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of St. Paul UCC
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--Guidelines
for Godly Living--
"Honor Your Parents"
Exodus 20
June 15, 2008
A few years ago
my wife Bonnie heard song on the radio and brought it to my attention.
As a parent, she said, she was surprised, even shocked, by the words.
Later, I heard the song myself. I was surprised and shocked, too!
Now, I listened
to hard rock in the 1960's and 70's: The Rolling Stones, Jimmy Hendrix,
Janice Joplin, Frank Zappa. I also know something about Bone Thugs, Biggie
Small, Tupac Shacur and other rap artists, thanks to our son.
I thought I'd heard
it all. But, as a parent, I never thought I'd hear lyrics like this on
the public airwaves! I'd like to have part of a Janis Ian song played
through the sound system. Here are some of the words:
They say that you
can choose your friends
But you can't choose your family!
And it's a lucky man who ends up in good company.
I've done my share of looking back
Regret's my middle name.
But, the time goes by so fast,
You turn around, tomorrow's past.
And the ones you love will never be the same."
Refrain:
So why don't you honor your father,
Honor your mother,
Honor yourself above all.
Honor the gifts you bring one another,
Each time you rise or you fall,
Honor them all.
(Play “Honor
Them All,” by Janis Ian, from “Working without a Net,”
Oh Boy Records, 2003).
With so much that's anti-family on radio, in the movies, and on TV, it's
surprising to hear a popular song praising parents! It occurs to me, both
as a parent, and as a child whose parents are still alive, that we need
to hear more about honoring parents. So, here's a Father's Day sermon
that makes four quick points about the fifth commandment.
Point one: when
you honor your father and mother, you're honoring yourself. Janis Ian
may have been alluding to this in her song. Freud reminded us that relationships
between parents and children are the most fundamental and most complicated
of all human relationships. The way you and I get along with our parents
is likely to color the way we relate to everyone else.
It doesn't matter
whether the child is three and the parent thirty, or the child seventy
and the parent ninety-seven. If you're angry or bitter toward your mother
or father, it may well affect how you relate to your children, your boss,
or your spouse. The relationship between child and parent is so fundamental
that we need to get it right, for our own emotional health.
The Fifth Commandment
is the only commandment with a promise attached to it: "Honor your
father and mother, that your days may be long in the land." I don't
think that means God will strike us dead if we dishonor our parents. However,
it does acknowledge that developing good relationships with our parents
is one key to a happy life. The Fifth Commandment is one of God's Guidelines
for good and Godly Living: "Honor your father and mother, that your
days may be long in the land."
Point two: most
of us owe a lot to our parents. We need a thank them. Usually, the parents
who raised us also gave us life. So, most of us wouldn't be here today,
but for our parents. Usually it was our parents who got us through childhood
to young adulthood. In most cases, they provided for us the best they
could.
One teenage boy
was talking to another. “I'm really worried," he said. "About
what?” his friend asked.
"I'm worried
about my parents. My father slaves away all day so I'll have everything
I want, including my own car and a college education. My mom works forty
hours a week, too. Then she spends the whole weekend washing and ironing
and picking up after me."
"What's the
problem?" asks his friend, "Everything sounds perfect. "
"That's just it," the first teenager responds, "I'm afraid
they might escape!"
My parent's generation
gave a lot to their children, a lot to our country. In the last sixty
years, life expectancy in the US jumped by nearly 50%. The average workday
went down by a third. Productivity doubled. Diseases like typhus, small
pox, and polio were virtually wiped out. My parent's generation saved
the world from Hitler, Mussolini, and Tojo. We Baby Boomers owe them a
lot. We need to say "Thanks."
If we're going
to say, "Thanks," we should do it now. As one person put it:
"Thank your parents today. All the flowers in the world won't do
them any good at their funeral. If you're going to give your mother or
father flowers, do it now."
Point three: we
honor our parents by reassuring them that they did their best in raising
us. Every parent has felt like a failure, at one time or another. Every
parent has struggled with feelings of guilt and inadequacy.
There's a comic
strip, "For Better or Worse." It's about a family and their
joys and struggles. Once there was a segment where the mother was tossing
and turning in bed, worrying about their son, Michael.
As she lies awake,
she beats herself, "Are we too tough on Michael? Are we not tough
enough? Do we give in too often? Do we give in too seldom? Do we listen?
Do we understand? Maybe I nag too much. Am I a good parent? What are the
answers? How (do you) know what to do?”
