Bible

Long Songs and Love Affairs…

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Don McLean’s 1971 hit American Pie is a long song. It goes on for over 8 ½ minutes telling the story of “the day the music died.” 

Let’s call American Pie one of the longest songs to become a hit and receive regular airplay on U. S. radio stations, because generally, we don’t sit still for long songs. American Pie pales in comparison to the length of some other songs, though. Pink Floyd is known for some rather lengthy songs: Dark Side of the Moon runs almost 43 minutes, and Echoes coming in at just under 24 minutes are but two. Neither of those compare with Longplayer, though. Longplayer is a one thousand year long musical composition. It began playing at midnight on the 31st of December 1999, and will continue to play without repetition until the last moment of 2999, at which point it will complete its cycle and begin again. Conceived and composed by Jem Finer, it was originally produced as an Artangel commission, and is now in the care of the Longplayer Trust. Longplayer can be heard in the lighthouse at Trinity Buoy Wharf, London, where it has been playing since it began. It can also be heard at several other listening posts around the world, and globally via a live stream on the Internet.[1] I’ve listened to it. It’s actually very weird! But, I suppose a 1,000 year-long song should be weird.

I mention these long songs because of Psalm 119. Psalm 119 goes for 176 verses, making it the longest chapter in the entire bible. Here’s what’s interesting about the 119th Psalm: There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. There are 22 stanzas to the 119th Psalm. Each stanza of this song coincides with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For example, the first stanza represents the letter aleph, and all eight verses of the first stanza begin with the Hebrew letter aleph. Likewise, the second letter beth begins the second stanza, and all eight verses of the second stanza begin with the Hebrew letter beth. That pattern continues through all twenty-two stanzas.

heart wordsOh, that the English language could capture the pain-staking labor of love that is the 119th Psalm! It truly expresses the love affair the author has with God’s word. In these 176 verses, the author (whom many commentators believe to be David) magnifies God’s word, praises God’s word, thanks God for it, describes it and asks God to continue to use it in his life. The Psalm is also a testimony to the knowledge the author has of God’s word. We’ve said the best songs are those written out of the writer’s own experience. Luke Bryan, reigning Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year, recently said, “I like to hunt, fish, ride around on my farm, build a big bonfire and drink some beers — and that’s what I sing about. It’s what I know.” Well, that may be what Luke Bryan knows, but the Psalmist knows God’s word, and the advice he offers was not wishful thinking on his part. He had lived it, believed it, practiced it and had seen the benefits throughout his life. He was simply trying to communicate that value to others, and he chose to do it through the longest song in the Hebrew hymnbook.

So, what is the value in having a love affair with God’s word? If we took the time to survey the entire Psalm we would hear the Psalmist tell us there is no more rewarding endeavor, and no exercise pays greater spiritual dividends than reading, and dare I say, memorizing God’s word. Here’s what we’d find through these 176 verses:

  • Our prayer life strengthened,
  • Our ability to share our faith sharper and more effective,
  • People would seek us out for advice,
  • Our attitude and our outlook would be transformed,
  • Our mind would be more alert and observant (might cure a little of our ADHD),
  • Our confidence and assurance would be enhanced, and most of all
  • Our faith would be solidified.

Every one of these traits of the spiritual life are addressed by the Psalmist, but I especially like verses 9 – 16:

9 How can a young person stay pure?
    By obeying your word.
10 I have tried hard to find you—
    don’t let me wander from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you.
12 I praise you, O Lord;
    teach me your decrees.
13 I have recited aloud
    all the regulations you have given us.
14 I have rejoiced in your laws
    as much as in riches.
15 I will study your commandments
    and reflect on your ways.
16 I will delight in your decrees
    and not forget your word.

Verse 11 is especially telling: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Knowing God’s word can keep us from falling to temptation. What do I mean?

Jesus is our example. Matthew records after Jesus’ baptism, he went into the wilderness for forty days, and during those forty days, Satan came to tempt Jesus on three different occasions. Once, he came when Jesus was hungry and said, “Turn these stones to bread.” Jesus replied by quoting Deuteronomy 4:3: “No! People need more than bread for life; they must feed on every word of God.” Jesus quoted scripture when facing temptation. Another time, Satan came and challenged Jesus to jump from the pinnacle of the Temple. Satan even quoted scripture in an attempt to deceive Jesus (Yes! There’s a correct way and an incorrect way to interpret scripture), but Jesus responded with his own quotation of scripture, again from Deuteronomy 6:16: “The Scriptures also say, ‘Do not tempt the Lord your God’.” In the third instance, Satan took Jesus to the top of a high mountain and showed him the kingdoms of the earth, and said “I’ll give you all these if you will bow down and worship me.” Once more, Jesus answered from Deuteronomy 6:13: “Get out of here, Satan. For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God; serve him only’.” Jesus was prepared to meet every temptation because he had “hidden” God’s word in his heart. When temptation came, he went to the Word.

