A Simple Nativity Story

Church: Scene opens with choir members coming into choir loft. Director talks to members after casual discussions among the choir.

Tyler: Cam!

Alan: I went to the creek last night and saw a deer crossing the road…

Destiny: (To choir director) I think we oughta sing that first song we did last summer, you know?

Bro Shannon: No, we are going to do something else this week. We have to get ready for our program and we only have a few more practices.

Joseph looks distracted, quiet and off to himself on the side of the choir loft.

Bro. Shannon: Listen up guys, we are going to the back for practice. Too many people come to church early and I do not want you guys to be distracted. We have a lot of work to do, so let’s go.

They file out through the side door, chatting and talking. Joseph slides over behind the pulpit, trying to stay out of view. He follows the movement of the choir, keeping himself covered behind the pulpit as he does so. Once the choir has filed out, Bro Shannon closes the door, and Joseph sits on the steps.

Joseph: Christmas. Shoot. Dumb songs. Why did I have to come here? (Sings sarcastically) O little town of Bethlehem, and I don’t get an X-box again this year. (Frowns sadly and shakes his head)

In the background, and from the door they exited, you can hear the choir begin to sing ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ as they begin to practice.

Bro. B comes down the aisle with his guitar, in an obvious hurry.

Bro. B: Hoo boy, I’m late again! (He almost passes Joseph, then stops when he notices Joseph sitting on the steps by the pulpit) Hey Joseph, what’s up man? (Joseph kind of smiles, but does not answer)

Bro. B: Is the choir in the back? (Joseph nods his head)

Bro. B: Cool, I’m late. But I love me some Christmas music! Heh-heh.

He walks toward the door, but then stops as if he suddenly got a thought.

Bro B. Joseph? Why aren’t you back there with the rest of the guys? What’s wrong?

Joseph: Oh nothing. Just not into Christmas songs this year. Besides, I’m too old for that kind of stuff.

Bro. B: (Shocked) Too old for Christmas songs and the choir?

Joseph: (Looks down) No, uh, not that. Just too old for Christmas stuff, you know, Santa Claus and Reindeer, and toys and junk.

Bro. B: Joseph! What do you mean????

Joseph: Well, Christmas dinner is nice. I mean, you know I like to eat and stuff. And it’s good to have family things, but as I get older Christmas just ain’t got no joy left in it. You know what I mean?

Bro. B comes and sits down by Joseph, leaving his guitar against the communion table. He gets a serious look on his face, and pauses as if in reflection. He puts his arm on Joseph’s shoulder.

Bro. B: Joseph, I don’t know what to say. Let me think here a minute. Let’s see. (Hand under chin, thinking for several seconds) Hmm.

Bro. B: So let me see, too old for Santa and the reindeer, okay on the food and family, but don’t want to sing Christmas songs or…

Joseph: What can I say, Bro B? No Christmas Spirit this year.

Bro. B: I might be sensing something else here? Be honest with me.

Joseph: Well, you know, I really wanted the new X-box this year. My console is two years old now and you gotta have the new one to play all the good games. Thought I’d get it for Christmas, but it turns out from what I have found out, I’m getting mostly clothes and junk. I guess my parents think I’m too old for that kind of stuff.

Bro B looks at him incredulously

Joseph: I know it’s silly, but it was important to me. (sigh) Guess I can always go over to Alan’s and play with him on his console. Some people have all the luck. I’m telling you, Christmas ain’t all it’s cracked up to be when you get older. It’s just another day.

Bro. B shakes his head slowly, taking it all in. Joseph stares out at the audience.

Bro. B: Well, Bro Shannon and the kids are gonna have to wait on me or do without. Seems like I have stumbled onto a Christmas emergency, and down here by the pulpit, no less.

Bro. B: Joseph?

Joseph: Yes sir?

Bro. B: Joseph, have you ever thought about what Christmas is really all about?

Joseph: On sure, you know ‘good saint Nick’ and Rudolph the Red-nosed reindeer, and Santa Claus is coming to town. Yeah, I get it. Or I used to anyway.

Bro. B: (Trying to hide his shock) Hold on, man! No, no, no! Those are nice things and fun things, but there is a lot more to Christmas than meets the eye, bro!

Joseph: Oh yeah, well I forgot about that, the whole ‘away in a manger’ thing. What is a manger anyway? Is it like a forest ranger, or forest manger? Something like that?

Bro. B: Oh my word! Son, I don’t know where to start. Do you know about Bethlehem? The wise men?

Joseph: Wise men? Like some dudes that are really smart?

Bro. B puts his head in his hands, then shakes his head.

Bro. B: Oh Joseph, you might as well get comfortable. Have I got a story for you. Christmas is not about Santa Claus, elves, or reindeer. Yes, more than likely you have outgrown that stuff. But the real meaning of Christmas, well, you will never grow too old for that.

Joseph: What are you talking about?

Bro. B: Well it all started back a long time ago in a country called Israel, see they had this king who was not doing very good. He was very sick and asked G_d for a sign on whether or not he was going to make it. He was really sick! Here, let me get my Bible and show you what happened.

Gets Bible and begins flipping pages

Bro. B: Let’s see now, here we go, listen: Isaiah 7: 14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Bro. B: The king was told that the baby would be called ‘Immanuel’. Do you know that that means in Hebrew, Joseph?

Joseph: Uh, no sir, we don’t actually have a Hebrew class at PRC. But what does it mean?

Bro. B: That’s the good part. It means ‘G_d WITH us’ bro! You see, He loved us so much that He became one of us. Yes, that’s right, the G_d of Heaven and Earth became a baby just like you and I were a long time ago. Ha!

Joseph: Okay. If you say so.

Bro. B: Not because I say so, the Bible says so, Joseph. See Israel was waiting for a messiah or deliverer to come—had been doing so for many years. This prophecy was just the start of it. I guess it kinda went something like this: (Darken lights to church)

From a side door, Kim comes in carrying a candle. She sings (Acapella) “O Come O Come Immanuel” First verse only –softly, but amplified with mic, and song builds.

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Following last note, Kim exits back through the door, spotlight back on Bro B and Joseph as lights go back up.

Joseph: So did the Immanuel come like the prophet said He would?

Bro. B: You betcha. It was many years later, but an angel visited a young girl named Mary. She lived in this place called Galilee. Anyway, the angel told her that she would have a baby and would call his name Jesus.  But here’s the catch, Mary was a virgin and wasn’t married or anything yet.

