I Am a Selective Hugger

There’s a lot of hugging the Bible. You won’t find the actual word in the ESV, KJV, NKJV, or the NIV, but it’s there.

• Jacob hugs his grandsons (Genesis 48:10).

• Ruth hugs Naomi shortly after both suffered the loss of their husbands (Ruth 1:14).

• Esau hugs Jacob, which is a little funny since they weren’t on hugging terms (Genesis 33:4).

• Our Lord hugs children (Mark 10:16).

• The old man hugs his prodigal son when he comes home (Luke 15:10).

• The elders in the Ephesian church hug Paul when he says goodbye (Acts 20:37).

I am not a hugger – grandchildren are the exception – and never have been. It’s not a phobia or anything. I am simply not all that interested, but…

Improving My Marriage

Later this year, Brenda and I will celebrate 39 years of marriage, if the Lord wills. We have a good marriage, a really good marriage. My library is full of books on marriage. I read most everything about marriage I can get my hands on. I have every intention of continuing to read on the subject until one of us is with the Lord. My marriage isn’t as good as it could be, and I want it to be better.

A few months ago, while thinking on marriage and on this simple phrase from Song of Solomon, I made a conscious decision to implement a daily practice in my union with Brenda.

“His right hand embraces me (2:6)”

Brenda and I have rituals in our marriage. For example, I regularly leave the house in the morning before she does. I kiss her goodbye. At the end of the day, whoever is home first (usually Brenda) greets upon arrival the other (usually me) with a kiss (1 Peter 5:14, et al). It’s a good habit.

Not long ago, I thought, “I don’t hug her enough. I don’t really hug her at all. I should start doing that.” So, I started hugging her every day, without fail. I mean, it’s not that hard to do. And I told her what I am doing. She knows I am going to hug her every day for no other reason than she’s my wife, and, it seems to me, to be a really good thing for a husband to do.

Early Returns 

I’ll admit my exegesis of the Scripture on the subject might be sketchy. There’s no command in the Bible mandating a husband hug his wife, and the brief line in Song of Solomon sets no standard to achieve. Still, I cannot deny the quick results and kick myself for not embracing this a long time ago. Since I started hugging her EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. I look at her differently…better…softer…kinder…more patiently…more appreciatively…maybe more like our Lord looks at us, the church, his bride (Ephesians 5:25-33).

Will a hug a day keep the bad marriage vibes away? I can’t make any promises, but I can witness the positive impact on an already good marriage. I’d be surprised if it didn’t do the same for you.

As always, thanks for reading, and I welcome your feedback and any suggestions you might have for an upcoming Lunchtime Musing.

O Beautiful for Spacious Skies

I was 10 years old on July 4, 1976. Our nation’s bicentennial came the day before my 11thbirthday. My mom often told me the annual fireworks show was part of my birthday party. I knew that wasn’t true, but I liked the thought.

My Country 'Tis of Thee

The summer of ’76 was a great time to be an American kid. No school meant baseball, bike rides, and hours in the backyard pool. Simpler times, for sure. As a bonus, our country was celebrating 200 years as a nation.

The US Mint printed bicentennial quarters to commemorate the event. We tried not to spend those, but when it was all you had, and you needed to beat the summer heat, you dropped the keepsake into the pop machine to grab a cold one. Pepsi didn’t miss a beat. Their heaven’s nectar came in collectable red, white, and blue cans marked with 1776-1976 graphics. The Good Ol’ Days.

Like many from every previous generation, I look back longingly to days gone by, but that doesn’t mean I want to go back. For all the struggles in the present, I thank the Lord that I live in the time that I do.

We’ve all heard the history lessons about the Atlantic crossings that brought our nation’s first citizens to her shores. In 1776, an ocean trek from Europe to America was 6 to 8 weeks long. A few months ago, I made a longer ocean crossing in under 9 hours. My grandmother would find it hard to believe that I have traveled to the Philippines, the Hawaiian Islands, India, Europe, England, Central America, and the Caribbean Islands in the last 30 years, many of those places multiple times. Only the elite could have done that 50 years ago.