In the final panel we see teenage Michael lying in his bed thinking, "The
trouble with grown-ups is they think they know everything!"
It's hard work
being a parent. Parents need affirmation, just like kids. They need to
be told, by their children, that they did the best they could.
Janis Ian acknowledges some of the bumps and bruises of family life in
her song. She
writes,
There's not a family
on this earth
Doesn't sling a little mud
Hands get weary, hearts get hurt
We bow to the flesh and blood.
Oh, people can be cruel sometimes
It leaves a lasting scar
But when you put it to the test
You usually find they've done their best
And as bad as that may be
It's turned you into who you are.”
Point four: we honor our parents by learning to forgive them. I once saw
a bumper sticker: "I'm not okay. And you're not okay. But that's
okay." That seemed to me to be a paradigm of family life. There's
no parent that's perfect, just like no child is perfect. God is the only
perfect Parent, and Jesus the only perfect Child. All of us fall way short
of perfection.
I'm not okay. And you're not okay. But for Christians, who believe in
a loving and forgiving God, that's okay. All parents do things that hurt
their children. Can we forgive our parents for being human beings?
Can you forgive your parents if they did things that were really hurtful?
If they were, as one author, Dr. Susan Forward, puts it, "Toxic Parents?"
Can you forgive them if one or both did things that were emotionally,
physically or in other ways abusive? That's a tough one.
I once met a Roman Catholic Deacon who had been Chaplain at a state prison.
He told me there were certain places in the prison where he didn't dare
offer the Lord's Prayer. Especially in the adolescent female unit, when
he said "Our Father," some of the inmates would cry. How can
we can we honor a parent like that?
Jesus said, "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe
in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a great millstone were
hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea" (Mark 3. 42).
The Bible takes it very seriously whenever the weak, the defenseless or
the vulnerable are abused or mistreated.
God always rejects sin. But God never completely rejects the sinner--any
sinner. It's hard to do. But those who have been hurt, deeply hurt, need
to come to some kind of peace with the hurting parent.
Rick Warren, author of The Purpose-Driven Life writes: "The truth
is many of you are still carrying unfinished business with parents. Just
the thought of it can bring tears to your eyes and a pain in your heart...
You're still reacting to your parents. Chances are you're venting that
anger on your husband or wife or kids or friends because you've never
really resolved it with (your parents). If you're still angry with a parent
years later, you're still letting them control your life... You must release
that anger. Admit it. Don't hide it. It must...be discussed."
Warren continues, "If you can't talk to your parents—maybe
they've already passed on, maybe they won't listen, maybe because of some
chemical dependency—you're unable to talk to them—I would
encourage you to share your pain with (your pastor) or a Christian friend
or counselor and at least get some...partial relief...God knows the pain
you feel. (God) can help you overcome (it). (God) can even bring good
out of it, if you'll let (God)."
We honor our parents, and free ourselves, by learning to forgive them.
And by remembering that, no matter how bad things might have been for
some of us, we all still have a perfect parent in God and a loving family
in the church. God, and this church, your brothers and sisters in Christ,
are here for you.
Jesus honored his earthly father, Joseph, by following him as a carpenter.
Jesus honored his mother, Mary, by providing for her as he died on the
Cross. When we honor parents by thanking them, by letting them know we
appreciate them, and by forgiving them, we honor ourselves and honor the
example of Jesus. We also honor God, who chose to be known to us as Our
Father. I'd like to give Janis Ian the last word:
They say that you can choose your friends
But you can't choose your family!
And it's a lucky man who ends up in good company.
I've done my share of looking back
Regret's my middle name.
But, the time goes by so fast,
You turn around, tomorrow's past.
And the ones you love will never be the same.
Refrain:
So why don't you honor your father, Honor your mother,
Honor yourself above all.
Honor the gifts you bring one another, Each time you rise or you fall,
Honor them all.
Dr. Alex Gondola
St. Paul United Church of Christ
Wapakoneta, Ohio
=====================================================================
“Amazing
Grace”
Matthew 9. 9-13.
June 8, 2008
I wonder how many
of you can remember back to your playground days? I can. Often, during
recess at my school, the same scene played out. It went like this. Fourteen
kids want to play softball. Two popular, outgoing kids are chosen as captains.
The captains pick teams.
The first players picked, inevitably, are the best athletes. In my town,
their last names were almost always either Luce or Spence. There were
three Luce boys and five Spence boys, all pretty close in age, all first-rate
at sports.
Next chosen would be husky Drew Simpson or small but speedy Brucie Hardy.
