Shade Tree Wisdom 9/21/10

When you need one, it always seems to be missing. And you search and find and lay them handy for the next time. It’s that ubiquitous pencil, you know, the item people thought would become obsolete with the computer age.

Not so, the pencil, used by General Grant to jot down battle plans, and by Prussian chancellor Otto von Bismark to tamp down the tobacco in his pipe, is still very much alive today. Abraham Lincoln probably composed the Gettysburg address with a pencil.

And as a matter of fact, roughly 15 to 20 billion are made each year, some half of them in China. Craftsmen have made pencils in Stein, near Nuremberg, for nearly four centuries. The world’s biggest branded pencil manufacturer is Faber-Castell, a German firm in business since 1761. The great grandson of the founder of the company invented the hexagon pencil in 1839, by doing that, it kept the pencil from rolling off the school desk.

“Do you have a pencil handy?” Isn’t that the question a person asks when they want you to make a note of something? And we have them around at home and at work.

Lately, an innovation is to make the case three cornered, and add small rubber dots to make the pencil easier for small hands to hold.

Such a common item, but so useful, and necessary. No, I do not believe it will be replaced by a computer, at least not for a while.

To me, it is a reminder that some things remain the same, cannot be improved, and never change. And the first among those truths is the truth that God speaks, and the Truth that Jesus Christ, the Son of God died on the cross of Golgotha to pay for the sins of the worlds.. 1 John 2,2. “For Christ died for the sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteousness, to bring you to God.” 1 Peter 3,18.

That Truth remains the Truth for all time.

GPD 9/21/10
Facts about the pencil gleaned from the Economist 9/18/10

Shade Tree Wisdom 9/19//10

More on Worship

It’s a bit cloudy right now, but still warmish, even though Fall starts in just a few days now.

Before worship this morning, from where I usually sit, I see the walk leading from the parking lot, and so can watch people arrive. In some families, the children are running ahead, in others, kids twaddle, and they’re usually boys. Why is that, I wonder. And I see the faces, some eager, some worried, all coming because they are looking for a Word for their lives.

Then, as people arrive, there are murmured greetings, some small talk, worship folders distributed, and everybody settles down. Some prepare for worship by reading a hymn. Or reading some Passage from the pew Bible at hand, or just sitting quietly, waiting, and meditating.

The pace is leisurely, life slows down a bit, nothing is rushed, there is no hurry, we begin to understand what is meant by “Be Still, and know that I am God.”

And the thought comes that this is one reason for the worship hour. It is really to give us the time to hear God, to take time, without butting in with our inanities, to pay close attention to what God said to us, remembering that what we learn “was written for our learning, on whom the ends of the world are come”. And its important that we hear what is said without butting in with some senseless thought, or twitter, as one church encourages. How sad a commentary.

But the hour at worship brings a sense of peace and then of belonging, for I hear Jesus say “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one can snatch them out of my hands”. John 10,27.28

So I can leave that hour knowing again I am not a number, but a name for whom Jesus died, and for whom God cares. What riches are mine, and yours, Baptized Child of God.

GPD 9/19/10

Shade Tree Wisdom 9/18/10

Some years ago several of us had been invited to spend some vacation days at a friend’s cottage on Lake LeALanau in northern Michigan. We spent time visiting, boating, sight-seeing, and enjoying some sports. Our final evening there we were sitting on the front lawn, enjoying the lake, while the women were preparing something to eat. Night was nearing, and the sunset over the lake was simply spectacular. We called to the wives to come and watch it too.

The sun set, and the afterglow was red, then shaded to purple, then slowly ended. All of us were struck with the majesty of that sight that really left us speechless. It was grand. Too grand for words.

The Psalmist declared, “The heavens declare the glory of the Lord, and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showed knowledge. There is no speech, nor language, where their voice is not heard.” Psalm 19,1.2.

I believe worship is like that.

Worship is that time when we stop to remember who we are, and how we fit into God’s plan. E.C.Peterson, in his “Leap Over a Wall” writes, “Worship-is the strategy by which we interrupt our preoccupation with ourselves, and attend to the presence of God. It is a time we assign for deliberate attention to God. . .because our self important is so relentless that if we don’t deliberately interrupt ourselves regularly, we have no chance of attending to Him at all”.

So the worship hour is at hand. The acolytes have lighted the candles, the Pastors have processed and spoken a word of welcome. Perhaps, “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Then the invocation. We are doing this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. That brings us to the repentance, and the forgiveness. The load of sin is lifted “by the authority of Jesus Christ Himself”.

Several Bible readings follow, and then comes the Sermon, God’s Word explained and laid before us for us to consider, think of, praise, and give thanks to God for His guidance, assurance, and presence in our life.

That brings us to our offering, and then the Lord’s Supper, where we receive the real Body and Blood offered and shed for the forgiveness of our sins. The prayers and the Blessing send us out, back into the world, strengthened and refreshed and renewed for the week of living in an often uncaring world.

But for that hour, our attention has been on what God is, has done, and what He has told us for our living. And we are reminded again that “The plans of the Lord stand firm forever. The purposes of His heart for all generations.” Psalm 33,11.

GP 9/18/10

Shade Tree Wisdom 9/13/10

Yesterday the Senior Ministry held a cake reception for my 65th ordination anniversary after the early service at Living Word Lutheran Church. It was nice, but you know how those things go, people mean to, and still they need to get back into the class for study. That is fine with me, because that’s where they learn stuff to help them grow in knowledge and strength for faith. Presently they are reading the Augsburg Confession? Makes wonderful reading, and shows why we believe as we do.

