Memorial Day and Remembering

Tomorrow marks the national observance of Memorial Day, but most of you already knew that. I wonder how many people will look at it as just another holiday, or a day off work, forgetting what they were supposed to remember on this day. And what are we supposed to remember? We are supposed to stop and remember those who have died in service of our country. Yet, the remembrance usually goes further. In churches throughout the country, we will recognize all who have served in the military. Many will visit the cemetery to place flowers on the grave of a loved one who has died. Whether or not that person served in the military, it is a sobering time of reflection.

Andy Mead inadvertently helped me to remember this week. After rotor-tilling our garden, he stopped to chat for a few minutes. One thing he talked about was a past trip to Washington DC and Gettysburg. There is something unique about standing near a battlefield and hearing about the war that raged there. As you visit those historical sites and villages, you hear stories of soldiers and battles of an earlier time. It has been several years since I have seen those battlefields, but I can still remember the trips I have taken there.

Though the battlefields of Virginia are more hilly than our area, I can’t help but look over the fields surrounding the church and wonder what went through the minds of the troops in the Gettysburg area as they marched on and entered into battle. There must have been a strange mixture of pride and fear.

Throughout the years, people have fought for what they believe in, and the price of our freedom has been extremely high. I encourage you all to thank those who have served our country in the military. Let’s honor their sacrifice. ...And today, let us celebrate one of the freedoms they fought for and defended, the freedom to gather for worship of God Almighty!

In His grip,
Pastor Decker

Keeping Warm During a Spiritual Wind-Chill

As I type this, I am sitting at home on Thursday morning. The sun is shining, and the wind is blowing. What might otherwise be a nice warm day now may require a jacket or sweatshirt. The wind definitely impacts what the temperature feels like outside. During the winter, the weathermen even provide us with the wind-chill factor. That is just a fact of life in Michigan.

Now, please allow me to spin this discussion a bit, and use it as an analogy for spiritual life. There are all kinds of things that can be like the wind and cool what might otherwise be a great day. Sometimes it may be the busyness and demands of life. Other times, it may be the loss of job, health, or a family member that chills (and not in a good way) the warmth of our relationship with God and others. It could also be a sinful choice or pattern that produces a spiritual wind-chill factor. We all have moments, hours, and days where the winds of life chill us and leave us uncomfortable.

Is there anything we can do about it? You bet there is. Just like we might put on a sweatshirt or a jacket to reduce the chill of the wind, there are a number of things we can do to combat the chill of life’s winds on our spiritual life. If it is sin that is chilling us, our first move must be to confess it to God, asking for forgiveness and help to resist temptation. If, however, it isn’t a matter of sin, we have a number of resources available. Prayer is always a good starting point, as it renews our relationship with the Savior. The Bible is another great help, as in it, we hear from God Himself and find that we are not alone in our struggles (the Psalms can be especially helpful in these times). Perhaps Christian radio or a favorite Christian CD will warm you. Gold City sings a song that starts out, “There’s just something about a good old gospel song, that brings joy to your heart when things are going wrong …” The list could go on.

So, what’s the point of all this? When the winds of life send a spiritual chill, find what refreshes your relationship with God, and put your “jacket” on.

In His grip,
Pastor Decker

When Mothers Pray

As I pondered what to write this week, my thoughts centered around mothers and prayer. Next thing you know, a song popped into my head. This one was sung by Randy Travis (written by Rory Lee and Paul Overstreet) — maybe you’ve heard it before. Just in case you haven’t, here is the first verse and chorus:

Daddy never went to church on Sunday.
He said that's one thing I'll never do.
But mama never gave up; she said one day
He'll be sitting here beside of me and you.
I can still hear mama softly talking
With her tears falling on her folded hands.
So that Easter Sunday daddy walked in—
That's when I began to understand .

When mama prayed, good things happen.
When mama prayed, lives were changed.
Not much more than five foot tall,
But mountains big and small crumbled all away
When mama prayed

Now, I recognize that this is just a song, but I will never deny the power of prayer. I wonder how much impact my mom’s prayers have had on my life. When I first mentioned to my sister, Elaine, that I was sensing God’s calling into ministry, she told me that mom had always thought I would be a pastor. Perhaps it was another case like Randy Travis sung about; “When mama prayed, good things happen. When mama prayed, lives were changed.”
If your mother was a Christian and prayed for you, and is still living, I encourage you to thank her for her prayers. For all the mothers reading this, I ask you, what are you praying for regarding your children? And for everyone else, where might your prayers make a difference? Pray, and see what God does. You may be amazed.

In His grip,

Pastor Decker

Prayer Saturated People

“Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day…” Does that rhyme bring back any memories? Or, maybe, that’s what you have been thinking this past week. I know one person was hoping along those lines because of the scheduled garage sales in Vassar. Some of us have been thinking along those lines because of water in the church basement, or in our own basements. Any way you look at it, it has been wet, wet, wet. As Eleanor put in on Thursday morning, the ground is saturated.

That thought got me thinking. What are our lives saturated with? They should be saturated with prayer! Paul talked about that in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” [Emphasis mine] Our lives should be characterized by prayer, so that whatever we may be doing, we are quick to come before the Father, whether with praises or pleas for help.

However, like the rain saturates the ground, other things can saturate our lives and crowd out our prayer time. Brothers and sisters, this is dangerous ground. Why is it so dangerous? The answer is simple: because Satan can use just about anything to distract us from worship of God and prayer. When we get distracted from worship and prayer, we tend to become self-reliant. When we become self-reliant, we get too concerned about ourselves, and forget to turn to God.

I think Martin Luther understood this problem. He is quoted as saying, “Tomorrow I plan to work, work, from early until late. In fact I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” Instead of neglecting prayer, having “too much to do” drove Luther to spend more time in prayer. He knew where to find strength, and we would do well to follow that example.

So, I ask you, “How’s your prayer life?”

Are you prayer saturated?

In His grip,
Pastor Decker