When I was a teenager, Dad would have a habit of sharing his stories and advice with me – at bedtime. He would come sit on my bed just after I pulled the covers up. He would share stories from his youth, from his Army days, and he would share his hopes and dreams with me. He would often quote poetry. One night he shared the Robert Frost poem, “The Road Not Taken.” His recitation was moving. He was especially emotional when he came to the lines: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” I have often thought of that night. It was very apparent that he was telling me to be my own person, not follow the crowd and to stay true to my faith. Many times in my life I have faced two roads. Sometimes I have traveled with the crowd. I have joined in and walked for miles, joyfully, willingly, blindly following the group. These roads sometimes led to a destination at which I was not fully intending to arrive. Most of the times I found that these roads followed the world and turned me away from the Word. I would arrive at a destination and look for a way out. There was always a path open to me. Sometimes the path was well marked and evident, sometimes I had to search. All of the times the path led me away from the world and back toward the Word. Walking the less traveled road is often lonely. It is possible to see the wide avenues filled with people laughing and sharing their journey, but they do not notice me. Almost always my companion on the less traveled road is my wife. She extends her hand and we walk together, sharing, observing, and leaning on one another. We sometimes meet other people. We visit, share experiences, and pray for one another. We refresh each other on our journey. Regularly we will stop at church. We cherish the time we are comforted, encouraged and renewed through interaction with the body of believers and the Body of Christ. Perhaps the disciples felt much as I do. Christ had returned to heaven and they had to make choices. Their roads were much like my roads – some very crowded, some less traveled by. They also cherished the companionship of family, friends and fellow believers as they walked the less traveled by path. I thank you for allowing me to be part of your journey. I thank you for your walk with me. As we travel along a new path together, we are comforted to know that we have a very real and constant companion – our Risen Lord and Savior – Jesus Christ!
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In Luke 18 we read the following story about Jesus:
People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Jesus was a very powerful man. He was physically strong evidenced by His journeys, walking across the countryside. I have literally walked in the footsteps of Jesus and can attest to His physical strength. In the story told by Saint Luke, we see the disciples rebuking the parents from approaching Jesus. We are not told why the disciples felt that they needed to protect Jesus from the crush of the parents, just that they rebuked them. One may speculate that the disciples felt Jesus needed a rest or that Jesus needed to be on His way to some place more important. The reasons why the disciples rebuked the parents are not as important as the response of Jesus. I can picture Him sweeping aside the disciples with one arm and picking up a child in the other. He holds the child close to His heart and turns to the disciples, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them.” I can also picture the joy on the faces of the Moms and Dads as they presented their children to Jesus for His blessing. Oh how happy they must have been to see the Master bless their children. I can also see the joy on the face of Jesus as He blesses the children. He is patient, allowing each child in turn to share, ask questions, pull on His hair, and hug Him tight. The picture of Jesus blessing the children gives me peace and joy. I feel the same joy when I walk the halls of our Lutheran schools. I see the children sharing with their teachers, I hear the stories from home, the important events in the lives of the children. I hear about lost teeth and new puppies, sick relatives and vacations. I hear the joy in the hearts of the children as they pray the Lord’s prayer, sing praises to Jesus or share their hearts with their Savior. I am so very joyous when I see the parents bringing their children to the doors of the Lutheran school. For they know that once the children enter,they will meet Jesus. Jesus will bless them through the words and deeds of the pastors, the teachers, the teacher aides, the secretaries, the cooks, the librarian, the computer man, the janitors and all of the volunteers. Let the children come. Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” – Matt. 22:15-17
The Pharisees didn’t like Jesus. Jesus was liked by the people. Jesus was teaching Gospel. The Pharisees specialized in the Law. The Pharisees wanted to put Jesus into a situation where He would end up saying something that the government wouldn’t like. Their thinking was such that if they could get Jesus to anger the government, then Rome would remove Him. The Pharisees could then return to their position of power and influence. So they asked a “trick” question. If Jesus responded that they shouldn’t pay taxes, then Rome would step in, if He said they should, then the people wouldn’t like Him. Our Savior responds, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” What an awesome answer! This answer confused the Pharisees. How does His answer speak to us today? What is God’s? The short answer is, “Everything belongs to God.” He is the Creator and Sustainer of all of our life. He created the heavens and the earth, He