Late 1980s. Pastoring a church in Warren, Ohio. One of our older ladies was at the grocery store and she ran into someone she hadn’t seen in years. In the conversation she invited the other lady to visit our church. Since it was a Community church the other lady had no quick way to reference what we believed. We were not Baptist or Methodist or Church of God or anything else she might recognize. She asked our lady, “What do you folks believe?” Our lady told her, “Whatever our Pastor tells us to believe.” Not surprisingly, the lady never came to visit. When our lady told me the story, I came halfway unglued. Our lady thought she was paying me a compliment, but the reality was that she was telling the other woman that they were pretty much mindless and couldn’t figure it out for themselves.

          What is the problem in thinking for one’s self? Why are people so easily moved by the words of someone else? God gave us minds, we need to use those minds and come to our own conclusion. Obviously, I believe I am right in all my opinions. That statement is not meant to be funny. I believe I am right, but I have not come to these notions by listening to others. I do my homework.

          This week I read an article about a dire warning delivered by an actor named James Cromwell. I have no idea who Mr. Cromwell is. The article listed his biggest movies, which I have not seen. I have heard of two, but I haven’t seen them. He must be a good actor, though, because he was receiving an award when he made this statement. “This is nascent fascism. We always had a turnkey, totalitarian state — all we needed was an excuse, and all the institutions were in place to turn this into pure fascism,” Cromwell said. “If we don’t stop [President Trump] now, then we will have a revolution for real. Then there will be blood in the streets.” I haven’t heard of him as a political type, either, so I don’t really know his qualification to make such remarks. But I do know he used some big words, the same kind of words I hear on the radio occasionally in relation to the conservative movement. The way in which these people always use these big words irritates me, because they clearly have no idea what the big words mean. They are just parroting what they have heard.

          Mr. Cromwell, during his acceptance speech, was attacking the conservative movement about the upcoming midterms. The first thing I thought as I read the article was he said there would be blood in the streets, as in there would be a real revolution. Does he mean he will lead the charge up Pennsylvania Avenue where the president lives? Will he take up arms to back up his fiery words? Or will he cower in his home and watch the revolution unfold on TV? But then I looked at his words and marveled at the news outlets that think this drivel is important enough to print. “This is nascent (The word ‘nascent’ means having recently come into existence, as in being born) fascism (‘Fascism’ is a political movement that is a belief that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition. This is how Webster’s dictionary describes it. What he is saying is that Conservatism is the new fascism. Since real fascism is everything the liberal agenda is pushing, new fascism cannot be to terribly bad.) We always had a turnkey (Turnkey means built, supplied, or installed complete and ready to operate), totalitarian state (This means centralized control by an autocratic leader or hierarchy, so he means that we had a ready made totalitarian state ready to go and the conservatives have come in and are ready to set it off. Which begs the question, how was it that it was ready to go when the conservatives came in unless the previous administration had set it up?)  — all we needed was an excuse, and all the institutions were in place to turn this into pure fascism (but he said it was a new fascism, not the old and pure fascism),” Cromwell said. “If we don’t stop [President Trump] now, then we will have a revolution for real. Then there will be blood in the streets.” All of my definitions are from the Merriam-Webster. My point is, this man is using big words (for him) that he has heard and he has no idea what they mean. Yet, the media prints it out as if it has any meaning at all. They don’t even realize how confusing and silly it sounds.

          Most people do not want to sound foolish. They want to sound intelligent and informed. So why not research? I put in hours each week on my sermons and Bible studies, simply because you folks deserve my due diligence. The reason I haven’t seen Mr. Cromwell’s movies is because I am putting forth effort into something I see as more important. What is so hard in making the effort?

          Getting back to the original story, I was much younger thirty years ago. Since then I have read many more books and listened to many other Christians talk and I have come to the conclusion that even Christians just give back what other Christians say. Most Christians do little of their own work. A few years ago a lady from our old church in Geneva, Ohio called me and said, “Our pastor (I had been gone from that church for eight years and they were already on their third pastor) said that speaking in tongues is the only way to really talk to God. Is that right?” I said, “What does the Bible say?” She replied, “I don’t know! That’s why I am calling you!” “OK,” I said. “You look it up first and then we will talk about it.” Of course, that isn’t what she wanted to hear. She didn’t want to look it up. She didn’t want to go to the trouble. I have no problem with answering a question if a person doesn’t understand something, but if it is there, in black and white, why not look it up?

