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In this episode Pastor Dave Hall and Pastor Doug Brauner talk about the importance of traditions and how these traditions affect our celebration of Advent and Christmas. They talk about the importance of hearing the story of Jesus’ birth every year and how close we are to forgetting the story.
Blog: Who’s Standing Behind You?
Kathleen Norris: Dakota: A Spiritual Geography
Scripture:
I know that some of you reading this blog believe the military is too large others too small. Some of you believe in gun control and others don’t. Yet, this blog is NOT intended to be a platform for a political agenda.
The psalmist is not singing about politics. He sings about hope.
What do we hope will save us? There are many things that we could substitute for the war horse, all of which we hope will save us. “The television is a false hope for salvation…” “My spouse is a false hope for salvation…” “The Oregon Ducks are a false hope for salvation…” (Hey, just trying to keep it light.)
What hits us between the eyes is that we misplace our hope. We think that the created thing can act as a substitute for the Creator.
After declaring that “the war horse is a false hope for salvation” the psalmist writes, “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.” Psalm 33:18-19 English Standard Version
The right “thing” is the steadfast love of God; a love reflected to a broken world on a cross and sealed in an empty tomb.
This hope will not disappoint.
Copyright Douglas P Brauner
Covered bridges are becoming extinct. They demand a great deal of care. The Gallon House bridge is no exception. It has received many repairs since it was built in 1916. Maybe Oregon restores her bridges because they provide a momentary relief from the rain for water soaked travelers. (There are fifty covered bridges in Oregon, most of them in the Willamette Valley.)
The steadfast love of God provides more than a momentary relief from the struggles of life. The steadfast love of the Lord is gives us life. Though we often get soaked by the things we think will bring us life, our hope is in the One who is our life. He is our protection.
But from what do we need protection? Some would say that if God is a loving God then he shouldn’t allow bad things to happen to us. Cancer shouldn’t infect bodies. Babies shouldn’t die. People shouldn’t be abused. Some people expect God to give them heaven now.
But God never promised us heaven this side of the grave. Instead, God promises to protect us as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Most of all he protects our relationship with him. He protects that which really matters: the gift of life. Maybe it’s not what we expect but it’s what we need.
Copyright Douglas P Brauner