Joseph: Whoa! Bad news!

Bro. B: Yes, especially back in those days. But see, G_d had already prophesied that it would happen just that way. Still, Joseph, her fiancée was kinda freaked out about it, I mean, come on, that’s a hard story to believe. But an angel visited him in a dream and told him it was all okay, and Joseph believed and all was good.

Joseph: So then they got married and had the baby and everything was good, huh? I mean, I know about Jesus and all from Bro. Joey’s Sunday School class.

Bro. B: Hold on a minute, it wasn’t that easy!

Joseph: Well it had been prophesied back in Isaiah, and Mary got visited by and angel, then Joseph also in a dream, that kind of makes it all legit, huh?

Bro. B: (Puts hand on Joseph’s shoulder again) Hold on a minute, we’re getting to that.

Bro. B: See, the problem was the Romans were in charge in Mary and Joseph’s day, and they decided that they needed to take a census of all the people. Now back then they didn’t have email or the Internet, or even regular old mail. So everybody had to go to their hometown. Let’s see (flips through Bible)

Bro. B: Here we go in Luke 2: And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

Joseph: So how long a trip was it for them?

Bro. B: Probably, they say, around 80 miles.

Joseph: Hmm. Not far enough to catch a flight. So they went by school bus? Car, train? What?

Bro. B: Joseph, c’mon, Those things weren’t even invented yet. They went by donkey!

Joseph: That’s bad, and she was ‘great with child’ according to those verses. Must have been rough, huh?

Bro. B: And it got worse. When they got to town, there were so many people there that there were no hotel or motel rooms available.

Joseph: Wait a minute! No flights, cars and busses were not invented yet, but they had hotels?

Bro. B: Well, not exactly. They were simply called ‘Inns’ back then. But the principle was sorta the same.

Joseph: So couldn’t they stay with friends or family?

Bro. B: Nope.

Joseph: So what did they do?

Bro. B: Well, the innkeeper had no room, but he made them a place to stay in the stable.

Joseph: No way! How cruel! She was pregnant, and didn’t the innkeeper know that she was carrying the Immanuel in her belly???? Unreal!!

Bro. B: We don’t know the how or why of the Innkeeper, but let me show you what happened: And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Joseph: Man, that’s sad. She had the baby right there in a stable. So that’s what a manger is, huh?

Bro. B: Not exactly, the manger was kinda like a feed-trough. And swaddling clothes were just rags they used to wipe their hands when they milked the cows or goats.

Joseph: Unreal!!

Bro. B: Yes, Joseph, can you imagine… well, close your eyes and think about what it would have been like to be there at that very moment in time: (Darken lights to church)

Up center aisle comes Mary and Joeseph (Tyler and Hannah), Tyler helping her down the aisle. She is in great pain. They are met at the front of the church by Alan, who shakes his head sorrowfully. Hannah is crying.

Alan: Sorry guys, there’s really nothing I can do.

Tyler: Please mister, she’s due any moment!

Alan shakes his head, but then appears to be thinking hard about it. Tyler and Hannah turn and start to go off toward the side.

Alan: Hey, wait a minute guys.

They both turn, and Tyler looks at him hopefully.

Alan: It’s not much, and I feel bad even offering it to you, but I have a stable, and if you can’t find anywhere else to go, I will do my best to make it as comfortable as possible for you.

Tyler: We’ll take it, mister. Please hurry!

They walk over to a prepared area with hay and a manger. Hannah and Tyler have their back turned to audience while Alan retrieves a blanket from behind a bench. He spreads it over Hannah. The lights in choir loft dim (Alan can do this subtly) Wait a few seconds, Tyler and Hannah trade places behind the manger, Tyler with his arm around her, and Alan turns the choir loft lights back on.

From a side door, Destiny comes in carrying a candle. She sings (Acapella) “Away in a manger” First verse only –softly, but amplified with mic, and song builds.

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed

The little Lord Jesus lay down His sweet head
The stars in the bright sky looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay

Following last note, Destiny exits back through the door, spotlight back on Bro B and Joseph as lights go back up.

Joseph: That’s a cool story, but I gotta be honest with you, Bro. B. It seems a little far-fetched to me. I mean, G_d as a baby in a nasty old manger, and innkeepers with no rooms to stay in. IS that all we have to go on, was there any more witnesses besides Mary and Joseph and the innkeeper?

Bro. B: I was just getting to that, son, just getting to that. Be patient. G_d always provides a witness when He does great things, heh heh. You bet there were witnesses, check this out: And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them:

Naomi, hidden in baptistry, wearing a white robe, pops up. Lights in church are dim, but spotlight in baptistry is lit

Naomi: Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Lights come back up and Naomi sneaks out to join the choir for the appearance later on

Joseph: Wow!

Bro. B: I know, right? So imagine you are sitting there, minding your own business out there camping out in the fields with the sheep, hanging out with your bros, and all of a sudden this angel appears out of nowhere and tells you all this stuff?

Joseph: Probably scared ‘em pretty good.

Bro. B: Well, the verse says they were ‘sore afraid’ heh, heh. And you wanted witnesses!

Joseph: Yeah, well go on, and then what happened?

Bro. B: Well then, just about the time they were getting settled and not scared out of their gourd anymore, all of a sudden, a buncha angels appeared. (Goes back to Bible) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Bro. B: Imagine what that was like: (Darken church lights)

From the front door, and going down all three aisles, the choir comes in wearing white robes and carrying candles, they sing (acapella) Angels We Have Heard on High:

Angels we have on heard high

Sweetly singing ore the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains

Gloria in excelsis Deo

Gloria in excelsis Deo

Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ whose birth the angels sing
Come adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord the newborn King

Gloria in excelsis Deo

Gloria in excelsis Deo

See him in a manger laid
Whom the choirs of angels praise
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid
While our hearts in love we raise

Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria, in excelsis Deo
Gloria in excelsis Deo

Choir stays up on the stage as the lights come back on. Bro. B and Joseph are still by the steps. Choir sings “O Little Town of Bethlehem” First verse only, acapella.

O little town of Bethlehem

How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

Joseph: I gotta admit, that story is pretty legit!

Bro. B: You see, Joseph, Christmas is so much more than just toys, food, friends and family. It’s even more than the newest X-box game console. It’s about the greatest gift ever given – G_d came down and joined us. And not like some creator G_d up in Heaven that just watches over things, He actually became a man and dwelt among us, and gave us all a chance to be saved by His infinite grace!

