REVERENCE FOR THE LAWS

        “Let reverence for the laws be breathed by every American mother to the lisping babe that prattles on her lap. Let it be taught in schools, in seminaries, and in colleges; let it be written in Primers, spelling books, and in Almanacs; let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls and enforced in courts of justice.” (Abraham Lincoln, January 27, 1838)

        Why has it become so difficult for Americans to obey laws which have been duly passed? Example: Congress passes a law and the President who has sworn to execute that law instead issues an order to ignore it. His fans stand and cheer!
       The next President issues an order to enforce that same law and is condemned, not only by citizens, but often by other elected officials who have also sworn an oath to obey those laws. It’s the Double Standard in action, I suppose, and no one seems to know what to do with the ever-present DS. I only know it truly weakens the society.
        Young lawyer Abraham Lincoln had a great idea in his words of 1838. “Reverence for the laws” means we revere them as important enough to follow. It means we hold them high above public opinion which surely not a good method of determining right or wrong.
        Of course it’s true that not all laws are equal in goodness. But if each of us makes ourself the judge of the rightness or wrongness of a law, we are walking on dangerous ground. A society in which each person becomes his or her own measure of the law is a lawless one, an anarchy. Far better that we should follow those laws or change them than merely to pick and choose, especially if we are in a position of authority.
        The Bible mentions “law” 542 times. The Gospel of Matthew uses the word two dozen times, nearly every time by Jesus Himself. He states in Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Christians must take care not to capriciously uphold laws they only agree with. They are also bound by the ones they might not like.
        To teach the young it’s noble to cover their faces and hold up placards of protest, or to scream obscenities, or burn cars and break windows, is not reverence for the law. Old Abe must be rolling in his grave at what our people and elected politicians are doing and teaching others to do with the law these days.

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)

Rev. Bob Tasler
www.bobtasler.com

GETTING RID OF STINGERS

        Living in cactus country is different than the Midwest. I have a small cactus garden here with 24 different kinds of cacti. Except for one I bought, all have grown from cuttings our neighbors gave us. My dense garden has become home to mice, quail, rabbits and small birds. 

        Cacti are highly adaptable and will root down from a cutting planted in a little soil, needing only the desert rain. None of my garden plants require special watering. What little rain the Lord provides is enough.

        One of the few cactus that will not sprout its own roots is the giant saguaro. That one needs seeds to start it which come from berries produced by its large spring flowers on top of the arms. Birds eat the tasty food and spread the seeds around. 

        Of the thousands of cacti varieties, most will grow in any soil. The saguaro, however, grows wild only in a certain type of soil. Driving along the desert flatland or hillside, saguaro cacti often appear suddenly, as if a line had been drawn in the sand. Then they disappear again, huge plants with giant arms weighing a ton or more and living a hundred or more years. They are native only in the Sonora Desert.

        Nearly all cacti have thorns that should be removed quickly. Even the fine, soft ones will go in deeper into skin, causing a rash, pain or infection. Cactus thorns are nothing to be trifled with. They need to be removed.

        Thorns are like sins we get caught up in, our addictions, secret sins or destructive private behaviors. If we let these continue and don't find a way to stop doing them, they will cause us problems and harm. Like cacti, sinful activities will implant themselves wherever they can, and before we know it, become entrenched into our life, going deeper and harder to stop. 

        If we get involved in such sin, we must stop right away, even if it is fun or gives us pleasure. If we let it continue, the hurt will go deeper into and even affect those around us. If we ask Jesus, He will help us and show us a better way, a life without harmful sting of sin. 

        God sent Jesus to help us get rid of destructive elements in life. Jesus said, “I came that they might have life abundantly.” (John 10:10) Abundant life in Jesus offers more contentment and peace than we can imagine. 

Happy gardening!