Scrawny, bookish, Alex Gondola would have to wait. Although, usually I
was chosen before the girls - at least, the smaller girls. Thank God for
that. About sixty percent of the way through, one captain would pick me.
What a relief. I was on a team.
Near the end little Maurice LaFleur, who liked to bake and sew and hang
out with girls, would maybe, maybe, maybe get chosen. Finally, lumbering,
brooding, hostile Arthur Moody, who hardly anyone liked, would be left
standing all alone. The last captain was stuck with Arthur, and took him
reluctantly.
Names have been changed to protect the innocent. But that's how it worked
at my school, and probably yours. Teams were selected on merit, best players
first, like the NFL draft. That's called a “meritocracy,”
a system based on merit—and that's not the only meritocracy we see.
College admissions usually are made on merit. The most selective schools
generally choose High School graduates with the highest GPAs and SATs,
the most impressive resumes and the best class standings. The sales person
with the most sales gets the biggest commission, and maybe a promotion.
Some choirs and chorals hold auditions. Only skilled singers are selected.
Amateur theaters have readings. Only one actor, the best, gets cast. So
it goes. The merit system rules in much of our lives. So, it's little
surprise the Pharisees made a meritocracy out of religion.
Consider the snippet of Scripture assigned for this Sunday—a couple
of verses from Matthew. Jesus sees Matthew at his tax desk, and says,
“Follow me.” Surprisingly, Matthew does. That night, invited
to Matthew's house for a party, Jesus hangs out with Matthew and his tax
collector friends. The Pharisees catch wind of this, and are furious.
“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
they ask. The implication, of course, is people like that don't deserve
it.
Let me explain. Today, most tax collectors are nice enough people, doing
a difficult job. I think of April Bowersock, our County Treasurer. I've
told her she's my favorite tax collector. In 2006, in addition to taking
on a fairly new position, she served as Church Council President. Before
that April was our Treasurer.
I've talked with her about her work. April considers her position as County
Treasurer more than a job. It's her calling. She sees people from every
walk of life. April sometimes is a confidant or counselor to individuals
and families in times of trouble. April understands her work as giving
back to our community.
Plus her work, and that of her staff, funds organizations and programs
which improve all our lives. These include the Sheriff, courts, essential
records, health care, mental health services, education, the Acres, environmental
protection and infrastructure like roads and bridges, to name just a few.
Few of us like to pay taxes. But I mind less when I know where my money
is going. With people like April Bowersock, Dan Bennett, Gary Herman,
Sally Imondi, Janet Schuler, Barb Smith and others working for our County,
I feel I'm assessed fairly and the money is used well. Today's tax collectors
are public servants, providing a ministry through challenging, and sometimes
unpopular, work.
Matthew was not that kind of tax collector. In his day, tax collectors
were thieves. The Roman Empire didn't bother to collect taxes itself.
Rather they sold the rights for tax collecting to the highest bidder.
Tax collectors made a living by cheating. They always collected more than
what was due, and kept the profit. The more they cheated, the richer they
got. Their day was spent gouging people, including widows and orphans,
the poorest of the poor. They cooked the books, took bribes and sometimes
stole from each other. There was no honor among thieves. Some of them
would sell out their mother.
Worse still, this Matthew was called Matthew Levi. That tells me he was
born a Levite, a priest. Matthew's office was supposed to be in the Temple,
serving God. Instead he kept a tax office, serving the Romans and his
greed. He wasn't only a traitor to his people. He also sold out his religion.
To the Pharisees, Matthew Levi was lower than pond scum. That's whom Jesus
was hanging out with that night.
Someone put it like this. Here was Jesus, the only Son of God, the second
person of the Trinity, Creator of heaven and earth, the Perfect One, the
only human being who never sinned, befriending the ugliest of sinners.
Worse still, Jesus wasn't preaching to Matthew and his friends, or looking
down on them or warning them to shape up to get to heaven.
No, he was eating and drinking with them, swapping stories, having fun
and enjoying their company. For the Pharisees, it was a scandal for any
religious leader to share a meal with “those people.”
It would be like having a baseball superstar, a hall-of-famer, Willie
Mays or Joe DiMaggio, as captain of your playground team. Then having
him pick not the best, but the worst ever player first, tossing him the
ball and telling him to go out and pitch. Jesus overturned the merit system.
He reached out to and accepted Matthew and his friends just as they were,
without first demanding that they shape up and change.
