FROM OUR RECTOR REV. VERN CASWELL

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The following is the first of, hopefully, many devotional meditations designed to inspire, encourage and challenge you for the coming week. I sincerely hope and pray that this purpose is accomplished.

Blessings,

Fr. Vern+

In our Adult Sunday School, we learned about questioning the Scriptures using a little poem from Rudyard Kipling. It goes like this: "I have six faithful serving men, they taught me all I know. Their names are what & where & when & why & how & who." In regards to our salvation, St. Paul answers several of the questions in his letter to the Church in Rome. In Romans 3:23, Paul tells us the what. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." This explains 'what' the problem is. This line should dispel our assumption that we are good enough, in and of ourselves; to get into heaven. But, this is not the perspective God uses. Paul here, has given things from God’s point of view. Paul also explains the why. Read Romans 6:23. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Sin kills and destroys and does not allow us to enter into the presence of the holy God we worship. But what does? The gift of God! Paul also answers the when in Romans 5:8. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." God did not wait for us to become good enough. He knew that would never happen. We cannot possibly obtain anything from God based on our righteousness. We have none. We are totally bankrupt in this area with no visible means for making any deposits into our account. We cannot do it, regardless of Nike’s motto. So, is there a solution to our problem? How do we remedy this deep chasm that separates us from God? Paul gives us the how. Romans 10:9 says, "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Sounds simple. What are you waiting for? Don’t wait too long. You do not want to miss out on all that God has for you.

In the early New Testament church, as written about in the Acts of the Apostles, the disciples of Jesus Christ were known as people of the Way. (see Acts 9:4; 19:9, 23; 22:4) A way is a path or means for getting somewhere. We all have a chance, a decision, to make as to which way we choose. Life is a series of forks in the road where we make conscious choices as to which path we take, which WAY we go. Jesus points us to gate that is narrow and hard to get through. He also tells the alternative and where a decision for the broad road leads. (Matthew 7:13-14) Making an informed decision, we need to look at a road map that leads to where we want to go. There are eternal forks in the road which can lead to destruction and a place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 22:13) or eternity with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Whose road map leads where we want to end up?

In order to follow God, we need to know what he is like. Is he worth following? Is he the way? (2 Samuel 22:31) The opposite of that is not to look at sinners as an example for life. (Psalm 1:1) More importantly, our own way, the desires of our own hearts will lead us astray also. (Isaiah 53:6) We cannot rely on our own judgment without divine inspiration. (Judges 21:25b) In rejecting the "way" of sinners, ourselves and others, we must find another way, another path as a means of getting there. (Psalm 37:5)

As Christians, we know the WAY! Jesus tells us all about it. (John 14:6) But more than that, the whole of the Bible tells us about it. Because the whole Scripture testifies to the claim that Jesus made. Many people have accepted Jesus in this role and have given up all to travel the path Jesus has laid out. If you have not allowed Jesus to be your guide in the Way, please stay tuned here next week. The entrance ramp onto this pathway will be opened. Because as the Apostle Paul notes, the way of Christ is the best. (1 Corinthians 12:31b) There is no other path to get there than through Jesus Christ. What better road map for our lives than the one God has given us in Jesus Christ?

2 Samuel 22:31
Psalm 1:1
Psalm 37:5
Isaiah 53:6
John 14:6
1 Corinthians 12:31

Many people are into moral relativism today. This is the idea that there are no absolutes and that the only standard of objective reality is based on the totally autonomous self. This is a deviation on the dictum of Descartes, "I think, therefore I am." It has been turned into "What I think IS because I am." This whole philosophy has morphed into many shades and degrees culminating in modern philosophy and Shirley McLain. When refuse to abdicate the throne of our lives to Jesus Christ, we suffer the consequences for that decision. Many people think of Jesus as a great moral teacher but hardly divine. This is the message of Islam. Being a Christian, a follower of Christ, is now seen as narrow minded and shallow. To agree with the precepts of this religion, you have to check your brains at the door because anyone with a modicum of learning can see that Christianity got it all wrong! Life has become every man for himself and "look out for number one" is the fashionable motto. Religion has turned into a Horatio Alger system of pulling your own self up by the boot straps. Many Christian sects and teachers buy into this philosophy also. Being a Christian, in the more fundamental mode (note the small "f"), has caused adherents to denounce Jesus' own claims to be unique. But claiming the uniqueness of Christ is a claim that Jesus can what no one else can do. His role of savior and redeemer are the testified to by many and denied by many. One has to ask, “Are we narrow minded and bigoted when we make claim about Jesus to the exclusion of "other pathways" to God?

