"Behind Every Great Man . . . "

 

It's been said often that behind every great man is a great woman. In the case of Abraham Lincoln there is little doubt this proved true. 

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, is arguably one of the greatest if not the greatest of American presidents. He served in a tumultuous time in which a wrong decision on his part may have very well led to the end of the Union as we know it today. Thankfully for our nation, his crisis leadership, faith, courage, and strong intellect was exactly what our country needed at that moment in history. When the survival of the union hung on a thread, Lincoln came through. Not only did the Union survive, the evil institution of slavery was destroyed. Yet Lincoln, was a most unlikely prospect to become president, let alone save the Union!

Lincoln was born in poverty in the back woods of Kentucky. Schooling? In his own words it came in "littles,” a day a week here and a month there. Historians believe that when you add up the "littles" his formal education amounted to about a year. And
yet this man, through educating himself went on to write one of the most brilliant presidential speeches ever given, the Gettysburg Address! So how did he get from a one room, dirt floor log cabin to the oval office in the nation's most famous house? The answer in part can be found in one woman in his life.

When Lincoln was just nine, two years after his family moved from Kentucky to Indiana, his mother died. A year later his father, Thomas, took a trip back to Kentucky and returned with a new wife along with her four children. Sarah Bush Lincoln became a champion for young Abe. She persuaded Thomas to allow his son to read and study at home along with any of the "littles" young Abe could grab when schooling opportunities happened along. Af first Thomas was reluctant, but he gradually came to the point of offering some mild encouragement to his son in this regard. 

The championing of Abraham Lincoln's step mother of his desire to learn was certainly a key to him becoming the man for his times. Without her influence, we might need a passport to travel to Virginia today! 

All of us need a champion. One who will have our best interests at heart. One who will stand by us through both good and hard times. One who will always encourage us to keep on keeping on. I can think of a number of "champions" who greatly impacted me. I would not be the man I am today without their fingerprints on my life. But I can only think of one "Champion" who has changed me (and is continuing to change me) from the inside out! His name is Jesus. He is behind everything I do. And he has promised to never leave me no matter how many more steps remain on my journey through life. 

How about you? Is Jesus YOUR champion? Have you heeded his call to come to him, realizing you need a Savior? And if you have decided to follow him, how is that going for you? 

If you'd like to chat, feel free to reach out to me at jsmith@gracewv.org. 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

PJ

Flying Fast and Getting Nowhere!

Back in my childhood days, getting a rare sight of Canadian Geese was a thrill! Every fall, I could look up into the skies and see (and hear!) flocks of various size winging their way south for the winter. Six months later, they returned overhead, now flying north to their summer breeding and feeding grounds. But over the years, an increasing number of these beautiful creatures have been staying put in their locales all year round (except for those in the far north).  

My wife and I moved into a new home at the end of August. We soon discovered there were numerous geese who make their home nearby. Each day I hear their loud honking overhead as they encourage one another to fly on! But fly where? Unlike their migratory cousins, who appear on the northern horizon only to disappear as they wing their way south, our neighboring geese fly in circles trying to decide which empty field might yield some tasty delights. 

I see myself in these neighboring geese. I am often running here and there, seeking this or that, when I should be running the race God has set before me. There is a finish line ahead. I am called to run toward that goal, keeping my eyes focused on Jesus. He stands there at the finish line cheering me on. Yet, like my feathered neighbors, I an prone to run fast ... but to run in circles. This happens when I take my eyes off of Christ, and look to find satisfaction in what this fallen world has to offer. 

How about you, my friend? Do you find yourself flying fast and getting nowhere? If so, take a look at the thoughts filling your mind, the values filling your heart, the activities filling your days. Are these things helping you to grow more in love with Jesus? Take stock. Stop flying fast and getting nowhere. Instead go hard after Jesus. For he, and only he, is the way the truth and the life.

Thanks for stopping by, 

PJ

Tick, Tock ... the Sounds of the Clock of Our Lives

One of the highlights of my childhood was Sunday dinner. Always at Grandma's (although my step grandfather also lived there!). Always consisting of roast beef done just right, creamy mashed potatoes, and steaming hot gravy. And of course, the obligatory vegetable. In this case dreaded green peas . . .  of which the eating of them led to a few showdowns between me and my parents (my parents would be proud of me as I now enjoy eating peas!). But I always got a pass at Grandma's! After dinner, my twin brother and I got to spend cherished time with Gramps as we affectionately called him.

