Weekly Message

Tom Seymour

December 1, 2013

Advent Begins – Colors: Purple or  blue, pink on third Sunday

Hardened Hearts

2 Corinthians: 12

Technology offers us many wonders and blessings. The advancement of modern technology has ushered us into a new age of information. As soon as anything happens, anywhere on earth, people around the world learn of it. Television and the worldwide net both broadcast real-time images of both the happy and the tragic.

This steady diet of instant information has had a profound effect upon many of us in that it serves to harden our heats to the suffering of others. It has become impossible to escape from images of death, war, suffering, cruelty and great disasters. This ongoing bombardment has deadened our senses to the point that we now pay more attention to rising interest rates or the price of dump stickers than to news of thousands of people perishing in a tsunami or earthquake half a world away.

We sit down to our supper table with the television on. As we eat, we see stomach-churning pictures of starving children in Africa, weeping, with swollen bellies and flies crawling around on their lips. If we are bothered at all by this, we switch the channel and continue eating.

After all, there are so many. The suffering is too great, too widespread for any one person to have the slightest effect upon it. If we give money to every charity that solicits us, we would soon go broke. So the easiest way is to ignore the call. Tune it out. Turn our backs. That’s easy for us because as I said earlier, our hearts have become hardened to the suffering of others. But this hardening of heart only extends to a certain degree.

Because of the daily onslaught of images of suffering and pain, our brain must react in a certain way so that we can continue to function in a normal manner. Were it not for our ability to tune out graphic images seen on a screen, we would probably live in a continual state of mourning and our lives would become worthless and we would achieve nothing.

So what are we to do? First, and perhaps the most difficult, is to recognize this situation and forgive ourselves for being callous of heart. And then, find some charity, or some person, or some group and do what we can for them.

None of us by ourselves can win the war against evil and suffering, but any one of us can make a difference in someone else’s life. How to go about this may not be clear at first. I suggest praying for an answer. That’s always the best first step in any important endeavor. Do that and the answer will come.

The question of how much to give comes next. Paul said in 2 Corinthians: 12, “For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has – not according to what one does not have.”

In the end, you will find that giving begets giving and doing good creates a will to do more good.

Remember, our hearts can only handle so much sorrow and grief. That’s why we have become inured to the violent and dangerous world of today. But know this. The same person who turns the dial on a television so as not to have to see disfigured children would not turn his back on an actual, real-life child if that child were present physically. We must endeavor to come to grips with this dichotomy.

It helps to know that God loves us all and that he knows us in our heart of hearts, not the heart that has short-circuited because of the onslaught from the news media, but the real heart, the heart that steers the very soul.

Pray always, in all things. God hears.

 Tom Seymour

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Renewal, The Coming Light

Luke 1: 78, 79 
By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, 
To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. 

Our physical body needs renewing on a regular basis. The food we eat provides us with nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Without such nourishment, we will eventually perish. But has it occurred to you that our spiritual being also needs renewing? It’s true, and God has provided a way. And that way is manifested in our worshiping together.

Among other things we do to renew our spiritual selves is to light our Advent candles. These symbolize the passage from darkness to light. This light is the spiritual food we need, that which nourishes our souls.

This time of short days and long nights affects us all to some degree. But for many, it has a profound effect. Seasonal Affective Disorder, I’m told, is the name for this. It makes us feel tired, drug out, listless, unproductive and generally not ourselves. This pretty much describes me at this time of year.

This all brings to mind the Latin motto, “Sine, Sole, Sileo” which translated means, “Without the sun I am silent.” We Christians might make a play on words by spelling “sun” with an o rather than a u.

Now, I can sit in my office, at my computer, for an hour and type only two or three paragraphs. And even these come hard. Whereas in spring and summer, that same hour would see pages and pages of useable prose. I’m not alone here. I’ve noticed, though, that soon after Christmas, this ennui loses its hold. The doldrums lessen and soon, I’m my old self.

I think if I were looking to buy a new car, I would make sure to not buy one made in November or December. Caveat Emptor. Buyer beware the fruits of this dark season.

Other than basking in what little natural light we might find, or perhaps gazing at a special electric light, one designed to mimic natural sunlight, there’s little we can do to combat the physical stress of these long nights and short days. But there is plenty that we can do to nourish, support, encourage and sustain our spiritual bodies.

This theme of coming from darkness to light echoes through the ages and is present in a great number of the hymns and carols we sing at Christmas time. Consider, “While Shepards Watched Their Flocks.” It goes, “While shepards watched their flocks by night all seated on the ground, the angel of the Lord came down and glory shone (the light) around. ‘Fear not,’ said he, for mighty dread (the darkness) had seized their troubled mind, ‘Glad tidings of great joy I bring to you and all man-kind.’”

