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----- Original Message --
From:
David Goodin
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008
3:10 PM
Subject: Thursday Thoughts [A
weekly "e-pistle" to My Friends in Christ]
SO...DID YOU WATCH THE GAME?
Surely you know what I'm talking
about! Last night's Fiesta Bowl victory by
West Virginia University was one for the ages. Even for those
who are not fans of the Mountaineers, that game had premium
entertainment value for anyone who loves sports. The big plays
just kept coming, one after another. Oklahoma was clearly a
very good and powerful team, but West Virginia had an answer to
everything. In the end, it was a decisive victory for our
"lads" (as interim [now head!] coach Bill Stewart called them).
If you saw the
game, you must have some favorite moments. The fourth-down stop
late in the first half was a "statement play" that let the
Sooners know we were intent on winning. Owen Schmitt's 57 yard
rumble to the end zone was priceless. When Tito Gonzalez scored
on a 79 yard passing play, I think he was crying before he
crossed the goal line...then the tears kept flowing on the
sideline as teammates hugged him. Cameras showed him on the
telephone, nearly overcome with emotion, and Mossie said, "He's
probably talking to his mom!" (Actually, he was more likely
talking to a coach upstairs, but I liked the thought.) What a
victory! What a thrilling conclusion to a season that seemed to
unravel in its waning days.
In fact, that's
what makes this win so sweet. This is a team that overcame
unusual adversity to reach the pinnacle of success. Hopes were
high at the start of the year. Some talked about a National
Championship...until a mid-year loss to the University of South
Florida. Despite that loss, the team stayed focused and built a
new winning streak while other teams ranked above them
stumbled. Going into the game with the University of
Pittsburgh, WVU had climbed to #2 in the rankings. They were
28-point favorites over the Panthers, confident that they would
play for the title after all. But they lost that game. I was
there. With thousands of others, I watched in stunned silence.
I didn't think it was possible. I felt so badly for those young
men, who came so close to achieving something that is so rare in
sports, and who lost in such miserable fashion.
The worst was
still to come. Days later, the head coach resigned to take the
helm at the University of Michigan. To many of us, it was
beyond unthinkable. Those of us born in this state prize
loyalty to our own, and we felt betrayed by a native son. I'll
be honest, I didn't see how this team could stay in the game
with a powerhouse like Oklahoma. I expected a devastated,
demoralized, disheartened "band of brothers" to show up in
Arizona, and my hope was that they would at least avoid
embarrassment by keeping the game close.
They did much
more than that! Somehow -- give "Coach Stu" and his staff a ton
of credit -- this team refocused. From the opening kick, they
played with passion, intensity and resolve. Today, no one
really cares about the Pitt loss. No one is fretting over the
head coach's departure. No one even seems to mind so much that
we aren't in the title game. In fact, there are going to be
plenty of pundits wondering what might have happened had the
eventual winner faced the Mountaineer team that showed up in the
desert last night. So is there a spiritual insight in the midst
of all this? Well, there has to be -- these are, after all, the
"Thursday Thoughts" of a pastor! Many applications come to
mind, but I will share just one.
Thinking about
all that this team had to overcome...how perturbed and confused
they had to be...how anxious and alarmed and even
dismayed...then how elated and exuberant and overjoyed...I think
of the Apostle's observation about our translation from this
world to our eternal inheritance: "I consider that our
present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that
will be revealed in us" (Romans 8.18, NIV). Not worth
compaing! The instant that we are with Jesus, nothing we
have endured here will matter any longer. All shame and
disappointment and loss will evaporate and be gone as though it
never existed at all. If the thrill of victory can so quickly
and completely abolish the agony of defeat for these football
players, imagine how great will be your joy, and how utterly you
will forget the past, the moment you step into the eternal
presence of your Savior and King!
THIS SUNDAY our emphasis is on God's great
mercy as we share together in the Lord's Supper.
In the Evening Praise Service we will
resume our Lessons on Prayer. Go to
www.cmachurch.net for online
sermons and other info.
WHAT A
DAY THAT WILL BE, WHEN MY JESUS I SHALL SEE! HIS GRACE! HIS
FACE! O, THE JOY!
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----- Original Message -----
From:
David Goodin
Sent: Thursday, January 10,
2008 1:39 PM
Subject: Thursday Thoughts [A
weekly "e-pistle" to My Friends in Christ]
"THAT'S WHAT SUCKS ME OUT OF THE
SHEETS IN THE MORNING!"
Have you heard that expression?
Colorful, isn't it? I had never heard anyone say this,
until one day in a meeting with our C&MA National Office
team in Colorado Springs. Dr. Bob Fetherlin, our vice
president for International Ministries, was talking about a
new initiative to plant churches in a place that had been
closed to us, and he was really animated by the prospects.
With a big grin and bright eyes he declared, "That's
what sucks me out of the sheets in the morning!"