Joseph: Yeah, I guess that is a notch or three or four, or a million better than an X-box! So what does it all mean for us now? What should we really do at Christmas???

Bro. B: Well, it means we should share His story with everybody! You know, like…

Grabs guitar as a prop, begins singing acapella ‘Go tell it on the Mountain” Choir joins in.

Go, Tell It On The Mountain,

Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.

Down in a lowly manger

Our humble Christ was born
And God send us salvation,
That blessed Christmas morn:

While shepherds kept their watching

Over silent flocks by night,
Behold throughout the heavens,
There shone a holy light:

Go, Tell It On The Mountain,

Over the hills and everywhere;
Go, Tell It On The Mountain
That Jesus Christ is born.

Following Him

From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. John 6:66

Bill: Crazy, I tell you, just crazy. ‘Bread of Life’ and a Quickened Spirit. What’s He even talking about. I don’t get it. It’s simply too confusing. Whatever.

Sarah: It’s been a good run and I have enjoyed His teaching up to this point. But things are getting a little strange around here—am I being brainwashed? I’ve got to step back a little and re-assess the whole situation.

Joe: Man, I wish I could keep following Him as it would be great to know what He says next. He’s always coming up with these really deep thoughts. But I honestly have to get back to my job and my responsibilities. I mean, who is going to raise my children? Who’s going to take care of the farm and the livestock?

Karen: Look at the faces of these people in the crowd around me. They must be out of their minds. Did they hear something that I didn’t? Turns out He’s just a man like any other. I’m going home.

Rhoda: Things were going so good up until this point. People were being touched and healed. The crowd was growing each week. Lives were being changed and souls were being saved! Why did He have to go and say that? Now look at the people leaving. I better go now, too, while I still can. (sigh) It’s a shame.

Bob: He saved my soul, but He should have done more. He could have healed my body while He was at it. I’m not sure it’s worth it anymore. I was expecting so much more from Him. I’m feeling let down over the whole thing.

John: I was ready to follow Him anywhere He wanted me to. But look at the people who are leaving right now. Maybe they're right. What will they think of me if I stick around here any longer? They may just turn on me, too. I can’t pay that kind of price. It costs too much to follow Him, and I have invested far too much time and effort as it stands anyway.

Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? John 6:67

Pete: Everybody is leaving and it makes sense for me to do so as well. It’s the wise thing to do. It is the smart thing, hey, even the mature thing to do.  I always try to be logical in these kinds of instances. It is why I’ve made it as far in life as I have. I've got a wife who needs me even if He already healed her. Who’s to say she won’t get sick again? I’ll go back to fishing and living my life as a model citizen by the sea. I’ll work in the cool morning breezes and spend my evenings with my children telling stories about the times I spent with Him. I'll go back to just living a normal life, like everyone else.

He will understand. Hasn’t He said as much, throwing in that ‘also’ as if He even expects it from me? I can only do so much for Him, and He knows how hard I tried to do His work. He should respect that.

I’ll go to church and warm a pew each week, and I’ll listen to the preacher, and…

I’ll be a good person and treat everyone with dignity and respect and…

I’ll be well thought of by everybody. They will know me as fair and honest and…

Where will I go? Where will I find the actual truth? Who else can give me the words of eternal life that I so desperately need to hear?

No. Sadly, this is it. This is all I will ever need. It may not be the easiest course to take, and it may make no sense at all to others, or even to me. But I know this. I know it in my heart even if I cannot explain it. There are no other available options. This decision, this putting Him first and following Him is an eternal arrangement. There is no other way.

“Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” John 6:68-69

Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? John 6:70

Pete: There He goes again. Another riddle for us that we can’t understand. Even though we tell Him we are going to stick around, He says one of us will betray Him. Like that is going to happen? Every time I think I give the right answer, and it’s a well-thought out answer on my part, He always comes up with something else. Gotta love the guy.

No… I really do love the guy. And I will simply follow Him.

Is He Able?

And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? Daniel 6:20


It was a rhetorical question; the type you use when you are teaching a class to emphasize a point that might otherwise slip unnoticed through the hearts and minds of your students.

“Can G_d still deliver during times of need today?”

But this morning I actually chose the question for another reason. Reading the verse quoted above out loud for the first time, despite the time and effort spent in a comprehensive study of the chapter, brought sudden memories boiling into my consciousness from a time long ago where that same question could have been leveled squarely in my direction. The moment the ancient words from King Darius left my lips overwhelmed me, and I needed time to compose myself while I fought to hold back tears.

I pretended I had something in my eye even as the question was met with a resounding ‘Amen!’ from the majority of the class, accompanied by smiles and generally good feelings all around. After all, He certainly can deliver when needed.

These are fearless answers from a safe distance—a Talladega faith travelling on a narrow, forty-mile-an hour county road. But there is another light for asking this question and it is one we do not like to talk about. Ask about deliverance to one who stands before an open casket regretfully saying goodbye to a loved one. Ask them if He can deliver a broken, disheartened soul in those moments. The boss calls a meeting in his office and begins the conversation with “I regret to inform you” and it goes downhill from there. Standing in the unemployment line with thoughts of mortgage payments and insurance skating across your consciousness, you find yourself asking the question, “Is He able to deliver me?” What is the answer when put forth in a courtroom, as a marriage is dissolved and the lawyers haggle over details for child support and visitation rights? The doctor frowns and states, “I don’t like what I’m seeing in your x-rays, we need to schedule some further tests.” A spouse is confronted with the unthinkable: “We’ve drifted apart and I no longer love you.” Can He still deliver from the lions in these situations?

The question may burn, but it burns to be answered.

No matter how secure we think we are in this life, the truth is we are merely a heartbeat away from our own proverbial lion’s den. Life is hard. Life is tough. We live in a fallen world among other sinful descendents of Adam and Eve. It’s bound to get messy or even… worse.

The surety of Darius that Daniels’ G_d could deliver in verse 16 was not so certain later that night when the proof was in the pudding. Likewise a ‘sunny day answer’ pales during our own dark, sleepless nights when our faith is tested by troubles and trials that will still be there—only bigger—when morning’s light finally (mercifully?) arrives. And we long for the answer in the same manner, with our own familiar and lamentable cry: “Is my G_d able to deliver me?”

