Month: July 2023

Words are pictures of ideas.  We might be tempted to think some words are merely pictures of things.  But things are ideas.  One of the most endearing words ever is Mother.  Mother is an idea embracing so much more than one human.  A Car is a thing.  But the word Car fills our minds with freedom and style and places.  And so it was that John chose to begin his Gospel by calling Jesus the Word.  That name is filled with endless ideas about the greatness of God and His love for us.  John finishes his gospel by saying, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”  In between his introduction and his coda John calls Jesus, the light of the world, the lamb of God, the water of life, the bread of life, the good shepherd.  Each descriptor is filled with ideas.

A word as simple as Mean is not so simple.  It could mean giving meaning.  It could mean being average.  It could mean being nasty and surly.  It could mean one’s intention. If I said something is awful you do not know if I mean it was horrible or so wonderful I was awed by it.  It is no wonder there is so much strife in the world.  Knowing what someone means when they use words is very challenging.  Perhaps the most sensitive task in the world is being a translator at the United Nations.  A wrong meaning could start a nuclear conflagration.

“In the beginning was the Word.”  God is a treasury of ideas that lead on to more ideas which lead on to more ideas.  Eternity will be an endless stream of ideas expressed in The Word.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 13, 2016

PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org

 

 

The first thing I do every Sunday is read Blondie and The Family Circus in the funny papers.  Blondie and Dagwood have been a part of my mental family as long as I can remember.  What’s wonderful about them is they are ageless. Alexander and Cookie have grown up but Blondie is as pretty as ever and Dagwood as goofy as ever.  I especially like Dagwood’s boss, Mr. Dithers.  And Daisy, the dog, is as spry as she was seventy years ago.  In 1960 I added The Family Circus to my Sunday morning literary habits.  Their entire family is ageless.  Unlike Alexander and Cookie, the Family Circus children are still children.  Billy, age seven, is the oldest of the children and is eternally delightful.  He has been seven for fifty-six years.  He has been better at keeping young than was Jack Benny.

One of the marvelous wonders of being a parent is watching one’s children grow and develop.  One of the saddest things about being a parent is watching one’s children grow and develop.  There is an ironic enigma to successful parenting.   We want them to prosper and yet one day the nest will be empty.

One of the advantages our heavenly Father has is His nest is never empty.  He is omnipresent and can enjoy us at His will.  However, there is the perhaps not so good thing of knowing too much about your children and their friends.  It is amazing that our heavenly Father continues to love us while knowing everything about us.  I have to conclude that His love is based not upon what we are but upon His knowledge of what we will be.  What we will be is so fantastic Paul says in Ephesians 3:20 it is more than we can imagine.  It will be that good and more.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 11, 2016

PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

rogerbothwell.org

 

Most of us really dislike dandelions, at least in our own yard.  The leaves are not that attractive, but one has to admit that the flower is dazzlingly yellow.   And when the seeds turn into that snow-white ball yet still cling to the stem, they are beautiful.  No matter how old one gets, the urge to pick that snow-white ball and blow is almost irresistible.  Ever so gently we pick the easily broken stem.  We don’t want any of the seeds to dislodge until we blow.  Then with a birthday cake candle-blowing burst we launch a hundred seeds into the air to drift into our neighbors’ yards.  And how can they be angry?  They too have blown seeds into our yard.

There is an old saying that a weed is just a flower in the wrong place.  Sometimes we are tempted to think this about people when we see them struggling to achieve in a setting that is not a good fit for them.  They look rather like a weed.  But they do have gifts.  Everyone has something they can do very well.  And in another environment they would be dazzling.  The challenge is to find it.  What breaks your heart is seeing an elderly person who never found his or her place to bloom.

There is a beautiful song in the musical West Side Story that says,

“There’s a place for us—somewhere a place for us,

Peace and quiet and open air wait for us—somewhere.”

There is a place for everyone here and in heaven.  Our calling is to help each other find both.

Written by Roger Bothwell on June 31, 2004

PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

rogerbothwell.org

The back cover of a recent Fortune Magazine has the following message.  “89% of the Fortune 100 (corporations) trust Salesforce to power their success.”  So it appears the old expression, “Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door” is not true.  You can have the best product in the world but you have to let the world know.  We frequent a local business owned by a really fine man.  Unfortunately the lady behind the cash register is surly and unpleasant.  If we did not like the owner we would never do business there.

