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Interesting how God speaks to us through the everyday things! Today I spent some time in the dentist's chair, dealing with a broken tooth that was the side anchor for a dental bridge. The tooth had been bothering me from time to time, especially when I took the removable bridge in and out, and finally, it gave up the struggle and just cracked off. Apparently, this began as a little cavity under a crown, out of sight, out of mind, ultimately resulting in an extraction and the need for further repairs and expense.
How like our Christian lives that can be! A little "hole" develops -- too tired for worship this week? Well, maybe next week when things slow down a bit. Budget's a little tight? I'll catch up on my giving next payday. Been a little irritable lately? Well, with all the pressure I've been under... Bible Study and Prayer? You've got to be kidding - I can barely get the laundry done! A small accountability group or mission project? Out of the question!! Little by little we put God on hold, and let the things of this world take precedence, weakening the structure of our faith. Little by little, our support system breaks loose and our response to Christ decays. Oh, we may look fine on the outside, but underneath, our relationship with God has disappeared, and the shell that remains is insufficient to bear the pressure of life's trials. This is not the first time I have been through this situation! A previous dentist was able to x-ray a bothersome tooth, disclose the extent of hidden damage, drill through the outer shell and remove the decay within. Then he put in a post, and built up the surrounding material until the tooth was once again able to support the bridge. Similarly, our Heavenly Father knows the extent of our damage! When we go to Him with our emptiness, He exposes the decay and allows Jesus to wash it clean. He puts in the supporting post of the cross, and builds us up with His encouraging Spirit until we are able to bear the pressures of life again. Of course, evidence of the broken places remain, but function is restored. Oh, if only I had gone to the dentist sooner! If only I had taken better care of my teeth in the first place! It is not God's will that His people should suffer emptiness, holes in their faith. It is His will that we should be employed in "preventive maintenance," washing away the debris of this world and making sure that our relationship with Him is solid and intimate. (The floss and the toothbrush do no good when they sit on the sink!) As a dentist once told me, "Take care of your teeth, they're the only set you have!" Take care of your faith - it's all you have! See you in Church! -- Pastor Randa (Just so you know, the dentist was able to pull the tooth, insert bone graft material, and prepare me for a possible implant. At some future date, a post can be inserted that will eventually be able to support a fixed bridge, thus sparing the need to have even more teeth removed! It's not ideal, not for sure, and expensive - but praise God, my faith is still in good health!)
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What did you do in 2024 to benefit the Kingdom of God and spread the Gospel of Christ? Did you make a difference in someone's life from the standpoint of faith? If you had been unconscious for the entire year, would there have been a significant difference in the advancement of Christ's cause? In His mission of salvation for all?
In looking back over my past, it occurs to me that there are some years in which I seem to have done nothing memorable! At least, if I did anything of lasting value for the Kingdom of God, I cannot now recall what it was! Do you have years like that also? I remember the year I was converted and first began to take my place in the ministry of Christ's church as a layperson. I recall the year that I began bringing the children's message during worship. I remember the year I did the Walk to Emmaus, and learned what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. 1992 stands out as the year I was called by God into full time ministry, and being placed into my first charge, Duncan UMC, and the year Bob retired and I received the care of Safford UMC. I think I touched a few lives in Yuma, when I was assigned to Trinity UMC, and of course our work with Casitas de Cristo brought hope and help to 30 poor families, but that was mostly Bob's doing! Retirement and our subsequent involvement with Community UMC, and now Community Church, have brought great joy and a sense of purpose. I think it is not vain to say that the Lord used me to help some people grow in all these places, but there are many years in which my efforts seemed to be mostly for myself, my family, and my own comfort and security. Perhaps you might say, "Doesn't God want us to be attentive to our own needs? He doesn't call everyone to be a missionary to China, or go into full time ministry! And besides, I am doing more for the Kingdom of God than many people I know!" This is true; we live out our faith in the context of our own personal lives. We are good people, living honorable Christian lives most of the time. And most importantly, we know that we do not merit eternal rewards because of the hours we spend doing "Kingdom Work." But still, something is missing in our lives if we do not regularly engage in ministry of a lasting nature. The Bible tells us that we are created "in the image of God," having some of the divine nature in us. Part of that nature includes the creative force, and some, I believe, is seen in the human drive to accomplish something lasting in life, to make our mark, to achieve. We want to make a difference! We don't want to die without having had an impact on the world. From King David's Temple to Donald Trump's Tower, from "It's a Wonderful Life" to "Lord of the Rings," this theme has been part of the human story across the centuries. But in our power-based, self-oriented culture, our jobs, income, and leisure activities often take precedence over everything else, and few people seem interested in accomplishing anything of an eternal nature. One thing seems pretty sure, you can't hit what you don't aim at! It's very easy and comfortable to just drift along from