Notice, though that hiding God’s word in our hearts is more than simple Bible memorization. Hiding God’s word in our hearts means to have his word live within us and transform us in the process. The written word becomes the living word, and it breathes life into our weak mortal bodies. The Holy Spirit works through the written word to transform it into the living word as he moves in our old, dead spirit, and the word becomes a source of life and strength.

Many years ago in a Moscow theater, matinee idol Alexander Rostovzev was converted while playing the role of Jesus in a sacrilegious play entitled Christ in a Tuxedo. He was supposed to read two verses from the Sermon on the Mount, remove his gown, and cry out, “Give me my tuxedo and top hat!” But as he read the words, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted,” he began to tremble. Instead of following the script, he kept reading from Matthew 5, ignoring the coughs, calls, and foot-stamping of his fellow actors. Finally, recalling a verse he had learned in his childhood in a Russian Orthodox church, he cried, “Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom!” (Luke 23:42). Before the curtain could be lowered, Rostovzev had trusted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior.[2] The written word had become the living word in Rostovzev’s life, and so it may in ours, as well.

So, here are some simple ways to begin to hide God’s word in our hearts.

  • Read the Bible every day, even if it’s only one verse.It’s better to learn a little bit perfectly than to learn a lot poorly. The New Living Translation is one I’ve found that is easier to read.
  • Join a Bible study group.
  • Start memorizing verses.

Isn’t it time to begin a love affair with God’s word? Can we hide God’s word deep in our hearts, and let the Holy Spirit breathe into our spirit so it becomes the living word so that we can live the kind of life God is calling us to lead—a life of holiness, even when we face temptation. I remind us that God is not calling us to lead a happy life. God is calling us to lead a holy life. Perhaps then, our lives will reflect the deep, abiding love affair about which the Psalmist sang.

Until next time, keep looking up…

[1] http://www.funtrivia.com/askft/Question108744.html

[2] https://bible.org/illustration/romans-1017

May I Have Your Attention Please…

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Malcolm Gladwell, in 2000, debuted his first book entitled The Tipping Point. In that book, Gladwell defines the tipping point as “that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate.” The tipping point is that moment of critical mass, the threshold of something new, or dare I say, the boiling point.

your attention pleaseThe boiling point might not be a good metaphor to employ  as we celebrate 239 years as a nation. I was listening to a podcast from a church researcher this week who stated that sociologically we have seen more cultural change in the past two years than we have in the previous 200 years.[1] We know change creates anxiety, and the rapid rate of change over the past two years has left us with no little amount of anxiety, even in the church. I confess my own anxiety as a pastor who leads a congregation, knowing that our congregations can hold as equally diverse opinions on social issues, political issues and theological issues as the broader population at large. And, I am pastor to everyone, and I want to be pastor to everyone. We hold in tension the diversity for the sake of the unity of the body of Christ. May I say, it’s a daunting task.

So, what do we do in these changing times? How do we deal with such great diversity? How do we respond in this culture that seems to be so divided? May I offer this advice: Praise God.

That’s exactly what the psalmist did in Psalm 33. Psalm 33 is a hymn of praise to God that celebrates God’s righteous character, creative power and sovereignty. These are all God’s qualities that make Him the only reliable foundation for hope and trust. With this psalm, the psalmist sets the tone of worship and reverence for the people of God, and we would do well to note that reverence in the face of changing and challenging times, whether as a nation, as a church, or as individuals who are facing our own transitions in life, that God is where our hope lies. Our praise must reflect our reverence for God, our dependence upon God, and our hope in God.psalm-33-18

Sometimes I think we’ve lost a bit of reverence for God. Verse 18 says, “But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him.” The word “fear” in the Bible means “to tremble.” It is used in connection with 3 experiences: 1) To tremble with the thought of being punished by a holy God for our sins, 2) To tremble at the sight of the mighty acts of God, and 3) To tremble with joy at the knowledge that people were being saved. Fear in this sense is simple reverence.