In many ways, my life is easier, my standard of living is higher, and my lifestyle is better than it was for my parents 50 years ago. When I look at my children and grandchildren, I see better for them than what I knew before they were born. In all the challenges, life is better in so many ways. I cannot diminish the part the United States has played in making my life, your life, and our descendants’ lives better than the generations before us. It’s not heaven, but it’s pretty good.

Proud to Be an American

I am humbled to be a citizen of this great country. When overseas, I am never embarrassed to say where I am from. I had nothing to do with my citizenry, but I thank God for it. I smile when I watch the reels of soccer fans from around the world who have descended on our land as they cheer their times in the World Cup. Much of what I take for granted is beyond belief to them.

“You mean you can refill your pop again and again until you don’t want anymore, and there’s no extra charge?”

“Yep, we call that ‘Freedom’”

In a few days, we will celebrate 250 years since the signing of our Declaration of Independence. As Job declared long ago, God birthed our nation (12:23). I hope you praise God for this nation as I do, and I hope you pray for its longevity.

So, celebrate loud and bold, Christians! You are citizens of the greatest country on earth, by the grace of God.

As always, thanks for reading, and I welcome your feedback and any suggestions you might have for an upcoming Lunchtime Musing.

Sit a Spell and Listen to the Ol' Man's Words

It’s a simple plan. Read the chapter in Proverbs that corresponds to the day. Today is June 25. Today, read Proverbs 25. Do the same with every corresponding day. On the first of the month, start over. Over 30 years ago, my pastor taught me to read the Proverb of the Day, and I am thankful for the simple instruction.

Reading wisdom day after day reveals repeated topics. Anger, money, and words weave their ways in and out of so many chapters. And then there is the repeated call to pay attention captured in the phrase, “My Son.”

More than 20 times in the Old Testament Proverbs, the dad offers sage advice to his kid beginning with the phrase, “My son.” It’s easy to imagine a scenario where a young father talks to his adolescent son, and that has some merit. For example, when the dad says, “My son, if sinners entice you, don’t be persuaded” (1:10). Every kid needs that counsel.

Yet, a careful reading does not limit the recurring calls to pay attention to a young boy. The subjects under discussion are adult issues. The advice comes from an older man to his older son.

• How old? I’m not sure, but old enough to talk embarrassingly frank about the bewitching words, alluring actions, and seductive appearance of a woman who wants him sexually (5:3-20).

• How old? I’m not sure, but old enough to talk legal contracts and the potential dangers of cosigning a document binding him to another man’s debt (6:1).

• How old? I’m not sure, but old enough to talk about the posture his son should take as a member of the public in relation to government officials (24:21).

Isn’t it obvious God intends for wise counsel to continue beyond the age of 21?

Isn’t it obvious God intends the receipt of wise counsel to continue beyond the age of 18?

The call then is for mature men to be brave and bold, loving and perceptive in what is going on in the lives of their sons well into middle age.

The call then is for maturing sons to be humble and receptive, thankful and interested in the godly words that come from old school minds.

My dad has been with the Lord for more than 10 years. My only grandfather has been with the Lord for thirty years. I no longer have in my immediate family a steady hand and a familiar voice speaking truth into my ears. Therefore, I look to the few men in our church who are older than I am for instruction, warning, encouragement, and wisdom.

I do have sons, sons-in-law, and four grandsons. I view my responsibility seriously as modeled by the wisdom in Proverbs.

Of course, the model of Proverbs is not confined to males. The Apostle Paul takes up the pattern and applies it to females when he instructs older women to do for adult, albeit younger, women what the wise father in the book of Proverbs does for his adult son (Titus 2:3-4).

There is no end to the responsibility to speak wisdom into the lives of others, and there is no end to learn from the astute counsel of those who have walked with the Lord the road before us.

As always, thanks for reading, and I welcome your feedback and any suggestions you might have for an upcoming Lunchtime Musing.