Jesus is the BEST product in the world.  He offers out of this world comfort and love.  In His wisdom, (which we cannot doubt, but does make us wonder) He has given us the responsibility to be His Salesforce.  I want to say, “Oh Horrors” but, I will trust that He knows best.  Are we really better at this than angels would be?  I guess so.

I along with you want so very much to be a great salesperson for Jesus.  Often sales personnel are incentivized by personal rewards like higher pay or paid vacations to some far off isle.  Sometimes I hear sermons about stars in our heavenly crowns; one star for each person we brought to Jesus.  Oh, please no!  If you are like me we would spend eternity counting each other’s stars to see who was the best.  I don’t want one.  I don’t need one.  If I get one I will put it in a closet.  Our incentive is our love for Jesus.  We get eternal life.  We get redemption and forgiveness.  What possible THING could ever begin to compare.    Being like Him surely is the best way ever to be His Salesforce.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 8, 2016

PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

rogerbothwell.org

 

His name was Joseph, the same as Jesus’ dad.  I wonder if his friends called him Joe?  His surname was Caiaphas and it was his misfortune to be the high priest the night Jesus was hauled in for trial.  His father-in-law was Annas, an ex-high-priest who was the real power behind the throne.  Actually, Caiaphas had been the high priest during Jesus’ entire ministry.  Jesus was a thorn in his flesh ever since Jesus was baptized by John.  Caiaphas had offered to follow John the Baptist if John would declare himself to be the Messiah.  John would not.

Ironically Caiaphas was a preacher of great truths.  Just after the resurrection of Lazarus he advocated killing both Jesus and Lazarus.  (You can’t kill the miracle worker and leave the miracle walking about.)   In John 11:50, “You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”  Every time we play taps at a military cemetery we agree with Caiaphas.

The next time he spoke truth was at the cross he himself had instigated.  He stood amidst the filth and stench of beaten, broken and dying bodies and said, “He saved others, but he can’t save himself!” Matthew 27:42.  He was almost right.  Actually Jesus could have saved Himself.  He could have called a host of angels to come to His side. Matthew 26:53.   (One angel would have been enough.)  But had He done so He could not have saved others.  The only way to save you and me was not to save Himself.

It is strange how often truth comes from mouths of one’s enemies.  Rarely would we think of Joseph Caiaphas as a preacher of truth

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 1, 2016

PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

rogerbothwell.org

One of my all-time favorite quotations is found in a biography of Jesus entitled The Desire of Ages.   Jesus and his disciple are at sea when a horrific storm overwhelms them.  Jesus is sleeping and his disciples, some of whom are experienced sailors, have lost hope.  Seeing Jesus sleeping in the nets piled in the front they cried out to Him, “Lord save us: we perish.”  Now comes my favorite quote.  “Never did a soul utter that cry unheeded.”  Page 335

Obviously God does not rescue all from disaster when they ask for help.  People on airplanes and ships that are going down pray and yet they die.  This must have eternal implications.  I have long believed in the benefits of death bed conversions.  Jesus is so driven to give people eternal life  He takes us any way He can get us.  He is not picky.  If this is true and I believe it is, just like the thief on the cross they have no time to build a Christ-like character.  This leads us to understand that salvation is, was and always will be, 100% based on what Jesus did for us on the cross.

This does not mean once saved we need not work on character building.  See Galatians 5 for the need to use our freedom in Christ for good resulting in the fruits of the Spirit.  The result being what James says, “faith . . . if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” and what Jesus said, “By their fruits ye shall know them. (the redeemed)” Matthew 7

This brings me back to my above favorite quote.  Jesus hears our cries no matter how loud or muffled, how articulated or silent.  He loves us.  He wants to save us.  Oh, how surprised we will be to see who all is saved.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 6, 2016

PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

rogerbothwell.org

 

Two of my granddaughters are sitting close by me watching a Netflix program on a laptop.   Each of them is also playing a game on their cell-phones.  At first the seeming duality of their interest span intrigued me but then I realized this is not new.  It is only different.  How many times have I been in church, totally bored, and thus read my Bible?  Somehow that seemed kosher.  But I have also sent text messages back and forth to someone on the other side of the congregation.  Often we excuse ourselves by tricking ourselves into thinking we are good multi-taskers.  I am not sure there is such a thing as a multi-tasker. Instead I think we get good at tasking in rapid sequence, quickly turning our attention back and forth.  The result being that we don’t do either task very well.

