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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
What We Do For Love
March 1, 2005
Dear friends,
I hate scraping windshields and clearing snow off of cars. Yet I did it three
times this morning. We all know how long this winter has been. You
would think I would be in good practice by now. It seems like I have been
out there scraping windows and clearing snow twice a week for months
now. I can tell you that it hasn't become any more fun since I began. This
morning I even considered cleaning out all the junk in my garage so I could
park my car in there and avoid this wretched task, but that's another story.
Living in New England means that you have to deal with all the difficulties
of winter as well as enjoying the pleasures of four seasons every year. So
many people complain about the snow and the cold but they would not
have it any other way. This our home. My parents moved to Kentucky
several years ago because the weather is milder there. I am happy for
them. It is nice there, but it will never have the beauty of home.
When you have something you love, there is always going to be a price to
pay. Scraping windshields and clearing snow is part of the cost for
enjoying the beauty of autumn or the freshness of spring in New England.
When I think about the fact that it is March and before long the grass will
be covering the landscape in verdant green and flowers will be bursting
through the sod adding beauty and color to the horizon, the price of
spending a few extra minutes out in the cold today seems quite fair indeed.
A lot of things in life are like that. The price seems very steep when you
consider it by itself. Looking at the big picture helps put everything in
perspective. So it is with Christ and the cross. I have often wondered how
God could let Jesus suffer the way he did on Good Friday. He was
forsaken by his friends, rejected by the people he came to save, beaten and
condemned to die in a manor that was cruel and inhuman. How could God
stand it?
Yet, when we look at the big picture, we suddenly get an image of God
that is so unselfish. He took a father's pain upon himself so that he could
open the gates of heaven to you and me and the rest of the world. It was
not easy. This morning's trouble helped me see things from a different
perspective. I mentioned that I scraped three windshields today. As much
as I hate it, I did mine. Then I went over and scraped off my wife's car
and a few minutes later I attended to my daughter's car. Funny, but I
noticed that scraping their cars was not as bad. As I cleared the snow, my
mind drifted off to how much I loved them and how I wanted to bless
their day. As I finished the job, it helped me see what God did on Good
Friday in a new light. His actions reveal the depth of his love for you and
me. No, it wasn't easy. But it was done out of love.
As we walk through Lent, I pray that this time of thoughtful reflection will
help you and me see just how much God loves us. The apostle John says,
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever
believes in him, should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
God Bless! Cal
March 1, 2005
Dear friends,
I hate scraping windshields and clearing snow off of cars. Yet I did it three
times this morning. We all know how long this winter has been. You
would think I would be in good practice by now. It seems like I have been
out there scraping windows and clearing snow twice a week for months
now. I can tell you that it hasn't become any more fun since I began. This
morning I even considered cleaning out all the junk in my garage so I could
park my car in there and avoid this wretched task, but that's another story.
Living in New England means that you have to deal with all the difficulties
of winter as well as enjoying the pleasures of four seasons every year. So
many people complain about the snow and the cold but they would not
have it any other way. This our home. My parents moved to Kentucky
several years ago because the weather is milder there. I am happy for
them. It is nice there, but it will never have the beauty of home.
When you have something you love, there is always going to be a price to
pay. Scraping windshields and clearing snow is part of the cost for
enjoying the beauty of autumn or the freshness of spring in New England.
When I think about the fact that it is March and before long the grass will
be covering the landscape in verdant green and flowers will be bursting
through the sod adding beauty and color to the horizon, the price of
spending a few extra minutes out in the cold today seems quite fair indeed.
A lot of things in life are like that. The price seems very steep when you
consider it by itself. Looking at the big picture helps put everything in
perspective. So it is with Christ and the cross. I have often wondered how
God could let Jesus suffer the way he did on Good Friday. He was
forsaken by his friends, rejected by the people he came to save, beaten and
condemned to die in a manor that was cruel and inhuman. How could God
stand it?
Yet, when we look at the big picture, we suddenly get an image of God
that is so unselfish. He took a father's pain upon himself so that he could
open the gates of heaven to you and me and the rest of the world. It was
not easy. This morning's trouble helped me see things from a different
perspective. I mentioned that I scraped three windshields today. As much
as I hate it, I did mine. Then I went over and scraped off my wife's car
and a few minutes later I attended to my daughter's car. Funny, but I
noticed that scraping their cars was not as bad. As I cleared the snow, my
mind drifted off to how much I loved them and how I wanted to bless
their day. As I finished the job, it helped me see what God did on Good
Friday in a new light. His actions reveal the depth of his love for you and
me. No, it wasn't easy. But it was done out of love.
As we walk through Lent, I pray that this time of thoughtful reflection will
help you and me see just how much God loves us. The apostle John says,
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever
believes in him, should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
God Bless! Cal
Pastor Cal Lord writes these weekly epistles to
help us see God in every day things.
help us see God in every day things.
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