Is there something that "turns you on" to each new day,
something that excites you and gives you a sense of
purpose? Do you arise with the anticipation of God's good
favor upon your life, confident that He is going to use you
this day in ways that you could never have
imagined? Does His hand reach down like a giant unseen
vacuum to "suck you out of the sheets" and propel
you into His world of service? No?! Well then, wouldn't
you like to experience that kind of vision for living?
Shouldn't you?
Without a doubt, the expression is a bit overstated. I will
freely admit that I do not leap out of bed with my feet
running, thrilling with exuberance for every appointment and
task that awaits. I need a slow start to the day. Many
times, my first thought on awaking is, "I'm so tired. I
just want to sleep another hour." Then again, the dog
and the cat are needing attention, so I have to get up --
for them, if not for me -- and once I start moving, other
things fall into place. Put the tea kettle on, gather my
materials for my devotions -- Bible, journal, a couple
devotional guides I'm reading -- share some quiet time with
my Savior.
I
cherish the slow pace of my early morning regimen. Once the
day "officially" begins, I am hounded and harried, rushing
from one duty to the next, changing hats too many times to
mention, and always ending the day with more things undone
than things accomplished. If I were truly "sucked out
of the sheets" and hurled into the busyness of the day,
I fear I would soon be a total and blathering idiot...or
moreso than I already am.
Still, I will agree that what God has given me to do is
truly satisfying. I am thankful to know that I am engaged
in a work that is far bigger than me. I'm glad that what I
do is far more important than simply bringing home a
paycheck. When I am weary or frustrated or discouraged or
fearful or anguished, I find joy in the reminder that God
has graced my life with purpose, that I am laboring for Him
and not merely for man, and that he "works for the good
of those who love Him, who have been called according to His
purpose" (Romans 8.28, NIV).
"Oh, but you're a pastor. Of course you have a sense of
purpose. Your whole life is about a higher calling."
Indeed, it is a privilege to be a pastor. It's fraught with
heartache and stress and physical exhaustion and spiritual
struggle...but it's God's work! I won't deny it. However,
you are doing God's work, too. As followers of
Jesus Christ, we are children of God. We have been joined
to His family, and no matter how you earn your living, you
are called to be about the Father's business. In the
workplace, at home, through volunteer work in the church and
community, etc., you are living out your call to be His
witness.
Maybe other things don't "suck you out of the sheets"
in the morning, but serving Jesus should! Think of the
privilege that is yours. You are one of His saints, a
"called out" follower of God. He has made you holy, which
means simply that you have been set apart as His. Maybe you
don't think of yourself as holy because you don't have such
a high opinion of your personal righteousness, but the truth
is you have been chosen by God, separated from the world,
and set apart for His use. You are holy! You are a vessel
into which He pours Himself, an instrument which He wields
in His hand. And if that doesn't get you pumped, I don't
know what will!
THIS SUNDAY
the Lord, Have Mercy series continues. The Lord
is calling for workers who will exercise mercy toward
others. In the Evening Praise Service
we continue the Cymbala series and Lessons
on Prayer. Go to
www.cmachurch.net for
online sermons and other info.
LORD, I WANT TO DO YOUR BIDDING! SUCK ME OUT OF THE SHEETS
AND SEND ME ON YOUR WAY!
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----- Original Message -----
From:
David Goodin
Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008
9:30 AM
Subject: Thursday Thoughts [A
weekly "e-pistle" to My Friends in Christ]
HOW HARD IS IT FOR YOU TO SAY,
"I'M SORRY?"
Ever had to coax an apology out of a child? Picture the
little fellow trying to say he is sorry for just having bitten
or pinched or slugged his sibling. With a sullen look and
obvious distaste, he might mumble, "Sorry," but you
know he doesn't really mean it. Still, it's important to learn
how to do something he's going to do again many times throughout
his life!
I met with a
group of pastors recently. One man was distressed about a bad
encounter with a church member that morning. In his rush to
leave his office, he had been rather curt with this person. He
said, "I didn't handle the matter very well and I'm going to
have to go back to her and make it right." When our
meeting ended, we had planned to share a late lunch, but this
pastor begged off. "I need to take care of this matter from
earlier this morning," he said. So he left us to go find
that parishioner and do some damage repair. I'm sure it began
with a heartfelt apology. Why is it so hard to admit a wrong,
or that we have done something we should not have done? We
often choose to rationalize our behavior. "I wouldn't have
done what I did if you hadn't said what you said!" Well,
of course. There is always provocation of some sort, I
suppose. But that doesn't justify my unkindness. Too often we
practice a "grown-up" version of the child's defense, "He
hit me first!"