created time and space, He created everything – including me. God made it – He owns it. If God owns everything – How can I “give to God what is God’s?” We give to God that which is His when we use the gifts He gives us in a way that brings Him honor. We give to God our time as we worship Him in church, read the Holy Scriptures and talk to Him in prayer. We give to God our treasures when we spend our money on that which sustains our body and helps our neighbors. We give to God our talents as we use our special gifts and abilities to bring Him honor. It is not about us – it is about God. Do I fail to give God His due – absolutely. Am I forgiven – Yes! Do I put my time above God’s time – lots. Am I forgiven – Yes! Do I often hide my talents so as not to be bothered – often. Am I forgiven – Yes! Do I cheat on my offerings to church – sometimes! Am I forgiven – Yes! I pray each day for the strength to do that which is right and give God His due – with my time, my talents and my money. Prayer – God, help me give to you that which is yours. Amen On December 17, 2015, I sat in the doctor’s office as she relayed the news, “You need to lose forty pounds or you will die sooner rather than later.” Not really wanting to face diet and exercise I replied, “And what is so bad about dying?” I pondered the future as I sat in my chair that evening. My two-year-old grandson climbed up into my lap, hugged my neck, looked me in the eyes and pronounced, “I love you gray-gray.” My wife smiled as I announced I would eat healthy and look for a gym. For the next few weeks we visited various gyms in the neighborhood, looking for the one where we could feel most comfortable and offered the services we needed. We settled on Planet Fitness after reading the first line of their Mission Statement, “We at Planet Fitness are here to provide a unique environment in which anyone – and we mean anyone – can be comfortable.” Since then I have been a regular, even after reaching my goal weight. There are many days when my body says, “Let’s go to the gym,” while my mind says, “Nope, not today – I’m tired – I’m not in the mood – I went the other day and I don’t need to today – no one else is going – stay home.” My body wins and I head to the gym. Sometimes when I go there are people using my favorite machines and I have to use a different one. Sometimes the music is not to my liking. Sometimes the trainer is telling me things I don’t want to hear or challenging me to change my habits. Sometimes the temperature is too cold or too hot. Sometimes I don’t get the right information and feel embarrassed as I stand out from the crowd. Sometimes there are lots of people and I am encouraged by the number and sometimes I am one of a very few. But every time I am there I am uplifted, strengthened, encouraged and leave refreshed. If you are a gym attender, you can relate to what I am saying. Maybe you can see the parallel. There are days when my body and mind fight over whether or not I need to leave a warm bed and go out early on a Sunday morning. There are days when there are people in my favorite seat, the music isn’t what I like, the preacher is telling me things I don’t want to hear - challenging me to change, the temperature is not comfortable for me, or I mess up and am embarrassed. But every time I am there I am uplifted, strengthened, encouraged and leave refreshed. Many will mock me, disagree with me, or try to tell me that church is not essential. They will tell me that church must have short preaching, quality music, professional sound and so the list grows. For me, that doesn’t hurt, but is not why I go to church. Many will point out the church is not relevant, Christians are bigoted and hypocritical. For me, I see sin on this side of heaven, understand the objection,but I still attend church. I often catch a glimpse, a foreshadowing of heaven when I attend church for every time I attend church I meet God. I meet the God who gave Moses His Law and am ashamed. I meet the God who suffered and rose from the dead to give me the hope of eternal life and am refreshed. I meet the God who gives me the words of hope and comfort and am strengthened. If you are a church attender, you can relate to what I am saying. I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” (Psalm 122:1) Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)
In 2011 David Kinnaman challenged the church with his research recorded in his book, You Lost Me. In his work he documented how a whole generation was walking away from organized Christian fellowships. He sent shock waves through the churched community as he documented how significant percentages of children were disengaging from the church as early as fourth grade. I pondered those findings, particularly if there was a “how” church leaders and parents could reverse this trend. I asked myself a question, “How can we raise up leaders in the church?” I looked to the pages of Scripture and found many examples of leaders being called at a young age. Three of the most noteworthy are:
What if we provided leadership opportunities for a younger generation today, would they fall away or would they lead in the church? So I started a “What if…” list. What if. . .
That is the reason I am a Commissioned Minister today, I was an usher at age ten, sat on the Church Council as president of the youth group at age sixteen, taught adult Bible class at age eighteen and at age nineteen I represented my congregation at the Northern Illinois District – LCMS Convention where my church was received into membership of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. I thank God for those who trained me as a young leader. “These are times that try men's souls.”
