Blog

13 Days Until My Head Explodes, Or Devotions to Prepare Us For Christ’s Coming

“The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbor in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner organs. You shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the Passover of the LORD. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD.” Exodus 12:1-12

Boy, this makes Cranky Reverend pause – pause at the porcelain. Does anyone need a toilet covering that dresses up the porcelain as a reindeer? Haven’t you always wished you could show your neighbors and friends your reindeer toilet? Of course the answer is a resounding NO. CR is certain CR does not want a pair of eyes watching CR in the bathroom – fake or not. CR believes everyone wants their toilet to be an anonymous piece of porcelain.

Who are the hungry, thirsty, naked and in need in your community? This Cranky Reverend knows how easy it is for people to remain anonymous in our community. They remain so hidden from us – we seem to pass over them as we live our lives.

This Cranky Reverend wants to know: are there ways we can feed, clothe, care for, and visit these people in need in new and exciting ways? There are so many good ministries in the church, yet we cannot become complacent in the calling that this text presents to us. Are there ways we should expand our ministries to those outside of the Hummelstown and Hershey area? Do we need to expand our concept and understanding of who our neighbor is?

Moses was forced to look beyond his own situation, happy as he was living his life as a shepherd and trying to remain anonymous. But G-d needed him to expand his understanding of himself and to expand his idea of how he was to serve G-d. Moses was forced to understand that his “family” was more than just those whom he knew – his “family” was an entire people in need.

As people of G-d we should always try to understand who it is we are passing over – who we should be offering ministries — and how we can serve others.

Pastor Dave

December 10, 2024 – 14 Days Until My Head Explodes, Or Devotions to Prepare Us For Christ’s Coming

“Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” Matthew 24:42-44

Here is the kind of ornament that will keep a Cranky Reverend up at night. Cranky Reverend has no idea who conjured up this ornament, or if it is from some movie CR is not familiar with, but it is a frightening ornament. Of course this begs the question, are we trying to decorate the tree, or scare the “be-jeebers” out of our children? If CR wants to keep his grandchild awake, this is the way.

Keep Awake! Jesus says; for You do not know when the Lord is coming, the day or the hour is only known by the Father. Keep awake can mean two different things to this Cranky Reverend. One is to try not to fall asleep – like most of CR’s congregation during CR’s sermon. Living your life and your faith life in a drowsy existence or sleeping your life away is no way to live.

The other way to consider staying awake is to be alert. Being alert is to be attentive to everything in your presence. Every sound, every movement is listened to, seen, and examined. Which way do you think G-d wants us to “keep awake”? Does G-d seek a drowsy existence with us where we barely hear a word, and always need G-d to nudge us back into awareness? Or, does G-d seek a relationship with you and me where we are attentive and aware?

CR has some thoughts on this topic. CR knows G-d does not want a relationship with a drowsy Christian. G-d wants us to always watch, always listen and always learn – for our wakefulness will strengthen our relationship with G-d and with each other. And if nothing else, you can keep your neighbor awake when they fall asleep during Cranky Reverend’s sermon. Of course, how dare they……

Pastor Dave