That was good news for Matthew. Ultimately, it's good news for you and
me. For one thing, the merit system, which rules so much of our lives,
doesn't always work, does it?
Maybe you struggled hard for your education. But there were no jobs in
your field. You've ended up working at something you don't really like,
to put bread on the table. That doesn't seem fair, does it? You deserve
better.
Maybe you fell in love with some boy or girl, and gave them your heart.
But those feelings weren't mutual, and they chose someone else—someone
you know doesn't really care about them, someone who's just using them.
It doesn't seem right, and it hurts.
Maybe you've worked hard for good health, watched your weight, exercised
regularly, quit smoking—and still ended up a debilitating disease.
You deserve more.
Maybe you were passed over for a promotion. Someone, less capable, maybe
the boss's nephew got the job. Maybe you and your spouse skimped and saved
for retirement. You thought your money would stretch through old age.
But the stock market went south. Your dreams are crimped. You have to
cut back. It feels unfair.
The world runs
on reward-and-punishment. But the merit system doesn't always have much
merit, does it? The Good News is, with God, we all get not less, but more
and better than we deserve. Theologians call this “God's prevenient
grace” or “God's unmerited grace.” I call it “God's
Amazing Grace.” One pastor I know expresses it like this.
I met this guy a couple of years ago, and see him monthly. I remember
the first time I asked him, casually, how he was. “I'm much better
than I deserve,” was his immediate response. I was taken aback.
“You're much better than you deserve? That makes me wonder what
bad stuff you've been up to!” I said, joking.
“Yes,” he explained, seriously, “I'm much better than
I deserve. If I got what I deserve, I'd be going to hell. But instead,
through that grace of God, I'm going to heaven.” That's a good,
painfully honest, summary of the Gospel—and it's our condition,
too.
Paul puts it well in his letter to the Romans: “All have sinned
and fall short of the glory of God” (3.23, NRSV). No one is righteous,
no, not one. Even the best man (think Billy Graham) or the best woman
(think Mother Teresa) fail every day to live up to God's high, demanding
standards.
The bad news is “the wages of sin are death” (Rom. 6. 23).
The merit system doesn't work with salvation. We can't earn our way into
heaven. None of us will ever be good enough to please—or appease—a
holy, righteous God. We are all, as the old hymn puts it, “sin-sick
souls” (“There Is a Balm in Gilead”).
The good news is we have a Physician. Jesus came to call not the righteous,
but sinners. That's Matthew and his tax collector buddies. But it's also
the self-righteous Pharisees AND you and me.
The great German-American theologian, Paul Tillich, describes God's grace
like this: “You are accepted, accepted by that which is greater
than you...Do not try to do anything now; perhaps later you will do much.
Do not seek for anything (now); do not perform anything (now); do not
attempt anything (now). Simply accept the fact that you are accepted”
(The Shaking of the Foundations, New York: Charles Scibner's Sons, p.
162).
In other words, God loves us and cares about us even when we're bad—maybe
especially when we're most undeserving. It's like the mother with nine
children. Someone asked her which child she loved most. She thought a
moment, then responded, “I suppose it's the one who needs me most
at any particular moment.”
The world works on a merit system: judging, selecting and rejecting--like
kids picking teams on the playground. But, thank God, God doesn't, or
none of us could make the cut and get to heaven! The Good news is no matter
how bad we are, no matter how far we've fallen, no matter how big a sinner,
GOD WANTS US ON GOD'S TEAM!
Plus, unlike on the playground, we don't have to wait to get picked. God
accepted us as God's own before we were born. Remember that lesson from
Jeremiah a couple of weeks back? God says, “Before I formed you
in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you”
(1.5, NRSV). That's the mystery and majesty of God's Amazing Grace.
“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.”
What do I see?
I see that my sins, our sins, hurt God, other people, the environment,
and us. I see even the best of us must repent and change. I see that I,
we, need a Savior. We are not good enough to go it alone. I see that we
have a Savior in Jesus, who accepts even the worst sinners, like Matthew.
I see that, with God's help, even the worst can start over, and become
valuable players on God's team.
Tradition says, it was Matthew Levi, former tax collector, who wrote the
Gospel, which bears his name. Who knows what “home runs” you
or I might hit for Jesus when we get straightened out and play on his
team?
Dr. Alex Gondola
St. Paul United Church of Christ
Wapakoneta, Ohio
==================================================================
NOAH: ONE
GOOD MAN
Text: Genesis 6:9-22
June 1, 2008
The story of Noah
and the Ark is one of the best-known stories in the world. We all have
seen fanciful pictures of Noah and the Ark and the animals going in, two
by two, many times. We teach the Noah story to our children, as they are
doing in Children's Church this morning. Soon we will have a Noah's Ark
mural in one of our newly refurbished classrooms.