Then again multi-tasking is recommended in Scripture.  Paul wrote in                     I Thessalonians 5, “Pray without ceasing.”  He knew we had lives to live and work to do.  And yes, I understand, he was talking about a life-style of being in company with God.   The wonder of the human mind is that we can drive and listen to the radio.  We are marvelous beings made in the image of a God who can monitor every being in His vast universe.  God is the ultimate multi-tasker able to attend to our every need.  Never fear that He is too busy to hear you.  Not only can He hear, He is anxious to hear you.  You can turn off the car radio and talk with Him as you drive.  You can make Him happy and in turn He will make you happy.   It is a win-win.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 8, 2015

PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

rogerbothwell.org

I passed a real estate sign today that read, “Home for Sale.”  Really?  Do the children come with the purchase?  What about the dog?  Or maybe Mom comes with the house as a bonus!  Now if the sign read, “House for Sale” it would be more accurate.  Bricks and windows do not a home make.   I have a contractor friend who tells me he is a home builder.  No. No he isn’t.  He is a house builder.

One of the finest positions every created was that of a homemaker.  I love it when someone responds to the question, “What do you do?” and they reply, “I’m a homemaker.”  That is awesome.  That is better than any other job in the world.  Home is a wonderful place.  It is so great that 50% of airline tickets are purchased with home as the destination.

In John 14 Jesus told His disciples He was going to prepare a place for them.  Please note He did not say He was going to prepare a home for them.  We are the ones who will transform His place for us into a home.  It will be the best home we have ever had.  One of the exciting things about being a Christian is preparing for the move.  Surely the most important thing we can do is get used to living with Jesus by inviting Him into our earthly homes.   He is happy to come.  He doesn’t need a 10,000 square foot mansion.  He can turn a 900 square foot residence into a mansion just because He is there.  (Any size will work.)

Home really is where the heart is.  It could even be a tent in the forest or a refugee camp if the right people are there.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 4, 2016

PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

rogerbothwell.org

 

 

I’ve had to move my Fitbit to my right arm because of a spider bite on my left wrist.  I have no idea when I was bitten but there is no doubt what it is.  It is classic when compared with pictures of spider bites on line.  Forgive my childish fantasies but for a moment I was hoping I was as lucky as Peter Parker and the spider was radioactive.  Maybe we never outgrow some of our childhood.  I grew up on Superman comic books.  I longed to leap over tall buildings with a single bound.  Perhaps as I aged it became more of wanting to understand.  That has become more interesting than physical feats.

I have been accused by some as living in a fantasy world when I write about our promised eternity with the Lord.  The accusation is I have a juvenile religious experience.  That’s okay.  I enjoy my hopes and aspirations.  I repeat Peter who said, “For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power.”   I wish I could say what follows, “We were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”  I’m not.  But I then rely on the following statement by Jesus Himself, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

And so my spider bite will slowly heal and will not leave me with Spiderman talents.  That’s okay because Peter Parker was smitten with horrendous existential problems.  Jesus takes care of those issues for us.  We know who we are and where we are going.  We are the sons and daughters of God and we are heading into a glorious future with Jesus as our Brother.  We will never get that from a spider bite.

Written by Roger Bothwell on April 19, 2016

PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

rogerbothwell.org

 

If they had been red-winged blackbirds we would have been bloodied.  Instead they were robins and we were merely royally scolded.  We had come too close to a baby just out of the nest.  I must say they put up a significant defense.  The little guy was flapping his wings but going nowhere and mom and dad were doing all they could to facilitate his flight.

Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem and wept for His people as He said, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.”  Little has changed.  He still longs for us to allow Him to gather us in.   He wants to come and take us home and yet, “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”  II Peter 3:9.

God longs for us to take flight and soar to new realms.  It is not a matter of waiting until some future time.  Just as those parent robins were urging their baby to fly God is calling us to new levels of achievement and righteousness.  Our lives are not to be humdrum but to be exciting adventures in development.  It does not matter how old we are, opportunities abound for new growth in our intellectual and spiritual facets.  He promised to send us His Holy Spirit to live within and thus continually be updating our talents and understandings.  In Hebrews 1 we are promised angels to attend this growth as they bring us care packages from His throne room.  This is a great family.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 2, 2015

PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

rogerbothwell.org