"Banjo Music"

     Recently I was trying to locate an address somewhere outside of the Petersburg, Tn. area.  I hang my head in shame to say I have become accustomed to our technology filled lives so I just picked up my phone and spoke the address and waited for the directions to be given to me.  No pulling out and unfolding and refolding maps that I had purchased or gotten free at my local gas station nor did I pull out the tried and true road atlas that I always kept tucked under the front seat.  Without any thought, I tapped the arrow on the screen of my phone that said start and listened to the voice as it directed my path.  Following it unerringly, I made each turn as I was directed.  After several such turns and maneuver I turned onto a road that looked very much like the wrong way.  You know the feeling, you’re not sure which way to go but you’re sure this isn’t it.  I proceeded farther into the country side, at first reassuring myself that it was beautiful scenery and I should enjoy myself.  Each turn seemed to have three things in common, that being they became less and less maintained, narrower, and from my point of view, farther from civilization.  As the road became what appeared to be a wagon trail I passed a road sign, that up to this point, I had only seen in movies.  It was just a piece of wood on a stake with a name in faded paint, just hammered in the ground.  I passed within a few feet of a deer that just stood and looked at me wondering who I was and why was I here for I know I was the first human he had ever encountered.  I expected any moment for the voice on my phone to say, “Take the next right by the boy playing the banjo.”  No offense to my banjo playing friends.  As I made my last turn it was rather erratic, I was trying to get my pocket knife out and open it, just to lay it on the seat next to me for reassurance.  As visions of search times giving up their two-week search for my missing body flashed through my mind I made one more turn and found myself on the main highway, that I had left a hundred and sixty- two new gray hairs ago.  I found the address shortly after this and returned never having to venture far from the main road.  I expected to hear a voice from my phone laughing and say, “Just kidding”.  I sure there was someone at Google that went home that day and said to his wife, “You won’t believe what I did to someone today!”  There are few things in this life that are unerring.  One of the things in life we can be sure of is the word of God.  As we try to navigate through this life there is nothing that should concern us more than our eternal destiny.  With so much at stake I cannot trust it to man not even to Google to help me with the directions I would take.  Paul says of the word, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2Tim 3:16-17).”  What a reassurance to know that God has provided me with all I need to be complete.  There will be those in your life that will try to convince you that God would have you to travel a path that is not found in his word.  The scriptures talk of those who call evil good and good evil.  Paul had strong words for such people in Galatians 1:8, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”  Paul was so adamant about no other gospel that he repeated the statement in the next verse.  Let the unerring word of God be your guide and for those traveling around Petersburg turn right by the kid playing the banjo, it leads to the main road.

"Describe To Me"

     We live in a time where we have the ability to share information like never before.  We can instantly send information in written or picture form anywhere in the world.  There are computer applications that allow us to translate from one language to another language allowing us to communicate with those we would have never been able to otherwise.  Yet there are things, try as we might, that are beyond our ability to share.  Can the lover of the outdoors truly share the felling of watching the sun come up over the horizon on a pristine valley?  Can you accurately describe the feeling of the first time you believed you were in love?  What words can describe the moment when a father and mother look into the eyes of their new born child?  After thirty-nine years of marriage I can’t completely describe to you the feeling of sliding my feet over in the middle of the night just to touch my wife’s feet and know she is there.  There are somethings, with all that we have, that are beyond our ability to completely understand.  Tell me of God.  Speaking to the Athenians about God on Mars’ hill Paul said, “That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring (Acts 17:27-28).”  In him we have our very being.  The Alpha and Omega, the great I Am.  With a word all that is, was created from nothing.  From the dust of the earth man was created and God breathed life into him.  Who can understand the majesty of such an awesome God?  Recently I passed a church building and out front on the sign was this statement, “Casual worship” and then it gave a time.  I know many have made an effort to take away what they perceive as the formality of worship and look to make it something everyone feels comfortable with but the God that I read about in scripture deserves far more than casual.  He has adopted me into his family, the price being the life of his holy son, that I may be called a child of God.  In our efforts to make worship more audience friendly, let us not forget that we gather together to worship, yes worship not entertain, one that is far beyond my understanding.  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).  As we seek God let us not forget to reverence him for he is holy.  How can we approach him casually?  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever (Rom. 11:33-36).  May we always strive to give unto him the honor, glory and respect that he is due.  Worship is for him, not for my entertainment or comfort.

“What’s That Smell?”

     In my mother-in-law’s flower bed, there is a rather large dill plant.  Often as I walk past it I reach out, break off a small portion of the plant, and crush it in my fingers.  After doing so I place it to my nose and take a smell of the strong aroma.  This may seem odd to you but as I do this I find myself back in the kitchen of my childhood and my mother canning pickles from the cucumbers my grandfather grew in his garden.  As time has passed they become, in my mind, crispier and tastier than any other pickles I have ever had since.  Those who study such things believe smell is one of the strongest senses that trigger memories.  We associate smells with all kind of things.  I would be sorely disappointed if on Christmas morning I did not smell the aroma of “Favorite Stuff” coming from the kitchen, I’m not sure of its real name but our children always referred to it as Favorite Stuff and so it is.  There may also be smells that others may not find pleasant but they invoke special memories for us.  My grandfather would pull us close to his sweat soaked overalls after a hard day’s work and give us a huge and a pat on the back, that jarred your bones, an odor I’m sure offensive to others but a sweet memory to those who loved him.  The smell of some after shaves, make me turn and look for my father.  The scriptures actually talk about the smell of Christians.  By the way we conduct ourselves we are the savour of Christ to God.  Those around us are also aware of that savour.  To those that are of children of God we are the smell of life but to those who know not God, we are the smell of death.  Just by the way we conduct ourselves we bring condemnation to the life they have chosen to live.  For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life (2 Cor. 2:15-16).  There are those who would have seen my grandfather after a hard day’s work just as another unpleasant smelling old man but to those who knew him it is a memory that we hold dear.  Those of the world do not understand the relationship that we share with God and they find no pleasure in the aroma that we put forth.  It is up to us to explain to them that special relationship.  Let us offer up ourselves as a sacrifice, by the way we live, to God that will go up before him as a sweet smelling savour, for Christ has done the same for us.   And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour (Eph. 5:2).  In the kindest way let me say, “I hope you smell.”