Aside from what
the other person did, the real reason we won't admit wrong is
simple pride. We're just full of self. It's one of the most
obvious manifestations of what the Bible identifies as the sin
nature. To admit a wrong is humbling, to say the least, and
such an admission places me at the feet of the person whom I
have offended. It requires an abasement of self that goes
against every prideful fiber in my being. And yet...when I have
sinned, nothing is gained by covering it up, ignoring it,
excusing it or finding "just cause" why I behaved as I did. The
offense sits there and festers...sometimes for years!...ruining
the fellowship I might have enjoyed.
Moreover, the
heart of God is grieved. Right after the Apostle Paul tells us
that we should not allow any "unwholesome talk" to
escape our lips, but should speak only that which builds up and
benefits (Ephesians 4.29), he then says, "And do not grieve
the Holy Spirit of God...." (v.30). Do we forget this?
When I cause injury to another, I grieve the Holy Spirit of
God! God loves each of us, and is impartial in His love. He
doesn't differentiate between us. In fact, he isn't willing
that any one of us perish; He loves each of us indiscriminately,
and Christ Jesus gave His life for all, not merely for some.
John says, "...to all who received Him...He gave the right
to become children of God...." (John 1.12).
When I cause
offense to another, I injure one whom God loves. I grieve the
Holy Spirit! I should passionately desire to make amends as
soon as possible. I should rush to apologize,
expressing genuine sorrow for the wrong that I have done. This
was certainly the heart of my pastor friend, who anguished all
morning because he knew he had mishandled this matter with a
member of his fellowship. As soon as our meeting was done, he
could delay no longer. Lunch had to be foregone. He needed to
make an apology. Oh, that we were always so diligent! Consider
what Paul has written: "See what this godly sorrow has
produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear
yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what
concern, what readiness to see justice done" (II
Corinthians 7.11) Yes! that's the attitude that pleases God.
In the passage
from Ephesians, Paul continues, "Be kind and compassionate
to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God
forgave you" (Eph. 4.32). How shameful it is to hold on to
a grievance, and to compound its damage, just because I am
convinced that the wrong another has done to me justifies my
condemning spirit and the wrong that I return. Instead, I
should say, "What I did was unkind and lacking in grace. It
did not reflect the heart of my Savior, who only commended
Himself to His heavenly Father when His tormentors hurled
insults at Him. I must make amends. I must apologize, and I
must do it now."
THIS SUNDAY we will consider how the majesty of
God relates to His mercy. In the Evening Praise
Service we
continue our lessons on prayer. Go to
www.cmachurch.net for online
sermons and other info.
THIS RULE TRANSFORMS MY LIVING: FORGIVE OTHERS JUST AS IN CHRIST
GOD FORGAVE ME!
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----- Original Message -----
From:
David Goodin
Sent: Thursday, January 24,
2008 12:03 PM
Subject: Thursday Thoughts [A
weekly "e-pistle" to My Friends in Christ]
YOU NEVER KNOW HOW NINTH-GRADE
BOYS WILL AMUSE THEMSELVES!
Besides playing table-top
football and dreaming up ways to "prank" our least favorite
teacher, our so-called "study hall" period was fertile
ground for adolescent shenanigans. One day a classmate said
that if I gripped my #2 lead pencil in my fist with my hand
on the table and the pointed end of the pencil straight up,
he could hit it with a book and drive the pencil all the way
through the book. "No way," I thought. "That
much force will just break the pencil." He insisted it
could be done, and the conversation quickly morphed into a
quasi-dare....
...Which, of
course, no ninth-grade boy with an ounce of self-respect is
going to refuse, quasi or otherwise. A "sucker" was born
that minute. I gripped my pencil tightly, put my arm on the
table holding the implement straight up, and my friend
picked up my thick algebra book and slammed it down on the
point. The pencil went straight through and out the other
side an inch or so. It also squeezed some flesh into the
hole on the underside, which hurt mightily and bled a
little, but I was too impressed with the demonstration to
worry about the wound.
Of course, I
now had a hole through my algebra book. This did not
distress me. Oh, it did occur that my parents would not
find it amusing, if they happened to notice, so I filed a
mental note to keep my algebra book out of their sight if
possible. But algebra was definitely not my favorite
subject, so the defacing of this particular text added
something to the pleasure of the "physics lesson" we had
just experienced. In fact, for the rest of the year, as I
worked through that book, every time I turned a page with a
hole right smack in the middle, it was as though an
unalterable statement of protest had been made: Death
to Algebra...Death to Algebra...Death to Algebra.
My
apologies...sort of...to anyone who is math proficient. I'm
a word guy, not a numbers guy, and I despised algebra.
School had always been fairly easy for me, including math,
until I hit algebra in the ninth grade. In the tenth grade,
I got along with geometry reasonably well, although we began
our acquaintance on a bad footing since algebra had sent me
forth with a new suspicion that the math sciences were
secretly plotting my eventual and forever ruin and should
therefore be avoided at all costs. Algebra seemed to demand
a mental functionality that I did not possess and had no
desire to acquire. It was a blight on my existence and to
this day constitutes a year-long instance of academic
dyspepsia from which I perhaps have yet to recover.