One of the cultural shifts that gives me greatest concern is the growing lack of respect we see. We see a lack of respect for our leaders. We see a lack of respect for the diversity of one another’s opinions. Name-calling and hateful speech show an utter lack of respect. I’m doing a Facebook fast for the simple reason that I became tired of scrolling through my news feed only to encounter post after post of disparaging comments and articles aimed at destroying the humanity of others. It’s not limited to for/against. The name calling and hateful speech comes from both directions. I remind us all that Christ died for all people, and our Methodist doctrine teaches us that all persons are persons of sacred worth. I fear our lack of respect for one another finds its roots in our lack of respect and reverence for God.

We have sought to bring God down to our level. We like to refer to him as “the Man upstairs,” or the “guy in the sky.” It’s almost impossible to have reverence and respect for Jesus when you want him to wear a tuxedo t-shirt! The psalmist reminds us that praise exalts God to the proper place. The Bible says He is the Holy One—El Shaddi (Almighty One)—Alpha and Omega—Creator of the Universe—Everlasting Father. Jesus will always be my Savior. Jesus will be my Lord. Jesus will be a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Jesus will always be King of Kings and Lord of Lords, but he is not now, nor will he ever be my “homeboy.” That is simply too irreverent a reference for the one who saved me and sustains me.

I love the way Jude closes his short letter with deep reverence: “To the only God and Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forever more! Amen.” The Hebrews would not even pronounce the name of God, but in our culture we’ve developed short-hand for our irreverence—OMG! Yes, I’m guilty! That, too, points to my own need of God’s grace. We’re all in need of God’s grace in our lives. That ought to be a reminder to us to be patient with those with whom we disagree. Respect for others means we can disagree without being disagreeable. I believe our respect for one another will come as we reclaim our reverence for God.

Yes, I know that won’t end all the name-calling and such, and yes, I know it makes me sound like a stodgy old fool, but let’s start there and see where it leads us. You never know. It just might raise the level of our conversation.

Until next time, keep looking up…

[1] Podcast, Rainer on Leadership, “How Church Culture Changes,” www.thomrainer.com, July 2, 2015.

Because I’m Happy…

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minion stuartDo you remember the “minions?” They are the adorable yellow little helpers for Gru in the films Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2. They’ve shown up in advertising, television programs and music since those two movies, and now, on July 10th, is the debut of their own movie entitled simply, Minions. I mention the minions because one of the more popular connections with them is The Happy Song by Pharrel Williams. It’s an incredibly uplifting number that was the theme song for Despicable Me 2.  Watch it here:

 

The Happy Song is an incredibly happy, fun song that seeks to communicate the attitude we all should have as we go through life—no matter what happens, we should be happy. If we have a “happy” attitude, everything will look bright and sunny and better than it really is. While attitude may be 90% of life’s battle, a happy attitude will not always color the circumstances of life because as we define happiness, it is too dependent upon what happens to us.

In contrast, as we survey Psalm 1, we find what I like to call “The Original Happy Song.”

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

4 Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff
    that the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

The First Psalm opens up with the phrase translated “blessed is the man.” The Hebrew word is esher, and is often translated as an interjection that says, “Happy is the man!” The New Living Translation says, “Oh the joys of those…!” This is a holy moment, and David seems to be overwhelmed with joy as he shouts this great truth in song. We need to be aware, too, that as David sings, this is the opening song of the Hebrew hymnbook. He’s writing a sacred song to a sacred people. The tune would not be on the top ten iTunes playlist. This is a song for those who desire to know God. What David says, in essence, is that if you want to discover happiness, live this way. Live this way, not that way, and you will find happiness. It’s the first instruction given to the faith community in their life of worship.

It’s interesting that Jesus started in the same place David started. You remember how Jesus began his ministry? He gathered his disciples on a hillside in Galilee, sat them down, and in the Beatitudes, gave them the keys to a happy life: “Blessed (happy) are the meek, for theirs is the Kingdom of God.” Live this way, and you’ll find happiness. Jesus and David on the same page. That’s probably not an accident. It’s probably not an accident, either, that like David does in this first psalm, Jesus talked about trees, well, more specifically, vines and branches, and he also talked about a path, as does David in Psalm 1. In the same message in which Jesus preached about happiness, he closes that message with this admonition: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7: 13 – 14 NIV). Compare that to David’s, “For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction” (verse 6).

Both David and Jesus tell us there’s a way for people of faith to live their lives to discover the fullness of God’s salvation. It includes both positive and negative behavior. Don’t do that. Do this. There’s a right way to live, and a wrong way to live.

