Thoughts, sermons, & scribbles of a Lutheran pastor.
May 31, 2009 2 Comments
Pentecost Scribbles
The Holy Spirit symbolised by dove and fire are depicted here in my recent scribbles. I call them scribbles as opposed to works of art because I’m not a trained artist. I turn to scribbling as a pleasant activity, which has value in and of itself. If the finished scribble is of any significance, well it’s likely more by accident than design—perhaps the work of the creative Holy Spirit through this earthly vessel.
May 29, 2009 2 Comments
Day of Pentecost Yr B, 31/05/2009
Acts 2:1-21
Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson
Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, &
Chaplain of The Good Samaritan Society’s
South Ridge Village, Medicine Hat, Alberta
“The Gift of the Holy Spirit”
The Day of Pentecost. The third major festival day of the church year. The day when, according to Luke’s account in Acts chapter two, the Christian Church was born by the event of the Holy Spirit’s visitation. Yet, over the centuries, and even on that Day of Pentecost over two thousand years ago, there were and still are misunderstandings of what actually happened on that special day.
Sometimes misunderstandings are accidental. Consider this little vignette. A little old lady planning a vacation wrote a letter to a particular campground to inquire about its facilities. She could not bring herself to write the word “toilet” so she finally settled on the term, “BC,” which, to her, meant “bathroom commode.” The initials baffled the campground manager who showed the letter to some of the other campers. They did not understand either until one of them suggested the woman might be referring to a Baptist church. The owner agreed and wrote this reply:
Dear Madam,1
Thank you for your inquiry. I take pleasure in informing you that a
BC is located two miles north of our campground, and seats 250
People. My wife and I go quite regularly, but as we grow older, it
seems to be more of an effort, particularly during cold spells. If you
visit our campground, perhaps we could go with you the first time,
sit with you, and introduce you to the other folks. Ours is a friendly
community.
Sincerely yours
A humorous story, yet a fine example of what happened on the day of Pentecost long ago; and what continues to occur when people read—or misread and misunderstand—our passage from Acts even today. So let’s take a look at this passage and see what understanding, we can discover today with, of course, the Holy Spirit’s help and presence and work among and within us. Luke begins by stating the time and place and people of this special event: it was the day of Pentecost, nine o’clock in the morning, and the twelve apostles, along with one hundred and twenty other believers were gathered in a room in Jerusalem. All of these people were Jews, he tells us. The day of Pentecost, also known as the Feast of Weeks, was a Jewish festival that took place 50 days, seven weeks after Passover. Originally, it was a harvest festival, giving thanks to God for the harvest. Later, Jews also celebrated the giving of the Law, or the Torah to Moses and the Jewish people on Sinai. A Jewish tradition has it that the time from the Hebrew slaves’ departure in Egypt to the time they reached Mount Sinai was also 50 days. All of these bits of information emphasise the point that the earliest Christian Church had its origins deeply rooted in Jewish tradition and, the earliest Christians were Jews.
The next information Luke provides is a description of what happened on that day of Pentecost over two thousand years ago. He tells us: “And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.” The phrase “suddenly from heaven,” reveal the origin of the event—God, in the presence of the Holy Spirit, enters the room where this crowd of believers are gathered. The phrase also underscores the truth that this event is a gift from God, and the word “suddenly,” highlights the fact that it is not planned or intended by the gathered crowd. No! Rather, God takes the initiative here; God comes down to the crowd and gives them the gift of the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Holy Spirit is sheer grace from God. God decides, not the people, to give the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Luke then tells us that the Spirit’s presence was revealed through “a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.” Here again Luke emphasises the deep Jewish roots of Pentecost. Jews of faith would remember the Spirit, the Wind of God moving across the waters at the dawn of creation in Genesis chapter two. The crowd may also have remembered God’s creation of the first human being, breathing into them the breath of life. In the biblical languages, both in the Greek and the Hebrew, the word for Spirit can also mean wind, breath, and to breathe. The phrase “filled the entire house,” fits in well with what Peter says later when he quotes the passage from Joel two, telling of the promise that the Spirit will be poured out “upon all flesh.” God desires all people to enjoy the presence of the Holy Spirit working in and through them. The prophecy, along with the Pentecost coming of the Spirit, seems to lift up the universal gift of God’s Spirit to everyone, regardless of social, racial, ethnic background, age or gender. However, I think this raises a kind of “fly in the ointment” question here. Later, in verse 13 of our passage, we learn of sceptics, cynics, and critics who, Luke says, “sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” What are we to make of the “new wine” accusation? Does this mean those making this charge against the Spirit-filled crowd were not given the same gift of the Holy Spirit? I don’t know, and Luke does not give us a clear yes or no to that question. The implication seems to lean in the direction of the sceptics, cynics and critics receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. If they had received the Spirit like the others, why would they make the accusation that the crowd was drunk? On the other hand, why did those making the accusation not receive the Holy Spirit? I do not think we can answer these questions definitively over two thousand years after the event. Perhaps we shall find our answers in heaven. Or maybe the answer comes from the Jewish rabbinic tradition itself.