As I write this from my living room, a comforting flame emanates from the fireplace and the dogs lay curled listlessly under my chair. Outside the temperature has dropped and I’m alone tonight; but there is nothing to fear here. I am safe and warm. Divine deliverance, though much appreciated, is not searched for nor needed in this comfortable hour even though, right now, I am certain it is and always will be there.

I find myself writing in a mindset not unlike Darius before he regretfully gave the command to execute Daniel’s sentence and cast him into the lion’s den. “Thy G_d whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.” This is a statement of fact as sure as water is wet and ice is cold—the G_d we serve can and will deliver us.

The winds of change have begun to blow across our nation, and the breeze is beginning to build into the ides of something possibly much more sinister looming just over the horizon. We face an uncertain future, all of us. Now is the time to be thinking, to be making sure in our own hearts, because Darius’ question will be asked soon enough to all of us and we’ll need to trust in our very own answer:

Is He able to deliver us?

The Decree Of The Watchers

Young Adult Sunday School Lesson – March 3, 2013

This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. Daniel 4:17

Things are different in the angelic world than they are down here on the human side of creation. From what is stated in Psalms 8 you could contemplate that jealousy might have played a part in this verse, a form of not-so-sibling rivalry being the culprit—possibly. But just maybe the angels close proximity to the Creator merely allows them to see things a little more clearly, you know, the way things truly are.

By the decree of the Watchers. You can’t blame me on this one. The statement is not from my thoughts or rising from an intemperate place in my heart. I only quoted what is recorded here within the truth of G_d’s Word.

Question: How far do you have to drift, how arrogantly evil do you have to be, until it reaches the point when the Watchers and Holy ones in Heaven decree that something needs to be done?

Nebuchadnezzar has had several miraculous revelations of G_d’s will and His power. From the extra sensory perception dream interpretation by Daniel in chapter 2, to the fading embers of a by-now-quenched fiery furnace we read about in class last week; he has been shown beyond a shadow of a doubt the revelation of who really runs things. And this not only applies to his Babylonian kingdom, but throughout the Spiritual realm around him as well. By now all of his doubts should have been removed. He should have understood by firsthand experience the scripture: Remember the former things of old: for I am G_d, and there is none else; I am G_d, and there is none like me.

But once again, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream. Again it is a nightmare. Again, he calls for the magicians and soothsayers to interpret the dream for him. Again, it is only Daniel who can interpret the dream and its warnings for an all-to-human King who is still shackled by his belief in far too many gods. Does he trust in Daniel’s G_d? Certainly. Yet to him, Jehovah is merely one deity among many who can suit his religious purposes, but only on an as needed basis.

(Before I cast stones here, am I much different? Am I prone to worship the G_d of Heaven on Sunday yet revert to the god of self-reliance and objectivity by Monday morning? Is my so-called worship on Sunday something I do simply to feel better about myself or to rationalize any fears that I face for my own future?)

The Watchers had seen enough. The decree went out in a dream and Daniel interpreted it, and even as he spoke, the proverbial clock began ticking for Nebuchadnezzar. For a full year (12 months) Nebuchadnezzar neither repented nor changed his ways, and finally judgment fell. By the decree of the Watchers, and the demand of the Holy ones, it was Daniel’s G_d who took away Nebuchadnezzar’s mental abilities and left him eating grass while pawing listlessly in the dirt.

G_d is Holy, Divine, and Omnipotent. He did not need the Watchers or the Holy ones to tell Him what to do or how to react. What is amazing here (and scary at the same time) is that the angels noticed the evil for themselves. They observe in each moment and understand the most important thing, which is their part of the Spiritual pecking order that we as humans are sometimes prone to forget: “the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.”

Thankfully (Wonderfully!) in this passage of scripture, we also get a glimpse of G_d’s Amazing Grace. After seven long years, Nebuchadnezzar’s understanding and mental facilities return, and He glorifies Jehovah as the Supreme G_d. Finally, finally, he learns. At long last, he gets it.

An interesting thought here is I believe those same Watchers and Holy ones who earlier condemned his actions were applauding Nebuchadnezzar as he repented. Jesus explains, “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of G_d over one sinner that repenteth.”

I’ll take that favored applause of Heaven over heavenly judgment any day of the week. I’ll bet if he were here, Nebuchadnezzar would tell you the same thing.

Apple Pie Grace

“My man!” I called out cheerfully to the vending machine technician, who was busy refilling the unit in the break-room. He shook my hand and smiled—a good smile for a Monday morning—and then turned meticulously back to his work. He’s one of the faster guys at his job, and his movements are orchestrated to complete the task and move on down the road to the next plant or office in the next city. A pleasant man and long time acquaintance of mine, he insures that Pay Days and Milky Ways are available to any of those willing to partake of their so-called empty caloric content.

I made a move toward the coffee pot, the destination for this mid-morning side trip into the realm of the hourly employees. A cheerful wrapper beckoned to me as I passed it on the table – an apple pie in a fancy wrapper, too expensive for casual tastes when one counted its worth against the listed retail price.

“How ‘bout them Niners?” His voice split the room, jerking my mind out of its reverie of all things American.

Mom and apple pie? Isn’t that the old saying?

“Nah. don’t care for the Niners.” I offered back. “First time in my adult life I can honestly admit I was pulling for Atlanta.”

“C’mon man.” He interjected. “What about Joe Montana and Jerry Rice?”

“These aren’t those Niners.” I objected. “This team couldn’t tie their shoelaces.”

The coffee pot was empty (of course) so with an under-the-breath sigh, I placed the pot in the sink and began rinsing it while simultaneously scanning the counter-top for a fresh pack of coffee and a filter.

“You want that pie on the table?” He pointed with his eyes. His words hung in the air for a miniscule second, one of those moments in time you’ll scarce remember and soon forget. By the time I had entertained the thought, he had turned and was once again neck-deep into his vending machine.

I eyed the package on the table. Usually because the pies are expiration dated and seldom sell in time, he pulls them from the machine and gives them away. I was hungry. The pie would be good—maybe great. Add a fresh cup of coffee into the mix and, well, you’ve certainly got something good there. But then again, there was probably one of the hourly guys on the floor a lot hungrier than I was at the moment. And truth be told, they probably needed it a lot more than I did.

“Thanks anyway, but I think I’ll pass.” I went back to my goal of making that fresh pot of coffee.

He stuck his head back out of the machine.