Maybe I hated
algebra so much for the simple reason that it made me feel
"dumb." No matter how hard I worked, I just didn't "get
it." My parents even found a tutor for me, a graduate
student at WVU, and that was helpful. Though it pains me to
admit it, I almost "liked" algebra during those weekly
one-hour sessions. I definitely understood the concepts
much better than in the classroom. But the rest of the
time, algebra and I were locked in a "holy war" with no
peace in sight. Years have passed. Algebra hasn't
changed. Neither have I.
I won't say I
regret taking the course. My supreme difficulty taught me
that I would not excel at everything, and would perform
miserably in some. That's humbling, but I needed to know.
At the same time, I learned that I did not have to be
proficient in algebra to find a place of significance in
this world. It turns out there is a need for people who are
more nimble with words than with figures, and I've been able
to do OK in disciplines that did not require high math
proficiency.
At that
"study hall" table years ago, I guess I literally "drove a
stake through" the heart of my algebra text. A year later,
a tenth grade English course stirred an interest that led to
my college major and a path that has emphasized letters more
than numbers and is just what the Lord ordained. He really
does have a plan and purpose for each of us, and He knows
what He's doing. You are valued for who you are, and God
has put in you all sorts of latent gifts and possibilities
just waiting for expression unto His glory.
THIS SUNDAY we learn that God's mercy
is free and cannot be negotiated. In the
Evening Praise Service we'll enjoy a
missions report from Southeast Asia. Go to
www.cmachurch.net for
online sermons and other info.
I'M
TRUSTING IN GOD TO GET ME TO HEAVEN...WHETHER OR NOT I CAN
"DO THE MATH"!
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-----
Original Message -----
From:
David Goodin
Sent: Thursday, January 31,
2008 2:22 PM
Subject: Thursday Thoughts
[A weekly "e-pistle" to My Friends in Christ]
"I'M IN IT TO WIN IT!"
HAVE YOU HEARD THAT
EXPRESSION? Athletes will say this,
but so do politicians. When a candidate declares for
office, there is often a desire to assert that this campaign
is more than "window dressing," more than simply a platform
from which to espouse certain principles or to gain
influence and power. No, I want you to know, "I'm in it
to win it!"
We've heard a version of this from every one of the many
candidates who declared for the presidency. Nevertheless,
the field has winnowed down to just a few remaining "viable"
candidates. Which is to say, of the many who entered the
"presidential sweepstakes," only a few remain who actually
have any chance of winning it. A candidate who is trailing
in the polls will insist that he or she intends to stay in
the race all the way to its end, no matter what the outcome
of the next primary, and then, when they lose that
vote, they're at the podium withdrawing from the race and
casting support to another candidate. What happened?
A
big part of it, of course, is the practical reality that at
some point a hopeless campaign simply can't be financed any
further. You might have been "in it to win it" but
if there is no longer any chance of winning it, it makes
little sense to spend yourself deep into debt for a lost
cause. Still, it seems a little artificial and inauthentic
to hear someone insist that they are staying the course, in
the race until the convention and the nominee is decided,
only to have them opt out of the whole thing just days
later. Where is the commitment now?
But that's politics. We understand giving up on lost
causes, cutting bait, jumping ship, et cetera, when
it's plain that a political goal, particularly a victorious
election, can't be attained. What bothers me is when this
sentiment spills over into the real world of moral and
ethical choices. Years ago, I counseled a couple whose
marriage was on the rocks. He had been unfaithful, again.
She said it was over; she wasn't taking him back. He
expressed sorrow, begged forgiveness and insisted that he
would do "whatever it takes, even if it means waiting
the rest of my life," in order to win her back.
I
really believed there was hope to save this marriage if he
followed through with his promise. She had been deeply
injured, but I knew she still had the capacity to forgive,
still wanted to put the pieces together, if he demonstrated
that he was sincere. I knew she would do it for the sake of
their child if not for herself, and so I encouraged him to
do exactly what he said, and to be patient with her in the
difficult healing that she needed to experience. She had to
see that he truly meant everything he had said.
About three weeks later he was in my office to tell me that
it wasn't going to work, that she was never going to give
him another chance, and that he was done. He had filed
for divorce. He wanted out. I said, "But you told me
you were committed to doing whatever it takes. You said you
would wait for her even if it took the rest of your life."
It didn't matter. He was done. "The rest of my life"
didn't even make it one month! He wasn't "in it to win
it."
Jesus is looking for disciples who will go the distance.
