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An Election Year and Titus

April 5, 2024 by Lauren 4 Comments

The term election year is a misnomer.  Although we elect a president every 4 years we have the opportunity to vote on something every year.  So since every year is an election year, and this one is shaping up to be as contentious as ever, I have not been able to stop thinking about a sermon I heard at church a few weeks ago.  Don’t close this without reading because I mentioned politics.  I won’t be choosing sides or stomping on anyone’s toes but my own.

 

This is the passage I want to emphasize today:

“Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, 2 to slander no one, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing every consideration for all people. 3 For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but in accordance with His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He richly poured out upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs [a]according to the hope of eternal life.”  Titus 3:1-7 NASB

 

The first thing in this sermon to prick my conscience was this question:  “When was the last time you prayed a meaningful prayer for Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, the Supreme Court, military leaders, congressmen, the governor?”  Ouch.  My honest confession today is that I complain about our political leaders much more than I pray for them.  Probably 10 to 1 or more.  And this can’t be.  Especially in an “election year”.

 

In light of that, contemplate this next statement with me.  “When Christians become political, sinners become the enemy and not the mission field.”  Let’s break this down.

  1.  Does this mean that Christians should not be involved in politics?  No.  We need believers in Jesus Christ who will get out and vote their conscience, no matter what is on the ballot.  And we must have genuine people who will put Christ first willing to run for office – from school board to the highest position in the land.
  2. Does this mean that everyone who disagrees with us is not Christian?  That is a big, hard no.  Even if they disagree on something we hold a strong moral stance on.  It could just mean that they have a different life experience and, therefore, a different point of view.  It may also mean they are looking at the candidate or party as a whole – disagreeing with somethings, but agreeing with others.  You know what they say about assuming…
  3. When we constantly view those who hold opposing political views as enemies, we cease to see them as people made in God’s image.  We should never care more about someone’s stance then we do their soul.  Loving like Jesus does not mean voting for one party of the other.  Especially when so many of us feel politically homeless in our current climate.

My prayer is that we would all approach politics with not only compassion, but humility.  There is no side that is right on every single issue.  And none of us has it all figured out.  Taylor Swift was not the first person to point the finger at herself as the problem.  In 1905, G.K. Chesterton wrote in a letter to the editor of the Daily News, “What’s wrong with the world today?  I am.”  And I think I might just need to reread Titus 3:1-7 every day until I can remember that.

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Christmas is Over. Now What Do We Do With Jesus?

January 5, 2024 by Lauren 4 Comments

Hi!  It’s been a minute.  We have celebrated multiple holidays since my last post and I hope they were a joy to you.  And if not, I pray that God will comfort you in your grief or disappointment.  My celebrations included both, but also many, many sweet times.  But now that a new year is in progress, I’m left to ponder where we have been and where we are going.  This is nothing new for many of us as the calendar turns over.  But I’m not talking about resolutions or restarts. 

Now that Christmas is over, I want to know what we do with Jesus?

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Maybe you have been walking with Jesus for a long time.  Or maybe your knowledge is limited.  But what struck me during the shopping and revelry is how much of the world celebrates baby Jesus (whether they know it or not).  Mainstream movies (ok, Hallmark movies.  Don’t judge.) feature religious Christmas carols and church services.  And people who don’t regularly attend church show up for the ritual or the story of the Christ child.

 

That baby Jesus feels meek and mild.  It’s even in the songs!  I will venture to say He feels harmless to us.  No threat.  It doesn’t cost us much to praise a tiny baby.  Celebrating the birth of that baby with the beautiful story of the stable and the manger is easy.  But once the nativity sets are packed away (ok, ALL of my decorations aren’t put away yet), do we still think about Him?

 

What Do We Do Now that Christmas is Over?

 

At Christmas it’s easy to imagine Jesus enshrined as a baby forever.  But nothing could be farther from the truth.  Jesus grew into a man who was both worshipped and despised.  He lived a sinless life – so hard for us to understand – and died an agonizing death on a cross as punishment for OUR sins.  He made a way for us to have relationship with our holy God.  And because of all He has done, He demands our ALL.  Our obedience, our allegiance, our surrender, our lives.

 

Whoa, whoa, whoa!  This is not what we think about when we light a candle and sing about “the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay”!  But even that lyric from “Away in a Manger” holds a key word.  “Lord”.  Are we truly willing to make Him Lord of us?  That means putting aside our wants and desires for His.  Seeking His glory and renown and not our own.  Loving Him through obedience to His Word.  Even the parts we may not like.  It means being counter-cultural.  Even if we look foolish to those around us.

 

Are you ready for that kind of sacrifice?  Maybe instead of setting goals for 2024 that we probably won’t keep (just being a realist), it might be time to examine our commitment to Jesus.  It was pretty easy to celebrate baby Jesus in December.  But are you ready to worship King Jesus all year long?

 

Scripture

 

“For by[a] him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”  Col. 1:16-17 ESV

 

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About Me

I love Jesus, my husband and caffeine. The order of these can change depending on how tired I am. When my two daughters, stepson, and 4 grandchildren get to be too much, I practice yoga. God graciously allows me to share our adventures, victories and flub-ups from my laptop. May He be glorified here.
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