Never Minimize the Table

Every Christian church practices communion or the Lord’s Table. At our church, we share around the table most months on the first Sunday of the month. I do not have any hard evidence to back up my claim, but the anecdotes from other pastors seem to confirm my thought – many Christians do not give the attention our Lord commands to the ordinance of the Lord’s Table (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Most pastors tell me only a fraction of the church’s members regularly participate in the worship around the table. For some reason, many evangelicals do not recognize the importance of the event.

The night of his betrayal, Jesus instituted what we call communion or the Lord’s Table when he ate and drank with his disciples in the upper room.  As Jesus held the cup and the bread before the men, he declared the New Covenant between God and man, a covenant of grace accomplished by his death on the cross. Later, the Apostle Paul would teach the Corinthian church that Jesus’s words, “Do this in remembrance of me,” applied to them as well since they too were disciples of Jesus.

As Baptists, we believe the Lord’s Table is a memorial service reminding us in symbols of the work done by Jesus on our behalf. The meaning of the table should call us together for a wonderful celebration. In fact, I would say, the Lord’s Table services of our church should be the highest attended worship events in the life of our church. There are several reasons to say so.

Because Jesus Commands It

We recognize two commands from our Lord. The Great Commission directs the church’s mission, “Go make disciples of all the nations.” The second command, to celebrate around the table, directs the church’s message - the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. When a local church calls its members to come to the table, every follower of Jesus should obey his command. The command, however, is not an empty rule.

Because Our Souls Need It

We do not believe the cup and the bread contain any grace when taken or become the blood and body of our Lord. Nowhere does the New Testament teach this. Our souls do not need the elements at the table to acquire more grace from God. Instead, our souls need the reminder of what the elements represent. Our Lord has given us in physical form a picture of a spiritual reality.

What happens at the table is a picture of the gospel. Our need for the gospel was not a one-time event met the day of our conversions. We need the gospel daily. Like the Galatian church, we are prone to return to our own efforts to gain God’s approval. The table reminds us that God’s forgiveness of our sins and God’s imputation of righteousness was secured by the life and death of Jesus. When you come to the table and take the bread and the cup, you remind yourself that what you are before God is because of what you have outside of yourself, the person and work of Jesus. The table humbles us as we consider our failings and Jesus’ sufficiency. To neglect the table is to work against your own your own soul.

Because the Church Benefits

The blessings of the table are not only personal, but they are also corporate. The table promotes the unity of the church like nothing else can.

A Sunday School campaign may bring a seasonal fellowship. A building program, a ministry launch, or a community event may help the church to feel connected among all its members. Nothing, however, unites the church like the table. Here, we all affirm our shared need for a savior. Here, we all declare our sinfulness. Here, no judgmental spirits exist because we all know, “It was my sin that held him there” not the sin of the others in the room. Here, we all look to Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith. Here, we are one in Christ. Our ethnicities, social standing, age, and our sex fade as we all rest in the glory of Jesus Christ. No greater occasion exists to promote church unity than the gathering around the Lord’s Table.

Because the Gospel is Presented

There are many benefits to regular participation around the table. Have you considered the benefits to our children? Our curious children want to know what and why we do communion. The question most of them ask at some point is, “When can I take a cup or bread?” That question is invitation for you as a parent to preset the gospel to your son or daughter. When you expose them to the church’s practice of the Lord’s Table, you expose them to the gospel in a beautiful way imagined by our Lord. Should you neglect the table, you keep from your children a means of giving them the gospel. Just imagine the potential conversations with your child as you answer their questions about the Lord’s Table showing them Jesus in every response!

In addition to his wonderful commentary, Matthew Henry produced A Short Catechism about the Lord’s Supper. Question 31…

Q: What benefits do they receive by it?
A: Their faith is hereby strengthened, their resolutions are confirmed, their comforts increased, and they have an earnest of the everlasting feast

As always, thanks for reading, and I welcome your feedback and any suggestions you might have for an upcoming Lunchtime Musing.

Remember The Holocaust

Now 80 years after the end of World War II, Europe’s Jewish population has not yet recovered to pre-Holocaust numbers. The magnitude of the evil against the Jewish people cannot be exaggerated.