Shakespeare, Milton and Melville make references to Noah. We even make
jokes about him. There are lots of jokes about Noah and the Ark. Why couldn't
Noah play cards on the Ark? (Because his wife was sitting on the deck!)
What was the name of Noah's wife? (Joan of Ark!). Why were two snakes
crying as they slithered off the Ark? (Noah told them to "Be fruitful
and multiply." But they were adders!) What kind of animal could Noah
not trust? (The cheetah.) What kind of lights did Noah have on the Ark?
(Flood lights!) And so on.
We know the Noah story. We teach it to our children. We laugh about it.
But what, if anything, does this story mean to us? Do we take it literally?
Some Christians do. They believe that, at some point, there really was
a flood that covered the entire earth, drowning out all plant and animal
life, except, of course, Noah's family and the animals he had with him.
Believing this, they fund expeditions to Mt. Ararat to look for the remains
of the Ark. Or, as in the case of one church in Seaford, Delaware, they
construct their sanctuary in the shape of an Ark.
Others may look at this story as an amusing legend, something to joke
about and tell to our children, but not to be taken seriously. Or perhaps
as a historical curiosity, harking back to the time when the Euphrates
did flood the Mesopotamian Valley and did wipe out a ot of what was then
the "known world."
What do you think about Noah? Literally true? A historical curiosity?
A meaningless legend? What difference could this old story possibly make
for us today?
Now, I now that there are a variety of opinions about how to view Scripture.
And that, when people differ about how to view the Bible, we need to respect
each other's opinions. I personally think of the Noah story and those
other Genesis stories as myths. But to call these stories "myths”
is not to discredit them. As the late Joseph Campbell pointed out in The
Power of Myth and Myths We Live By and a coup!e of dozen other books,
myths are "true" in a certain sense. And myths have great power.
Myths are attempts to ex:plain the who and why questions of life. They
talk about who we are as human beings and why we are the way we are. Myths
seek to impart not scientific or historical truth, but spiritual truths.
These are some of the spiritual truths I find in the Noah myth.
Truth one from the Noah story: wickedness will eventually and inevitably
be swept away in judgment. The flood image, the giant flood that wipes
out everything sinful and wrong, to me represents God's moral law that
is always at work. For a time, evil may grow and spread. But evil can't
survive indefinitely on this planet. The whole universe is against it.
In fact, at the moment of evil's greatest power and expansion--even then—the
forces of good are welling up to sweep it out of the world; just as Noah's
world was swept clean by the waters of the flood.
God has designed the universe in such a way that evil cannot long survive
within it. Consider Hitler. At the peak of his power in 1943, Hitler was
master of nearly all of Europe except the British Isles. His armies had
conquered nearly half the Soviet Union. Hitler promised the German people
a Thousand Year Reich. But just two years later, in utter defeat, Hitler
committed suicide in his Berlin bunker to avoid being captured by the
Russians. The evil of the Nazi empire was widespread and vicious. For
a time it seemed near invincible But the forces of good welled up and
swept it away. The Noah story reminds us that, in the universe God has
created, evil always is temporary. It cannot last.
Truth number two from the Noah story: in the battle of good and evil,
one good man, or one good woman, can make a decisive difference. Genesis
says that God was greatly saddened by all the violence and depravity that
God saw in the world. So saddened that God regretted ever having created
human beings. However, it also says, "But Noah found favor in the
eyes of God" (Gen. 6:8, NRSV).
Noah wasn't perfect. None of the Old Testament heroes were. Chapter 9
of Genesis, you might remember, depicts Noah as having a problem with
alcohol. Noah discovers wine, then goes on the Bible's first drunk. Nevertheless,
he was faithful and obedient and God counted that for much.
Can you imagine
what it cost Noah to do what God commanded, to drop everything and build
an ark 45 feet high and 75 feet wide and 450 feet long? Inland, miles
away from the ocean? How did he explain it to his neighbors? How did he
explain it to his wife? You know, a lot of guys have trouble convincing
their wives they need a bigger boat! But an ark 450 feet long?
The ark-building
depicted in Genesis is one of the Bible's great acts of faith and courage.
One good man heard God's call. One good man went it alone. One good man,
following God's directives, was God's instrument for saving and preserving
human society. The Noah story reinforces the importance of the faithfulness
of individual women and men.