“I pulled that one for you, man.” The disappointment showed in his face. “It’s not even close to being out of date. You’ll love it, I promise.” With a wink he turned back to his machine, leaving me to ponder what it would smell like when I opened it—an aroma of apples and cinnamon. I could almost taste that pie!

I dug out my wallet, remembering before I opened the worn, leather folds that it would be empty. Direct deposit has a sneaky way of leaving you without cash at the most inopportune of moments. I could not offer him anything for the pie. Yet even though it was free, it still didn’t seem right.

“What if I take the pie and then catch you when you come by on Thursday and pay you for it?” I asked. “I’ll even buy another pie from you and boost your profits.”

He leaned back out of the machine, eyeing me as if I had just uttered the inner secrets of nuclear fusion to a native of Borneo. “Why?” He asked. “It’s free, dude.”

The pot was gurgling at this point; coffee saddled with a promise of life returning to normal on this cold winter morning. I could take the pie, sure. But then, somewhere in his mind—or at least in my mind—wouldn’t I owe him something for his supposed generosity? Shades of Hamlet and ‘neither a borrower nor a lender be’ floated up from my collegiate memory.

He closed the machine as I poured my cup a few seconds later, and walked on over, dropping the pie on the counter beside me. “Here man, take it. On me.”

“OK, OK.” I spread my hands in resignation. “I’ll take the pie and help you gather up your boxes and carry stuff out to your truck. Then we’ll be even.”

“Don’t need your help. Don’t need your money. Don’t need your time.” He smiled. “I’ve gotta go. The pie is yours and I’ll see you, maybe, on Thursday. Have a great week and hopefully you’ll see the light about those Niners, bud.” He was out the door and well on his way to his truck before I could respond; no wasted effort or motion in any of his actions.

I stared down at the green and white wrapper. It was indeed, free. I had no money on me to pay for it. And though somebody out on the floor might want it or need it worse than I, he had chosen me to benefit from his gift.

Today.

Things might be different tomorrow, or later in the plant down the street. But today I was the recipient of his gift. All I had to do was accept it, pick it up, and walk back my office and enjoy his donation, his grace, with my coffee.

What to do, what to do?

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

Inappropriate Attire

And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Matthew 22:12

The wedding date for my youngest daughter grows ever nearer, and the tensions are starting to mount. I had to make a quick sojourn to the big city last night to be fitted for a tuxedo, and I am a creature of habit in that I try and save those sorts of trips for weekends. By the time I get home in the evenings after work, I’m tired and my recliner calls out to me. I’ll be fifty years old next month, and it’s generally understood to be the case when you reach my age. I guess.

Due to the importance of the upcoming event, however, I utilized minimal complaint and simply made the trip. My wife and daughter had covered all of the arrangements beforehand, including style and payment—all that was left for yours truly was to be fitted accordingly. It was a five-minute visit to the men’s store and I was on my way back home. Done deal, no problems, and no issues. Happily chagrinned at dropping three inches from what I thought I would be when the tale of the tape had been told. (Eating right and visiting the gym regularly at lunch will pay dividends, I tell ya!)

Anyway, my point is that everything had been set up for my visit and all I had to do was be there at a scheduled time. I had the appointment, the suit was pre-chosen, and the bill had been paid for (by) me. I will be perfectly attired to walk my youngest down the aisle in three weeks and all has been set in order for the event up to this point.

The only person who can mess it up is me.

What if I decide to forgo the tux and wear my overalls instead? They are much more comfortable, you know? Or maybe dress it up a little with a polo-shirt and a pair of blue jeans—yeah , that’s the ticket—after all, a tuxedo is just too formal, stuffy, and overbearing for a simple country boy from McNeill.

I’m being facetious, of course, and would never wish to ruin my daughter’s special day by being so fashionably callous and uncaring. Anything less than ‘just what she wants’ is not an option, because I love her and she means that much to me.

Jesus mentions another wedding in one of His parables and the story is told in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter twenty-two. You’ve probably heard this story a zillion times in both Sunday School and through various sermons, but I am seeing it in a much different light these days. Please allow me to explain—but let me warn you ahead of time—if you are a Sunday-morning-only-Christian, you may not want to read any further.

The king in the story—after being rejected by his originally invited guests—decides to throw open the banquet doors to anyone who will simply ‘come’ to his son’s wedding, and by Eastern tradition provides all the amenities including clothing for his guests. All they had to do was show up in their garments that he provided and attend the wedding, and the associated feast would be free of charge.

However, as the king walks through the crowd while they are preparing to enter the chamber, he notices one man still in his street clothes, and asks him why he did not have on the appropriate attire. The man has no answer—the verse I quoted above describes him as ‘speechless’. The king then sends his servants to bind the man and cast him out from the wedding; the invitation and amenities were thus cancelled for that particular invited attendee.

What a sad story! Everything had been taken care of for this miserable soul! He had received and accepted the invitation, and he had even been provided with nice clothing to wear for the wedding. It should have been a night to remember, but the last time we hear from him in the story he is in outer darkness, where he is weeping and gnashing his teeth.

Jesus closes the story with what may just be the scariest pronouncement you will find from Him in the New Testament gospels: For many are called, but few are chosen.

I’ve debated that quote for much of my life, but I think that through the preparations for Keagan and Justin’s wedding, my eyes have been opened. I am starting to understand it all a little better these days and in my heart I have found myself not quite up to par in my daily Spiritual walk.

There is a Great Judgment coming one day, and all of us (including me) will be there. This will be culminated by the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:6-10). Everything has been prepared ahead of time, including our attire, and all we have to do is accept the invitation and show up dressed accordingly. The new garments were provided to us when we accepted Jesus as our Savior: we were advised to ‘put on the new man’ by Paul, and be ‘clothed in white raiment’, as John recorded it in Revelation chapter 3, verse 5: He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

But I have to admit that there have been many times in my life where I have preferred, even as a born-again Christian, to don my own clothes—although they will never do for this ceremony. My self-righteous rags (Lord, remember that I time I drove the Youth through a thunderstorm in a van in the middle of the night?)(Remember all those times I led the singing?) will never pass inspection at the Final Marriage Supper of the Lamb. No, I need to cast those filthy garments of self-worth aside, lest I be counted among those spoken of by the prophet Zephaniah in his book. (That I will admit I have also seldom studied)

Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.    Zephaniah 1:7-8

Strange apparel versus the white raiment mentioned earlier? Guess I need to get dressed accordingly. Time is short. And I definitely want to be more than just called—I want to be chosen!