The story of the miller is appropriate here. The miller lives on top of the hill. There are many paths to his house. Which path you take is not as important as getting your grain to the mill. There are many paths to God. It is not about which path you take as long as you get there. I met an Episcopal priest who met the Dalai Lama. He said he did not know how God was going to do it but he knew he would see the Dalai Lama in heaven. The Bible has an answer to that. Read John 14:6!

We, as Christians, need not apologize for being Christian. We do not have to apologize for the exclusivity of Jesus Christ. In fact, we celebrate that every week when we partake in Holy Communion. Jesus is the answer to every problem the world has. We need to live as if we believe that!

Job 19:25
Isaiah 43:11
John 14:6
Acts 4:12
Romans 1:16

This week continues the topic from last week on developing the right habits. Part Four of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is entitled "Renewal." The author, Stephen Covey, labels the seventh habit as "Sharpen The Saw." The chapter is subtitled, "Principles of Balanced Self-Renewal."  Covey lists four dimensions of renewal and spiritual renewal is included in the list. (pg. 288) He defines spiritual renewal as, "Value Clarification & Commitment, Study and Meditation." This outlines renewal very well. As Covey notes, "Spiritual renewal takes an investment of time." (pg. 294) Anything worth doing takes time. There is no doubt that if we focus on this area of our life it will help us. Developing the right habit here begins with reading Scriptures. This is another reason why the adult education time on Sunday morning is concentrating on learning to read and study the Scriptures.

The Holy Bible gives us the fullest revelation of the character of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Jesus shows us the Father (John 14:9) there is still more to God and his character. (Deuteronomy 29:29) This should spur us on to learn as much as we can about who God is and what he is about. The big question is this, "Why?"

The purpose of reading Scripture St. Paul outlines in his second letter to Timothy. Read this passage. Write down the key words: teach, reproof, correct and train. This is what you aim for when you sharpen your saw. The goal - the end in mind - is given by St. Paul also.

Spend the next couple of days reading through Psalm 119. Take a highlighter marker and color every mention of scripture in the passage. When you are done there should be a colored word in every verse. Notice how the psalmist feels about God’s revelation. They are variously noted as law, decrees, precepts, statutes, commandments, or ordinances. Gather the import of Scripture on the life of the believer.

Finally, as you end your week, make a commitment to keep your saw sharp. Gain everything you can from the Word of God. Entrust it to your heart and commit to keeping it constantly in the Word of God. Use the Bible as the sharpening stone which will bring about reproof and correction.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
Psalm 119
Joshua 1:7-8
Jeremiah 31:33-34
Hebrews 4:12

I need to apologize for my inattention to keeping this devotional page up to date. I have to admit that I became captive to the tyranny of the urgent, those little things that keep popping up. I was not following the personal decision making outlined in Stephen Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People."

The first three habits written of in the book are what I want to concentrate on. They are: #1: Be Proactive; #2: Begin with the End in Mind; #3: Put Fist things First. Like with anything, if we do not master the foundational principles, we will not be able to master the higher ones.

First, develop the habit of being "proactive." This is a decision - a conscious one - that we determine to make. When we become captive to the tyranny of the urgent, we are no longer proactive but reactive. That is not what God calls us to be. In Matthew 5:48, Jesus appeals to us to live a life of pro-activity. He does not give us a promise of sinless perfection or eradication of evil for this life. He sets the goal that we should be striving for.

Second, Jesus allows us to see where we want to end up. This is the compass for our lives. He has determined the destination. Why else would he talk so much about the Kingdom of heaven? Like any journey, if you do not know where you are going, how will you know when you get there? In Matthew 5:48, Jesus is calling us to a state of being. When we are in this state we are complete, whole. We are perfect. The image of God we were created with and in is restored. Paul understands this as he wrote to the Philippians. His life was at a crossroads. He had options, decisions. But, both had an end in mind.