That's an important lesson for all of us to remember; maybe particularly
appropriate for the graduates we honor this morning. You graduates, as
individuals, can make a real difference for the good in our world, IF
you remain faithful to your highest ideals, and allow yourself to be led,
in the years ahead, by God.
Reminds me of a poem, entitled “The Power of One:”
One SONG can spark a moment
One FLOWER can wake the dream
One TREE can start a forest
One BIRD can herald spring
One SMILE begins a friendship
One HANDCLASP lifts a soul
One STAR can guide a ship at sea
One WORD can frame the goal
One VOTE can change a nation
One SUNBEAM lights a room
One CANDLE wipes out darkness
One LAUGH will conquer gloom
One STEP must start each journey
One WORD must start a prayer
One HOPE will raise our spirits
One TOUCH can show you care
One VOICE can speak with wisdom
One HEART can know what's true
One LIFE can make a difference
You see, it's up to you.
--Author Unknown--
Truth number three
from the Noah story: when we pass through "deep waters", as
we all do in life, when we seem in danger of being drowned by sadness,
sufferings and sorrow, there is an "ark" we can rely on. That
"ark" is our character that we construct daily. God gives each
one of us enough guidance - through our reading and hearing of the Scriptures,
through the earnest leadings of our conscience, through prayer and meditation,
through the things we read, through friendships that build us up, through
worship--to create a sturdy Christian character: a character that can
successfully ride out life's storms.
But that faithful, strong, secure Christian character that we would like
to have doesn't develop in an instant. You have to work at building it,
the same way old Noah worked hard at building the Ark. It isn't an accident
when we see a longtime, faithful, "saintly" Christian face difficulties
in life, and even face his or her own death with dignity and courage.
Over the years, he or she constructed an ark of Christian faith. When
the storm came and the waters rose, they may have been buffeted. But they
were not defeated. Their character was sufficiently strong and secure
to ride out the storm.
And beyond the Ark of individual character, there is the Ark of Christian
fellowship. That's how the church is depicted in the catacombs of Rome,
you know: as an Ark. That's why some Gothic-style churches and chapels,
with their exposed beams in the ceilings, look like an upside-down boat.
The architecture is meant to tell us that Christ's Church is like an Ark.
Here, in the midst of this supportive fellowship of believers, we receive
the comfort, the encouragement and support we need to face life's troubles
and sail through intact.
What can the Noah story possibly mean to our generation? Can it stand
up to the skepticism and sophistication of a scientifically minded world?
Is it just an amusing fable to make jokes about and tell to our children?
Or is it God's vehicle for truth?
I think the Noah story is one of the myths we can live by. I think it
has something valid to say to our age, and to any age. That evil always
stands under judgment, and is inevitably wiped out; we need to know this.
It's a word of warning if we're feeling smug. If there's sin in our individual
lives, or sin in our national life, better get right with God, better
fix it. Even now, the cleansing waters are rising. Either we clean ourselves
or God will clean it up. God will not tolerate wrong for too long! That
one good man, or one good woman can make a difference; we need that reassurance.
Perhaps the image of old Noah, faithfully laboring on, in spite of the
catcalls and disbelief and laughter of his neighbors, can give us courage,
to keep us moving forward faithfully with what we believe. Noah, after
all, turned out to be right! And to know that there is an Ark which can
ride out life's storms; we need that comfort. Our Ark is the character
we build every day; it's the fellowship we have in Church. No matter how
much the winds might blow and the waters might rise, we can be confident,
safe inside.
There are, of course, more lessons Noah and the Ark can teach us. I once
read a piece entitled, “Everything I need to know about life I learned
from Noah's Ark. It included these tidbits: “Don't miss the boat.
Remember we are all in the same boat. Plan ahead: it wasn't raining when
Noah built the Ark. For safety sake, travel in pairs. Set your sights
on higher ground. When stressed, float for a while. And no matter what
the storm, there's a rainbow ahead of you.” These are some of the
truths we get when we read this ancient story.
Dr. Alex Gondola
St. Paul United Church of Christ
Wapakoneta, Ohio
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Ten Guidelines
for Godly Living
The Fourth Commandment: “Take a Break”
Text: Exodus 20:1-17
I've seen the
magazine ad for years, and often thought I should take advantage of it.
The headline reads, “Effects of stress reversed by amazing new medical
device.” The advertisement continues, “Now you can enjoy the
pleasures of stress-free living in just 15 minutes a day. It's surprisingly
easy with the remarkable new medical device called the StressEraser.”
