January 10, 2023 – “The Left-Handed Man”

“Again the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and he gave them a deliverer—Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab. Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a cubit long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing. He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man. After Ehud had presented the tribute, he sent on their way those who had carried it. But on reaching the stone images near Gilgal he himself went back to Eglon and said, “Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you.” The king said to his attendants, “Leave us!” And they all left. Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his palace and said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king rose from his seat, Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly. Even the handle sank in after the blade, and his bowels discharged. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. Then Ehud went out to the porch; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.” Judges 3:15-23

{“My doctor took one look at my gut and refused to believe that I work out. So I listed the exercises I do every day: I jump to conclusions, I climb the walls, and drag my heels. I push my luck, make mountains out of molehills, and bend over backward. I run around in circles, put my foot in my mouth, and beat around the bush.”} (Reddit)

The New Year will bring new challenges of all kinds. As human beings, we need special events like the turning of a new year to spark new beginnings, new directions, new habits. Why? Well, I am not so sure except for the fact that change is so hard to maintain. Sometimes change feels as hard as if I were deciding to change from being right-handed to being a left-handed man.

I know there is change needed in my daily routines – and it will take some real effort. One of the changes this pastor needs to initiate is to get back into and on to an exercise regime. I have fallen into some bad habits. I need to find ways to prioritize and to refocus on family matters and matters of the church.  

In 2023, let’s resolve to exercise our minds, our bodies and our faith. Rather than jumping to conclusions, let’s jump into the bible to learn more about the Word of G-d. Rather than pushing our luck, let’s push ourselves to renew our faith and trust in Jesus. And rather than putting our feet in our mouths, let’s determine to walk about sharing our faith.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, opportunities for change and new beginnings come infrequently. Help me to take advantage of this new year and to find ways to exercise my faith every day. Amen.

Pastor Dave

January 9, 2023 – “Who is following Whom?”

“As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.” Matthew 4:18-22

{“I’ve given up social media for the New Year and am trying to make friends outside Facebook while applying the same principles. Every day, I walk down the street and tell passersby what I’ve eaten, how I feel, what I did the night before, and what I will do tomorrow. Then I give them pictures of my family, my dog, and me gardening. I also listen to their conversations and tell them I love them. And it works. I already have three people following me—two police officers and a psychiatrist.”} (Nancy L. Clark, West Virginia)

Have you heard of “The Attention Economy”? It is a recent phenomenon. It describes the supply and demand of a person’s attention – and our attention is the biggest draw for the internet. If a site or a web platform can draw more attention – more “clicks” than others – it allows them to draw the attention of advertisers. But, like it or not, our attention comes in limited supply. I can only keep my attention on so many things before my head begins to explode. Attentiveness is a human quality, and we only have so much in reserves. Between work, children, sleep, and playtime, we tend to put more attention on the things that make us feel good. And this is where Face Book and other social sites have “clicked” upon pay dirt. The act of seeking affirmation by having others “click like” on their pages, and comments, and posts, gives a person a burst of happiness – and that is addictive. And that leads to more attention being paid toward seeking more followers. (Information supplied by The Secret Ways Social Media is Built for Addiction, Julian Morgans)

Jesus sought out followers when he began his public ministry. He called them from their busy lives and sought out their attention taking them away from earthly concerns and toward heavenly matters. While most of us cannot leave everything to be a follower of Jesus, we can set aside more of our time to be devoted to his teachings and his ministry. In 2023, let us resolve to spend less time on social media and spend more time in our bibles – and our churches.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, help me to be more attentive to my relationship with you. With so many distractions in this life, I need your help in keeping my eyes on eternal things. Amen.

Pastor Dave