| Welcome to the First Baptist Church of Norwich 239 West Main Street Norwich, Connecticut Phone: 860-889-0369 |
Cal's Pastoral Epistles
The Stain Master Supreme
November 16, 2006
It has been fun writing these weekly columns. Every Monday I get the
opportunity to play hide and seek with God and go looking for Him as I
walk through the week. God usually shows Himself in the little things that
happen on any given day. Recently someone asked me how I come up
with a different subject each week. The answer is simple. Stuff happens.
I had some free time this morning so I decided to drive my daughter to
school. We were running a little early so we decided to stop and have
breakfast at McDonalds. We ordered two Sausage McMuffins and then
found a booth where we could enjoy our few minutes together before the
start of another busy day in the Lord family household.
As we got up to leave I looked down and noticed that somehow I had
dribbled something on my clean, white shirt. There were three or four
spots prominently positioned near my midsection and all kinds of alarms
went off in my head. What was I going to do? Right away I had the
typical male reaction and wondered if I could get by and simply cover up
the spots by wearing my jacket all day or grabbing an extra wide tie. It
was too much trouble to go home again and iron another shirt.
I began to feel sorry for myself and wonder why these things always
happen to me. It may not be sausage grease, but it is always something
that comes and mucks up our lives. When it does, we have to choose
how to deal with it. I suddenly remembered that I had bought some Shout
Wipes the last time I went grocery shopping. I grabbed one and used it to
rub out the stains. I have to tell you that they worked like magic. It was a
miracle. The stains were washed away in moments. My white shirt was as
good as new.
That's when I saw God poke His head out from behind the events at
McDonalds. You see, sin is like a blot on our soul. It dribbles into our lives
when we let down our guard. We make choices that seem rather inane
but they leave their mark on us and we are forever scarred by the sin and
its after effects. These stains mark us and out of embarrassment, or fear,
or a sense of unworthiness, we turn from God and usually end up feeling
guilty and alone.
The good news is that Jesus comes in like a Shout Wipe and forgives our
sin, cleans us up and presents us before God as spotless and true. We no
longer need to hide or be embarrassed because as the apostle Paul says,
"In Christ we are a new creation." We can now move into our day and
bask in the glow of God's love. Our sins are as gone as that grease stain in
my white shirt. Thanks be to God for his most wonderful gift.
And that's how I come up with a different topic each week. So now why
don't you go out and look for God. And when you see Him, tell Him I said
"hi!"
God Bless! Happy Thanksgiving. Cal
November 16, 2006
It has been fun writing these weekly columns. Every Monday I get the
opportunity to play hide and seek with God and go looking for Him as I
walk through the week. God usually shows Himself in the little things that
happen on any given day. Recently someone asked me how I come up
with a different subject each week. The answer is simple. Stuff happens.
I had some free time this morning so I decided to drive my daughter to
school. We were running a little early so we decided to stop and have
breakfast at McDonalds. We ordered two Sausage McMuffins and then
found a booth where we could enjoy our few minutes together before the
start of another busy day in the Lord family household.
As we got up to leave I looked down and noticed that somehow I had
dribbled something on my clean, white shirt. There were three or four
spots prominently positioned near my midsection and all kinds of alarms
went off in my head. What was I going to do? Right away I had the
typical male reaction and wondered if I could get by and simply cover up
the spots by wearing my jacket all day or grabbing an extra wide tie. It
was too much trouble to go home again and iron another shirt.
I began to feel sorry for myself and wonder why these things always
happen to me. It may not be sausage grease, but it is always something
that comes and mucks up our lives. When it does, we have to choose
how to deal with it. I suddenly remembered that I had bought some Shout
Wipes the last time I went grocery shopping. I grabbed one and used it to
rub out the stains. I have to tell you that they worked like magic. It was a
miracle. The stains were washed away in moments. My white shirt was as
good as new.
That's when I saw God poke His head out from behind the events at
McDonalds. You see, sin is like a blot on our soul. It dribbles into our lives
when we let down our guard. We make choices that seem rather inane
but they leave their mark on us and we are forever scarred by the sin and
its after effects. These stains mark us and out of embarrassment, or fear,
or a sense of unworthiness, we turn from God and usually end up feeling
guilty and alone.
The good news is that Jesus comes in like a Shout Wipe and forgives our
sin, cleans us up and presents us before God as spotless and true. We no
longer need to hide or be embarrassed because as the apostle Paul says,
"In Christ we are a new creation." We can now move into our day and
bask in the glow of God's love. Our sins are as gone as that grease stain in
my white shirt. Thanks be to God for his most wonderful gift.
And that's how I come up with a different topic each week. So now why
don't you go out and look for God. And when you see Him, tell Him I said
"hi!"
God Bless! Happy Thanksgiving. 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.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |