Choices
“I call heaven and earth
to witness this day against you that I have set before you life and death, the
blessings and curses; therefore choose
life, that you and your descendants may live and may love the Lord your God,
obey His voice, and cling to Him. For He is your life and the length of your
days, that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to give to your
Fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Deut. 30: 19-20)
At least once a
week I find myself at the grocery store. I usually dread doing my weekly
shopping, but once I arrive my attitude changes and I even enjoy pushing my cart
up and down the many aisles, looking for both good buys and new and interesting
items to consider.
The other day I
had written both “spaghetti sauce” and “tomato sauce” on my list. As I
stood in the aisle of tomato products I was overwhelmed at the choices:
Petite diced,
diced, diced with Italian spices, pureed, whole tomatoes, whole tomatoes with
garlic, crushed, crushed with various spices, chili style, Mexican, Italian,
stewed, stewed with onions and
peppers, plain sauce, and sauces with various flavorings added. Then add
to this list the store brand and the many name brand products! Then I looked to
my left to see shelves upon shelves of various and
sundry spaghetti sauces. Now which ones to choose?
I am so thankful
that the choices God gives us, as stated in Deuteronomy 30 are significantly
fewer: Moses, speaking on behalf of God Almighty gives two: I
have set before you life and death, the blessings and the curses; therefore
choose life, that you and your descendants may live…He even tips the
scales and gives us clear direction,
choose life!
One of the most
precious spiritual blessings results from free human choice. God did not create
us as puppets on strings, to be pulled about by God’s divine hand. We are
given free choice: life or death, blessings or curses. It is the condition of
the heart that matters. Each time we
are obedient to the will of God and surrender to His will, the blessings of His
grace follow. This is our choice to
make.
~Pastor
Beth
This Is My Father’s World
Several months ago I had the pleasure of going
out for Sunday dinner with Bob and Betty and
Rochelle. It was sort-of a destination unknown, as we drove for almost
an hour toward Lockport,
arriving in the early afternoon at Schimschack’s Restaurant in Sanborn,
NY. It is located on the edge of the
Niagara escarpment and the view from the window where we were seated was
spectacular.
Imagine my surprise when a couple of months
later, Rev. Matt Stengel mentioned the Schimschack
Restaurant when he was speaking about the history of the Western New York
Conference at the 2009 Annual
Conference in Buffalo. He proceeded to tell the story that the author of a very
famous hymn, Maltbie
Babcock, wrote the words in 1901 to This Is My Father’s World as he stood when
the four star restaurant
is located today. I now am able to better
understand these inspirational words:
This is my Father’s world
and to my listening ears
All nature sings and round
me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s World:
I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees ,
of skies and seas; his hands
the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world,
the birds their carols raise, the morning light,
the lily white, declare
their maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world:
he shines is all that’s fair; in the rustling grass
I hear him pass, he speaks
to me everywhere.
This is my Father’s world.
O let me ne’er forget that though the wrong seems oft
so strong, God is the ruler
yet. This is my Father’s world: why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the
heavens ring! God reigns; let the earth be glad!
(United Methodist Hymnal #
144)
(If anyone is interested in becoming a member
of the Harris Hill United Methodist Church, please contact Pastor Beth Kottemann
for more information. She would be happy to answer any questions you may have
regarding church membership.)
revbeth@roadrunner.com