There is a wonderful Hasidic tale in which the rabbi asks his student, “Where is the Spirit of God?” And the student answers with a biblical phrase, “…the whole universe resounds with his glory.”
And the rabbi says, “No.”
“What do you mean, no?” the student asks.
“God is where you let God come in,” says the rabbi. “And the Holy Spirit is the power that ushers God into our lives.”2 Maybe it takes longer for the Holy Spirit to usher God into the lives of sceptics, cynics and critics. Perhaps the following familiar quote makes sense in this context: “Please be patient with me, God isn’t finished with me yet!”
Back to our passage, Luke goes on to describe the Spirit’s presence as: “Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.” The image of “tongues, as of fire,” once again underscores the deep Jewish roots of Pentecost. For Jews, God had been present in the burning bush, speaking to Moses and giving him the call and commission to go back to Egypt and lead the Hebrew people out of slavery. God also revealed God’s Self during the wilderness wanderings as a “pillar of fire.” The Jews would also remember one of their favourite prophets, Elijah, being taken up into heaven in a fiery chariot. So, once again, Luke emphasises here at Pentecost the deep Jewish roots of fire symbolizing God’s presence. Even today, on occasion, we speak of Holy Spirit filled people as “warm-hearted,” or “filled with fiery passion,” or even, “on fire for the Lord.” The work of the Holy Spirit in and through us, I believe, is to give us the “warm-hearted” gifts and fruit such as: kindness, love, gentleness, self control, the passionate commitment for loving and serving our God and our neighbour.
Along with the Spirit’s presence in the form of fire, Luke says is tongues, that is, the gift of language and communication, which deepens our understanding. The majority of biblical scholars today interpret this reference to speaking in “other languages” as foreign languages, not glossolalia—i.e. the phenomenon of ecstatic speaking with tongues. Perhaps the language is such that it is inclusive of both the ability to speak and understand foreign languages as well as speak with ecstatic tongues and interpret them. I think what Luke is lifting up here is the emphasis on the role of the Holy Spirit as the Communications Expert par excellence. The Holy Spirit works in and through us to teach us, and, as Luther put it “calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies” us. In other words, the Holy Spirit is always hard at work to make God and God’s will known, clear, and understood among us. The Spirit brings light to our darkness so we can see, understand and act on the truth that God reveals. Namely, as Peter put it in his sermon on that day of Pentecost long ago: “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Amen. Come, Holy Spirit!
1 Cited from: David E. Leininger, Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit: Series VI Cycle B (Lima, OH: CSS Publishing Co., Inc., 2008), p. 158.
2 Cited by Susan Andrews from <www.goodpreacher.com/blog>, found at: <www.deaconsil.com/>.
May 22, 2009 Leave a comment
7 Easter Yr B, 24/05/2009
Acts 1:15-17, 21-26
Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson
Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, &
Chaplain of The Good Samaritan Society’s
South Ridge Village, Medicine Hat, Alberta
“The ministry of ordinary people”
John drove in a leisurely fashion to the Amtrak station. The twins were on the spring break and were coming in on the 3 o’clock train. He needed time alone to reflect on all that had happened in the past several weeks. Karenza, his spouse, had finished seminary at the end of the fall semester. The spring had been filled with opportunities to interview for parish pastorates. It had been a learning experience for them both.
He had been stunned by some of the bigotry and subtle discrimination his wife had encountered as she offered her talents to the Lord through the church. They would usually debrief after her interviews, sipping cups of hot tea, and discussing what it meant to be called in the face of those other disciples who thought women ought not be pastors. He had never doubted Karenza’s gifts for ministry; he was beginning to doubt the church’s ability to utilize them.