Here’s a point to ponder today: There are two different roads in life, and no matter how much we don’t like to talk about it, not every road leads to the same place. It might be time to ask, “Which road am I on?”

Until next time, keep looking up…

Rest Area Ahead…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
3     he restores my soul.   Psalm 23: 1 – 3 (NRSV)

Psalm 23 is the best-known, best-loved, and not to mention most-memorized of all the Psalms. We read it at funerals to comfort the grieving, at hospital beds to encourage the sick, and to those who have run aground on the discouragements of life. We read it because it is a song of confidence in God. This psalm is called the Shepherds Psalm because it portrays God as a good Shepherd, who cares for his flock. The Psalm is attributed to King David. If anyone was qualified to describe God in this manner, it was David. David had been a shepherd before he became king. So David had a pretty good idea of what a shepherd is like. How often David must have gazed up at the heavens on those star-filled nights while he was out watching over his father’s sheep and pondered the very nature of God! There in the depths of his heart he must have pondered how much God was just like a shepherd. His years of shepherding had taught him a few things, and as he contemplated the shepherd’s work, he found a fitting description of what God does for his people.

rest areaThere are a number of things David notes in this Psalm. The opening sentence really says all that needs to be said: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” The NIV says, “I shall not be in want,” and the NLT says, “I have everything I need.” Everything that comes after the first sentence is unpacking what the Psalmist means by having everything he needs. We’re already into the summer months, and we’re anticipating time off and vacations and days on the lake or the river, so I believe it’s important to focus on only one aspect of this Psalm today—rest.

We don’t often rest well in this 24/7/365 culture in which we live. Rest is almost a forgotten art, but rest is integral to our human existence. We can’t wind the rubber band tighter and tighter. The tension has to be released, or sooner or later the rubber band will snap. When it snaps it will lead us to a mental failure, a moral failure or severe chronic health conditions. I used to use a lot of Andy Griffith illustrations in my messages. I figured out, however, that younger generations didn’t know who Andy Griffith was. I don’t use them much anymore. Still, there’s one episode of the Andy Griffith Show that illustrates how we live most of our lives. The episode is entitled “Man in a Hurry”

and it’s about a business man whose car breaks down on Sunday. Of course, Wally, the owner of the filling station, isn’t available on Sunday, so Mr. Tucker convinces Gomer to try to fix the car. The man finds it imperative to get to Charlotte. No amount of coaxing will encourage the man to rest, relax, take it easy until Monday morning when Wally will be back and willing to fix his car. He’s a man in a hurry. That desperate need to be on the run was broadcast in 1963—that’s the year I was born, folks. Things have only gotten worse since.

We need rest, and the Psalmist says that’s exactly what the shepherd offers his sheep. “He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul.” You know how it is, right? Living life with all these balls juggling in the air—you’ve got the work ball, the family ball, the church ball, the society ball. We run frantically around trying to keep all the balls juggling at the same time. Let’s take a look at one of those balls—the work ball. The average American works 47 hours per week. We can’t wait to get to the weekend, right? But then, we don’t rest because we have to keep the family ball in the air. There’s laundry to be done. The yard needs mowing. The hedges need trimming. The roof needs fixing. The kids have ball games. Juggle, juggle, juggle.

Seriously, don’t think we’re going to wait until we take a vacation to rest. You’ve seen National Lampoon’s Vacation. That’s the way most vacations go. Run from one place to the next trying to take in all the sights we can because our time is limited and we want to get the most bang for the buck. We have to come home and go back to work to rest—most of the time.  There’s even a new Vacation movie coming out soon. Unfortunately, I’ve seen the trailer, and there’s no way I would link it on this blog (nor recommend you see the film!).

For me, a beach vacation is one exception that comes to mind. It was at the beach I discovered the value in doing nothing, and I discovered that doing nothing is actually doing something. Resting is not about letting all those balls we juggle drop. Resting is taking the balls and setting them down.

If we’re not resting, that might be a pretty good indication we’re not following the Shepherd.  If we go 24/7/365, that’s a pretty good indication we’re not following the Shepherd because the Shepherd makes us lie down in green pastures and leads us beside still waters. HE does it. He does it because rest is part of God’s nature. God worked for six days and he rested. God looked on the seventh day and saw that it was “very good.” The work was complete. And God built that rhythm into life. God didn’t need to rest because he was weary from the work. God rested because the creation was complete. It was whole. Yeah, we had to go and mess it up, but we can rest because we are complete in the Shepherd. We find wholeness in our relationship with the shepherd, and I remind you that wholeness is really the definition behind this little thing we call salvation.