When he shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
Edward Mote, 1797-1874

A Dilemma Worth Examing

Young Adult Sunday School Lesson – September 9, 2012

Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. Esther 4:15-16

I’ve got a confession to make this week. I did the wrong thing. But it worked out.

OK, so I didn’t actually do the wrong thing; let’s just say I didn’t do things exactly by the book. But in the end it all worked out, further proving the old adage that the Lord takes care of fools and children—in that order. If you are thoroughly confused by this point, then join the club. So am I. With that being said, it’s best to start this off from the beginning…

I’m a veteran of the plague known in the medical field as kidney stones. I’ve passed this trait on to my youngest daughter as well. (You’re welcome, puddin’) There was a time when they seemed to occur in my body like clockwork, and I could pretty much pinpoint the time and date when they would hit me beforehand. I visited several very intelligent doctors and listened intently to all of their guidance, to the point of writing it all down and even (gasp!) following their advice. I gave up milk and salt and pepper. I made sure I stayed hydrated and drank two or three (almost) gallons of water a day!  I took some prescriptions and became a fanatic for Vitamin C and D. To the letter of the law, I was a convert, this despite the fact that a part of me distrusts doctors in general. In the end, they (the kidney stones) became less frequent and I was beginning to think I had turned the corner and life for me would be normal again.

As a result of my new-found health-arrogance, I became less obsessed with vitamins and prescriptions; and for old times’ sake I splurged with salt and pepper a little more often than usual. I began substituting tea for the generous helpings of water I was accustomed to—basically all the things medical law said to do, I stopped doing.

I got a kidney stone this week. It was painful. I didn’t enjoy it. No sir. Watn’t no fun.

But back to what I did that was wrong; I’m not talking about the preventative things of the medical law books, I mean, that’s a given that I dropped the ball there, right? There was other advice I did not mention from those sainted doctors, things that have to do with what you should do once you develop a kidney stone. Things like drink a lot more water to flush the stone, use a strainer (not going into details on that one), and visit your friendly emergency room at the nearest hospital, upon your earliest convenience.

Nah, I decided to tough this one out. I went to work, and I went to the gym at lunch, and I followed my normal routine and did what I wanted to do. It was tough. It was painful. There were a lot of strange looks as I did my Hunchback of Notre Dame impression on the elliptical machine in the gym. Later, on the way home from work, I stopped by my father-in-law’s house and climbed a ladder to repair some electrical wiring for him. Somewhere along the way—that evening to be precise—I must have passed the stone because I know it is no longer there. I don’t feel the pain anymore. Maybe I’m just getting used to them. Or I’m getting tougher in my old age. Or maybe G_d blessed me despite my going against what those professionals He provided for my well being—for such a time as this—told me to do. Hmm. Did I mention fools and children? Think about that before Sunday’s lesson. Everything (I’m convinced) happens for a reason. People come and go in your life, things happen, and it is no coincidence. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus Master’s plan in place.

In our study so far we have found the Jews living in Shushan, yet they had no business being there. Think about that. For 30 to 40 years the Jews of Daniel’s day had historically been returning to Jerusalem, on-schedule and on-time as promised. (And prophesied) So why do we find Esther, Mordecai, and others still living in Shushan, which I figure is about 300 miles from the Promised Land? Maybe it was wrong on their part, but as we have read so far, G_d was making His Will come to fruition despite this fact. And we get an even better glimpse of this by studying chapter four this week.

But something is missing here, and in studying this chapter the key is not what 'is' mentioned in the verse I copied above, but what 'is not' mentioned. Study this verse and tell me what you see—we will discuss it in depth on Sunday morning, bright and early. I’ll give you a hint here, and it revolves around the fact that I believe every Word of the Bible is important, and deeper and holier than we will ever comprehend while we inhabit this earth. We will see something within this chapter that should help us with how we deal with living daily in a lost and dying world, and how important it is on our part to truly transform and not merely conform to the world and what it supposedly offers us.

So study hard. I’d be sincerely blessed to see someone else unveil this gem through their own study of this chapter during the week.

It is the glory of G_d to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.      Proverbs 25:2

Remember What Katrina (Amalek) Did

Young Adult Sunday School Lesson – September 2, 2012

The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed. Esther 3:15

It can’t happen again…

Those of us native to the Mid-South experienced another hurricane this week, and although on Monday it appeared to be no call for concern, by the end of the week most of us had changed our minds. No electricity and thousands of gallons of rainwater will do that to you. When we lost power, I connected a generator to the important appliances (air conditioning!) and saved a few amps for the television as our family hunkered down in the living room to weather the storm. Watching the New Orleans stations it came as a mild shock to see people being evacuated from Plaquemines parish via boat and National Guard trucks, despite the urgent requests well before the storm made landfall by all of the pundits in authority. This advice was given out during seemingly round-the-clock news conferences and punctuated by dire, not-so-subtle warnings. I found myself perplexed, indeed. How could this be?

However, later I witnessed an interview with one of the evacuees and it made a little more sense. The rain-soaked and much the worse for wear interviewee stated that “We didn’t figure that it would ever be as bad as Katrina, because we remember what all she did. There are new levees in place and everything was supposed to be taken care of. Plus—it was a much weaker storm!” A warning was given, but seven years of security and extra preparations along with a mere Category One storm classification had lulled her and her family (along with many others) into a false sense of security. I can understand that train of thought. Heck, I can even respect it. But then again, we should always remember our past trials and heed future warnings ahead of time, because you just never know.

In Deuteronomy 25, G_d warns Moses: “Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not G_d.”

G_d charged the Children of Israel to never forget what the Amalekites had done to them while they were on their way to the Promised Land. The books of Joshua and Judges, and later in 1st and 2nd Samuel, are replete with stories of almost constant warfare between Israel and Amalek. Finally, in I Samuel chapter 15, King Saul is ordered by JEHOVAH to slay all of the Amalekites. Saul failed in the task and did not complete the job. The prophet Samuel had to kill the Amalekite King named Agag and there is a graphic description of how he did so included in the chapter. (Incidentally, another Amalekite king named Agag is also mentioned in Numbers 24:7.)