StressEraser is a biofeedback device. I photocopied it out of the ad.
It's, about the size of a digital camera. You use StressEraser for fifteen
minutes a day before going to bed. It adjusts your breathing to an unstressed
level, and erases stress while you sleep.
StressEraser sounds good, especially with these promises: “Within
two weeks you will feel like you did when you were young, before stress
became a part of your life.” Plus you get a thirty-day free trial.
One stress-filled day I actually called the company to give this amazing
new product a try. But got stressed out when I learned StressEraser cost
three hundred dollars, plus fourteen ninety-five for shipping and handling—all
of which you had to pay it up front. Then, if you didn't like the product
after thirty days, you could apply to get your money back. I knew I'd
get stressed worrying about my three hundred and fifteen dollars, and
whether or not I'd ever see that money again.
What is stress? It's a simple, biological reaction. When something threatening,
or even something new -- maybe even a little different-- is introduced
into our life, our body instinctively reacts. Blood is pulled from our
hands and feet and redirected to our large muscles. It's the "Fight
or Flight" Response.
"Fight or Flight" meant survival eons ago, when our ancestors
chased mastodons for lunch, or were chased by saber-toothed tigers. But
"Fight or Flight," with its cold hands and feet, increased blood
pressure and pulse, liver providing quick energy by dumping sugar and
cholesterol into our blood -- is less useful today.
Still, many of us are "stressed out" much of the time. That's
can even be true on a holiday, when we're rushing to a cookout or a graduation
party. More than 80% of Americans responding to a national poll wanted
less stress. In an "Inc." Magazine survey, 62% agreed with the
statement, "I am burned out or on the way." Two-thirds of American
men—including me—and one-half of American women are "Type
A" personalities, at greater risk of heart disease because they are
"hot reactors" to stress.
Of course, a certain level of stress is good. If I didn't have a deadline
for finishing this sermon, I might never get it done! "Eustress,"
good stress, is energizing. Bad stress, "distress," is destructive.
To quote a news article, "Stress-related disorders account for about
75 to 90 percent of doctor's visits... (They) are major factors in skyrocketing
health care costs, which now exceed $ 1 billion dollars daily..."
The article continues, "Recent studies link stress to the development
and course of cancer, hypertension, heart attacks, diabetes, asthma, allergies,
ulcers, colitis, headaches, backache and a number of infections and other
complaints. A variety of viral-linked disorders such as AIDS, herpes and
certain malignancies, seem to be related to lowered immune defenses associated
with psycho-social stress."
Ironically, we are surrounded by "labor-saving" devices, which
are supposed to save us time, and reduce stress. We have instant cash
cards, computers at home, computers at work, and laptops to use to and
from work. We've got FAX machines, E-mail, telephones by the toilet, car
phones, cell phones, beepers. We can get in touch with anyone anywhere
anytime -- and they with us. That's part of the problem. We're the most
"connected" generation ever. Our stress level is increased.
Anyone "stressed out" yet over stress?
What to do? Most of us already know the answers. Secular sources tell
us to exercise
vigorously, at least twenty minutes at a time, three times a week. A University
of Michigan School of Public Health survey found that 95 % of burnout
victims do not exercise regularly. We are advised to practice yoga or
mediation. We know the value of massage, healthy diets, learning to laugh
and having a hobby.
There are some wonderful herbal remedies, too. I have these on loan from
the Herb Ladies shop on Anna Street. Sleepytime Extra tea, which I've
been using before bed, and highly recommend. It's loaded with chamomile
and valarian. Also Nature's Sunrise stress relief tablets, a Chinese concoction
and B-complex vitamins and Nutricalm tablets.
Let me remind you this morning of another tried and true method of stress
reduction. It's the most ancient and the most overlooked. It's one of
God's ten Guidelines for Godly Living: "Remember the Sabbath Day,
to keep it holy." Sabbath keeping was never meant to be a burden,
although the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus' day turned it into one. Rather,
the Sabbath is a precious gift from the One who made us, the One who knows
us best and knows what we need to survive and thrive.
This "survival
guide" for stress reduction has two parts. First, "Remember
the Sabbath." Sabbath means "day of rest" in Hebrew. God
says, "Remember to rest one day in seven." When I was a first-year
student at Andover Newton Theological School, I was burdened, like many
others, with full-time graduate studies plus part-time, church-related
work. When I looked overwhelmed or stressed (which was apparently pretty
often), one of my friends, Al Timm, would smack me on the back. Al is
a big, burly guy with a degree in Phys Ed. His back smack always got my
attention!
