Listen and Wait

How did you spend this Black Friday?  Were you among the masses who ventured out to the malls or some local department store?  Clayton and I went out to grab a bite of lunch and decided to stop and pick up a couple things he needed at one of these local stores.  We quickly found what we were looking for, then headed to the check out line.  I'm sorry, to call it a line would be to mislead you.  It was more like a human chain whose links were irrevocably melded together.  As we surveyed the line and the scowls of the shoppers whose paranoia communicated a fear that we were going to somehow get ahead of them, we quickly estimated that it would be somewhere between an hour and a week from next Tuesday before we would reach the register.  We put the items back and headed for the safety and relative sanity of home. 

 

Most of us will wade into the rapid and shifting currents of holiday shopping over the next several weeks.  Yes, some will be smart enough to order their treasures online, but not all of us will handle our shopping assignments as smartly as our cyber friends. 

 

How will you spend the season of Advent? Will you rush and hurry, finding yourself captured by the very things you told yourself last year you wouldn't repeat this year?  Somewhere, in the midst of all this harried season, there is a place to listen and wait.  Will you listen for the sound of angels proclaiming the good news?  Will you listen for the sound of a child's question, a familiar carol's message, a word of kindness and encouragement from someone unexpected?  Will you wait for the Spirit of God to guide your steps, to offer a more purposeful path toward Bethlehem and Christmas?  Listen...and wait...

 

Sunday morning, the season of Advent begins.  The gratitude of Thanksgiving gives way to the anticipation of Advent.  I hope you will join the journey as we worship together.

 

Listen, and wait.  It will be time well spent.

 

Jim Abernathy

God's Love Never Quits

Do you remember where you were?  This is a question often asked in reflection of the significant events of life that draw us together in community.  The question has often been asked in response to the events of this day, fifty years ago.  November 22, 1963 is a date that calls us to remember one of the darkest days in our nation's history, the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. 

 

The images and emotions of catastrophic events often remain with us, sometimes just below the surface until quickly called to mind by a similar tragedy, conversation with a friend, or calendar observance.  I was a first grader at Glenwood Elementary School in Evansville, Indiana on this date fifty years ago. I remember the announcement over the classroom speaker, the heaviness of the rest of the school day, then watching with family over the next few days the observances that followed.  I still remember certain images from that time, certain music that was played, poignant moments of a family and nation devastated by so senseless and violent a crime.  Before the decade was out, the nation would mourn again and again in the aftermath of assassination.

 

Fifty years removed from that terrible day, I am coming to realize more and more that the tragedies of life mark us in ways that are not forgotten.  We speak of time as a great healer and indeed, the passing days and years ease the degree of pain we feel in loss. And yet, as today reminds us, the wounds of our past still at times capture our hearts and trouble our spirits.  Since November 22, 1963, there have been many tragic and senseless events that have had an impact on our nation and world.  Anger, frustration, resignation, discouragement are reasonable responses to such things. Yet to remain captive in their embrace is to give in to the darkness they create. 

 

This morning, I have been reading the 136th Psalm. It is a testimony about God's persistent faithfulness in the midst of life's threats.  It is that persistent faithfulness that offers hope in the midst of what often seems to be hopeless.  In verses 23-26, the Psalmist writes, "God remembered us when we were down, His love never quits. Rescued us from the trampling boot,  His love never quits. Takes care of everyone in time of need. His love never quits. Thank God, who did it all!  His love never quits!" (Message) 

 

As you remember where you were, whether it was November 22, 1963, another date of national tragedy, or one of a more personal nature, as those memories and the fresh reflection of their impact then and now are called to mind, remember the words of the Psalmist and find hope...God's love never quits.

 

Jim Abernathy

Finding Rest

I heard someone recently talking about the many disappointments and struggles of life that seemed to be piling up.  There was no one thing that had set her concerns off, but the compilation of so many things around her that she had little if any control over.  "Sometimes," she said, "you just feel like giving up!" I understand her frustration and will confess that there are moments when it is tempting to just pull the covers up over your head and forget the world.   That momentary luxury cannot be sustained, for isolating ourselves from the world is not the answer. 

 

Today, I have been hearing the wonderful soprano aria from Handel's Messiah, based on Matthew 11:28, over and over in my mind.  Perhaps it is because we have been spending time in our Wednesday night seminars on the book, "Messiah: The Gospel According to Handel's Oratorio," by Roger Bullard that this is so fresh in my mind.  Or perhaps it is simply the assurance of God's word that comes to us again and again through the words of Jesus that are so significant for our time. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  These words have been the basis for my pastor's notes before, but somehow, for today, for our world, they bear repeating. 

 

I offer them again to you today for whatever you are facing...frustration, disappointment, perhaps simple weariness; our struggles may vary, but the solution is still the same. "Come to me...I will give you rest."

 

May you find rest in the comforting, compassionate presence of Christ.

 

Jim Abernathy

Faithfulness

The wonder of God's creation is on full display as the colors of the season are at their peak.  Look around you today and celebrate the beauty of God's handiwork!

 

Let us also celebrate the faithfulness of God's people in the aftermath of this past week's catch-up Sunday.  As our Simple Gifts emphasis came to a close, we were all asked to consider an additional gift beyond our regular tithes and offerings to help overcome the deficit of spending and narrow the gap between budget giving and requirements.  $59,242 was received in the November 3rd offering!  Your generous response has served to remind us all that when we work together, trust the Lord, and step out in faith we see once more the wonder of what God can do.  Thank you for your faithfulness in answering this call to greater stewardship.  Together, let us continue faithful in our gifts to the Lord as we bring 2013 to a close.   

 

Finally, take a moment this weekend to reflect upon the faithful service of others, particularly the many men and women who have served this nation so selflessly through military service.  Veterans Day is more than just a holiday, more than just a reason to observe yet another special sales event at a local store...Veterans Day calls us to pause and reflect on the debt we owe as citizens of this nation to so many whose service to their country has made such a difference.  There are many veterans in our Westwood family.  Take a moment on Sunday to say thank you to these faithful servants.

 

In everything, dear friends, thanks be to God!

 

Jim Abernathy

SImple Thoughts...November 1

“Be dressed, ready for service, and have your lamps shining."

(Luke 12:35 NCV)

 

Preparation is an important aspect of service. In today's text, Jesus calls his followers to prepare themselves, to be dressed and ready, with the light of Christ going before them.  Sounds like a great way to begin the day!

 

Prayer: I want to be ready, Lord...ready to serve.  May your light shine brightly, empowering each next step. Amen.

 

Jim Abernathy

 

Friends, this is the last of our daily "simple thoughts".  Over these last four weeks we have focused on themes of praise, gratitude, humility, and service. It is my prayer that these daily thoughts have encouraged your walk with the Lord.  As Elder Joseph Brackett wrote, "Tis a gift to be simple..."  May the simple truths of God's love continue to guide your every step.

 

JA