The twins greeted him at the station with enthusiastic stories about campus life. Eric looked at his dad thoughtfully, “How is the whole thing going for Mom now? She beat us to graduation by six months.”
John filled them in on all but his wife’s tears. They were silent for a while until Linda said, “It’s God’s church and she’ll be chosen for something. I know it.” Her firm optimism somehow eased the strain.
The next Sunday they all attended a church where Karenza preached as part of the calling process in that parish. During the coffee break before the meeting to vote on her, Linda struck up a conversation with a man in the coffee line. He sat down with her at a nearby table as they munched cookies.
“You’re a visitor here. We’re about to actually consider a woman for our pastor. I have a hard time with that. After all the Bible says women should be silent.”
Linda looked at him and nodded, “Yes, for a particular time and place that was true. But I understand when we are baptized it means we are all together in this. All the gifts God gives ought to be used, whether they belong to women or men. Jesus said in one of his parables that one of the people who got gold was afraid and hid it in the ground. I think doing ministry means we do not hide our gifts.”
The man looked at her and nodded thoughtfully. Then someone struck a glass with a fork and announced that the meeting was to begin. John and the twins went home to await the news from Karenza.
Two hours later she joined them on the backyard terrace, her face filled with joy. “I’ve been chosen to be their new pastor. The chairperson of the committee was not initially in favour of this but he stood up and talked about someone who visited this morning and he said it was obvious she had heard the gospel and he needed to start listening.”1
In today’s first lesson from Acts, we also learn about a choosing and call process to serve Christ among that first generation of Christians. Like the story of Karenza, we learn that God calls and chooses people whom at first, others may not necessarily have chosen. It is the grace and guidance of God at work in the lives of people that determines the end result of any choice in the call process—at least that is what we hope and believe is true.
An important lesson we learn from this story in Acts today is that Christ has given his first followers a ministry in the meantime, that is, in the between time. Today’s story takes place in the meantime, or between time after Christ’s ascension into heaven and before the day of Pentecost. We, too, live in the meantime, in the between time. And like those first-generation followers of Jesus, Christ has also given us a ministry in the meantime, the time in between. We live in the meantime, the between time after the day of Pentecost and the receiving of the Holy Spirit, and before Christ’s second coming. Do we simply do nothing and wait for Jesus to come for us today? No! We continue to do the ministry he has given us, while we wait for his coming again.
Even in the short between time of the first-generation Christians, they were not content to do nothing. Rather, they were directed to serve Christ by choosing another apostle to succeed Judas. The choosing of a twelfth apostle is consistent with what Jesus had promised earlier in Luke’s Gospel, chapter 22:28-30. In that passage, Jesus promised the twelve apostles they would have a privileged status in his future kingdom. The twelve apostles would sit on thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. Therefore it was now necessary here in our passage from Acts to reorganise the sacred band of twelve apostles in fulfillment of this promise to choose and call a replacement apostle after Judas had defected and committed suicide. According to Peter, who is here taking a leadership role among the other apostles and the 120 first-generation followers of Jesus, this reorganizational process was necessary to continue the ministry of Christ and his church.
So, Peter proceeds to lay out the qualifications of a new, replacement apostle to be chosen among those 120 first-generation of Christians. The first qualification, so it seems, is that the successor of Judas must have been present with Jesus in his earthly ministry from the time of the baptism of John until the day of Jesus’ ascension into heaven. In other words, the person should not be a recent convert who had not accompanied Jesus in his earthly ministry. This qualification makes a lot of sense, because the continuing ministry of Christ on earth; if it were to be successful; had to reach people with the preaching of the Gospel. The Gospel message, of course, is Christ-centred, therefore who better to preach the Gospel than the closest friends and followers of Jesus? The first-generation apostles had an advantage over everyone else, because they were with Jesus in his day-to-day earthly ministry; they remembered what he said in his preaching and teaching; and they witnessed his miracles and signs. The apostles then were the most qualified folks to “go and tell,” to spread the Gospel to into the world.