The greenery with which we decorate our homes and our church symbolizes the everlasting life available to all through faith in Jesus Christ. While some trees and plants (deciduous) lose their leaves in fall, others, (evergreen) remain green all year. They remind us that though the darkness may encompass us, the light is always there.

We put little electric lights on our trees. In days past, they used candles. What do these lights represent, if not the coming light, the light from heaven sent to earth for us all?

Other cultures in the Christian world have different practices, but these are designed with the same desired outcome. For instance, on Christmas morning in the Shetlands, those windswept and remote Scottish islands, farmers get up in the early morning darkness, go to the byre and light a candle placed in the eye socket of a cow’s skull. By this light, they feed their animals and do their chores. Then, back inside, they breakfast upon little cakes, pinched all around to resemble the sun’s rays. These are called “Yule brunnies” and having them on Christmas morning is as if to eat the sun in the dead of winter.

Although the days grow shorter, astronomically speaking, remember that beginning on the first day of winter, spring begins to pitch and jump in the womb of time.

So although the hours of darkness yet increase with every russet sunrise and cold, gray sunset, each passing day brings us closer to the coming light from heaven. This paradox, if we can rightly understand it, works to our benefit, according to God’s plan. Knowing ahead that the light of the world will soon shine on us and renew our spirits as well as our bodies, allows us to prepare for this blessed moment.

Let us think on these things. Jesus, born so long ago in a lowly manger, is the light of all lights, the shining glory of God come to redeem us and wipe away all our tears and erase every fear. Ask yourself, did I seek Jesus this past year? Did I walk in his word? Is Jesus lord of my life?

Fortunately for us, even if we answered “no” to any of these questions, we have another year, another chance, yet one more opportunity to walk in the light. What a blessing this is. And it’s coming soon.

Has the past year been difficult? For many it has. But even in the midst of trials and tribulations, we can look to the light and find refuge. We can welcome God back into our lives and he will shine his light so that we can see to walk uprightly and with peace, joy and contentment.

God, through his divine plan, gives us yet another chance to welcome him, and his healing love back into our lives. Let us then proclaim a new year, a bright, light-filled new year in God, through his gift to us of Jesus the Christ.

Weekly Message

Tom Seymour

November 15, 2013

The Good Way

Jeremiah 6:16

Thus says the Lord:

Stand at the crossroads, and look,

and ask for the ancient paths,

where the good way lies: and walk in it,

and find rest for your souls.

This week we continue our look at Jeremiah 6:16. We have considered the nature of “the good way.” In ancient times, the good way was the way to walk or travel safely, without encountering bandits and highwaymen. We also noted how the good way has another, more profound and important spiritual meaning.

Now let us come to the crux of the message, that being that we should walk in the spiritual good way “and find rest for our souls.”

Who wouldn’t want to find rest for his or her soul? People spend fortunes in the pursuit of finding rest for their souls. But most of this amounts to nothing more than wasted energy. Can anyone buy rest for their soul? Certainly not. And as it turns out, the harder we try to accomplish this goal, the further away we find ourselves from achieving our objective.

To get an idea of how people in this world try and find rest for their souls, just drive around and look at new houses. In mid-coast Maine where I live, monied people from all over the globe come and buy land and build houses, sometimes huge, sprawling and extravagantly- appointed houses, most of which have panoramic views of Penobscot Bay. Notice I did not call these “homes,” since a house, or structure, is not necessarily a home.

The late country philosopher Hank Williams sang a gut-wrenching song that he wrote by turning to his own unfortunate personal experiences. The tune’s title was, “A House Without Love Is Not A Home.” How right old Hank was.

But even with the knowledge of what it took to find rest for his soul on this earth, Hank failed in the quest. He died a restless soul, unhappy and lonely. His music lives on, though, and it contains many useful messages that we can profit from today. What a shame that Hank died before he could put his own soul to rest while still alive.

The idea of having a rested, or peaceful soul probably seems foreign and unattainable to many people. Societies’ demands, the “rat-race” in general and a sometimes misguided striving for material wealth combine to pressure people to discard the things that could make them truly happy and adopt that which amounts to no more than a striving for the wind. But this needn’t be.

God never said that we must eschew wealth or prosperity. He only tells us to attempt to attain it in a good way. And that good way means that we must follow his tenets, principals and terms. The author of life and creator of the universe wants for his children to prosper. And most of all, He wants for us to “walk in the good way.”

So how do we find where the good way lies? Where do we look? It’s pretty easy. Just open the bible and begin reading. The bible stands as the revealed word of God and every time we look to it, it speaks to us. For those unacquainted with the bible, let me suggest beginning with the New Testament, the accounts of the life, times and words of Jesus Christ. Then, after digesting that, turn back to the beginning and read the bible through again, from Genesis to the Revelation of Saint John.