Unknown by most and forgotten by others is Holocaust Remembrance Day. On the Hebrew calendar Holocaust Remembrance Day was Monday, May 6, 2024. The date moves within a small window and corresponds to the 27th day of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar. It marks the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The 2025 Remembrance is April 24.  Earlier this morning, President Joe Biden delivered the keynote address in keeping with every president since 1993 when the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum opened.

The website for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is a fascinating collection of stories, photographs, videos, and online tools for learning what happened when Adolph Hitler and The Third Reich concocted The Final Solution which delivered to Europe the systematic murder of six million Jews. Now 80 years after the end of World War II, Europe’s Jewish population has not yet recovered to pre-Holocaust numbers. The magnitude of the evil against the Jewish people cannot be exaggerated. Genocide is the only appropriate description of what happened as many watched in horror but did not act.

One Family's Bravery

Brenda’s family acted. Her mother was a young girl at the time living in the east of The Netherlands near the German border. Her mother’s parents hid Jewish refugees in their home as Nazis patrolled the villages and countryside seeking whom they may devour. Brenda’s grandfather was sent to a work camp when the Nazis discovered her family was hiding Jews in their well.

Never Forget

Few of us can remember those days because most of us were not yet born. Those few still living were mere children when the world was on fire from 1933-1945. The Jewish hatred on display at the University of Minnesota and St. Olaf University is the local expression of what is happening on college campuses across the country. Those who remember wonder if the current generations know anything about the horrors at Auschwitz, Dachau, Flossenburg, Krakow, Neuengamme, Warsaw, or any of the 1,000 concentration camps erected for the purpose of eliminating Jews. Shockingly, there continues to be a growing populus that embraces Holocaust denial.

What Should Christians Remember?

1. Remember: the extreme darkness of the human heart (Jeremiah 17:9). The Bible makes no attempt to soften the human capacity to do evil both individually (Genesis 4:8) and nationally (Matthew 2:16). The reader cringes when reading the biblical accounts. We also cringe when we witness the darkness of the human heart in the present, but we should not be surprised. In God’s common grace he restrains some evil (2 Thessalonians 2:7). I shudder to imagine what we would do to each other if he did not.

2. Remember: human advancement cannot and will not solve the problem of the darkness resident in the human heart. In a 1997 speech about the Holocaust, Justice Antonin Scalia said, “The one message I want to convey today is that you will have missed the most frightening aspect of it all, if you do not appreciate that it happened in one of the most educated, most progressive, most cultured countries in the world.” The human heart cannot be improved; it must be reborn. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ can do this.

3. Remember: the potential to do nothing in the face of evil. About danger or evil situations most say something like, “If I was in that situation, I would not let that happen.” I hope that’s true, but I do wonder if we would. God grant us grace to be as bold as lions when evil shows its ugly face.

4. Remember: the possibility to act courageously in the face of evil. It is not a mere literary device when the Bible describes Christians as soldiers fully armed for battle (Ephesians 6). Our Lord outfits with armament and deploys us into conflict to fight against evil emboldened by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

5. Remember: the sacrifices to liberate Jews and their supporters from concentration camps. Nearly 200,000 Americans were killed in the European Theatre. Those boots on the ground were there to stop Hitler and to free Jews and other captives. The price for liberty was the blood of the Allied Forces led by the men of the U.S. Army and its infantry divisions. Some gave all to free many.

6. Remember: Christians reject antisemitism in all its expressions. We follow a Jew. His name is Jesus. He comes from Nazareth in the north of Israel. Jewish religious leaders declared him a blasphemer and demanded his public execution. The occupying Roman authorities ordered his crucifixion, and Roman soldiers carried out the murder of our Lord (Acts 4:10; 7:52). This Jew rose from the dead and will return to his people and to his throne. We read a book written almost exclusively by Jews and order our lives around its teachings believing the book is the very Word of God. The book teaches us God loves the descendants of Abraham. He is their Father, and they are his sons and daughters. They belong to him, and he has brought us who follow Christ into their ranks as his children. We love those whom God loves and stand tall against all demonstrations of hatred toward Jews.

As always, thanks for reading, and I welcome your feedback and any suggestions you might have for an upcoming Lunchtime Musing.