The second qualification that Peter spells out is that the replacement apostle “must become a witness with us to his resurrection.” In other words, the resurrection was “the” single, most important Christ-event of them all. Therefore, the replacement apostle had to be an eye-witness to Christ’s resurrection. The resurrection was “the” single, most important life-changing event out of which the Christian church was born. Christ’s resurrection confirms God’s saving power over the powers of evil, sin, and death. If God works in a saving way through Christ’s resurrection for all people, by giving the promise that one day, those who believe in Christ and his resurrection; then, all people would need to hear the Good News of Christ’s resurrection. Who better to spread the Good News of Christ’s resurrection than the original, first-generation eye-witnesses to the resurrection?
Out of the 120 first-generation followers of Jesus, two people are suggested as candidates that meet the two qualifications for a replacement apostle, they are: Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. One of the fascinating things about these two followers of Jesus is that we have zero information about them, other than their names—nowhere else in the New Testament are they mentioned again.
What does this teach us? Well, I believe that it teaches us Christ can and does call ordinary people; folks who may not be that popular or famous. You don’t have to be a world famous televangelist to spread the Good News to others. Christ is able to bless the ministry of even the least among us. In fact, the least known may be the most common way in which Jesus works in the church. If we were to number the total membership of active Christians in the world today and compare that with the total number of the most famous and popular Christian leaders; I think there would be way more ordinary, unknown Christians than there would be popular, famous ones. The vast majority of Christians today are not well known and famous—rather, they are like Joseph called Barsabbas, also known as Justus, and Matthias, little, if anything is known about them. Yet, Christ chooses and calls such ordinary folks as you and me to share in his ministry equally as much as he chooses and calls the rich and famous. We ordinary folks are equally as important in Christ’s eyes as are the most popular people in the church.
So, in the meantime, the between time, it was not at first clear which of these two candidates should be chosen and called to replace Judas as an apostle. The group of those first-generation Christians then turn to the Lord in prayer to ask for guidance as to who is to replace Judas. After that, being Jews, they turn to a familiar method of casting lots to determine which of the two people is going to replace Judas. For them, God was at work even in the chance aspect of casting lots—whether it was choosing straws, rolling dice, or some other method, we do not know. What we do know is that the lot fell on Matthias, and the other apostles, along with the 120 followers of Jesus accept Matthias as the new, replacement apostle. After that, we have absolutely no information on the ministry of Matthias in the New Testament.
In the meantime, the between time, we too, like that first-generation of Jesus’ followers, need to turn to the Lord with one mind and heart and pray for guidance. Prayer, when we listen as much as speak, can and does change our hearts and minds or confirms the truth as we already know it. Prayer is our spiritual oxygen, as I’ve said on many other occasions. If this is so, then we shall want to be in constant communication with the Lord to discern his will for us both as individuals and a congregation. So, may the Lord’s will be done among us individually and as a congregation—that we, like that first-generation church may be faithful witnesses to Christ and his resurrection power. Amen.
1 Cited from: Susan K. Hedahl, “Opening The Door,” in: 56 Lectionary Stories For Preaching: Based Upon The Revised Common Lectionary Cycle B (Lima, OH: CSS Publishing Co., Inc., 1993), pp. 63-64.
May 22, 2009 Leave a comment
The refugees in Darfur and Chad
As you long term, regular readers of this blog know, I appreciate some of the work of Amnesty International—especially as AI works to improve the basic, universal human rights of all human beings and speak out on behalf of the world’s poorest and often forgotten peoples. Recently AI members visited Darfur and Chad and were heartbroken by the ongoing, desperate plight of so many refugees there. I ask you to remember the refugees in Darfur and Chad in your prayers and, if the Spirit moves you, to support financially the work of benevolent organisations like AI, Church NGOs, and others who are working on the front lines to improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of people living a hand-to-mouth existence in refugee camps in fear of their lives. Thank you. May the LORD of life and love have mercy on these his precious people who suffer more in one day than many of us do in one year or perhaps even a life-time. You can read more about the AI visit here.
May 15, 2009 1 Comment
My 25 Anniversary of Ordination
Yesterday, May 13, 2009 marked my 25th anniversary year of ordination into the ministry. My congregation, Grace Lutheran Church, Medicine Hat, Alberta celebrated this special day with me by organizing a potluck supper and presenting me with this beautiful stole. Thank you family of Grace from the bottom of my heart!