          Every cult that ever was got started because people believe what they hear rather than what they have researched. Life is full of mysteries as it is, why make it worse when the answers to so many things are clear? Look at Christianity now. Why are so many struggling with cut and dried Biblical realities that have no wiggle room whatsoever? Because someone said abortion is really OK, that marriage is disposable by our choice, that homosexual activity is not sin, that promiscuity is permissible until marriage, that the truth of the Scripture is only in how you see it. One retiring pastor said to me a few years ago, “I am so glad to leave these issues behind!” I wanted to smack him. They are not issues! It is God’s Word!

          One day I, too, will walk away from the pastorate. Until then I will continue to do due diligence. I will study, I will stand for the Word, I will be a pastor to the people God has given me stewardship for. And when I have to walk away, I will miss it terribly. But, never, ever take what I say as the last word. Look it up and be right.

          On the evenings of October 30 and 31 our church is going to have a ‘Trunk and Treat’ in the Grove at the east building. Kids can come and go from vehicle to vehicle and get candy, enjoy some of the things our Youth are going to have for them and get a little Gospel in the process. All in all, a pretty good deal for the young ones.

          It reminded me of something we used to do in Ohio. We had twelve churches in our community and every year four of those churches, New Life Assembly, the United Church (a union of a Baptist church and a Congregational church from many hears before), the Missionary Alliance church and our church, Park Street Christian Church, would get together and have what we called a ‘Kids Night.’ We would rent out the Community Center and set it up for games and treats. We had ours indoors because on the 31^st of October you could expect snow. (Here it is only getting down to the 40s both nights. Positively balmy!) The entire floor of the Center would be set up in games for the kids to play. If they won, they got a lot of candy. If they lost, they still got a lot of candy. It was (forgive the pun) a sweet deal. At the end of the evening we had a special evangelistic message just for the kids, a message that invited them to come to Christ. We got them to stay by having a drawing for a bike or something and they had to be there when the drawing took place to win. If they did leave, they were given a Gospel tract at the door. Throughout the night, 600 to 700 kids would hear the Gospel. It was advertised as a ministry of those four churches and we told folks up front that it was intended to give a safe haven for the kids and to give us an opportunity to share Christ.

          One year after the evangelistic message, I was heading to the back of the Center to get a drink. I had the message that year, so I was not required to hand out door prizes. As I approached the beverage center I saw a woman in the face of Officer Tim, one of the off-duty city police officers we had hired to show the uniform and keep the peace. She was just all over him. I even thought to myself, Ah, poor Tim! But then, the officer turned and motioned to me and I knew my rather pleasant evening was about to come crashing down. I walked over and the woman turned on me. She was so angry her cheeks were literally purple.

          “HOW DARE YOU! IF THIS @#%%&*$# COP DOESN’T ARREST YOU ALL I AM GOING TO SUE THE LOT OF YOU! HOW DARE YOU TALK CHURCH STUFF TO MY KIDS! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TRY AND INDOCTRINEATE MY KIDS WITHOUT MY PERMISSION! THEY ARE TO YOUNG TO LISTEN TO THIS CRAP! I OUGHT TO TAKE YOU DOWN RIGHT NOW!” As she ranted I glanced over to Officer Tim. His look made me think he was thinking what I had been thinking shortly before. Ah, poor Pastor Wade. I let her run down and when she stopped I told her, “Ma’am, we have a permit from the city for this event and it is in the permit that it is a religious event. We have rented the Center from a private company and they also understand why we are here. And, (here I pointed at one of the many signs we had up all over the center outlining what we were doing and why) by you bringing your children here you imply that you understand why we are here and you are giving us permission to tell your kids about Christ. Nothing is illegal here.”

          “NOT ILLEGAL??!!? WHAT ABOUT THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE?” She had that triumphant look that people get when they think they know the law but do not. “Ma’am, this is not a school event nor is it a government event at all. Separation of church and state does not apply.”

