Thanksgiving Challenge

How driving through the Western Heights Projects yesterday has challenged my celebration of Thanksgiving today.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Evelyn and I went to Waffle House for breakfast this morning. It’s about the only place that’s open on Thanksgiving. As usual, the cooks and waitresses were bright and cheerful and we were served without any delay. It was a good way to start the holiday.

I sometimes wonder what it’s like for someone who has to serve others on a family holiday. There have been holidays in the past when I have been called out on an emergency, so I guess I know part of it. But what’s it like to have to work on holidays, in order to make payments on the rent or put food on the table?

Yesterday, I delivered a Thanksgiving basket to a family that our wee church supports. Instead of coming back the usual route via the interstate, I traveled through the Western Heights area. It was another world. It felt like a shadow of hopelessness, poverty, and fear had covered the whole area. I wanted to do something more to help, but I didn’t know what to do. I grew up in a deprived area of Glasgow, Scotland, so I know something of the poverty and despair, but this felt different. People looked as though they were trapped by some kind of evil force that just wouldn’t let them escape or go somewhere better.

This has made me more aware of the blessings that my family and I share, but it also challenges me to somehow bring the Gospel into these broken lives. I don’t know what I can possibly do, but there are a few churches in the area that probably need support and help. I need to think and pray about this. I need to ask Christ what does He want done?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are truly thankful for who we are and what we have. Help us not take life’s blessings for granted. Challenge us to change our ways so that we may help others escape the fear, poverty, and despair that they experience each day, and especially on this day of Thanksgiving. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

Weekend Screensaver: Take back the Night

Candles in a church window bringing light in the midst of winter darkness

Champion of Light

James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (NIV)

There’s a new fantasy movie coming out in October called “The Seeker: The Dark is Rising,” which is all about a teenage boy who is chosen to defend the forces of light against the warriors of darkness. It looks like a modern version of the tales of King Arthur and it will probably spawn a couple of sequels. There’s also a competition to win a family trip to Hollywood on the movie’s website. You can find the details at http://www.seekthesigns.com/.

This contest between the forces of light and darkness is something that most religions express in their sacred scriptures. In our own Bible, there are many passages about light overcoming darkness. From the beginning of Creation in Genesis, where God separates the light from the dark, to the vision of Christ in Gospel of John as the Light of the world, this theme is ever present.

In ancient days, when fire was a secret art, the ability to overcome the darkness was a wondrous weapon against the forces of evil. And in different cultures, solar eclipses were treated as times of utter despair where darkness seemed to prevail for a short time. And in the northern regions of civilization, where the winters were cold, long, and dark, the coming of solar spring was a time of relief and festivity, joy and exaltation.

These days, we’re not afraid of the darkness because we have the ability to light the world 24 hours a day, every day of the year. So when we come across these passages about light and darkness, we tend to inwardly spiritualize them. In of acclaiming Christ to be the True Champion of Light, we talk about Him vanquishing the darkness, despair and depression in our souls. We look to Jesus to fix our warped emotions and to enlighten our somber souls.

But no matter what we think or how we apply those ancient passages of scripture to our daily lives, we seek to escape the darkness of death through the light of eternal life. And this is why we seek Christ as our Savior. This is why we place our hopes and faith in Him. He is the Light of the World, both here on earth, and in the world to come.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we seek You today to enable us to rise above the darkness in our souls, our lives, our feelings. We reach out to You to enlighten our world and to show us the way to our heavenly home. Be with us and bless us through Your everlasting, all powerful light. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.