It is a high privilege to serve such a wonderful congregation. You live up to your name! I never cease to be amazed by the grace-filled folks of Grace Lutheran. I give thanks to God for the love, forgiveness, trust and respect that the people of Grace have accorded me. And for 25 years of ordained ministry, Soli Deo Gloria!
May 8, 2009 Leave a comment
5 Easter Yr B, 10/05/2009
Acts 8:26-40
Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson
Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, &
Chaplain of The Good Samaritan Society’s
South Ridge Village, Medicine Hat, Alberta
“Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch”
Pastor Harry is a retired minister who is working as an associate pastor. He had to take an early retirement due to several health difficulties. Yet that hasn’t stopped him as one whose heart is bigger than life. He is a very gentle and consistent servant of Christ.
Pastor Harry tells of the story of Mike, a neighbour of his for many years. Mike was born into a home that never discussed items like faith, God and salvation. He was brought up in a very humanistic mindset. He could do anything on his own power without the help of anyone. In fact, the business he owned he made happen. He and Pastor Harry would always visit and discuss topics. Pastor Harry knew that if he was ever to witness to this man it had to be at the right time and in the right place.
Pastor Harry’s second love in life is wood-working. He can make anything from a prayer box for the church to a complete bedroom furniture set. He invited Mike to a woodworking group that met at Pastor Harry’s every Monday evening. About seven men gathered for wood-working, refreshments and a short time of devotions. Pastor Harry invited Mike and reluctantly Mike came. He came for seven weeks in a row and didn’t say much when it came to the time of devotions. He just sat and listened. Finally, after the 10th week Mike asked Pastor Harry if he would stick around and talk with him. He replied that it would be fine. Mike stayed and asked question upon question about this faith of Pastor Harry’s and this Lord that the pastor testified about. It was then that Pastor Harry shared the good news of God’s love in Christ. That night Mike became part of the Christian faith and now is involved in his local church.1
The story reminds us that we can make a difference; Christ can place us, through the work of the Holy Spirit, in a path of someone who may be open to the Christian faith. We, like Pastor Harry in the story, can be missionaries for Christ and bear witness by sharing our faith and the Gospel message with those whom God places in our pathway of life.
In today’s first lesson from Acts chapter eight we learn of how God gives Philip a nudge by speaking to him through, an angel and then the Holy Spirit—telling what to do in order to serve Christ and the Gospel. The story brings into focus one of Luke’s favourite themes. According to Luke and Acts, the followers of Jesus were to go out and spread the Gospel and the new Christian faith from Jerusalem and Judea, out to the Gentile world, to the ends of the earth. Philip, as a faithful disciple and missionary of Jesus, does exactly that in today’s story.
I find this story of Philip quite an interesting one and also instructive in terms of Philip’s faithfulness. Prior to our first lesson, Philip had been engaged in a successful preaching and healing tour in the city of Samaria. We learn that crowds were quite impressed with Philip’s preaching and works of healing. With such success in his ministry, you’d think that Philip might want to stay on in Samaria.
However, God has other plans. Philip is told by an angel: “Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a wilderness road.) Now why would Philip want to leave the comforts and successes in the city of Samaria to travel in the wilderness? What was he to do there? Nobody lives out there. Notice in our story too that the angel is not identified by name, nor described by Luke. All there is for Philip to go on is a simple command. “Get up and go…” Now, I wonder, if you and I were Philip, would we believe or listen to this angel? Wouldn’t we want to continue with the satisfying ministry among the crowds of Samaria? Why would we want to go into nowhere-land, a desolate wilderness with next to no people? Furthermore, our life could be in danger there, that’s where the criminal element hangs out—they could rob us, beat us up, and leave us die alone out in the desert heat. Yet, the amazing thing is that Philip listens and obeys the angel’s command. He doesn’t seem to doubt or argue with the angel. Nor does he run away in the opposite direction, like old Jonah did. No. Rather, he listens and believes and acts upon his beliefs. Luke says: “So he got up and went.” Was he disappointed because he couldn’t stay on at Samaria? We don’t know. Did he inwardly wrestle with and doubt the angel’s command? We don’t know that either. All Luke says is: “So he got up and went.” Now that is an act of faith on Philip’s part. Faith that can inspire us to listen to, believe, and do the right thing—even when that “right thing” is difficult for us and less attractive than what we might be doing right now.