Third, once we have determined our destination, we must prioritize our actions. The events and circumstances of our lives do not control us anymore. We place a high priority on obtaining those things that move us closer to our goal. Any action that moves us laterally or backwards or stalls our progress must be subordinated to those actions that allow us to become all that God calls us to be. This does not absolve us from the ordinary, mundane happenings of everyday life. You will not get very far if you spend all your time reading the Bible and not writing checks to creditors or worse yet, not working to make money. That is not to say however that God does not uses those circumstances also! The decision here is between watching television and reading your Bible for example. Which should be a higher priority? Jesus said many times what our "spare" time should be used for. Do not allow trivial matters to inundate your life. Martin Luther used to pray for two hours every morning. If he has a busy day planned, he would get up an hour earlier and pray for three. This is the kind of prioritizing we are talking about.

When we view who we are and what we do from god’s perspective, things change. God wants to instill in us Kingdom priorities. Only when we make conscious decisions to set a course and do all that we can to end up at our destination, can we prioritize our actions. Jesus was about hid father’s business. Paul had an all consuming passion to fulfill his calling. We too are blessed with such a calling. Now, we just need to order our life in response to God.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Thanks be to God!

Matthew 5:48
2 Corinthians 7:1
Genesis 1 :27
Philippians 1:21-22
Matthew 22:37

One of things clergy get asked often is,"How should I pray"  There is no one way to answer this. Jesus gave an outline for prayer that we know as "The Lord’s Prayer." It contains all the acts of prayer that are needed. And, that is the acronym for prayer, ACTS. This stands for adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication. When I lived in Kentucky, real close to the University of Kentucky, they turned it around to be CATS. The mascot for UK was the Wildcat. So, if you are a cat lover in any form that may be an easier acronym to remember. Either way, it helps to have an outline for our prayer time so we include everything we need to give God and get from God. Now, this is not a fool-proof hocus pocus method to get God to give us what we want. There is no magical formula to persuade God that we know best. That is why we start with adoration.

We need to praise God, to adore him for who he is what he is. Psalm 48:1 says, "Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise." (Now should you start with "C", that is proper also. Confession allows us to approach God cleanly and be able to adore him more closely.) When we honestly look at God in this fashion, we also are able to see ourselves as we truly are. In Isaiah 6:1, the prophet "saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robes filled the temple." Wow. Can you imagine being in God's presence? This is why we need to give adoration to God. "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." What is the posture we should assume while adoring God. Scripture often times instructs us to be still before God. (Psalm 46:10; Habakkuk 2:20; Zechariah 2:13) If we have properly given God the adoration he deserves for being all that he is, then praise should fill our prayers. When we acknowledge God as creator, redeemer and sustainer, God and Father of us all, then we should praise him for all that he has done on our behalf. And, properly after this, we should confess because we realize, as Isaiah did, "Woe to me. I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips." James 4:6 reads, "Come near to God and he will come near to you." That is what we have done, but James goes on. " Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

Confession is a logical next step after adoration. Only when we are in the presence of the Holy God can our true nature be known. God cannot stand to be in the presence of sin, so we must confess. That is the point in the progression James gives us. Many times in Scripture, we hear of people asking the Lord for forgiveness. Psalm 51 begins, "Have mercy on me, O God." Read the rest of Psalm 51 for a more in-depth look. When we realize that our sins are forgiven through our Lord, Jesus Christ, we will be thankful. When we accept the gift of the Cross, the blood of Christ washes away all that keeps us separated from God. If that is not something to be thankful for, just quit right here!

We all have so much to be thankful for it is amazing. We find it so easy to dwell in self-pity and victimization that we miss all the things we should be giving thanks to God for. Colossians tells us to be overflowing with thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6-7) St. Paul tells us to be thankful for everything. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) But above all, thanksgiving is the key to answered prayer. (Philippians 4:6) Thanksgivings should not be appropriate on just one Thursday in November. Every time we approach God we should give thanks because he has allowed us, enabled us, to make it this far. And, when we are thankful for what we have, we should want others to be as blessed as we are. This is the meaning of supplication.

Intercession is another word for supplication. We need to look continually to God. (Psalm 123:2) We know what Jesus promised. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives." (Matthew 7:7- 8a) Later in this gospel, we are told to ask in faith. (Matthew 21:22) St. John also wrote that we need to be confident in our asking. (1 John 5:14 -15) When we bring others needs before the Lord, we can be confident that he hears and answers.

