From
the Pastor
One
of my favorite holiday stories concerns the three sons who left home,
went out on their own, and prospered. Getting back together, they discussed
the gifts they were going to give their near blind, elderly mother for
Christmas. The first said, "I bought her a big house for Christmas."
The second said, "I got her a Mercedes Benz and a chauffeur."
The third smiled and said, "I’ve got you both beat. You remember
how mom enjoyed reading the Bible? And you know she can’t see
very well. So I sent her a remarkable parrot that recites the entire
Bible. It took a preacher 12 years to teach him. He’s one of a
kind. Mama just has to name the chapter and verse, and the parrot recites
it."
Soon thereafter, the woman sent out her letters of thanks to her sons
for the Christmas gifts. She wrote the first son and said, "The
house you bought is so huge. I live in only one room, but I have to
clean the whole house." She wrote to the second son, "I am
too old to travel. I stay home most of the time so I rarely use the
Mercedes. And the chauffeur is so rude!"
She wrote to her third son, "Son, you are the only one who has
the good sense to know what your mother likes. The chicken was delicious!"
We’re
all faced with deciding what we’ll do with the gifts we’ve
received. Will we make the best use of them—as the giver intended?
Or will we end up “eating the parrot”?
You and I have been given the grandest gift of all: God Himself as the
Baby of Bethlehem—even Jesus the Christ! Will we integrate His
life into ours—allowing our relationship with Him to inform and
bless our relationships with one another? In other words: will His coming
make any difference whatsoever? Or will we continue on with life-as-usual?
The New Year is a great opportunity to begin again—to start over.
I used to carry a small piece of cardstock in my wallet with very poignant
words:
Down on my trembling knees I fall,
Though others may look askance,
And say a prayer to the God of all—
To the God of another chance.
God has given us a brand new year. That means new opportunities for
relationships, work, study, ministry, and mission. You may be proud
of what’s been accomplished last year…or you may be looking
for a new beginning—another chance.
Join me at Trinity as we continue to seek God’s will and way in
our lives—corporately and individually. Together, with the guidance
and power of the Holy Spirit, we will make the very best of all our
opportunities. Anything less just won’t do!
See you in church!
Pastor Rodney
Dr. Rodney K. Powell
|