Rev. Bob Tasler, www.bobtasler.com

MAKING HARD CHOICES

        In February, 1504, Christopher Columbus was in a bad way. On his fourth visit to the New World, his badly leaking ships had left him stranded on today’s island of Jamaica. The inhabitants, initially hospitable, had grown hostile to his crews and threatened to cut off their food supply.

        Consulting his astronomical charts, Columbus realized they predicted a lunar eclipse in a couple of days. The day before the eclipse, he told the local leaders if they didn’t change their minds, the moon would disappear. When the eclipse occurred as he’d predicted, the locals relented and gave him food. His men and ships were rescued and returned to Spain, but Columbus never returned to the New World.

        While it was deceitful, Columbus did what was needed to save the lives of his people. While we should always seek to do what is right, some of our choices may involve risk. Desperate parents will do things for their family they might otherwise condemn. 

        Life’s choices are not always clearly between right and wrong. Due to mankind’s fallen state, sometimes we must choose the lesser of two evils. That is why we need Jesus our Savior sent to rescue us from ourselves. That is why we need His forgiveness on the cross.

        The complex situations we face in the world today - immigration, right to defend ourself, limits of free speech, and how to help those in need - all require wise choices with limited resources. Such struggles should move us to seek counsel from God’s Word. To rely only on our human wisdom is foolish. We need God’s Word to show us the way.

        I pray that our new civil leaders will seek the Lord’s guidance as they act, because human wisdom alone will not solve what lies before us. It would be wise for us all to “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.” (Isaiah 55:6)

Let us all pray for new leaders put in place in the coming days.

REMEMBERING FORMER DAYS

        A man realized he had never shown his wife where he had grown up, so they planned a summer road trip that included a visit to his home. During the trip he described to her the house and barn, the garden his mother tended, orchard his father had planted and the huge trees around the farmyard. He told her of the farms and the stream that flowed under a nearby bridge where he had often fished and swam.

        Imagine, then, the man's shock when they came to the old place and found everything gone! The house, buildings, trees, garden and even the farmyard were nowhere in sight. Over the place where he had been born was a field of corn. 

        He drove into the old driveway, now an approach into a field and got out to look. Seeing his emotions his wife said, "Look, there's the stream and the bridge." Yes, they were still there, and so was a neighbor's farm down the road. “That used to be our pasture.” He said, pointing to a field of grain. 

        "I still dream about this place,” he continued, "the house, barn, windmill. In my dream I can even smell my mother’s fresh bread." His wife listened patiently as he described his home, godly parents and other memories. But the emptiness where there had been life was almost devastating.

       Disappointment and disillusionment might shatter a person’s life unless we realize there is something greater, more important than the memories of youth or where we’ve been. Psalm 77:11-12 speaks of memories and God’s presence. "I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember Your wonders of old. I will ponder all Your works, and meditate on Your mighty deeds."

        It’s important to remember God has been with us, no matter where we are in life. When we come to a crossroad, we can either focus on our losses or consider the blessings God has given us. God will be with us in all of life and His unending love surrounds us every day, from youth to adulthood to eternity. Remembering God's good presence helps keep our hope alive today.

What dream do you have of the past? Is God in it?

Rev. Bob Tasler. www.bobtasler.com

UNDER THE BUS WITH US

        Happy New Year to you all! We are in a new year and have just heard from Matthew 1 that God sent His Son to be our Immanuel, “God With Us.” What does this mean and why is His being with us so important? 

        On December 12, 2011, an accident occurred in West Valley City, Utah. Aryann Smith, 24, was crossing a street when a city bus ran over her. She was pinned completely beneath the bus with injuries that included both broken legs. 

        Officer Kevin Peck was the first responder on the scene. Seeing someone was under the bus, Peck crawled under on the icy ground to check for a pulse. The woman was alive and conscious and asked him not to leave her. He gently assured her he would not let go of her hands until help came. 