So, read and study the passages listed above. Search the Scriptures because there is not a better guide to prayer than that. Become a prayer warrior and try ACTS!

One of the largest topics in the Bible is prayer. Many people today want to learn more about prayer and how to do it effectively. "If I just knew how to pray the right way, God will answer. "Bookstores are filled with volumes on "how to pray." Yet, the greatest single book on the subject is the Bible. Look through any biblical concordance and you can find many pages on this subject. However, we as Anglicans suffer from having a prayer book. All of the prayers contained in the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) were written by committee. They have all of the right words in all of the right places. They are beautiful. The BCP was written to help foster the private devotional life of believers. When we measure our prayers against this majestic work, our prayers seem feeble and ineffectual. Thus, we are afraid to vocalize our petitions in public, especially during church, for fear that they do not measure up. This is a great tragedy and it probably breaks God's heart.

Using the Bible as a guide, what are some of the things it says about pray? Well, the best book written on that subject is the Book of Psalms. Many of the psalms are prayers from the author to God about some particular issue. Many are not pretty as they ask God to destroy the enemy and other such things. Notice however, that we can find some positive aspects also. God wants us to call on him in times of distress. (Psalm 18:6) When we call on him, we can be confident he will answer. (Psalm 17:6) Those are pretty nice assurances. It is nice to know God listens when we pray and he is not too busy running the universe. (Psalm 6:9) Jesus himself gave us an outline for prayer. (Matthew 6:9-15) The Lord’s Prayer can and should be used as a way to form to our prayer time. As The Reverend Terry Fullam wrote, "To pray the Lord’s Prayer as Jesus intended is to pray for life as God intended. To live the Lord’s Prayer is to live in the will of God."

Use the following passages to add strength and conviction to your prayer life. Grab hold of the promises of God contained in them. Become a prayer warrior like Epaphras. St. Paul wrote of him, "(he) is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. " (Colossians 4:12) Now, I don’t know about you, but I would love to have someone like praying for me, wrestling in prayer. But, would it not be just as wonderful to have others think that about you? We have strength and power through prayer that is demonstrated when we live out the promises God has given us through faith in his Son, Jesus Christ, and through the Holy Spirit.
 

Genesis 32:9-10 - prayer in humility  Psalm 34:15 & 1 Peter 3:12 - Lord attentive Isaiah 62:6 - relentless prayer
Daniel 10:15-19 - drawing strength from prayer & awe in talking to God
Philippians 4:6-7 - persistent prayer  Colossians 4:2 - devotion to prayer
1 Thessalonians 5:17- pray continually  James 5:16 - prayers powerful potential
1 Peter 5:7-cast cares on Lord  1 John 3:21-22 - assurance of answer
1 John 5:14-15 - confidence & conditions Jude 20 - pray in Holy Spirit

Vacations can cause us to loose sight of what we are supposed to be doing. I suffered from that. As I got out of the habit of writing the devotional, it was hard to return to the habit upon my return. I am sorry and hope to get back on track. But this points to a valid observation about worship. The American Church -all denominations - are the exception, not the rule, when it comes to suspending certain operations during the summer months. Our church schedules change. Some places combine worship services. Most churches stop Sunday school or Christian education during the summer as if the need to learn goes on vacation too. This does not happen in other countries. Maybe we should examine our motives in this. As we are more biblically illiterate than most Christians, we should be encouraging more not less education. Another summer excuse, which is very detrimental, is that people get out of the habit of going to church. Thus, as I have experienced, getting back into the swing is more difficult. And, the justification that we attended all year so we don’t have to go in the summer is a little lame also. This kind of thing got me to think about our motivation in worship.

Today’s Gospel lesson (Matthew 14:22-33) finished with the disciples safely in the boat, the storm calmed, and they begin to worship Jesus."Truly you are the Son of God," they said. Notice here, that Jesus did not rebuke or deny their worship. He accepted as his due. But, were the disciples acknowledging this because of who Jesus was or what he just did for them?  Was their worship a response to being saved from a difficult situation?  Well, yes. Our worship of Jesus should flow from the same circumstances. As sinners who deserve everything we get, we do not get what we deserve. That should be reason alone to worship Jesus. Our focus is to be on him as Lord and Savior, as the Son of God.

