Thursday, December 19

John 1:6-9
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
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One of the great quotes of the character Forrest Gump was "I am not a smart man but I do know what love is." There is a lot of stuff going on in Christendom that troubles me and leaves me diminished in my mental ability to respond.  The steady and measurable drift away from community to individual values and ethics.  The tendency to blame everything that is wrong in the world on the generation before or after us. The distrust of the institutional church that leads to throwing out the baby with the bath water.  There is a tsunami of writing, blogs, articles, pollsters who can diagnose the problems but few can give any pragmatic answers beyond saying "Stop being that way."  I don't have a formula for success either. The Forrest Gump in me says, "I am not a smart person but I do know what love is."  There is a hungry darkness in the world. But the story that has surrounded me, lifted me up and strengthened me has been the Gospel of Jesus.  It is still the best deal in town.  Jesus is still the best promise, the deepest hope, the brightest and truest light I know.  I can choose to witness to the details of the darkness or witness to what I know love is.  It is Jesus. 
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Shine through me, Lord. Use me as candle stand for your bright light. Amen.