This failure to follow G_d’s plan and heed His warnings is where we find ourselves in this week’s lesson from Esther. In the third chapter, we see an evil man gaining favor and a promotion in King Ahasuerus’s palace. We also learn that he is an Agagite:

After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him. Esther 3:1

Jewish literature considers Haman to be a direct descendent of Agag the Amalekite. The coincidences in the names of the two Kings we mentioned earlier and the heritage of Haman, along with his later actions, are too close to be ignored. G_d had warned his children from the wilderness through the times of the Kings of what they should do and how they should deal with the children of Amalek. Israel’s failure to eliminate Amalek despite several opportunities to do so would almost lead to the utter destruction of their nation in the book of Esther 800 years later.

But what can we learn from this?

In all of our lives, G_d has a plan in place and it is up to us to find it and follow it. He speaks to us through His Word; and through His Holy Spirit He guides us along the perfect path He has put in place for every Christian’s life. Sometimes the instructions appear hazy and open to our own interpretation, but we are warned against this many times in the Bible. We are commanded to “lean not unto our own understanding” and reminded twice in Proverbs chapters 14 and 16 that “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

In my own life, there are many times I can recall where I have gone against the plan I knew G_d had in store for me, and many times I thought I had slipped under the radar and gotten away with it. A lot of ‘if only’s’ are recorded in those dreary chapters of my life, and they all revolve around ‘if only’ I had listened to the Shepherd’s call at that moment in time, how much turmoil would have and could have been avoided.

Closer, and more personally to the point, I’ve also been known to have ‘pet sins’ that I hang on to—thinking of them as harmless compared to the sins that others commit—all the while knowing that any sin is against G_d’s Law and I will be held accountable for my actions at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Small, insignificant sins are still rebellion from G_d, and left unattended in my own heart can blossom into a proverbial Category 5 Hurricane in my soul. At that point there are no answers. You can find yourself stranded and looking for help all because you thought you were better prepared and, of course, it could never happen to you.

In my foolish heart you could picture me in that interview—dirty, dripping wet, hungry, and lucky to be alive—all the while knowing that I had been warned and had no one or anything to blame except for my own sense of complacency.

It’s a good thing I serve a Living G_d Who is always there to rescue me—even when I don’t deserve it.

Who Wants To Marry A Billionaire

Young Adult Sunday School Lesson – August 18, 2012

“And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.” Esther 2:17

Intro: Theme music plays in the background as the camera pans across an immaculate throne room. The King sits on his royal throne, dressed in splendor with his crown and flowing robes, a golden sceptor in his hand.

Host: This is your E-Persia host Jeff Scoop, and we’re here today with King Ahasuerus, the star of Persian-TV’s new hit series, Who wants to Marry a Billionaire. How are you today, King?”

King: Ah, just call me King Xerxes, it’s much easier to pronounce, sort of. I’m doing great. Life is good. No complaints.

Host: Let’s see, it’s been four, almost five years since you and Queen Vashti parted ways; what have you been doing in the interim—besides this TV show?

King: Well, you know Jeff, I’ve conquered part of Greece. At least Athens. But then there was that little episode with King Leonidas which kind of put a damper on things. But I figured out that if you pit Athens against Sparta, and Sparta against Corinth, well, things kinda take care of themselves. (Smiles mischievously) We now have ‘peace in our time’ in the Kingdom, as those silly Greeks are now fighting amongst themselves. Ha!

Host: Hmm. Class warfare. Great plan, King. Future Kings will probably try and copy that.

King: I know, right? It works, (Spreads arms and smiles) what can I say?

Host: So tell us about your new TV show. How did that all come about?

King: Jeff, when I got home from Greece and after I put down a political coup that was being attempted against me, things got a little too quiet around the palace. Ok, ok, maybe I was missing Vashti a little bit. (Looks down) I was missing her a lot. I mean, man, she was a trophy wife, you know? And other than that one little incident when I was drunk and acting… foolish, well, she was a pretty good wife. (Looks reflectively off past the camera and slouches in a despondent manner)

Host: She was a beautiful woman.

King: I know, right? Well anyway, so I called on my lawyers again to see what they could do. I mean, after all, this was all of their doing, although I will admit—though I wasn’t wrong—it sounded like the thing to do at the time. It was under their advice that I dumped Vashti, and though I am the King and can pretty much do what I want, there is this silly little matter of the law that can’t be changed that I have to deal with. (Straightens up in his seat)

Host: So you trusted the lawyers again to come up with a solution for filling the Queen’s position in the palace?

King: Jeff, they are my brain trust, after all, I gotta trust them. But it reminds me of a joke: What do you have when a lawyer is buried up to his neck in sand?

Host: I don’t’ know, what?

King: Not enough sand. (Slaps his leg and laughs loudly)

Host: (Laughing along) Now that is funny!

King: I know, right? So anyway, where was I, (Puts finger under chin as if thinking hard) oh yeah. We decided to do this reality series, you know—since that is all the rage these days—get all of the fair maidens from across my great empire together in the palace, and let me pick one of them to be my wife and thus, (twirls finger) the new Queen.

Host: Was it any special type of woman you were looking for in particular?

King: Jeff, I set the requirements that they had to be pretty, of course. And then again, they had to be virgins. And once they were chosen by a panel of my most trusted people, well, they were brought to the palace to stay in special apartments I had built for them. We set them aside for a whole year so that they could be cleansed, so to speak, and taught how to act like a queen and so forth. Basically, they had a year to get ready and muster the most beauty they could squeeze out of themselves. (Squeezes his scepter as if to demonstrate)

Host: So what happened, after a year?

King: All of the girls were brought to the throne room one at a time, and they each got to spend an entire evening with me. My job was to pick the one that not only made me happy, but also would be fit to be the Queen of the Empire. Not an easy task, because as the theme of the show suggests, some of them were probably only interested in the title and my money. Probably most of them, I guess. (Face darkens in disdain) But I figured out a way to handle that one, too.

Host: What did you do?

King: (Smirks) The ones I didn’t choose, because you could usually tell where their hearts were only a few minutes into the evening, I returned them to their apartments. And since it would be wrong for them to spend the evening with me and then go on about their lives as if nothing happened, well, they now have to stay and live in those apartments by themselves for rest of their lives. They can never marry, and they still have to put up with me anytime I choose to drop by—if I actually choose to do so.

Host: Wow! It sure sounds like a ‘win it all or lose it all’ proposition. Tough contest, King.

King: I know, right? Heh-heh. But I gotta give credit where credit is due; it’s only what the lawyers came up with. (Frowns, playing to the camera)

Host: Hmm. So tell me about the girl you chose. Her name is Hadassah, right?

