NOVEMBER 2007
Dear Members and Friends of our Mt. Olive Family,
For what am I thankful this year?
Oh, so many, many things! I just
have to “do the math,” and stand back in awe as I recall all God’s blessings to
me. I have no words to adequately
describe the surpassing goodness and overwhelming kindness of the Lord, my God
and my Savior.
But one thing that ranks very high on my “Top Ten List Of Things I’m Thankful For In 2007” is the knowledge and
certainty that God is still in charge. I
rank this very high because I know how much evil there is in this world. I know how different things are today from
the way they were when I was a kid. I
doubt if the hymn writer who penned the words “The world is very evil, the
times are waxing late…” (TLH 605) back in the 1100’s could even begin to
imagine how evil the world would yet become.
Because I know of the horrendous, appalling, ghastly evil that
so permeates our society, I am so very thankful that God is still in
charge. He knows what’s going on. He remains patient. He still reaches out with His Gospel truth to
save lost and degenerate people – people like you and me.
As I write this, I’m reading articles telling of various
companies that are deliberately omitting the word “Christmas” from any of their
“holiday” advertise-ments because they don’t want to
offend anyone! I’m reading of towns and
cities that are no longer going to display public nativity scenes. I’m reading of businesses that are forbidding
employees from putting up Christmas decorations or even displaying Christmas
cards.
I’m also reading of a movie that will hit the theaters on
December 7th entitled “The Golden Compass” staring Nicole Kidman and
directed toward children. The movie is
based on the first of a trilogy of books for children written by Philip Pullmann, an outspoken atheist. His objective is to bash Christianity and
promote atheism. An article written
about him calls him “the most dangerous author in
Pullmann said in an interview that “my books are about killing
God.” The movie is watered-down so that
parents will take their children, and so that children will then want the books
in their Christmas stockings.
Sinister! Evil! Target the kids! Fill them with garbage! “Unsuspecting Christian parents will take
their children to the movie, say this wasn’t troubling, then
we’ll buy the books. So the movie is the
bait for the books which are profoundly anti-Christian and at the same time
selling atheism.”
But, thankfully, THANKFULLY, God is still in charge!
I also read recently some encouraging words that have helped me
put all the pernicious and deadly evil in it’s proper place: “Evil is known to
infect all of reality… and because evil possesses such power and persistence,
the best we can do in this world is manage it, not eradicate it. God is greater than evil, but evil is bigger
than us!” (John Matthews)
In this world, evil will never be eradicated. The best we can do is manage
it. It seems we haven’t been doing a
very good job at that either! Evil is
bigger than us! But thankfully,
THANKFULLY, God is bigger than evil!
The same hymnist who reminded us that “the world is very evil,”
also wrote longingly of that “sweet and blessed country, the home of God’s
elect.” (Bernard of Morlas, TLH 605).
There is no evil in that “country,” no
evil that we must manage, no evil that is bigger than us. In heaven, we’ll never again have to struggle
with evil. Thankfully, THANKFULLY,
heaven is our eternal Home, through faith in our Lord Jesus.
As we wait in this imperfect world to be escorted to that
blessed Country, just remember that God is still in charge!
THANK YOU, dearest Lord!
Pastor Carl Henkel