Rest comes as a result of contentment. Sheep rest when they are content. Phillip Keller in his great book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, says there are four things that create discontent in sheep: 1) fear, 2) friction, 3) parasites, and 4) hunger. The sheep are able to rest when the shepherd addresses each one of those circumstances. So, what are we afraid of? Afraid of not getting ahead? Afraid of not keeping up with the Joneses? Afraid of death? Where are the places of friction in our lives? Is it work/family balance? Is it in a relationship? What are the parasites that are drawing the life out of us? What are we hungry for? More possessions? We find meaning, purpose and value in life when we depend on the Shepherd, not when we depend upon ourselves.

Most of us aren’t Andy Griffith, and we don’t live in Mayberry. Resting doesn’t come automatically to us. We have to cultivate the art. Let me offer four suggestions:

  1. Block out time on your calendar to do nothing. It’s not a license to be lazy. It is an intentional disconnect from the distractions, and a time to listen for the Master.
  2. Don’t take yourself (or your job) too seriously. Some things are serious, but far fewer than we think.
  3. Laugh every day, out loud, at something—I didn’t say laugh at someone. That can be destructive. But, the wisdom writer of Proverbs says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine” (Proverbs 17:22)
  4. When you relax…really relax. Blow it! Enjoy the leisure. Ignore the critics. An unknown alcoholic with AA said, “A relaxed, easy-going person is more attractive than an uptight, rigid person who squeaks when they walk and whines when they talk.” Seriously! Relax!

Rest is part of God’s provision for our lives. As we kick off this summer, it’s a good time to be reminded that rest is part of the “all I need” the Good Shepherd provides. Perhaps that’s our greatest need. Maybe it’s why that’s where David started this greatest song.

Until next time, keep looking up…

R & R…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

I thought I needed to post some random thoughts (more like observations) on a recent rest and recreation trip the wife and I took. Before I begin I need to offer a disclaimer (may I refer you to the name of the website?). I went to a casino. There, I’ve said it. I could insert the phrase “Don’t judge me!” here, but that would be pointless because some of you already have, and the rest of you may before you get to the end of the blog. But, there exists the reality that I could probably use a little judgment in my life (we all could, probably–might be what’s missing in our world today), so I won’t insert that phrase. Go ahead! Judge me! I went to a casino, and it was quite an interesting trip.

casinoThe only time I’ve been to a casino previously was when a church member invited me to a buffet for lunch. He wanted to take me to lunch. That’s where he wanted to eat (something about a military discount). I like food (my favorite food is free food), so I figured if anyone saw the pastor at a casino, at least they’d see me with a church member. I could legitimately call that a ministry opportunity. That trip was a few years ago. This most recent trip was last week.

I should also add that I’m not judging those who choose to go to casinos (hint: when someone says they’re not judging, they probably are). I’ve simply made it a practice throughout my adult life not to waste my money in THAT way. I waste it in a lot of other ways, but I figure why waste money on a losing proposition. I mean, really? Where else does a person walk in the door saying, “I’ve got $20 to lose”? I also need to add that I didn’t gamble while I was at the casino. Seriously, how good would it look if someone saw the preacher sitting at a gaming table (like what they call it?) with cards in front of him? Can you see that picture on Facebook?

So, how did we get to a casino, anyway? Well, I was invited by a couple who attends the church I pastor to officiate their wedding. It was being held in a Gulf Coast community known for its gaming opportunities. It was the week after Easter (always a good time for pastors to take a little R & R), so Vanessa and I thought we’d go down a few days early since it was a community we’d never spent time in before, and it was on the beach (the beach is my happy place). The only accommodations “on the beach” were the casinos. It wasn’t until after we arrived that we discovered “on the beach” does not mean access to the beach (that’s probably the reason the bell hop looked at us funny when we asked him to put our beach chairs on the luggage cart!). I guess management figures if they allowed access to the beach, people might spend more time on the beach, and the whole point is to keep people in the casino. Not only are the casinos the only properties “on the beach,” but they’re also the most elegant properties in town. We wanted nice accommodations “on the beach,” so we figured, let’s stay at a casino (not to mention I got bonus points on my credit card for booking through their travel site at this casino–take that Dave Ramsey!). Now you know how we ended up at a casino.gambling

Here are a few things I noticed while at the casino:

