Newbegun United Methodist Church
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Worshiping God; Loving Jesus; Serving People

Pastor's Blog - The FROG

 
 
 

 

Pastor Roger's Page 

From the F.R.O.G.                         

(FROG in the vernacular of the North Carolina domestic residence [i.e. home] dictionary is a Finished Room Over Garage. It is the perfect size for an office or den. In this case, it is my office, where my books and computers are kept.)

AND NOW I HUMBLY PRESENT:

FROG: Foolish Reflections On God

The Triumph of the Word

This is July, and if there is anything that is special about July, it is the fact that we celebrate the declaration that our country is to be independent from the British Empire. In our country's founding, we are shown the original ideals set out by our founding fathers, ideals that were to be part of the American identity. Ideals that would guide the citizenry in each and every age.

Today we still experience those ideals, perhaps more so now than ever. But as is the case with all countries, there were struggles and failures. Whether it was slavery or discrimination, there have been long moments that the US has not lived up to the ideals that led to independence in the first place. 

Humanity sadly does not do things perfectly, and meany times have fallen well short of the divine moral standard. This was definitely true for the Israelites in the Old Testament. How often do we read how they have failed to follow the teachings of God. How often did we read how even the leaders of the Hebrew people failed to be the leader they were to supposed to be. Even people like Moses did not act as he should throughout his life, I mean goodness, the fist thing we learn about Moses when he is an adult is that he killed someone. But what guided the Israelites though all of those moments of disobedience? How did the Word of God make it to the days of Jesus? How could a people so imperfect have been able to keep the Word of God alive? The answer, of course, is that it was the Word that was able to shine though all those moments of imperfection and chaos. It was the Word that ultimately saved the Israeli people even as they rejected God. For the Word did not need the people to survive and receive relevance, it was the Word that guided Israel, and showing them the way to life, meaning, and true divine wisdom and salvation.

This is true even for us as Americans. We cannot say that the US has had a perfect history. A history of a people that truly followed the intentions of the declaration of the US or even the intentions of the Constitution itself. What we can say, is that it was those ideals that guided us throughout our history and led us to a better country, one that is more in line with those ideals. But how did these ideals survive? Why were they so powerful?

When our founders crafted our declaration and later our constitution, they adopted much of their ideals from words of our Lord, Jesus Christ. The idea that we are created in the image of God. That all people in the eyes of God are seen as equals. And by the blood of Jesus all people are saved and given eternal life. That is what gave these ideals power. Even when we failed to abolish slavery without a civil war, we still had these Word inspired ideals speaking in the distance inspiring the abolitionists. We had the Word speaking to a new generation of people seeking equality and freedom for everyone during times of discrimination.

So when we celebrate the founding of the United States of America, we are not only celebrating the start the great experiment of freedom and liberty; of a country that has beaten the odds and flourished. But also a country that has been able to overcome its own failings, not by our own power, but by the inspired Word of God, which has guided us in times of peace and plenty and in times of struggle and failure. The Word has shined in the darkness for the people of Israel, so too does it shine for us and so many others.

Love and Blessings,

Casey Estler

Last Sunday's message, No Message posted this Week. However for next week you can just click:   Message.

  

Other web sites of interest:

North Carolina Annual Conference:  www.nccumc.org.

Beacon District: Click on Beacon District at www.nccumc.org.