day to day, taking care of what seems urgent without considering what things are important. This is especially true if we haven't spent time intentionally deciding what things ARE important, and asking ourselves, "Is this action, food, thought, relationship, going to help me achieve my goals? Or is it keeping me from them?" For example, if my goal is to be healthy in my later years, it would be wise to ask myself a question like, "Is sitting on the sofa for three hours helping me to be healthy?" "Would standing up for 5 minutes and walking in place every 30 minutes be helpful?" If my goal is to make a difference in someone's life, it would be wise to ask myself, "Would sending a note to this person help me to achieve my goal?" "Would just thinking nice thoughts about them help me to achieve my goal?" If, like a dear friend says, my goal is to "not be a difficult old woman," will getting riled up at the current state of the government contribute positively to that goal? If my goal is to be a witness for Jesus, what will help me achieve that goal? I challenge you to make 2025 a year in which you -- and I! -- give some concrete planning to the formulation of real, spiritually based, goals. Let us develop a clear target to aim at, a basis from which we can ask, "Is THIS good for my goal, or bad for my goal?" And if you would like to be part of a small group that meets together for an hour or three to work on your goals, please give me a call -- 928-246-9062. Let's make 2025 a year to remember! Blessings, Randa I want a Norman Rockwell Christmas, with snow-dusted carolers wrapped in woolen coats and fur caps singing on my front porch. I want Christmas trees freshly cut in the forest and brought home by laughing families that gather around the fireplace to warm up with hot cocoa and gingerbread cookies before decorating each bough with handmade ornaments. I want gifts thoughtfully crafted or purchased with the tastes and interests of the recipient in mind, and then carefully gift-wrapped in paper printed with potato-cuts dipped in paint by little hands. I want curly ribbon, a thoughtful note on the gift tag, and I want to see them given one at a time, while everyone watches to see what treasure is inside the box. I want bountiful meals, with various relatives bringing their special dish for everyone to ooh and aah over, and adults and children who enjoy one another's company, never argue or fight, or get on each other's nerves. I want a beautiful Mary, and a wise Joseph, with clean, deodorized sheep and shepherds, and Baby Jesus lying on a soft, fluffy bed of straw in a warm, cozy stable surrounded by dander-free, freshly-bathed farm animals looking on.
But that's not the real Christmas, at least, not the one experienced by so many in our world today. There's always some element that doesn't measure up to the beautiful Rockwell picture. Perhaps it's that many do not know, let alone sing, the carols of Jesus and Wise Men and Angels, for there are many who are alien to the joy of Jesus' birth, opting instead for the myth of Santa Claus or the drive of consumerism. Or perhaps it's that poverty has prevented the table from filling up with food, or alcohol or drugs that have so preoccupied the parents (or children!) that they have no interest in family interaction over a cup of cocoa. Perhaps it's that the children have been so busy with school, sports, day care, dance, or some other "leisure" activity that they have not had time for the foolish pastime of making wrapping paper -- and anyway, isn't it better to buy the shiny foil kind? Perhaps it's that phone calls, or business, or career pursuits, or sickness have stolen the time away from Christmas trees and gingerbread. Perhaps it's that our "what's in it for me?" society has conditioned us to rip open our boxes as quickly as possible, ignoring others who are similarly occupied. Perhaps it's that we have become so accustomed in our world to strife and quarrels that we accept chaos as a way of life. Or perhaps it's just that we live in an imperfect world, where things go wrong for no discernable reason. But then, Mary and Joseph didn't have it so good, either. The "cozy barn" was most probably a dark, stuffy cave or a lean-to behind the in, redolent with the odors of sheep and goats and chickens, unbathed and unperfumed. The birth was not antiseptic; Mary was likely exhausted and disheveled from her labor, and Joseph "unclean" from contact with her birth waters and blood. Straw is not very soft, no matter how you chop it up, and an audience of rough and smelly sheepherders is the last thing I would want! Yet this is the world that our Savior chose to enter, as a tiny and helpless infant. Not for Him the Norman Rockwell nostalgia of twinkling lights and gentle beasts! No, He chose to be born into the chaos of humanity, not so very different from the reality of our world today. He chose to experience just what we experience, so that we would know His intention was to love us just as we are, and to show us a way to overcome our difficulties by His grace. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are -- yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hebrews 4:15-16) This is the greatest concession He could have made for us, this identification with our condition. Because we know that Jesus understands, we can trust Him enough to draw near and receive the gift of salvation from Him. The very chaos of His experience reminds us of His love. So think this, when your Norman Rockwell visions of the perfect Christmas go terribly awry. You are participating in Jesus' Choice! You are experiencing what He did, and in some small way, identifying with His suffering on the cross. May it be a comfort to you, as your Christmas tree falls sideways and you slip your gift into a red and green paper bag, to know that Jesus accepted frustration and pain in order to give you the best, most carefully chosen and perfectly suited-to-your-needs gift of all, the gift of salvation. Have a most Merry and Blessed Christmas! Dr. Roxanne Brant has written a challenging little book called "Ministering to the Lord" in which she states, "One of the main reasons for "power failure" in the Christian Church
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