Pastor's Meditations

The Seed of Evil (Genesis 12)

                "So Abram went down…"

                Abram, the man God called to possess the Promised Land, went down into Egypt for food. What shall we do with this information? Was Abram right in going to the world (symbolized by Egypt), or was he supposed to starve to death in Canaan?

                The key, I think, was the intention of Abram to reside in Egypt. By making the decision of descending into Egypt to stay, Abram was opening the door to sin. This is reminiscent of Lot’s decision to move into Sodom. Perhaps this little “Egyptian affair” opened Lot’s eyes to the possibility of worldly living in Sodom later on.

                Sin affects our lives and those around us. Sin does not explode suddenly in all its wickedness, but is rather a process that sometimes begins with a “little descent.” The “seed” of sin is planted in our hearts, and we are sent in a downward spiral so deep that sometimes we end up committing the same acts we often criticize.

                "Say you are my sister…"

                The evil seed of sin, when planted in our hearts, bears a wicked and rotten fruit. This seed is different for everyone. For Eve, it was knowledge; for David, a beautiful woman; and for Abram…an empty stomach.

                One sin always leads to another, and Abram, having descended into Egypt, was now lying about the identity of his wife. We must call on Jesus; the owner of the garden of our heart, when the devil comes to plant his sinful seeds. We are not helpless victims; we can say no to temptation because Jesus paid in full.

                 Remember, no seed=no sin.

                 A. G.

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The Real Hill  

There is a Hill, which I climb every day

Far from the distractions of this world

A place where I can rest and pray

And find peace and hope for my soul

There is a Hill where heaven and earth

Meet together in a loving embrace

Where the Skull was crushed, and Death

Was conquered for the human race

There is a Hill from which a river flows

A fountain that brings healing to the nations

Flowing with the holy and precious Blood

To rescue those who need salvation

There is a Hill, which you must also climb

To bring, and leave your cares and burdens

Once you reach the top, you shall find

A brand new future, glorious and certain

There is Hill with a beautiful tree

Injured and defiled by three nails

That have opened a fountain of peace

To heal our hearts and make us well

There is a Hill that is calling your name

Open arms waiting to receive you

Wounded hands that will cover your shame

Loving eyes and lips that speak only truth

Some men have climbed Capitol Hill

And a few have reached Mount Everest

But this Hill is by far the very best

For in this Hill love ended the strife

And all that kneel in this Hill

Will find everlasting life

A. G

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The Call of the Sink

                “Alex”

                I heard a voice calling me from the kitchen the other day.

                “Aleeex”

                I heard the same voice again. It startled me. I looked all around the house and I saw no one. I was a little shaken by the whole experience. I thought I was going crazy. There was no one in the house and it was not coming from the TV, computer or my cell phone.

                I turned around to go to bed and then I heard it loud and clear again:

                “Aaaleeex!”

                I was looking at my dishes calling me to wash them. I had ignored them for days now, busy doing other things. The call of the sink grew louder and louder, until I gave up and washed all the dishes. I could almost hear a sigh of relief.

                There are many voices calling for our attention today; their calling is loud and powerful. Our jobs families, responsibilities, chores and even entertainment demand our attention. Some voices lead us to be productive, while the majority of them are just distractions and even worse, temptations.

                The voice of God also calls every morning for our undivided attention. The only difference is that most of the time his voice is not loud like the others. He calls us in our quiet times to come to Him and spend time in meditation and prayer.

                This is what happened to Elijah the prophet:

“Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold , the LORD  passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it…” (1 Kings 19:11-13 emphasis added)

                 Do not allow for the many voices of this world to drown the “still small voice” that speaks from heaven. To hear this divine voice, you must turn off all the other ones and spend time in prayer, reading God’s Word and in worshipful meditation.

                 There is always time to do many things in our daily lives, but let us give God our undivided attention every morning and begin the day with Him. During the rest of the day, seek other times to be alone with the Savior and end every day in communion with the Lord.

                  If you and I begin to do this, we will find out that we will have time for more things than we could ever imagine…even for dirty dishes.

                  A. G.

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One Language (Genesis 11)

                 "Now the whole earth had one language…"

                The postdiluvian society had the “benefit” of a common language. Everyone was able to communicate with and understand each other. There was only one problem: SIN. When sin enters the scene, everything else is affected.

                This was the case with the new generation after the Flood. They were talented, but sin was the guiding principle of whatever they set out to accomplish. Their goal was to build a tower reaching up to heaven. This was humanism at its best; the creatures now attempted to displace their Creator.

                Today we live in a world marked by technological advancement. Every day we hear about a new discovery in science, medicine, computers, etc. this has been possible due to the creativity and ingenuity of the human race. The human race is also responsible for bombs, missiles, drugs, and many other “discoveries”. Technology has made it possible once again for humanity to understand each other through the use of satellites and translation devices.

                The world is beginning to speak one language again.

                The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ must speak one language. This language is LOVE. If the builders of the tower were almost unstoppable (guided by sin and hatred), how much more can the Church accomplish if we love God and each other? The world will deduct that we are believers, not through our “Christian” bumper stickers or T-shirts. If only we talk to one another with genuine love; they will know that we are Christians (John 13:35), and perhaps they will also get to know the Christ we love.

                 A. G.

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