        An emergency crew was able to jack up the bus, slide a backboard under her and bring her out. “She was afraid she was going to die,” the officer said, “I just prayed she'd make it and told her I would stay with her until we got her out.” The young woman lived, in part because the officer stayed with her through it all.

        There may be times in the coming year when we find ourselves “under the bus” from bad health, a poor relationship, faulty finances or foolish decisions. But Jesus will be there with us to help us through it all. He has promised to be our “God With Us” every day in 2017. 

        Therefore, we need not fear what will happen this year. Jesus will hold our hands if needed and will make sure we get the help we need. His name means Savior, “one who rescues.” Trust in Him and give Him thanks that He is with us when we need Him.

“Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you, says the Lord.” (Hebrew 13:5)

Rev. Bob Tasler, www.bobtasler.com

CHRISTMAS EVE IN THE DARK

        An hour before leaving to lead Christmas Eve worship at Christ Lutheran, Coolidge, AZ, I received a call that the church lights were out. A powerful rainstorm had knocked out the power on the north side of town, and there was concern if power could be restored in time for church. 

        My mind immediately recalled a similar night of worship many years ago when the lights went out at my first church in North Dakota when a 1972 October snowstorm resulted in a collision between a local snowmobile and a power pole. I grabbed my badly tuned guitar just in case we needed it for “Silent Night”, three small Harbor Freight flashlights, my briefcase and my wife, and made haste over the fields and past the flocks of sheep grazing along the road. 

        Arriving at church as the sun was setting, I was met by skeptical worshippers whom I tried to set at ease with, “Been there, done this before, so don’t worry.” After decisions were made how to usher in the folks and not to use the guitar, the little church filled up with everyone sharing a personal flashlight. The good Lord even gave us a gorgeous Arizona sunset to remind us He was the real One in charge. 

        And so it was that while we were there, the days were accomplished that we should worship the Savior. In true Lutheran tradition, we all did the best we could amid murmurs and chuckles of what was to come. With God’s very personal blessing, we worshipped His Son as the Savior who was born one dark night in Bethlehem. 

        The service was actually quite lovely. A cappella Christmas carols sung with gusto, lessons read by flashlight, and sermon with even a tear or two, all made it memorable. Near sermon’s end the lights came on, just like they did back in 1972. And as people left, a friend was heard saying, “I liked it better when the lights were off.”

How memorable was your Christmas Eve?

Rev. Bob Tasler (www.bobtasler.com)

A BLEAK CHRISTMAS?

        “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might be adopted as God’s children.” (Galatians 4:4-5)

        Ken and Lori faced an unsure Christmas. Ken had lost his job and they had little savings, barely enough for the next month’s house payment. Lori’s time was taken caring for their four young children, and Ken’s efforts at gaining a new job had been fruitless. 

        One evening after the children had been tucked into bed, Ken and Lori sat at the table. “We’re facing a bleak Christmas,” he said. “The bills keep coming and our car needs repair. Nothing is going right.” “Don’t worry, Honey,” Lori added, “Something will come up. God has always helped us.” “But where is God?” Ken asked sadly. “Where is He right now when we need Him?”

        The next morning everything changed. The phone rang and a man said Ken’s Uncle George had died. Ken and his cousins were named in the Will and would share in the estate. Ken’s share would not only give them a wonderful Christmas, it would even help him open his own business. Uncle George’ death gave Ken and Lori an inheritance that would save them from financial ruin.

        You and I might also face a bleak Christmas if it were not for the inheritance we have received from death of our Lord Jesus. The blessing of Christmas is far more than a joyful birthday celebration. It is God’s assurance that we are delivered from a bleak future through the resurrection of the One who was born in the manger. We rejoice that Jesus was born, but especially that He gives us our eternal inheritance.

        Where is God when we need Him? He is with us, for He is our Immanuel, our “God with us”. “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” He assures us in Hebrews 13:5

Give thanks this Christmas that He will never forsake us.

Rev. Bob Tasler

www.bobtasler.com