  • First, I thought I was at a Hoveround Scooter convention! I couldn’t believe how many old people were there. Everywhere I looked there were people on scooters, canes and walkers (yes, walkers). I asked one of the staff if there was an old-folks convention (I’m not making fun of old folks–I hope to be one myself someday) at this casino. He answered, “No, it’s this way all the time.” I didn’t know so many old folks went to casinos. Is this what retired people do? And, these old folks came to gamble, too. As I walked around the casino floor watching the action, most of them were pulling the one-armed bandits, but many others were sitting at the table games throwing chips at numbers and making bets. I just scratched my head, wondering “What gives?”
  • On the opposite extreme, I was struck by the number of families there. It was a spring break week, and I never, ever thought of taking my children to a casino for spring break. But, there were children everywhere…even on the casino floor. I didn’t actually see any playing the games, but there was a big arcade at the end of the “retail promenade” (nothing like getting them started early in life). Yeah, there was a nice pool, but there are nice pools in lots of places. I just scratched my head, wondering “What gives?”
  • Apparently, it’s still legal to smoke indoors in public places in this particular town. The lobby of the casino was very pleasant in its atmosphere, and there was an overwhelming scent of perfume. Once leaving the lobby, it quickly became apparent to me why. People were smoking…everywhere…the hallways, the casino floor, the restaurants, the pool, you name it. The only place I didn’t encounter anyone smoking was in the fitness facility. Now, that would have been a paradox. We were worried about packing up our dirty clothes in the suitcase. We didn’t want our suitcase to end up smelling like smoke. I just scratched my head, wondering “What gives?”
  • Take your wallet to the casino! I guess that’s the whole point, though. The only thing they gave away at the casino was air to breath (smoke-filled as it was), and water by the pool. Everything else carried a charge, and that was in addition to the $10.70/day resort fee (what is that for anyway?) that was charged in addition to the rate paid for the hotel room. Not even in-room coffee was complimentary. Really? I can get in-room coffee at Super 8 for a whole lot less money, though I’ll say nothing about the quality of the coffee I might get at Super 8. I’ve rarely spent so much money to spend three days at the beach, and we didn’t really spend a lot of time on the beach! I just scratched my head, wondering “What gives?”

As I’ve re-read what I’ve been writing, I’m wondering why I’m even writing this blog. Perhaps it is to assuage some guilt I’m feeling for having gone to a casino. I’m sure I’m not the first pastor who ever went to a casino, and I’m certain I won’t be the last. I hope when I get to the pearly gates, the Lord doesn’t ask me why I went to that casino. If he does, I’m sunk! I don’t think “because I wanted to be ‘on the beach'” will be an acceptable answer. (No! He probably won’t ask me that question.)

I find myself wondering if anyone who knew me saw me there, would my presence become a stumbling block to them in their faith, and I also wonder if my writing about it might become a stumbling block, too. Perhaps I’m over-thinking it (Vanessa says I do that), and I should just chalk it up to another experience lived. Who knows? It could even be that I’m hoping to stave off the potential problems that will arise should a picture of me surface on Facebook at some time in the future. I’ll say, “Sure, I wrote a blog about it.” Of course, I could simply say, “I was trying to experience life as my congregation experiences it.” After all, I hear my congregation members saying all the time they went to the casino. I’m just simply trying to share their faith journey. I’m almost certain if Jesus were around today, he’d probably spend time at a casino. There is a lot of brokenness in places like that, you know?

I’m sure I’ll get some negative feedback for writing this blog post. I’ll get some folks who’ll say what a bad witness it is for a pastor to be in a casino, and that I should be ashamed of myself for going to such a place. I know all the arguments against gambling, and as a pastor, should my community ever reconsider the possibility of legalized gambling (I’m sorry–gaming), I’ll stand in opposition to it. At least, now, I’ll have some frame of reference from which to legitimately speak.

There’s really no judgment or condemnation intended toward anyone who chooses to spend their time and money in a casino. If judgment or condemnation is to come, I’ll save that for the Lord to do at the appropriate time. I can honestly say now that I’ve had the experience (no, I didn’t buy the T-shirt), it’s not likely I’ll ever go back again. I’ll not say “never” because I’ve learned to never say never, but as of now, I don’t plan to return to a casino any time soon. It was an interesting experience. It was an enlightening experience. And, it was a challenging experience. If you’ve never had that experience, there’s nothing about mine that would encourage me to encourage you to go to a casino. You’ll be wasting your time and your money. But, hey! It’s your time and your money, so…I’ll just scratch my head and wonder, “What gives?”

Until next time, keep looking up…