Then Al would say "Alex,YHWH (the Hebrew name for God we had learned
together in Old Testament class), "Alex, YHWH says 'Take the day
off.'" I knew then I needed a rest.
It doesn't necessarily matter which day we take off. Muslims have their
Sabbath on Friday; Jews on Saturday; Christians on Sunday. Since I work
most Sundays, my Sabbath rest comes on Monday or Tuesday. What's important
is to listen to YHWH: "Take a day off." That means actually
resting, not having a weekend that leaves you more tired on Monday than
you were when you started.
Our bodies, minds and spirits require at least one day out of seven to
recuperate and be restored. Jesus lived the most productive life ever.
The Gospels portray him working hard, but resting often. He frequently
said to his disciples, "Come away with me to a quiet place, and rest."
Even God rested on the seventh day! You and I need to work, of course.
But we also need to work at resting, too.
This may be hard, especially for those of us, like myself, who are workaholics.
I remind myself of the advice of another busy pastor gives. Rick Warren,
author of The Purpose-Driven Life writes: "...workaholics who never
take any days off, who never observe this fourth commandment, end up observing
it for two weeks in the hospital. It's accumulative Sabbaths."
I guess Rick Warren wrote that before HMOs! Few get two weeks in the hospital
for
anything today! But his point is well-taken. He also writes, "If
you're burning the candle at both ends, you're not as bright as you think.
You can get so many irons in the fire that you put out the fire... You
can be consumed by your career" ("God's Word to Workaholics,"
page 3).
Remember the Sabbath: be intentional, be "religious" about respecting
your limits. "YHWH says, 'Take a day off!'" at least one day
a week.
There's more: God's complete Guideline for Good Living is "Remember
the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. The Sabbath isn't only for rest. It's
for worship, too. When we worship, we ascribe worth to God. That's important
in itself.
Worshiping for God's sake alone is enough reason to worship. But, happily,
regular worship is also good for our health. Two recently published Yale
University studies have linked attendance at worship services to better
physical and psychological health in older adults. To quote the Associated
Press, "The 1st report found a lower frequency of unhealthy behaviors,
such as smoking and heavy drinking, among elderly people who participated
in religious services. This study also found religious people had stronger
support systems and social ties. Study subjects reported increased feelings
of optimism and fewer symptoms of depression."
The article continues, "The 2nd report studied how religious involvement
may have influenced health over a twelve-year period. It found that attending
worship services was a,
good predictor of better functional ability later in life."
Why might this be? Perhaps it's partly because, in worship, we admit our
dependence. We fold our hands, a gesture of helplessness. In some traditions,
we kneel, as if to a King or Queen. We confess our sins. We bow our heads.
We call God "Lord" and "Father."
That's not demeaning. It's freeing! Weekly worship helps us set things
right. We recognize God as our loving parent and accept our place as God's
beloved children. We acknowledge God is great and we are small. What a
relief! What a blessing! Every week, in worship, we can take the burden
of the world off our shoulders, and give it back to God! What seems so
big and overwhelming to us is pretty small, and manageable for God.
It's a shame so many have lost a sense of the Sabbath, and of its importance.
Certainly there have been abuses of the Sabbath in the past; too much
self-righteous rigidity, no sense of Sabbath joy. There were days when
you could get in trouble big time for playing cards, dancing or going
to the movies on a Sunday. In Colonial New England, you could end up in
the stocks, be made a “laughing stock,” for working on Sunday.
That's not what God intended. Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made for
humankind, not humankind for the Sabbath" (Mark 2. 27).
Still, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." need rest.
A modern-day Rabbi writes, “...True rest doesn't affect us only
when we are resting. It spills over into our weeks, our years, our very
lives. The days preceding the day of rest become days of excitement and
anticipation. Even the most harried workdays become tolerable when you
know a day of holy peace is shortly arriving. The days succeeding the
day of rest become days of light, too. They shimmer with the afterglow
of a revived spirit.” That's Rabbi Naomi Levy, from her book To
Begin Again, Knopf Press, as quoted in “Parade” magazine.
"Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy." It's a guideline
for good and Godly living we need to heed. It's God's StressEraser—and
it's free. We need God. We need Sabbath. We need worship. We need rest.
Dr.
Alex Gondola
St. Paul United Church of Christ
Wapakoneta, Ohio
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