King: (Smiles radiantly) Yeah-buddy, but I call her Esther. Sweet girl. Simply beautiful inside and out. Everything I could ever want and even more in a wife or a queen. She has something about her that I didn’t see in any of the others.

Host: And what was that?

King: Jeff, don’t get me wrong here. When Miss Persepolis came in I was struck by her beauty, and Miss Egypt had the total package as well. And there were others, too. But this girl, who actually came from Shushan—I have a palace there you know—well, she just caught my eye. When she came in the room my heart started pounding and it was like bow-chicka-wow-wow! And then when I started talking to her, it was like it was meant to be. I was floored! Dude, it was perfect; like there was some other force present at work there that I can’t even explain.

Host: Like maybe the gods had a hand in you guys meeting?

King: I know, right? It was something else. And even old Hegai, who was in charge of all of these women as far as getting them ready to meet me, he told me after the show was over that she had been his choice for me from the very beginning.

Host: That’s a great story. So where do you guys go from here?

King: Jeff, I’m just living the dream, getting to know her as she gets to know me. We are happy together and look forward to what the future has in store for us. I’m VERY happy. Things are good both in the Kingdom and in my personal life.

Host: One more question; any thoughts still linger in your heart about Vashti?

King: Who? (Looks puzzled, then smiles knowingly)

Host: Well there you have it, folks. A love story between a powerful king and a completely unknown, small-town girl. A Cinderella story without all of that glass-slipper-muckity-muck stuff thrown in. Congratulations, King, and good luck in all of your future endeavors with Queen Esther.

King: Thanks. Jeff. (Gives a fist-bump to Jeff and then gives a thumbs-up to the camera)

The Ten-Count

“Stay down, George.” As much as I wanted him to win the fight, I knew that it was over. His eyes were glazed as the referee counted him out, his facial expression providing Magnavoxian-proof that he probably did not even know where he was. Even if he somehow miraculously managed to get up off the canvas, it was certain by his posture and the glazed look in his eyes that he would simply go right back down again—probably before the 8th round was officially over.

I remember a lot of sporting events from when I was young, and can recall them in absolute vivid detail. (Sometimes it’s a blessing, while at others it’s a curse!) I do not remember the date as it was after the fight, but I was watching the replay on ABC’s Wide World of Sports back in late 1974 or early 1975. You remember the show, huh? Jim Mackay’s voiceover during the opening, “Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport... the thrill of victory... and the agony of defeat...” with skier Vinko Bogataj’s dreadful crash punctuating that last line. I was 12 at the time, and because there was no ESPN or Internet back then, I was not aware of who had won the fight. To me, a country boy living in a culturally-bypassed McNeill of the time, it was just as good as watching it live. I was pulling for George Foreman in his heavyweight boxing title defense against Muhammad Ali in the now-famous ‘Rumble in the Jungle' that took place in Zaire in October of 1974.

Remembering that look on George’s face reminds me a lot of our country these days, and I see this in the political climate available for my viewing pleasure on the nightly news, no matter where I choose to get it. We have an election coming up in a few months, and I’m beginning to wonder if it even matters anymore. On one side we are reminded that if we do not vote for the Republicans, a dark curtain will descend across America and we’ll fall as a nation; a victim of our debt and the increasing entitlements we have locked ourselves into paying. We’ll become a nation of illegal immigrants with violent ‘flash robs’ and riots occurring in all of our major cities. On the other hand, if we do not vote for the Democrats, Medicare and Social Security will cease to exist while thousands will starve in the streets, and we will find ourselves in a state of perpetual war—bleeding ourselves dry in foreign countries that do not actually like us anyway.

Either way, we as a people have our eyes glazed over and a lost look on our faces, wondering where to turn and which direction it will take to get us out of here. And if somehow we heroically manage to get up off the mat and find a way to re-enter the fight, well, there’s a good chance we’ll only go down again. In the process, we could risk permanent damage to whatever’s left inside of us.

Before he was knocked out, it’s reported that Foreman managed to land a crushing jab into Ali’s chest, a blow that would have normally ended the fight. As Ali covered, he whispered to George, “Is that all you got?” and George quietly replied, “Yeah. I guess it is”.

Saturday as I watched the Olympics, the athletic events were interrupted by news that the Republican Presidential challenger had finally chosen a running mate. The choice is a good man with bright ideas and a notable hard worker—I’m a Republican—I like him. But at the same token, as the weekend wore on, while looking at the sum of the pair I caught myself (more often than not) wondering, “Is this all we’ve got?”

Are the two choices I mentioned earlier, Republican or Democrat, really all that is left to us as a nation and as a people? What will be the final verdict and how will history remember us? Will the United States go out with a bang, or will it be only a silent, pleading whimper?

The way I see it, nothing will change. And that’s not just the Ides of Cynicism rearing their ugly head from within my keyboard this morning. The downward spiral of our nation did not start yesterday, this weekend, or even three or four years ago. It’s been in the works for a lot longer than that. Using a logic/reasoning that the Republicans abandoned long ago, and the Democrats only ridicule these days, it appears to be straightforward: America has turned her back on G_d. We can point our fingers at Roe vs. Wade, or the removal of prayer from our schools, yet these are merely symptoms of the sinful disease of secular humanism that branched out across our country in the aftermath of World War II. We no longer need G_d—we have our intellect, our technology, and our enlightened reasoning—plus we have our government, by George, and don’t you dare forget it!

Meanwhile the dark spiral continues ever downward with each day that passes… unabated.

I guess I’ll apologize for my bleak mood this morning, but I can’t help thinking that somewhere in the epochs of time, those Old Testament prophets are pointing their fingers at our un-masked indifference. “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget G_d.”

Yeah. That’s all we got. We’ve pretty much chosen to own that verse these days. Our eyes are glazed over and we apparently no longer know where or even who we are anymore.

This is where I should cue the patriotic music and talk about the glimmer of hope that yet remains and cite an uplifting example or two. But the means justifies the end in our case. What we really need as a nation is a leader to take charge and solve all of our problems, thus putting us back on the correct paths of old. You know, the ones we used to follow and our nation was originally founded upon. There is a leader out there, and His time is close at hand, but in the meantime all of the signs point to us reaching out to the wrong leader, one who will be a mere caricature of the True Savior, and who is at this moment probably as well as prophetically ready to make his appearance on the world stage.

As Christians we need to be faithful. We need to be wise. But most of all, we need to be ready... it may just be that our redemption is drawing nigh!

Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Matthew 24:44-46