As the story continues, Luke describes a Gentile man, a foreigner of considerable status. Luke tells us this fellow was “an Ethiopian.” He goes on to speak of his sexual, social and political status, saying that he was a “eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury.” In ancient times, eunuchs may have been regarded as trustworthy servants of royal courts, not posing as sexually threatening to the king’s harem. The words “the Candace,” are a title of the Ethiopian queen. As “court official” and “in charge of (the queen’s) entire treasury,” this chap likely had plenty of political and financial smarts—a minister of both external affairs and finance. He was a trustworthy advisor to the queen.
Luke then states the purpose of the Ethiopian eunuch’s visit to Jerusalem, and tells us what his reading material was while travelling in his chariot back to his homeland. “He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.” In other words, he was a Gentile who had a deep, spiritual desire to worship the One True God—elsewhere in Acts, Luke calls such Gentiles “God-fearers.” The “God-fearers” believed in the One True God, but did not necessarily keep the Torah dietary laws or the Jewish requirement of male circumcision. For the Ethiopian eunuch to travel so far a distance to worship God is a clue that he was very serious about his devotion to God.
The fact that he was reading from the prophet Isaiah tells us that this chap was quite literate: perhaps he was fluent in the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek languages, in addition to his own mother tongue. God’s prevenient grace had been at work in the Ethiopian eunuch—sending him to Jerusalem, placing the prophet Isaiah’s work in his hands, giving him a hunger and thirst for biblical truth, and a deep desire to draw into closer communion with God. Long before we humans realise it, God’s prevenient grace is at work to lead us to him.
Enter into the story once again Philip. Now, we’re told, it is the Holy Spirit speaking to Philip and giving him the following command: “Go over to this chariot and join it.” Once again Philip listens and acts in faith. Upon hearing the Ethiopian eunuch reading Isaiah out loud, Philip asks him a question that opens the door for him to witness to this Gentile. The question may have been placed on Philip’s lips by the Holy Spirit: “Do you understand what you are reading?” The Ethiopian eunuch gives Philip an honest answer, along with an open door invitation, saying: “How can I, unless someone guides me.” Luke says he actually invited Philip to come and sit beside him and teach him. Perhaps the Ethiopian had been waiting to speak with someone like Philip for a long time. What we do know is that he had an open heart and mind for God’s Word. The time was ripe for sowing the seed of God’s Good News in his heart and mind. Such opportunities are a God-given grace event—they are what we would call Kairos moments, teaching moments, right times to bear faithful witness. Philip is here a wonderful role model evangelist and missionary for us to learn from. He unpacks the passage from Isaiah 53:7-8, interpreting the passage as a reference to Jesus, and then goes on to preach to the Ethiopian the good news about Jesus. Philip’s faithfulness here is a fulfillment of Christ’s command to go and preach the Good News. The message Philip preaches touches the heart and mind of the Ethiopian eunuch and he is baptized by Philip into the Christian faith. Indeed, tradition has it that this newly baptized disciple of Jesus went home to Ethiopia and preached the Gospel to his people.
Does this missionary and evangelistic story inspire you? If so, then maybe you could go out and share the story with some non-Christian that you might know. May Philip’s example of witnessing inspire us to go and tell the Gospel story.
1 Cited from: Emphasis Vol. 24, No. 1, May-June 1994 (Lima, OH: CSS Publishing Co., Inc.), p. 13.
May 4, 2009 1 Comment
Thought for today
According to CBC host of the radio program “Quirks and Quarks,” Bob McDonald, the brain is very complex. It is made up of about 100 billion neurons. Every one of them communicates with its neighbours, which makes for a grand total of about 100 trillion connections! That is a lot to think about! J
How can people say there is no God in light of such amazing and miraculous information? I do not believe for one nano-second that the creation of such an intricate organ came into existence by accident. This had to have taken a Master Mind Creator to engineer and create such a wonderful organ. I concur with the wisdom of the psalmist who said: “Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” (Ps 14:1) And the apostle Paul, who said: “Ever since the creation of the world his (God’s) eternal power and divine nature, invisible thought they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made.” (Rom 1:20)
Help us, Lord, to love you with all of our mind. Amen.
Weblog of the Rev. Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson. The name, Dim Lamp, is a variation of Isaiah 42:3.
Dim Lamp/קנה רצוץ לא ישבור 
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