Yes, our souls are being tried. We are involved in a seemingly endless war against terrorism, our civil liberties and personal freedoms are assailed at every checkpoint, the economy teeters on the brink of collapse, religious tolerance is threatened by unmerciful attacks on Christianity, environmentalists cry out “global warming,” and individual rights seem to trump common sense. Can it get any worse? Apparently it was pretty bad for Thomas Paine in 1776 when he penned the famous words, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” But why was that time a trying one? I would suggest it revolved around fear. Many people feared what their lives would be like after the war. If Great Britain won, would they even have a life? If the colonies won, would they be able to sustain society? People feared for their safety, comfort, future, livelihood, homes, and security. Seems as if not much has changed. So what do you fear? Are you faced with declining resources? Chronic disease? Unsafe neighborhood? Mounting debt? Disappearing insurance? Uncertain future? My biggest fear is that my children and their friends will die without faith in Jesus. I pray each night that the children will hear and heed the story of Jesus – Jesus the Savior, Jesus the Friend of Sinners, Jesus the Healer, Jesus the Son of God, Jesus – the name that gives eternal life. I thank God for partners in the fight for my children’s generation – dedicated pastors, teachers, principals, neighbors, relatives and friends. I rejoice when my children are told about the Good News of salvation. I thank God for those that preach, those that teach. I also thank God for His words of comfort: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” - Matthew 10:28 I do not fear! A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:3-5) I crested the hill outside of Palmer, Alaska, and caught a glimpse of the Matanuska Glacier in the valley as it gleamed in the sunlight, but the sight didn't inspire. Just west of Glennallen I saw Mt. Drum, Mt. Sanford and Mt. Wrangell. The snow topped peaks were brilliant against the azure blue sky, but the sight didn't inspire. This journey to Alaska began the previous year when I stood next to the grave of my wife of 35 years. I set out on a solo journey through Alaska on a quest to find peace. That night I saw my life laid out as a series of valleys and mountains, much like I witnessed on my drive. I relived each valley of despair, desperation, and despondency and called out in torment. I recalled every insurmountable mountain that I built – mountains that separated me from God and my loved ones and cringed in agony. Peace finally descended on my heart as I replayed each valley and could recount how Christ was by my side. Peace grew as I recognized the lessons of humility learned from mountains toppled by hands greater than mine. In the morning as sun rose, my heart was warmed by the words of The Son – words of comfort and hope, words of love and forgiveness, words of acceptance – “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” The rest of the journey was filled experiencing God’s love and forgiveness with each mountain and valley declaring His majesty. I longed to return and share the Good News of how God raises the valleys and topples the mountains. For some the answer to that question is the trite, “June, July, and August.” These teachers look at the world and decide that teaching offers the most time off with the least effort having the least consequences.
For some the answer is, “I want to make a difference for the future.” These teachers see that teaching is more than a job, it is a vocation. Teachers affect the future in ways that few other professions do – for the children grow into the adults that save, protect and serve mankind. For some the answer is, “I am loved.” These teachers are usually in a Christian school – more often than not – a Lutheran school. These teachers feel the depth of our Heavenly Father’s love in their life and wish to pass it along. Paul gives us a glimpse of the depth of our Father’s love in his letter to the Romans. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5: 8-11. God loves us so much that He sent His Son to suffer the pain and separation we deserve. On the last day of our life, we ask God to forgive that which we have offended Him – and He will answer – it already is. He will look at us and say, “Come on home, you look a lot like my Son.” So when we stand in front of a room of children, we see them through God’s eyes. Each one of them is so special that He sent Jesus to suffer and die. God looks at each child and sees someone who looks a lot like His Son. We see the children through God’s eyes. We see redeemed, loved children of God. We teach for the joy of sharing knowledge and love – for the opportunity to be surrounded by the inquisitive, active minds – for the joy of sharing. For love. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. - Genesis 1:1
Ever since I was old enough to carry a box of Crayola crayons, I have loved the first day of school. The smell of new supplies, freshly cleaned rooms and new textbooks are like coffee on a cold morning – it gets me excited and eager. I can remember vividly walking into each new classroom door for the first time – the world was mine – filled with hope and promise. This would be the year I would get on the Honor Roll, this would be the year I would make the basketball team, and this would be the year I wouldn’t have to sit in the principal’s office. Yes, the future was exciting. I remember each time I stood in front of the classroom and welcomed a new set of students. I had that same feeling of anticipation, excitement, joy. This would be the year they would all be on the honor roll, this would be the year they all make the sports team, this would be the year I would never have to send someone to the office. Yes, the future was exciting. But then the second day of school would crush the dreams of the perfect year. It would be apparent that some students would not only miss the honor roll, but would be lucky to turn in assignments. I already could sense the students who would be disappointed by their bodies as they tried out for teams and I identified those that would visit the office. Isn’t it a comfort to know that God created the heavens and the earth? Isn’t it comforting to know that He will watch over each of us – individually, by name? Isn’t it comforting to know that no matter how it looks to the world – God has created a perfect world and when sin marred it – He sent Jesus to make it perfect – make us perfect. Isn’t it a comfort to know that we can dream our dreams of earthly greatness and God already has answered with the promise of heavenly greatness? Isn’t it a comfort to know that no matter what the school year brings, no matter what grandchildren’s health – God is with all of us – redeemed us – created us? What a great school year we will have! |
AuthorRichard Cohrs Archives
December 2016
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