          “WE’LL SEE ABOUT THAT! YOU WILL HEAR FROM MY LAWYER!” That is always the last threat someone gives when they have nothing else. I handed her my card and said, “That’s my number. Have him call me.” She snatched the card and gave me a look that could melt plastic. “MY GOD! (given the circumstances, that was an interesting choice of words) WHERE CAN A MOTHER EVEN TAKE HER KIDS ANYMORE THAT IS SAFE?!!?” With that she stormed off, snatching her kids as she went.

          But that last sentence floored me. Earlier in the year, just after her kids’ bus would have rolled through town taking them to school, we had a shooting down town. People were killed. The police had to shoot the shooter. Our church took a few bullets. In a nearby town there had just been a shooting. Three had died. On a trick or treat night two years earlier in our town someone had slipped razor blades into candy bars. One of the reasons for the Kids Night was to get the kids off the streets and into a safe and protected place. It wasn’t the primary reason, but it had been a consideration. Her statement made me wonder what she, and other people, considered a threat. Why would she think an event like that was a dangerous thing?

          Some years ago, I was talking with a mother about bringing her kids to church. “Oh, goodness no! They are too young to make religious decisions.” I was a little taken aback. “You decide where they go to school by where you live, you decide what they wear, you decide what they eat but you are putting off their eternity until they can make the decision for themselves?” She was offended. She found another church that made nice with her. I didn’t really talk to her again until three years ago, when her son died of an overdose. What is wrong with people that they perceive danger and refuse common sense?

 In Isaiah 5 we have a series of woes pronounced on people. A ‘woe’ given  by the prophet in the name of the Lord is a very bad thing. It is a promise of doom. In verse 20 of Isaiah 5 we have this: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! I believe the problem today is not that the lost out there reject the Gospel, that they call evil good and good evil. I think the problem is that Christians have become that way. If the Bible says it is a sin, we have no right to soft pedal the sin. The Bible tells that what opens the womb belongs to God. Yet, we will say that abortion is OK if the mother’s life is in danger. The Bible doesn’t say that, Christians say it. The Bible says that homosexuality is an abomination, yet we will say that is a choice I wouldn’t make, but that’s not me. But the Bible still calls it an abomination. We don’t want to make waves, we don’t want to upset, we don’t want to be seen as ‘holier than thou.’

 The lost have always thought evil is good. The lost have always made excuses for not listening to or not sharing the Gospel. Always. That is Satan’s method of operation. I really believe, though, that my encounters with those two mothers, and their responses to me, has more to do with their lack of respect for Christians (because of their lack of zeal) than it has to do with Satan’s actions.

 Jesus wasn’t very popular, but He did change the world. Paul wasn’t very popular, but he did change the world. There are others we could name, but the point is this; God could have saved us and then taken us home, but He did not. He left us here. Not to be popular, not to get along, not to not ruffle feathers. God left us here to change our world.

 An old high school classmate sent me an e-mail about an accident to doors down from her house. It had just happened and she was asking prayer. A young man, two young women and a baby were killed when a guy ran a stop sign and broadsided them. The next day I got a message from the man who played the organ for our church for fifteen years. The four dead were actually his two great nieces, one of their husbands and a great, great nephew. Two days ago this same man (my friend Nick) got back with me and told me it has come out that it was the fifth time the driver who caused the accident has been arrested for driving under the influence. Four people are dead because some judge will not take a stand. Here is what goes through my mind. If I lose my temper and start ranting and swearing, if I hold back from witnessing because I don’t want to ‘offend’, if I refuse to stand up for the good rather than stepping aside for the evil, aren’t I just like that judge that let the drunk off? If someone dies and goes to hell (and yes, I believe in a real hell) because of something I did, I am a horrible man.

The lady who didn’t want to make her children go to church until they could make the decision. (Her kids had been at our VBS for a week and loved it.) When her son overdosed she sat at the funeral home across the table from me. She wanted me to tell her he was in heaven. I told her I couldn’t tell her that because I didn’t know. “I didn’t know him except for that short time.” I wanted to say, but you took him away to make his own decision, and now he has made it. But I didn’t say it. It would be wrong to attack the grieving mother. For the next six months until we came to Indiana I counseled with her and her daughter. Now that mother understands about Christ, but she also realizes that things could have been different for her son for the present and for all eternity.

We sing the song, “Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus.” We know it so well, but do we listen? First verse” Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross;
lift high his royal banner, it must not suffer loss. From victory unto victory His army shall He lead, till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.

We aren’t very good soldiers if we don’t stand up.  

He really was just about as cute as a little goober could be. I was coming out of an aisle at Wal-mart and the little guy and his Mommy (I assume she was Mommy) were walking by, so I stopped to wait. His left hand was holding Mommy's hand and his right hand was at his mouth, where he was sucking on his ring and middle fingers. He was two, maybe three, but I am not good at guessing. He had on black jeans and a black sweatshirt and a black Batman cowl was pulled down over his head. The cowl looked handmade but was really very well done. He looked just like Batman's little boy.
"Ooo!" I said. "Batman!" He whipped his head around and his smile was so big I could see it even through the cowl. "Grrr!" he said, still smiling and still sucking his fingers. Does Batman growl? I don't know, but that one did. He and Mommy walked on and I followed because I was going that way. In about ten more feet he looked up at Mommy, raised his arms and said something, at which point she reached down and swung him up to rest on her hip and they walked on. (Which brings up the question, are all Mommies equipped with a baby hip? Women don't seem to need any training at all to rest a child on their hip and carry on. It is amazing to me.) So, Batman gave me one last look, then rested his head on Mommy and went away, more secure than even in the Batmobile.
I went on my way, marveling in the complete trust a small child has in Mom. Of course, that will change. As kids get older they begin to deviate from that unfailing trust. He will, in time, become head strong. Mom will, in time, begin to rub him the wrong way. It happens. But the bond will always be there, even if tenuous at times. If all goes well there will come a day when he, older than even Mommy is now, holds Mom's hand and comforts her as she struggles for life. It is the order of things.
As I walked along I thought on these things. It was such a precious scene. It lifted my spirit. But the thought kept coming to me....if all goes well. There are so many things that can interfere with all going well. So many pitfalls waiting to swallow up little Batmen and Princesses. Or, for that matter, Mommies and Daddies. There will certainly be tears someday with that little Batman and his Mommy. What will cause those tears? What will bring on heartache? What suffering will be there? 
Our son and his wife decided before they were married that they wanted no kids. Their reasoning was that it would be cruel to bring a child into this world. Kimberly (our daughter-in-law) has a sister who is married and the sister and her husband have the same thought. Being that there are only the two girls, Kimberly's parents will have no grandchildren. Adam (our son) is an only child, so Marsha and I will also have no grands. I have talked to Kimberly's parents about this and we all agree that if they do not want kids they shouldn't have kids. But there is that in me that would like to have a little goober running around. My cousin Steve grew up in Indianapolis. He and I were just months apart in age and we saw each other often for a long time. He died last year of cancer. He and Betty had a son and a daughter and the daughter, Melissa (she prefers Missy) got married, in Indianapolis, on the 29th of September, three weeks ago. I did the wedding. When I was going through counseling with them, I asked the question, Are you planning on children? The response was a very positive "Yes!" I told them that would make Missy's Mom quite happy. (She already has three grands from her son.) Missy's eyes got big and she said, "Hey, you could be their grandpa since you aren't going to have any from Adam!" It kind of startled me and I laughed. I thought to myself, "Fill in grandkids." We'll see.
It would be kind of neat, though, but still there is the thought.....what kind of life will a child now have in twenty years. What new evil, new drug, new temptation will pull at them. Will they go off to war? Will they fall victim to some new disease? What awaits?
The Bible says in Proverbs 22:5-6, Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them. Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Many times I have heard a distraught Mom or Dad say, "I raised that child right! They were in church every Sunday! What more could I do?" The first thing I point out is that the Scripture says even when they are old they will not depart from it. Sometimes age and experience is what pulls it all together. But also, the command to train a child up is not given to the church. It is given to the parents, even to the grandparents. Taking them to church is a part, but they spend a lot more time in school or on the internet or reading or in front of them TV than in church. They have friends who are not the best of friends and they will have temptations thrown at them. You cannot expect church to train them up when the other 166 hours a week away from church is filled with evil. 
Have your children or grandchildren heard you pray? Or, have they heard you curse? If they have heard both, what do you suppose they will remember in time to come? Perhaps to you, getting angry justifies a quick flash of foul language or inappropriate physical response. But how does your child or grandchild interpret that action? 
Little ones look to their Moms and Dads and grandparents for leadership. When they do not find leadership there, they look elsewhere.
So, Batman rode off on Mommy's hip. I pray that Mommy will raise him up in the way he should go. And not just that Mommy. But all those Mommies and Daddies and grandfolks. Be the very best example of the Love of God they can have. You only get the one shot. 