Near the end of an unusually laborious ministry, the Apostle
Paul said to young Timothy, "I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith"
(II Tim. 4.7). This is a man who was beaten, imprisoned,
shipwrecked...you name it, Paul suffered it. He must have
had a thousand days when it would have been far easier, in
that moment, to give up, to say, "It's no use," to
conclude that the hardship just wasn't worth it. But Paul
was "in it to win it." He pressed on, straining
for the prize that God had set before him in Christ,
believing that the rewards of heaven exceed the
disappointments and deprivations we suffer here (see
Phil.3.13-14 and Rom. 8.18). It's worth it, my friend, both
here and hereafter. I'm in it to win it! How about
you?
THIS SUNDAY
we observe communion and study how desperately the Lord has
loved us in His mercy. There is No Evening
Praise Service due to the fellowship dinner
and Annual Meeting following Morning Worship. Go to
www.cmachurch.net
for online sermons and other info.
I
KNOW THAT YOU CAN PERSEVERE, BECAUSE GOD HAS PROMISED THAT
HE WILL PRESERVE!
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-----
Original Message -----
From:
David Goodin
Sent: Thursday, February 07,
2008 11:17 AM
Subject: Thursday Thoughts
[A weekly "e-pistle" to My Friends in Christ]
HE ROBBED ME OF MY BEST PLAYER!
I guess I
shouldn't have been surprised because
Jamie Walthall was the son of an athlete who had a very fine
college basketball career at West Virginia University, but
it was a blow to our chances to win the championship in the
12-13 year old bracket.
I was only a teen myself, a few
years older than my players, and we were a rag-tag
group. The city had an intramural basketball league and
I had rounded up some fellows in the neighborhood who
wanted to play. We tie-dyed some tee-shirts in crazy
multi-colored designs and called ourselves the
"Psychedelics." We were one of a very few independent
entrants in the league. Most of the teams had sponsors
like Wilson Chevrolet and Lovings Furniture and Horton
Ford.
The coach of the Morgantown
Junior High team was the "sneaky Pete" who stole Jamie
from me. He came to the first intramural league game,
trolling for talent, and approached Jamie as soon as the
contest was over to offer him a spot on the school
team. The rules disallowed playing for both, so Jamie
was gone. Now, if you have been in Morgantown long
enough to even remember Morgantown Junior High or the
businesses I named above, then you and I are both
approaching the "older than dirt" classification. The
radio advertisements for Lovings (no TV ads back in
those days) located the store at "49 steps up Walnut
from High," which I checked out once on one of my forays
downtown to go to the library and "49 steps" seemed just
about right, depending on the length of one's stride.
Who needed GPS systems when you had directions as
explicit as that?!
We didn't have "middle schools"
back then. The junior high schools were grades seven
through nine, and MJHS was located at the corner of
Spruce and Walnut, where the city police building and
parking garage are found today. In fact, it's my
understanding that the junior high was once the high
school, before the present Morgantown High School
facility was built. Those of you who remember that are
talking some really old dirt now.
Anyway...the teams with sponsors had great looking
uniforms, so they also had lots of players. Most of
them rode the pine all season, but at least they got to
wear a spiffy uniform. I guess the big moment for the
non-playing contingent was running out on the floor at
the beginning to the game. I only had nine players,
wearing cheap shirts in a kaleidoscope of colors, but at
least everybody got to play. When I lost Jamie, I had
eight players. Then the same coach robbed me of two
more players! That left me with six, and my three most
talented guys were now playing for the Junior High.
To add to the "degree of difficulty," about halfway through
the season, my center broke his right (dominant) arm and was
in a cast. He played anyway and was big and strong enough
to be a rebounding force even if he couldn't shoot. Every
week I kept asking myself whether we had any chance at all
against these other teams in their crisp, bright uniforms.
And every week we kept winning. In fact, we went undefeated
and won the league championship for our age bracket.
Now I'm not going to claim divine providence for the
fortunes of that team. We were certainly too ornery to
expect God's favor in any way. However, I did learn
something about how appearances deceive, and about how it
isn't always the strong and mighty who win the battle, and
about perseverance and effort and believing in yourself.
And when the Bible tells me that God uses the weak and
foolish, the lowly and despised (I Corinthians 1.26-31), I
can believe that, too! If a scrappy and ill-coached team of
misfits could go undefeated against all those teams in their
impressive jerseys and shorts, then I am absolutely sure
that my God can take a band of miscreants and malfeasants
and turn them into warriors for the Kingdom. I'm just happy
to be playing for His team!
THIS SUNDAY
we meet a person who in anguish cast himself upon the mercy
of the Lord. In the Evening Praise Service
we resume our Lessons on Prayer with the Jim
Cymbala teaching series. For online sermons and other info,
go to
www.cmachurch.net.
I
AGREE WITH THE APOSTLE PAUL: THE ONLY BOASTING I WILL DO
WILL BE OF THE LORD JESUS!