Reality check!  Is that our motivation to be in church on Sunday mornings?  As Marva Dawn writes in her book, Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down, "Our relationship with Christ is not superficial entertainment; rather, it is central to life." (p. 50) The purpose of true worship is to offer to God what will be pleasing to him. See where our attention lies?  It is all about God! To worship God in Spirit and in Truth is to know God’s will through worship and to obey it through the daily actions of our lives. Dawn say’s, "The Church brings truth and love together best if it genuinely praises God and consequently nurtures the character formation of people." (p. 67)

Finally, our assessment of worship must be an inward look at motivation. Worship, in contradiction to many church signs now being displayed, is not an experience for us to receive. Worship is about God: his character, his attributes, his blessings, his presence. It is not about what we get out of it but about who it is directed at. Keep that in mind next Sunday. Dawn gives us some comments about worship: "In worship we feel the presence of the self-giving God to create and nurture our faith. Worship forms us; all the elements of the service develop the character of believer in us. And worship forms the community if it unites us in common beliefs, traditions, renewal, and goals. Worship schools us in the language of faith as we listen and sing and participate in its rites." As we come to worship God at St. James, let us make this our hope and pray that God will provide us with his presence and power. Let us not use the time to seek benefits from God but to give him the adulation he deserves. That is true worship. Thanks be to God.

Matthew 14:22-33
John 4:23-23
Acts 13:1-3
Romans 12:1-2
James 1:22

Last week I talked about the need to be introduced to the Scriptures again for the first time. Biblical illiteracy has caused the moral and spiritual decay of the church and society. By feeding on the Word of God we will gain the necessary nutrients we need to sustain us through out our lives. (NOTE: Hearing three lessons and a psalm on Sunday may not fill you for the whole week!) This does not mean that life will be perfect. But, as one well traveled Christian has noted, "I would rather die in the will of God than live outside of it."

Our delving into the Word of God is a necessary component of being a Christian. You cannot be a doctor or lawyer or almost any profession without study in your field of endeavor. I know I would not want to go an accountant who did not know how to count much less not know the intricacies of the tax code are. That would be a hard penalty to handle. What kind of penalty might God issue for those who claim to belong to him and do not know anything about him or what he wants? As a priest, I had to attend seminary for three years to train for the ministry. My course of study in seminary barely scratched the surface. Being a Christian is a life long process. Christians are called to be mature and this growth can only happen through engaging the Scripture DAILY!

But, there is more to it than that. In Luke 24:45, Jesus opened the disciple's minds so they could understand. You cannot learn the Scriptures unless Jesus teaches you. He is the lens through which we search the Scriptures and the goal to which all of the scriptures point. However, it does not stop there. It does the sick no good if the doctor studies and does not apply his training in practice. If the doctor only keeps his knowledge and gifts to himself, he has helped no one. In fact, all he has done is wasted a lot of time and effort for no benefit. Those who are blessed with such an exposition as Jesus provides are not to keep it to themselves. It has not been learned until it has also been transmitted. Become a student and learn in order to become a teacher and pass it on.

Luke 24:44-49
James 1:22-25
2 Peter 1:16
Galatians 1:6-9
Philippians 2:12b-13

2 Kings 22 - After murder and intrigue in the royal house of Judah, an eight year old boy comes to the throne. As verse 22:2 states,"He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the ways of his father David, not turning to the right or the left." This is in stark comparison to his predecessors. Through his sweeping reforms, Josiah recognized that his people, who were supposed to be in a covenant relationship with God, neglected spiritual values and this led to the cultural decay they had experienced. He wanted to people to be open to rediscovering God’s Word for themselves. This rediscovery included reading the Word, sharing it contents with others, applying to one’s life and most of all impressing it on those who are closest to us - our sphere of influence.

In our own day of cultural decline and decay, relativism and local option, where "everyone did as he saw fit," (Judges 21:25) we need to institute our own Josiah Project. We need to be introduced to the Scriptures all over again. If we as a society will not accept illiteracy and spend billions of dollars to alleviate it, why doesn’t the Church, capital  "C", make the same investment of resources to eliminate biblical illiteracy?  We certainly cannot know "WWJD,"  "What Would Jesus Do?" Iif we do not know what Jesus did! As Archbishop Venables stated recently, "Christianity does not submit to culture, culture submits to Christianity. Obeying God is true freedom." Josiah knew this and understood this. As a result, he was spared from the impending doom God had promised. (22:20)

We are in a biblical 9 -1 -1. But, we too, after years of neglect, ambivalence and apathy, can initiate our own Josiah Project. Commit today to spending time with God and with God’s Word. Then, you will be well on your way to fulfilling Paul’s admonition in Romans 12:2, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -his good, pleasing and perfect will." Amen.