 

          The last two or three weeks have been an embarrassment to the United States. Unfounded accusations, enraged citizens beating on the doors to the offices of the Supreme Court demanding entry, a former Attorney General and a former presidential candidate advocating violence against their political foes. The last three weeks we have put on display for the whole world to see all the hate and ugliness that has been bubbling up in this country since the last election. Personally, I am tired of it. I need to smile. That is probably the white privilege in me coming out, but this is just too much. To that end, this was sent to me by a former church member in Ohio. The sign or headline first, then my comment in italics. Give smiling a chance.

          These are all signs and headlines people have seen around the country.

TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW.

I was taught using the floor was wrong.

In a Laundromat:

AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT.

Well, at least they want you to wait for the lights to go out.

In a London department store:

BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS...

Remember, these people call a bathroom a loo, an elevator a lift and the hood of the car a bonnet. Of course their basements are upstairs.

In an office:

WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEP LADDER YESTERDAY PLEASE BRING IT BACK OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN.

If you can take further steps, why do you need a step ladder?

In an office:

AFTER TEA BREAK, STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD.

I am quite happy I do not work in that office.

Outside a second-hand shop:

WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN?

Well, I could use a new grill, but I need Marsha to get everything else together for the cookout.

Notice in health food shop window:

CLOSED DUE TO ILLNESS...

Wonder if they were eating their own food?

Spotted in a safari park: 
ELEPHANTS, PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CAR.

Nothing worse than an elephant roaming around outside of its car.

Seen during a conference:

FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CHILDREN AND DOESN'T KNOW IT, THERE IS A DAY CARE ON THE 1ST FLOOR.

Now, I can understand that. I came home one day in 1984 and a little three year old raced by me. Startled, I looked at Marsha and said, “Who is that?” She looked at me and replied, “He is Adam, he is three years old and he is our son.” So, yeah, I understand.

Notice in a farmer's field:

THE FARMER ALLOWS WALKERS TO CROSS THE FIELD FOR FREE, BUT THE BULL CHARGES.

And while you are looking for the bull, the cow patties can trip you up.

IF YOU CANNOT READ, THIS LEAFLET WILL TELL YOU HOW TO GET LESSONS.

Seriously. Dothan, Alabama. A large billboard read “CAN’T READ? CALL 555-555-5555.” Marsha had to read it to me. What!!??? I was driving!

On a repair shop door:

WE CAN REPAIR ANYTHING. (PLEASE KNOCK HARD ON THE DOOR - THE BELL DOESN'T WORK.)

At our funeral home in Ohio we had a monument company. The man who ran it (part owner of the funeral home and monument company) had as his own headstone on the grave he intends to use one day, a pile of river rock, superglued together.

Headline in a newspaper.

MAN KILLS SELF BEFORE SHOOTING WIFE AND DAUGHTER

Obviously, a tragic story followed. But, speaking as a former funeral home worker, I feel pretty confident in saying that once anyone is dead, they are no longer a threat to anyone, especially if the plan is to shoot them.

Another newspaper headline.

SOMETHING WENT WRONG IN CRASH OF JET, EXPERTS SAY

Usually, in an aircraft crash, something has gone wrong. In fact, always, in an aircraft crash, something has gone wrong. Apparently, it took and expert to see that. Reminds me of a large sign I saw in a window once in Florida. (After this last hurricane ripped through there, I wonder if the building still stands.) The sign read “EXPERT ON DUTY.” It was auto repair. Next door was another auto repair shop with a larger sign in the window, “DEFINITION OF EXPERT: ‘EX’ MEANS IT IS GONE AND ‘SPURT’ IS A DRIP UNDER PRESSURE.”

Another headline.

POLICE BEGIN CAMPAIGN TO RUN DOWN JAYWALKERS

I am certainly no expert, but wouldn’t that require the squad cars to be reinforced?

And still another headline.

MINERS REFUSE TO WORK AFTER DEATH

Actually, it is pretty decent of the employer to keep them on after they die.