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Original Message -----
From:
David Goodin
Sent: Thursday, February 14,
2008 10:58 AM
Subject: Thursday
Thoughts [A weekly "e-pistle" to My Friends in Christ]
WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE,
SWEET LOVE!
It's a 60s tune, so I'm
reaching back in time a little, but maybe you remember it.
The original lyrics were by Hal David and the music was
composed by Burt Bacharach. It was sung by Jackie DeShannon
and reached #7 on the pop charts. In later years, it was
recorded by more than 100 artists, including Burt Bacharach
and the Posies, The Carpenters, Diana Ross and The Supremes,
Dionne Warwick, and Wynonna Judd. It was even the theme
song for a Coca-Cola commercial.
Like most pop tunes, it's a bit shallow and a little sappy,
but it expresses the longing of the human heart, and it
accords with scripture. God knows our loneliness and
isolation, and He sent His Son as the evidence of His love
for us. Interestingly, the stanzas of this song are
actually framed as a prayer:
Now, in my opinion this has to be one of the most insipid
pop songs ever written...except that there are so many other
candidates for the title that I don't how anyone would ever
settle on the "most" insipid. Can you explain these lyrics
to me? And do we really need to tell the Lord anything
about what the world needs now? ("Oh, listen Lord, if
you want to know" -- I think He knows already.)
Someone is probably going to say, "You just trashed my
favorite song of all time! I can't believe you called it
insipid!" Too which I can only answer, "Oops --
Sorry!" I will say this, like many pop tunes that are
not very "deep" and are sometimes even nonsensical, this one
does have a cadence and lilting melody that seem to linger
in your mind.
Anyway, I think of this song on Valentine's Day, a day which
actually celebrates a saint. Many credit the origin of
Valentine's Day to the martyring of a Roman believer who
refused to recant his faith in Christ. He died on the 14th
of February, 269 A.D., leaving a note for the jailer's
daughter which was signed, "From Your Valentine." In 496
A.D. Pope Galasius designated 14 February as a day to honor
Saint Valentine, a man who loved the Lord too much to
deny faith in Him, and Valentine became known as the patron
saint of lovers.
Of still greater significance to me is that the story of
God's love is plainly declared from the Garden to Golgotha,
and is written in the crimson of my Savior's very blood. As
I express my love to my sweetheart on this day -- which I
delight in doing -- I also acknowledge that I love her
because God first loved me, that all love springs from the
root which is the divine image He has formed in us. As you
share hearts and chocolates and flowers, perhaps fine
jewelry and sumptuous dinners, do not forget how great is
the love of God...and how privileged we are to share that
love with those who are dearest to us. God's love truly is
what the world needs now, and always.
THIS SUNDAY
we consider the "wait" that is in the prayer
Lord, Have Mercy! In the Evening Praise Service
we continue our Lessons on Prayer.
Go to
www.cmachurch.net
for online sermons and other info.
EVERYONE NEEDS THE LOVE OF GOD, AND THERE IS MORE THAN
ENOUGH FOR ALL THE WORLD!
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-----
Original Message -----
From:
David Goodin
Sent: Thursday, February
21, 2008 8:50 AM
Subject: Thursday
Thoughts [A weekly "e-pistle" to My Friends in
Christ]
DOESN'T IT SEEM LIKE WE BUILD OUR
WHOLE LIVES ON PRESUMPTION?
For example, it's more than a
little presumptuous for me to title this weekly "e-pistle"
the way I do. "Thursday Thoughts" assumes that
I will have some...every week...on Thursday. Folks,
believe me, there are plenty of times when the space
between my ears is filled with "dead air" more than
anything else!
Moreover, it's presumptuous to suppose that my thoughts,
on Thursday or any other day, are of any interest to
anyone else. It's presumptuous to label the group list
"My Friends in Christ." There are people on my group
list whom I've never met. Perhaps you get this message
every week and think to yourself, "Why does he call
me his friend. He doesn't even know me!"
Which reminds me to say something that I haven't said in
a while: Please do not hesitate to tell me if you would
like to be removed from this list. We all get way more
e-mail than we need or want, and I certainly won't be
offended if you ask me to delete your name.
But with regard to "taking things for granted," it seems
to me that some level of presumption is necessary or we
could not continue functioning in any normal or
productive fashion. For example, I take for granted
that the sun will come up tomorrow. I take for granted
that oxygen will fill my lungs when I draw a deep
breath. I take for granted the peace and safety and
freedoms that we enjoy in this cherished land of ours.
I hope taking these things for granted doesn't mean I
don't appreciate them, but at the same time, if I did
not take them for granted I would live every day in a
cowering fear, obsessing about things that should not
concern me: "What if the sun doesn't come up
tomorrow? What will I do? WHAT WILL I DO?!"
On the other hand, such presumptuousness becomes a
danger to me when it is the basis for self-assured
pride. I'm reasonably safe in presuming that the sun
will come up tomorrow. I'm much less safe to presume
that I will rise up to greet the sun.