Collect for Proper 28 - Book of Common Prayer page 236
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scripture to written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and every hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Joshua 1:7-8
2 Kings 22:13
Luke 24:44
2 Timothy 3:16
Hebrews 4:12

Have you ever considered what true humanity is?  What does it mean to be truly human?  First, it means to be made in the image of God. As Harper's Bible dictionary points out, "The plural pronouns indicate that male and female share equally in the image of God and connect this idea to the two-fold commandment to ‘be fruitful and multiply and have dominion over' so that both in nature and function human beings are understood to reflect their Creator."

Next, let us consider Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God walked with them. He was present in person and they related to him in a unique way. Yet, this relationship was ruined by the sin of Adam of Eve. We were created for close communion and fellowship with God. God is personal and desires to have this type of relationship with those creatures that possess his image. This is what makes us higher than all of the other animals and the rest of creation. Our endowment is a unique divine gift that no other creature can claim.

As a result of the fall caused by Adam and Eve we live in a world of "dis-ease" The divine ordering of things is skewed and thus our equilibrium is off. Because God has made us the real meaning in our life is found only in him. People will search and search for the "answer" and never think to look to our Creator for that. It is futility to try to find peace in any other place.

A definition of life apart from God is insufficient. When Jesus came, he brought to us the Kingdom of God. He also showed us in person who and what God the Father looks and acts like. He reorients our dislocation and puts us on the right path towards the only thing that can life meaning.

Finally, for all of those who trust in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ will one day return to the Garden. We will live with God and his throne and presence will be among his people. In the “circle of life” we will have God in our midst and we will be able to be like Adam and Eve before the fall. We will walk with him and talk with him. The once severed relationship will be restored and our wholeness as humans will be reintroduced. And this garden scene will last forever. Thanks be to God!

Genesis 1:27
Genesis 3:8-9
Psalm 62:1-2
John 10:10
Revelation 22:3-5

With the release of the final Star Wars movie, "Revenge of the Sith," there will be more talk about "spirituality." The notion that there is a cosmic scale that balances good and evil will intrigue many people. The scheme of an equilibrium in a "yin-yang" universe appeals to a sense of fairness and justice that many are seeking. Also, even though evil seems to triumph, it is only temporary. Eventually, the scales will tip in the other direction and things will naturally get better. But, taken to its logical conclusion, the better time is only temporary and the scale will ultimately move back in the other direction. Inevitably, the scale will move back and forth and there will never be true equilibrium. A balance in ' the force'  is a very precarious thing.

This movie has a few biblical motifs in it. The slaughter of the innocents (Matthew 2:16) and the exile to Egypt (Matthew 2:13) find parallels here. Then again, these themes can be found in many movies.

The troubling part of the end of the Star Wars menagerie is that most who watched it already knew how it ends. It was not hard to figure out that Darth Vader would survive. He was one of the protagonists from the original series 20 years ago! Knowing the ending of the story took away much of mystery and drama from this movie. Frankly, I was disappointed because the climax here was resolved years ago.

We as Christians can suffer from the same fate. The Christmas and Easter stories are always the same. We get disappointed because there seems to be nothing new here. We know how the story ends. Or, do we? Many have read the book. But this ending should excite us! Knowing how it is all going to turn out should be a reason for joy and happiness. It should press us to make sure others share in it, especially those we love the most. The ending should be our reason for getting out of bed in the morning and for everything we do. It should add flavor and zest to every aspect of finite, temporary lives on this island home of ours.

The scales of good and evil will not balance out in the end. God wins! Big time! Evil will cease to exist and disrupt our lives. There will be no balance in the force because any and all opposition will be crushed. This is a major theme throughout the Bible. Look up these verses and meditate on them in the coming week. Focus on the end of the story. It is glorious and we can be part of it. Thanks be to God!

Isaiah 2:4
Micah 4:3
1 Corinthians 15:50-57
Philippians 3:13-14
Revelation 21:1-7