A headline of a strict town.

JUVENILE COURT TO TRY SHOOTING DEFENDANT

Must be a Saudi court. Teach ‘em young.

War headline.

WAR DIMS HOPE FOR PEACE

War does that. I imagine you have heard of Maxine Waters, Congresswoman from California and an avowed (and admitted) hater of Donald Trump. I heard her say in an interview back when North Korea was saying they were going to nuke the US, “If that little man over there in Korea nukes us I am afraid that big man in Washington is going to take us to war.” Getting nuked would lead to war.

Labor struggles.

IF STRIKE ISN’T SETTLED QUICKLY, IT MAY LAST AWHILE

I worked for a newspaper for a year or so at one time in addition to pastoring. Most people do not realize that the reporter who writes the article rarely writes the headlines. The above headline made perfect sense to the headline writer, I guess.

COLD WAVE LINKED TO TEMPATURES

That could also be, TEMPATURES FALL BECAUSE IT IS COLD. Yep.

You just have to love stuff from the Brits.

COUPLE SLAIN; POLICE SUSPECT HOMICIDE

There must be other choices in England.

RED TAPE HOLDS UP NEW BRIDGES

I do not like driving over high bridges anyway, but now you tell me they are held up by tape?!!?

MAN STRUCK BY LIGHTNING: FACE BATTERY CHARGE

This one confuses me. Did he try to fight the lightning? Are they identifying the man who is facing the charge as the man who was also struck by lightning? Is it two headlines mixed together? Or, could it be that the court ordered him to be struck by lightning so he could then charge the batteries throughout the community? Either way, weird town.

NEW STUDY OF OBESITY LOOKS FOR LARGER TEST GROUP

They needed people who were more obese?

ASTRONAUT TAKES BLAME FOR GAS IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

Apparently, burrito night was a big hit.

Headline over a story for a local elementary school.

KIDS MAKE NUTRITIOUS SNACKS

Is that why enrollment is down in our schools? Or, maybe it is the next headline.

LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS CUT IN HALF

That should make the others stay in school!

HOSPITALS ARE SUED BY SEVEN FOOT DOCTORS

What, the doors aren’t high enough for them?

TYPHON RIPS THROUGH CEMETERY; HUNDREDS DEAD

Somehow I am thinking that the hundreds dead were actually deceased before the typhoon hit, but maybe not

Thank you for reading. We now return you to the regularly schedule chaos, brought to you by your government.

          Normally, she was a very happy and animated little girl, but on that particular Sunday morning back in the mid-1980s, she came into church with tears in her eyes. When she walked into Children’s Church I looked at her and asked her if she was OK. Struggling not to cry, she looked at me and said in a trembling voice, “My kitty died yesterday.” Oh, I am so sorry! How did your kitty die? Now the tears welled up, but she got the story out. A few days before the little girl was in the garage and she saw some ‘green stuff’ on the floor. Kitty came over and started to lick it up. She had watched as Daddy had poured some of the green stuff in the car and had seen it overflow onto the floor. She knew where the jug was, so she went and got the jug of antifreeze and poured Kitty a bowl. Kitty died.

          Tragic story for a little girl. You cannot help but feel for her. If she would have read the jug she would have seen that it was harmful, but at six years old she would not have been able to  read it at all, much less have understood. To her, it was her first great loss.

          Christians do the same thing in a Spiritual sense, only the Christians who do these things can read and understand and should know better. Just recently in a devotional book sitting on a table in a waiting room I saw a verse leading into an article. Jeremiah 29:11---For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. As soon as I saw the verse I knew where the author was going, and I was right. God has a plan for you! You will prosper, it is in His will! You will not be harmed, it is in His will! You have a wonderful hope and a bright and shining future, it is in His will! It was written in such a way as to give you an uplifted spirit. The article was very well put together. That was not the first time I had ever seen that theme attached to that verse. No doubt, you have seen it, as well. Very exciting!

          One day, several years ago, I was talking to someone and he said, “You know, the Lord has a plan for you and me! We are going to be lifted up and not hurt and we have a glorious future! Don’t you believe that, my brother?” As I recall, it was a grumpy Larry day. I said to him, “Where does it say that?” In the Bible! “Where in the Bible?” Uh, Jeremiah? “Whereabouts in Jeremiah?” I can look it up. “Yeah, and what is the occasion of Jeremiah writing that verse?” Uh, well, I’ll look that up, too. “Good, read the 27^th, the 28^th and the 29^th chapters of Jeremiah and get back with me tomorrow.” He never got back with me.