The truth is, I live a very tenuous existence...apart
from my relationship with the One who is eternal,
all-powerful and all-wise. I am a frail creature of the
dust, with the emphasis on "frail." When I presume to
be strong, capable, wise and informed, I'm edging nearer
that precipice that divides Pride and Fall. Let me hear
again the word of the Lord: "Apart from me, you can
do nothing" (John 15.5).
On the other hand, it seems to me the Lord invites us to
presume on Him. "Test me," He says.
"See if I won't pour out more blessing than you can
contain." Wow! It sounds like God even rewards a
certain kind of presumption...and calls it "faith."
I guess the real issue is, Where do I place my
trust? If all my confidence is in the flesh, or in
friends, or in any of the fraudulent promises of a
failing creation, then I am doomed to disappointment.
But when my trust is in the Lord.... When I look to Him
and say, "You've never failed me yet, and here I am
again, Lord, presuming on your grace, presuming on your
patience, presuming on your authority.... Here I am,
trusting you to deliver me...." When I do that, my
Father smiles with pleasure. He delights in my
"presumption."
That's a presumption the Lord will honor. In fact, the
sooner I start presuming on Him instead of so many other
things, the sooner I will know the fullness of His good
pleasure for me. After all, any other kind of
presumption is idolatry anyway.
THIS SUNDAY
the Lord, Have Mercy series
concludes with a window opened toward heaven and the
final conclusion of God's perfect plan.
In the Evening Praise Service we
will conclude our Lessons on Prayer. Go to
www.cmachurch.net
for on-line sermons and other info.
I LOVE TO COUNT MY BLESSINGS BECAUSE MY BLESSINGS REMIND
ME THAT I CAN COUNT ON GOD!
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----- Original Message -----
From:
David Goodin
Sent: Thursday, March
20, 2008 11:04 AM
Subject: Thursday
Thoughts [A weekly "e-pistle" to My Friends in
Christ]
WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO
GOOD PEOPLE?
That
question has been asked countless times...in
various ways...through all the centuries of human
existence. Furthermore, it's a question that
provokes many other related inquiries: If God is
good and all-powerful, why does He allow evil?
Since God is sovereign over all, is He the source of
evil as well as good? Is justice random, or do we
get what we deserve?
One thing's for sure, I can't resolve those
questions in a one-page "Thursday Thought!"
However, in this season when we recall the suffering
and death of our Lord, it occurs to me that all the
painful and disconcerting questions of the ages
coalesce into one triumphant answer at the cross of
Calvary. If ever there lived a "good man," Jesus is
that man. If ever anyone did not deserve the fate
that was assigned to Him, it is Jesus of Nazareth.
If ever someone had a right to complain of injustice
and unfairness, it is our Lord Jesus. He is
"Exhibit A" for unspeakably bad things happening to
a supremely good person!
And yet....
With resolute purpose, Jesus made His way to
Jerusalem, knowing that only cruelty and death
awaited. On multiple occasions He warned His
disciples that He would be abused and slain,
preparing them for the awful outcome that must have
been unimaginable to them. In the Garden of
Gethsemane He wept before His Father, agonizing in
prayer to the point of "sweating as it were great
drops of blood." And all this was in advance of the
actual trial and crucifixion! The worst was still
to come.
If we did not know "the rest of the story" we would
have to ask, Isn't this senseless? Can there
possibly be any purpose in this? Is it in any way
necessary?
We are fortunate that we have the panorama of
history provided by the whole of Scripture. As we
read the story, we learn about the pristine and
unflawed good of Eden, and how that paradise was
despoiled by Adam's sin. We meet a righteous God
and cannot dispute His right to require holy worship
from His creature. We acknowledge that our crimes
against our Creator require a penalty, that the
price is greater than any of us could pay, that only
the offering of God's own Son could ever suffice to
assuage our guilt.
In fact, the more we reflect on the truths of God's
Word, the more we realize that the death of Jesus
was absolutely necessary, and was the only possible
answer to our sin. Look what has come of His
passion! Because He died, we are offered the gift
of eternal life. Because Jesus suffered, we are
granted the intimacy of a daily relationship with
our loving Lord. Because He rose again, we
experience victory over the grave and are assured of
Heaven.
Besides all that, there is
this as well: If His suffering had
such eternal significance and value, we may be
confident that ours is not without
meaning. My own experience has been that although I
do not desire pain and loss and disappointment,
the only real growth I have
ever experienced has been accompanied by difficulty
and struggle and hurt. Those times when I have
questioned why a thing was happening, what its
possible meaning might be, how it could ever produce
anything of value...those times have invariably
opened the door to depths of experience and
treasures of wisdom that I would never have
discovered had I not walked through "the valley of
the shadow of death."
God knows what He is doing, and He does all things
well.