But it was kind of bittersweet also. It reminded me of so many blessings through the years. Years have taken their toll, now about all I do is write a Shade Tree Wisdom now and then with my comment on the passing scene. I avoid politics, except, of course, urge prayers for all those whom God has placed in authority.

I thought of the hymn

“Lord, when the shadows lengthen, and night has come,

I know that You will strengthen, my step toward home.. . .

So take my hand and lead me, until the end”

And that brings to my mind St. Paul’s words in his letter to the Romans, chapter 13.11ff.

“Understanding the present time, the hour has come for you to wake out of slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand, let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day. . .And put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think of how to gratify the sinful nature.” Vv. 11-14.

It is fitting that the text uses the term “put on the armor”. That, I suggest, is a fitting word, because while we are here, we are surrounded by the enemy, as a matter of fact living in ‘enemy-held territory’. The world is not a friend to faith. The world about us would rather see us stumble and fail; it would rather have us join them in their senseless activity, than spend time in worship, or Bible reading, or doing God’s will in this place.

St. Peter warned when he wrote, “They (that is, the world in which we live) think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you.” 1Peter 4,4. Peter reminds us that “Once we were not God’s people, now we are God’s people; once we had not received mercy, now we have received mercy” 1 Peter 2,10. Because we are redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, a Lamb without blemish or defect”. 1 Peter 1,19.

Thinking of that makes the day ‘sweet’, added to the fact that we are members of a Church that believes that Jesus Christ is our One and Only Savior from sin, makes the day “sweet” in retrospect. A Church that makes every effort to “arm us with the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

GPD 9/13/10

Shade Tree Wisdom 9/9/10

Hermine, the tropical storm passing through, left us with over two inches of rain, but no more, wind or storm damage.

Today is a special day, because it is the 65th anniversary of my ordination into the Holy Ministry. The place for it was Immanuel Lutheran Church, St. Charles, Missouri, which had called me to serve as their assistant Pastor. There were 850 people in church and I hardly knew anyone there. Just my wife, Ruth, my parents, and I knew the pastor and his family. But God blessed.

And so He has through the years. I stopped a bit to look back, and there are some memorable moments, and some in which the hand is so clear.

But now,
“as the shadows lengthen, and night has come,
I know that You will strength, my steps toward home”.

And with Joshua of old, I can say what he said in his farewell speech. “I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.” Joshua 23,14.
And it is a delight to know our Church still teaches and preaches the Gospel Truths with passion, understanding, clarity, and sincere conviction. That is satisfying to know, and it is a rich blessing of our God, whose mercy is new unto us every morning.

God bless us all.

GPD 9/9/10

Shade Tree Wisdom 8/31/10

“Lost – Brown Cocker Spaniel”. Signs like that appear in the Woodlands from time to time. Sad, but often useless, the lost dog is never found. What happened was they were taking their dog for a walk, and since there was no one else near, they removed the leash. Suddenly the dog spots a rabbit, or squirrel. Something to chase, so it does. Its having fun. Follows unheeding of the owners calls, and becomes lost. It is not used to the place, it wanders around, lost.

Yondering! A word meant to speak of far places, and wandering there I search of something. Fulfilling a longing, looking for something else in life. Wanting freedom, and ending up entangled in a total disaster.

It’s all part of that “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" syndrome we all seem to have. In the beginning, the Lord gave Adam the garden with this word, “to dress it and to keep it”. In short, take care of it. That ended with the fall into sin. Then he order changes, “Cursed is the ground for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns and thistle shall it bring forth to thee and thou shalt eat the herb of the field, In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread till thou return unto the ground”.” Gen. 3, 17-19.

But people have always tried to turn that around. For example, ever since New Hampshire (I believe) first introduced a lottery because their leaders were afraid to raise the needed taxes, this country has been suffering under the curse of a lottery that promises to relieve want, give many benefits, “without any cost.”

Right now many look to government to ‘give people what they need’. That frees us, does it not? Until we remember that government can ‘give’ only what it takes from us.

So “Yondering” really leads to sadness, for it never promises what it seems to.

There is but one way, and that is the way of God, following His Word, accepting His promises, so that we can say with St. Paul, “I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content”. Philippians. This is written after he suffered shipwreck, was jailed, beaten, scourged, stoned, drive out of town. Then, He could say, “I am Content”. Because he truly believed that God supplied every step of his way.

Take that path with me. We do have peace with God because our sins have been paid for when our Lord Jesus died on the Cross, for me. Thank God for this assurance.

GPD 8/31/10

Shade Tree Wisdom 8/25/10

Nice walking again, why not join me for a step or two some morning, you leave your door, I leave mine, and we both get deeply immersed in the wonders of God’s creation that lies just at hand.

And that’s why this bit of wisdom today.

This morning’s newspaper reports that the oil plume, which was reported to be 22 miles long and 3,600 feet deep, is now “undetectable”. It’s been eaten by a voracious species of oil-eating bacteria that has largely consumed this large plume of oil spilled into the Gulf since April.

Scientists tell us the such bacteria have since the beginning been eating oil that seeps from the sea floor regularly. But this study has discovered a particularly voracious bacteria that multiplied rapidly after the spill. Now their hope is to identify the bacteria and culture it, to use against future spills.

If such activity has been gong on since creation, isn’t it reasonable to assume that the hand of God is here also?

At least for this writer, it brings a “Praise God from whom all blessings flow” to the foreground with heart-felt thank you, Lord God.

GPD 8/25/10