          To the dearly beloved, but deceased, Kitty, the antifreeze had an interesting taste. When presented with it in abundance, she drank. A Christian reads a verse that is interesting and then there is an inspiring little story to go with it and we read it. And, just like Kitty, we die. Oh, not actually. But we start to die in our spirit.

          Jeremiah 29:11 says exactly what I gave you above. But the context that the verse is in is every bit as important as the actual verse. So, what is happening here?

          The Jews had been unfaithful to the Lord. They had adopted the ways and beliefs of the world around them Then, as a punishment, the northern half of the Jewish nations was attacked by the Babylonians. It was brutal. After the north fell, the Babylonians turned on the southern half. The brutality brought upon the southern kingdom was worse than that of the north. In the end, tens of thousands were taken into captivity. The weak and injured and sickly were left behind to die. In fact, in verses 16 thru 19 of Jeremiah 29 there is a curse placed on those who did not go into exile because they did not listen to God. The ‘lucky ones’ were carried off to an uncertain future of slavery and suffering and pain and loss. This passage is not one of joy, but of loss and heartbreak. That doesn’t show up in that one verse, though, does it? Of course not. How could you feel good reading all of it? In fact, if you read the whole passage you might see the true meaning, which is that when we turn away from the Lord, there is a severe price to pay. Unlike the wisdom of today, reality says that we are free to choose our course, but we then have to pay the consequences.

          What on earth, then, does verse 11 mean?

          First, many people do not realize that the Bible did not have verses in it originally. The Bible was written in the same manner we would write today. No one sits down to write a letter or an e-mail and starts it with “Chapter 1, Verse 1.” Chapter and verse headings were added centuries later after the completion of the entire Book. Like us, the authors wrote in paragraphs. Jeremiah is telling of the terrible punishment as well as looking into the future and sharing with the people some of the awful things which are to come. In the middle of this exceedingly bad news, Jeremiah stops and gives a paragraph of a little good news. Jeremiah 29:10-15, paragraph form--- “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.  For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

          Verse 11 (underlined) takes a different meaning when it is in context. God does have plans for us, but first there will be a struggle. They would have to live in captivity. There would be slavery. There would be despair. There would be anguish. And it would take 70 years of all of it before the people turned back to God. Then, and only then, could God redeem them.          

          Jeremiah 29:11 is not a happy verse. It is a verse that is to give hope. When those 70 years were completed, God opened it up to allow the Jews to go back to Jerusalem. Almost all the people who had come out of Jerusalem were dead by that time. Jerusalem had been destroyed over the years by marauding bandits. The city was mostly in ruins. Only a small percentage of Jews chose to go back. Most perceived it was easier to live in exile than go back to rubble. But, some did go back and they did rebuild. The city was never as great as it had been, however, there were several thousand who decided following God was better than their own welfare.

          And that is what the passage is about. Jeremiah was writing to people who would know when they read his words that they would not see the day. They would all die before redemption came for the nation. But they kept the hope alive for the ones who came after.

          The devotional writers have taken one verse out of a grim and bleak passage and changed it’s meaning to reflect happiness. The whole passage shows it to be a thin lifeline. However, if you follow it through to the end you see the hand of the Lord at work. That one verse is the proverbial ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ in a tunnel that is very dark and very scary. The light, though, is God’s promise.

          Read the whole Word, not just a suggested verse here and there. That would be like sitting down at a wonderful meal and seeing a bowl of roasted potatoes and saying, “Oh, I love those” and just eating one potato. You would be satisfied for a while, but you would have missed the greater blessing. You don’t watch a minute and a half of your favorite TV show and know what it is about. You don’t read three pages of that novel you have been waiting for and know the theme and conclusion. You don’t fit out and plant a half acre of 600 and expect it to bring any money in. Why do we think we can read a verse and read a short little devotion, that may or may not actually go along with the passage, and then believe we have what God has for us that day?

          Actually, in the time you have wasted reading this blog you could have read a good portion of Jeremiah. Read the Word!