THIS SUNDAY
is Resurrection Day! Come celebrate with
us! Sunrise Service at 7:00, Sunday School at 9:15
and our Easter Musical at 10:30. In
the Evening Praise Service
we will observe the ordinance
of baptism. Go to
www.cmachurch.net
for online sermons and other info.
SORROWS AND DISAPPOINTMENT AND DEATH WERE CANCELED
WHEN HE ROSE FROM THE TOMB!
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----- Original Message
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From:
David Goodin
Sent: Thursday,
March 27, 2008 1:20 PM
Subject: Thursday
Thoughts [A weekly "e-pistle" to My Friends
in Christ]
HARD CHOICES...LIFE IS
SURE FULL OF THEM!
Often the
difficulty is one of choosing between two or
more good options. Should I take the job
that pays more or the one that will keep me
closer to family and friends? Should I have the
Cherry Cordial Supreme ice cream or the Double
Fudge Moose Tracks? Should I accept my lottery
winnings in a lump sum or in annual
installments? Uh-oh! Better delete that
last one!
In other instances, none of the options are
desirable, but some kind of action is
necessary. When an employee has messed up so
many times that termination is the only
remaining choice, or when an acquaintance has
told a lie that must be corrected, or when a
child has misbehaved and has to be
disciplined....
Few of us relish "confrontation." In fact, I
don't think anyone has ever said to me, "I
love confrontation. I really love putting a
person in their place and telling them exactly
what they need to do and when. I love having
people angry at me and plotting their revenge.
Confrontation just energizes me!"
No, the truth is, most of us avoid confrontation
like a plague. We don't like to be "out of
sorts" with others, we don't wish to offend, we
are uncomfortable when we believe that another
person is upset with us. Plus, we just don't
relish the heat of the exchange. Disagreements
are generally unpleasant and we don't like
unpleasantness.
This is especially problematic in those
instances when a decision needs to be made and
we keep putting it off because hard choices are
so very...well...hard! If
possible, we will delay the inevitable, or we
will avoid the duty entirely, allowing the
matter to drift along interminably, willing to
endure all manner of inner turmoil and, quite
possibly, public stress and awkwardness rather
than to "confront" the issue and/or the person.
Let me remind you, however, that when the "hard"
choice is also the "right" choice, it is always
better and brighter on the other side of the
decision. In fact, delaying the inevitable not
only prolongs the agony of a dysfunctional
situation, it also denies you the joy and reward
of reaping the fruit of that hard choice.
For years, my father refused to submit to
treatment of his diabetes. He didn't want to
start taking daily insulin shots. You know
why? He was squeamish about needles! I think
it all went back to his military service. He
used to talk about the "eight-inch long, square
hypodermic needle" that he insisted was used to
give shots when he entered the Navy.
Finally, after years of avoidance, dad started
taking insulin, and then he told me, "Dave,
I can't believe I was worried about the shots.
The needle is so small I can barely feel it."
He even gave himself the shots, without
hesitation. And if he hadn't put it off so
long, I'm sure the diabetes would not have
ravaged his body so soon or to such an extent.
Do the right thing, even when it's hard! In
fact, the harder it is to do the right thing,
expect an even greater blessing! The Lord said,
"Ask where the good way is and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls"
(Jeremiah 6.16). If doing the right thing is
corrective, and unpleasant, and painful,
remember that the discipline which is difficult
today will lead to a good outcome later on. In
fact, it "produces a harvest of
righteousness and peace for those who have been
trained by it" (Hebrews 12.11).
Rest! Righteousness! Peace! Training! I can
use all of that...and so can you. Don't avoid
the hard choice.
THIS SUNDAY
we will continue studying those
who said "I've Seen Jesus!"
There Is No Evening Praise Service
because the Morning Worship will be followed by
a covered dish dinner, then a Concert of
Prayer from about 12:45 to 2:15. Go to
www.cmachurch.net
for online sermons and other info.
LORD, EVEN WHEN IT'S HARD, HELP ME TO DO WHAT IS
GOOD AND COURAGEOUS...FOR YOU!
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----- Original
Message -----
From:
David Goodin
Sent: Thursday,
April 03, 2008 3:36 PM
Subject:
Thursday Thoughts [A weekly "e-pistle"
to My Friends in Christ]
EVERYBODY HAS A STORY
TO TELL
and I couldn't help but wonder about
his. I had an aisle seat
on the small aircraft and he was slouched
into the window seat. He wore a leather
jacket and baggy jeans with a ballcap tight
on his head, and he was intent on watching
the workers who were milling about on the
tarmac. He didn't acknowledge my arrival,
but when I spoke a greeting to him he turned
his head slightly and said hello. I sensed
he didn't wish to be engaged in
conversation. What caught my interest,
though, was the fact that the right sleeve
of his leather jacket sagged at about the
elbow. This young man had lost half of his
arm.
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