Simply put, though, walking in the good way begins with a serious desire to do as God would have you do. I recently signed up for an identity-protection program. As soon as I put in all my personal information, I was immediately protected. It’s the same with God’s program. Sign up, and by that I mean sign up in your heart…truly seek to do good as the Lord would have you do. And then as soon as you commit yourself to that path, you are protected, because as of that moment you are walking in the good way.

Nothing could be simpler. If you haven’t already dedicated your life to God, do it now with this prayer: Lord, I know I’m a sinner. I want to change my ways and to walk in your way, the good way. I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

Amen to that!

The Good Way

Weekly Message

Tom Seymour

November 10, 2013

The Good Way

Jeremiah 6: 16

Thus says the Lord:

Stand at the crossroads, and look,

and ask for the ancient paths,

where the good way lies: and walk in it,

and find rest for your souls.

Who in these “enlightened” times hasn’t faced uncertainty on any number of fronts? Each time this happens, we must make a choice. Sometimes we choose without consciously thinking about it. Other times, we grope our way through a maze of potential consequences before committing ourselves to a specific path.

Jeremiah, a prophet of the Lord, spoke to the people of Israel about impending doom, an invasion by foreign powers, brought about by Israel’s disobedience and failure to heed God’s warning. Jeremiah 6:16 was aimed collectively at the disobedient nation of Israel. And yet, in reading these lines, we can’t help but take the message as a personal one.

We might view Jeremiah 6:16 as allegorical. But we must also realize that much allegory has its basis in truth and fact. While “crossroads” here can refer to any time we find ourselves in a perplexing situation, one with several choices, crossroads in ancient times were physical places of great importance.

Travelers, arriving at a crossroads, had to decide which road to take. Bandits and highwaymen roamed the hill country and some roads were far more dangerous than others. But oftentimes, the most dangerous road was the quickest and shortest route to the next town or city. A merchant with a train of valuable goods and a delivery deadline to meet, may well stand at the crossroads and ask those with him, or perhaps others at the same crossroads, which is the best or safest route to his destination.

Likewise, we, today, frequently find ourselves at different crossroads…different, but crossroads nonetheless.

Do you stand at a crossroads right now? Are you sure you are on the right path? Just possibly, your decision might affect the rest of your life. Don’t walk through the crossroads alone. Jesus stands there, ready to point out the right way, the good way, the one that follows the ancient paths of righteousness.  Jesus says in John 14: 6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”

We all have Jesus to turn to when the path becomes dim and we don’t know which way to turn. Call upon him. He will answer.

Next week, I’ll continue this study on Jeremiah 6:16. But until then, try and see where, in your life right now, the path you have chosen might lead you. The answer may come as a surprise.

‘Long As I Can See The Light"

Thinking and wondering what to choose as a topic for my first message on this blog, I was struck by a calendar picture on my kitchen wall. It was of a tall, white lighthouse. And without thinking, the words of an old song played through my mind:

Put a candle in the window – ‘Cause I feel I got to move
Yes I’m going, But I’ll be coming home soon, 
As long as I can see the light. 

Until this moment, the symbolic meaning of lighthouses never struck me. Neither did the deeper meaning of that great, old song. I believe God put these together for me. He let the light of his revelation shine through the gloom of my foggy mind. 

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” 

Jesus, then, is our spiritual lighthouse. As long as we follow him and walk in his light, we will have life. 

Sometimes, though, clouds enter our lives. These can be anything, from pressure at work, family problems, poor health, problems with relationships, money troubles and on and on. These often cause spiritual problems. By concentrating  upon worldly troubles, we lose sight of what God wants for us. 

We may even lose faith altogether. At that point, we are lost. We float about here and there, without our bearings. Like ships at sea in stormy weather, we are in danger of sinking. But somewhere out there, the light still shines. And all we need to do is get a glimpse of the smallest beam of that light and we can follow it back home, back to the Lord. 

“Yes I’m going, but I’ll be coming home soon, as long as I can see the light.” 

And just as God shines his light out there for us to see, he wants for us to serve as a light for others. When, in his Beatitudes, Jesus spoke to the multitudes, he said, “…Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in Heaven.” 

Do we always do that? How often do we, as Christians, remember that we have a Heavenly commission?  We must remember, then, to always do good so that others may come to realize that it is God working through us. Then they, too, can come to accept Christ and give glory to God. 

Even our meeting place is a form of lighthouse. In every community, each village, town and city, churches stand out as lights to the world. 

So the very buildings where we meet are spiritual lighthouses to the world. But the church is not wood, stone and plaster. The church universal is all the believers, all of God’s people. 

Let us, then, be that candle in the window, the one that those wandering in darkness can see and by its light, come back home again, home to God.