Gramps, although average in weight and height, was a giant in our eyes. He and Grandma lived in a tiny (and I do mean TINY!) one room apartment in the basement of an eight story downtown Harrisburg apartment building known as the Greyco. Gramps was the maintenance man. We thought he owned the place! Gramps sure knew how to provide fun for two youngsters! He would take us up to the eighth floor and as we walked back down the stairwell, allow us to throw the bundles of yesterday’s newspapers down the chute to the incinerator (times sure have changed a bit over the years!). Feeding the gold fish in the large cement pond in the apartment building's courtyard was another favorite activity (we fed them Quaker Oats oatmeal ... maybe that's why I love oatmeal now!). And there were the trips into the subbasement. Those was both exciting and scary for we never knew what was lurking in the shadows! 

Then there were also trips with Gramps outside the Greyco: Skipping stones across the surface of the Susquehanna River (the Greyco was only a block and a half from the river), walking across the the Walnut Street Bridge to City Island, going hiking around Rockville (located about 8 miles upriver from Harrisburg.). I hope you can agree with me from what I have shared, Gramps was a great granddad! 

As I reflected on these memories this morning, it hit home that I am now "Gramps." No, I am not a maintenance guy for some apartment (and renters everywhere can be happy that is so!). And my grandkids don't call me "Gramps" but rather "Papa." But, like my grandfather, and his grandfather before him, I enjoy the opportunities to spend time with my grandchildren.  

Yet in the midst of the joy of grand parenting, I am nagged by this question: Where have the years gone? I remind myself that it won't be long before my grandchildren are reflecting on their time spent with me (and I hope they do so with fondness). 

So I leave you with this question: As our lives are quickly passing, "like vapor which appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14), are you asking the Lord to teach you to number your days carefully, so that you might gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:2)? Let me recommend sometime between now, December 31st and the close of New Year's Day, you open your Bible and read the only Psalm credited to Moses, Psalm 90. For we all need reminded that each and every day counts, and once gone they cannot be retrieved or redone! Let's strive to take hold of each day and live it for Christ. 

Thanks for stopping by … and a blessed new year to you all. 

PJ

Beware the Post Christmas Funk

The build up to the Christmas holiday in our culture is frankly overwhelming! Christmas music begins to dominate the airwaves soon after October is in life's rear view mirror. Retailers start pushing their Christmas sales before Thanksgiving, and the Hallmark channel begins its popular "Countdown to Christmas" the final week of October! Pressure is on to buy, bake, and decorate. Expectations for this "Most Wonderful Time of Year" run high. And before we know it, Christmas is here and gone, leaving many of us exhausted by the hubbub of the season and feeling robbed of the joy we thought we would experience and did not. But wait ... perhaps rushing off to the mall or going online to use our gift cards will help us overcome "the blues!" But will it? 

So after all the gifts are unwrapped and our family gatherings are done, how do we handle this post Christmas "hangover" that so many of us experience? Here's just one suggestion. Take a deep breath (or two or three or more!), sit down, and hear these words from God through the pen of the Apostle Paul: "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: Though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9). Take a few moments to reflect on your standing in this life because of Christ's birth that first Christmas morning. You are RICH! But you might be thinking, "Hold on John! After this frigid arctic blast, it's going to be tough for me to pay the heating bill. I don't call that 'rich' by any means!" 

It may be very true you are not "rich" as the world defines the word. But if you have chosen to come to Christ, receiving him as the God-Man Savior and Lord, God says you are indeed rich! And by that he means rich in the ways that matter. Consider these words from Ephesians chapter one: "Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). The Apostle Paul goes on to name some of these riches: Our adoption into God's family, our being set free from our bondage to sin, God's forgiveness, and even a future inheritance awaiting us in heaven! 

Allow those words to sink into your mind, heart and soul. For those of us who claim an allegiance to Christ, we are rich! Not with the riches we will have to leave behind one day. But eternal riches to lift our hearts today, tomorrow and for all eternity! 

Thanks for stopping by, 

PJ

A Favorite Yuletide Boyhood Memory

One of my favorite yuletide memories from my childhood is one that occurred every year a few weeks before Christmas. Two eight-year-old boys are sitting at the very small dining room table of a very cramped row house in Harrisburg, PA. There’s a new but rough looking catalogue on the table between them. Each of the boys has a sheet of paper before him and a pencil in hand. On the stereo is a scratchy Mitch Miller album blaring out songs of the season.  Filling the air is the tongue watering aroma of freshly baked sugar cookies.

For the next couple of hours, both boys carefully examine the toy section of the Sears catalogue as they draft their wish list for Christmas. Of course, there are the limitations of both cost and number. They are not to include anything costing more than about $5 or so (which in today’s money would be around $50) and they are to keep the list “manageable” in number. Once done their lists, with great expectations, they hand them to their parents. This evokes a parental response along the line, “Thank you, boys. Just remember we won’t be able to buy you all these gifts. And you will have to wait until Christmas morning to see which ones you might receive.”

