As we do, we are able to live our life in light of God’s will for us as described in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18:

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

October 2023 Thought

In this life there is a constant push to change. Life is not static, it is fluid. Here in Upstate New York the seasons regularly change, thankfully! We grow older and our bodies change, maybe not as thankful here. Children become adults and then have children of their own. Careers change, moving from place to place and even from working to retirement. Technology continually advances, regularly leaving us on a steep learning curve to do old things in new ways.

Yet there are some things that necessarily remain unchanged. Most importantly, God Himself - “I the Lord do not change” (Malachi 3:6) and “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like the shifting shadows” (James 1:17). I, for one, am grateful that He is always there. His Word is also constant for our life here on earth. “For you have been born again…through the living and enduring word of God…the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever” (1 Peter 1:23-25). These are a steady presence in changing and uncertain times like these.

So we hold tightly to these and pray we remain faithful. May we continue to strive be healthy followers of Jesus Christ.

September 2023 Thought

Where did our summer go? The beautiful days seemed to fly right by. I pray that you had opportunities for rest and rejuvenation in the past weeks. A physical recharge is always needed and appreciated.

As the days move into fall, we reset once again. Life moves into a normalized routine. The ebb and flow of our days is more consistent and maybe more hectic. Let’s not allow the important things of life be set aside for the “tyranny of the urgent”. Our physical health is often jeopardized by the rush and hurry of life as we neglect the vital and insert the immediate.

The same is true for our spiritual health. While we know that time with God in prayer and His Word, as well as time with other followers of Jesus in worship and fellowship are important; these often get set to the side as the pressures of our daily life crowd in and make their demands.

Healthy believers need a healthy church AND a healthy church needs healthy believers. This should be our focus in this upcoming fall season. Plan to regularly dive into the Bible to see what God has said in regards to being healthy, you first and then your church.

August 2023 Thought

You’ve got to love summer! Regular doses of sunshine, rain, work, rest, family, friends - all needed and appreciated. This change to our regular routine is something that we look forward to during the long winter months. As we take advantage of these times of rest, may we also focus on time alone with God - for a spiritual refreshing. May these relaxed moments allow us time to think, pray, read God’s Word, and reflect on all that He has done for us. As we prepare for the coming fall season, may we add these regular doses of spiritual disciplines into our daily routine. This balance is so needed to live in this crazy world.
Once again this summer as a church we are studying various chapters in the book of Psalms. These songs recorded for the people of Israel, and us as well, are great reminders of our God, Who He is and all that He has done. He is certainly worthy of our praise, our trust, and our obedient following.

July 2023 Thought

Summer is here! Looking around at the hillsides, the fertile valleys, and all of the beauty in close proximity to where we live, I am reminded of the greatness of our God. We read in Psalm 8:

"O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens…When I consider your heavens the work of your fingers, the moon and stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?"

Creation screams the amazing power and design of our God, and yet, He still has intention to focus His attention on you and me. Right where we are, in the simple moments of our days, He is “mindful” of us. He loves and cares for us. We are never far from His thoughts. Even when we experience dark days, where we feel He is far from us and uncaring, the truth is, He is “mindful” of us!

Don’t allow the enemy to fill your mind with doubt concerning God’s loving concern for you. He has demonstrated His love towards you and me. The evidence is all around us. May each of our days this summer be centered around lifting up the majestic and wonderful name of Jesus!

June 2023 Thought

The summer season is near (or is it already in full swing). This time of year brings us a new pace of life. More time outside, more time with family and friends, more time away for vacation, more time of contemplation. This season is known for fun and relaxation. I hope that we all can enjoy some of this.

Yet even in these days, I pray that we listen to the words that Samuel shared with the nation of Israel as he passed leadership to King Saul. "But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you." 1 Samuel 12:24 (NIV84)

May we make it our aim in these months to stop and reflect, that we may consider all the great things that God has done for us. We have been so blessed! He has loved us. He has saved us. And He keeps us. His blessings are new every morning! He guides us and aides us as we walk through our days on this earth. We have so much to thank Him for. May we take every opportunity to express our gratitude to Him in our quiet moments of reflection.

And then in these coming months may we serve Him faithfully with a grateful heart. May we give Him our best efforts of service as we seek to share the great things that He has done for us and desires to do for others.

I am praying that God would give us the opportunities to honor God and proclaim His love and the Good News of the Gospel to those who need to know all around us. As we identify those opportunities, may we then, willingly and joyfully, jump in and serve. Together, may God use us for His glory!