Those two boys working on their Christmas wish lists were my twin brother and me. We had so much fun going through the Sears catalogue and making our lists and checking them twice (to be honest, far more than twice!). And to their credit, Mom and Dad came through for us (usually!).

 

Reflecting on this memory gave me pause to think about the best Christmas gift any one of us could ever receive. This gift is not to be found in a Christmas catalogue, but in a person . . . the person of the baby Jesus. How amazing is it that God the Son, the Creator of all, who has no beginning or end, was willing to leave the glory of heaven to come to this sin cursed, evil filled world? And he did so not to be served as the King of kings and Lord of lords, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many! God the Son, became one of us. He lived among us. Then he died for us! But the icy cold grip of death could not keep him in the grave. He rose from the dead and is now at the right hand of God the Father. From there he offers this invitation to one and all: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

 

What an incredible gift he offers to us. And unlike the gifts on my childhood wish list, his gift has no limitations. As for cost, it is free to us (thought at great cost to him). And this gift does not have to requested each and every year. The gift of eternal life is just that – eternal!

 

Joy to the world, the Lord has come,

Let Earth receive her King!

Let every heart prepare him room,

And heaven and nature sing!

 

Have you received the King? It's the the gift that keeps on giving in both this life and the life to com!

 

A merry and joy-filled Christmas to you all and thanks for stopping by,

 

PJ

Long Over Due!

Over 1000 days have transpired since I last posted. So now that I am entering a new chapter in life (working part time), I thought I would try my hand (fingers really) to pick up where I left off. So with the aroma of a cup of coffee tickling my nose and stimulating my mind, I offer you a few thoughts which I hope and pray will warm your heart, strengthen your faith, and sharpen your mind! 

Yesterday morning was a busy one with a breakfast meeting, a doctor's appointment (the older I get the more doctors I am seeing!), and stops at the local gas station and bank. The day was on the cold side. So I wore my favorite beanie (when one has as little hair on top as I do, beanies are NOT optional cold weather attire!). When yesterday afternoon arrived and my wife and I were heading out, my cherished beanie was nowhere to be found. Looking everywhere I came up empty. So I grabbed another from the closet and went on my merry way. . .  

. . .Well I just returned home from having breakfast with my son (and I am sure you did not even know I was gone!). But as I was putting my winter coat on to leave the house, I happened to check the pockets of my rain jacket which is the same color as my winter coat. Lo and behold, I found my favorite beanie! I was relieved I had not lost it. But misplacing it had me thinking I had. 

All of us misplace things from time to time. Sometimes they may be important (like the time I misplaced my car keys only to be notified by mail that they were waiting for me at the Lancaster City Police station! How they ended up there is another tale for another day). Other items misplaced are soon forgotten. 

As I thought about misplacing things, it came to mind that God NEVER misplaces anything. And that includes you and me. In fact, God is on record saying, "See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me" (Isaiah 49:16). So when we go through a rough patch in our journey through life and the enemy of our soul whispers to us that God has lost sight of us and our troubles, do not buy his lie. Instead, recite God's promise to yourself. Your name is engraved on the palms of his hands. So he can never misplace you.That's right. NEVER! For you are precious to him yesterday, today, and forever!  

Thanks for stopping by, 

PJ 

The Love of Christ

In Ephesians 3:18-19, Paul expresses his prayer for the Ephesian believers when he asks God that they might "have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." 


Noted New Testament Scholar, D. A. Carson, in his excellent book, Praying with Paul, writes the following about our need for God's enablement to help us understand and get a grip on the love of Christ for us. 

"It takes nothing less than the power of God to enable us to grasp the love of Christ. Part of our deep “me-ism” is manifested in such independence that we do not really want to get so close to God that we feel dependent on him, swamped by his love. Just as in a marriage a spouse may flee relationships that are too intimate, judging them to be a kind of invasion of privacy when in reality
such a reaction is a sign of intense immaturity and selfishness, so also in the spiritual arena: when we are drawn a little closer to the living God, many of us want to back off and stake out our own turf. We want to experience power so that we can be in control; Paul prays for power so that we will be controlled by God himself. Our deep and pathetic self-centeredness is precisely why it takes the power of God to transform us, if we are to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge and grow to the maturity the Scriptures hold out before us."

Our Father in heaven, strengthen us in our inner being so that we may be able to understand just how much you love us in Christ! Amen. 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj