Author: Ian Bothwell

My wife was standing in a line at a customer service desk.  There were two people behind the counter.  One woman was helping someone when the other looked up and said, “I’m not ignoring you.  I’m leaving.”  I think that is a form of ignoring.   Nevertheless, during the discussion that ensued we commented on the difference in service one gets from a person who owns a business and from a hired hand.  I like it when I am doing business with an owner.   Which brings me to the Owner of this world.  I like doing business with Him.  He is attentive and responsive.  He really cares about what is happening.

Despite the rebellion in Eden, God has always maintained His ownership. Notice Psalm 50.  “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.  I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.”  Also there is a wonderful passage in Job 38 when God asked Job a host of questions about the heavens and the earth.  God definitely has not relinquished His claim.

In John 10 Jesus speaks of us being His sheep and knowing His voice.  He loves to have us be His.  And when we are, He takes excellent care of us. When we go astray He will go out into the night to search for us.  He already risked all and paid all to have us.  In His parable of the pearl of great price, we are the pearl.  He paid an enormous fee to claim us as His own.  I hope you feel loved because you are both loved and cared for by the Owner.

Written by Roger Bothwell on September 8, 2008.

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 945874

Within the next few days the Massachusetts highway department will need to cut down a beautiful white birch tree that is leaning more and more over the road.  It has not been bowed down by ice or by some boy climbing.   It has just decided to lean.  If trees could talk surely one of the larger trees would have warned it not to lean that direction.  The result of leaning that direction will always be a chainsaw.

Johnny Cash used to sing a song entitled “Don’t take your guns to town son.” It’s a ballad of a mother wise enough to know certain actions produce certain results.  He died.  It is the story told over and over again. Parents try to tell their children not to go a certain way because they know where it leads.  How often do children think parents and churches are just there to spoil sport?  There is wisdom in listening to those who have traveled the road ahead.  Unfortunately so many are wise too late.

Disasters begin with tiny movements and tiny deviations from the right way. Pilots know that a very small variation will over the course of a few hundred miles lead one way off the intended destination.  The challenge for parents is how to set our children off in the right direction.  This is where prayer and the claiming of James 1:5 is extremely important.  We need divine guidance so we can in turn guide.  One who cannot or will not take counsel is never fit to give counsel.  Only God knows everything.  The rest of us need help.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 7, 2008

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

I watched a very messy nuthatch this evening.   As day was coming to an early ending there was a host of sparrows and squirrels enjoying a rainstorm of birdseed.  I don’t know what kind of seed the nuthatch was looking for but he was whipping his head about in the bird feeder spraying seed everywhere.  I don’t know if he ever found anything for himself but he certainly was a source of blessing for the others.  I was wishing I could be that much of a blessing to others.

The primary prevailing philosophy in today’s world is existentialism.  If you asked a person if he or she was an existentialist they would most likely stare at you wondering what in the world you were talking about.  But if you explained what it was and asked them a few questions about life, they would discover that  is what they believe.   If I may oversimplify, I will just say it is a person on a quest for meaning.  There is much more involved but basically people want a reason for being. 

If you have Jesus in your life, it is cared for.  Jesus has a task for each of us.  Our quest is to find it and with God’s help fulfill our commission.  In a way that makes each of us a Christian existentialist.  However, the person who lives without Jesus is quested to invent meaning or live a life of quiet desperation so well-pictured in Edvard Munch’s picture “The Scream.”

Our task is to be a source of blessing to those about us.  To be like Jesus is to touch lives with love and promise for a better tomorrow.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 3, 2008

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

There is a poster on the wall of my office depicting the heroism of Desmond Doss, a non-combatant medic that won the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism in WWII.  This morning a young mother with her two little girls were looking at it when the five-year-old asked about the picture.  I was curious as to what one would say about such a man to an innocent child.  Her mother wisely said, “It’s a picture about a very good man.”  Immediately, without a moment’s hesitation, the little girl exclaimed, “Oh! It’s about Daddy!” He is a science professor at our little college.  He is a good man.  He is the hero in two little girls’ lives. Need I even have to say how grand it would be if all children would respond that way when someone mentioned a good man?  

Need I say how grand it would be if we responded that quickly to think of our heavenly Father when someone used the word “good”?  The Islamic community chants that God is great.  That is true.  I wish we Christians would add to that “and God is good.” He is such a good Father.  He adopts us into the family and enables us to be co-heirs with His son Jesus.  He is so unbiased and so unselfish that each of us, the redeemed, receives all the blessings we can contain.  See Romans 8.  In Ephesians 3 Paul prays for us to know the length and width and depth of our Good Father’s love and to know the love of Christ that fills us with all the fullness of the Father.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 5, 2008

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

The worship hour at my church begins with the ringing of the church bell. However, as we waited this past weekend all was silent.  The bell ringer got more than he expected.  Instead of a pleasant vibrant sound filling the sanctuary he got a cascade of rope.  The bell rope broke.   Without a connection the bell sat silent and will do so until we get a new connection.

Our bell is just like people without a connection to their Creator.  We can run about working our heads off and completing our to-do lists but we will not live up to our full potential until we take advantage of God’s offer to fill us with divine power.  One of the most incredible verses of Scripture is found in II Peter 1.  “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him  who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature.”

Often I see what appear to be very successful people who do not have a relationship with God and I wonder what they could be or could have been had they taken full advantage of God’s offer.   God wants to ring our bell.  He wants us to fill the atmosphere around us with a crisp, clear sound that will enhance our lives and the lives of those around us.  Just as our worship service was impoverished by the lack of a connection so all are impoverished by not uniting with the divine power of the universe.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 22, 2008

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Don’t you hate it when one of your favorite stores closes down?  We had a feed store in town that creaked with old age.  The wooden floors squeaked and groaned as we wandered about wondering about all the interesting farm things.  It wasn’t as if we would ever need or purchase cow dehorning equipment. We went there to get bags of wild bird seed, but I was fascinated by the baby chicks and the cat that ruled the place without eating the chicks.  There was this great smell of grain mixed with salt licks and leather straps that I have no idea of their purpose.  It was another world apart from my academic realm of smelly old books.  But now it is gone. There is another feed store in town but it’s a metal building with a concrete floor.  It isn’t anywhere nearly as nostalgic and exotic as the old wooden building with the deteriorated shingle roof.

Why does everything have to change?  Today was the last day of classes for this semester.  I have grown to enjoy my students, some of whom I will see again next semester because they are psyc majors, but the students of other majors who took my class as an elective will move on.  Perhaps the next time I see them will be on graduation day as they move across the stage in their academic peacockery.  I would like to hug them but they would not understand an old man’s pride in their success.  They might return on alumni day and I will be embarrassed because I will not remember their names.  Shame on me, but I can blame it on a senior moment or some other such human weakness.

Our college town was founded in 1653.  That was 46 years before Jamestown,Virginia.  The town cemetery is filled with people who never heard of the United States.  When they died Massachusetts was a British colony.  I have come to know the only thing that doesn’t change is God’s love for us.

There’s an anchor we can count on.  See Malachi 3.

Written by Roger Bothwell on December 4, 2008

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Late this afternoon over thirty ladies gathered in my home to gift shower a soon to be mom. Sneaking off to the upper portions of the house I sequestered myself in an old rocking chair with a good book.  However, I continued to hear sounds from the celebration.  Choruses of “oohs and aahs” rose to my ears.  I could only imagine the inspiration for such sounds being a pair of Donald Duck booties or a Winnie the Pooh blanket.  Soon I was joined by another male as we realized there are certain places we were better off not being.

At this point I am tempted to draw the analogy that there are some places Christians should not be, but to do so would cast a negative reflection on the baby shower and it was a wonderful event – just not for me.  However, since I did bring it up I will continue with the thought that there are some places those who are seeking character development should not be.  But that creates a problem since one of the main accusations against Jesus was the company He kept.   He really did eat with Publicans and sinners and He never apologized for doing so. If we are going to be the salt of the earth we need to get out of the saltshaker.  We are not much good all sequestered in our goodie goodie groups.

 Perhaps we should note that while Jesus did enter questionable places He also prepared Himself by spending great quantities of time in prayer with His Father.   That might have prepared me to watch ladies open bundles of disposable diapers.

Written by Roger Bothwell on September 29, 2008

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Apparently I inadvertently clicked on the wrong something because suddenly my PC had a little balloon start popping up every few seconds telling me there was a security threat to my computer data.  After a few pops it then opened windows on the screen that refused to be layered by new windows I would open.  Basically it took over my computer and I could not get rid of it.  I ran Doctor Spyware and other programs, which claimed my computer was safe and clean, but this nefarious malware continued to dominate my screen. Finally I was able to get to the System Restore command.  And how wonderful it was to return my computer to its healthy state of yesterday.

Restoration to a better time and situation is a marvelous thing.  Basically that is what the Good News is all about.  We, people, had it great in Eden and we threw it away. The story of redemption is the story of restoration. Back to Eden we go, or at least to an Eden-like place.

 I wish I could tell you along with forgiveness comes a removal of the consequences of our sins.  Alas, if I hold up the corner grocery store, I, no matter how repentant, will have to go to jail.   Jesus will forgive me. He will erase my sin in the books of heaven and look at me as if I had never sinned.  He will restore me.  But I will have to enjoy that restoration as a guest of the State of Massachusetts.  Sin comes with consequences.  That’s why it is sin.

Written by Roger Bothwell on June 25, 2008

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Do you ever open the refrigerator door and just stare?   You already know what isn’t in there because an hour ago you opened it and stared. There was nothing in it then and now it is as if by some miracle something yummy got in there.  After doing this three times this evening I reached for the basket of candy.  I have already eaten everything in there that was worthwhile. But wonder of wonders I was rewarded. In all that worthless candy I found one tiny treasure worth eating.  It was one of those bite size Crunch Bars. Ah ha persistence pays off.  It was worth the effort. 

I hate to admit this and I know it says more about me than others but sometimes I go to church and it is like staring into the refrigerator.  I am hoping to be fed and nothing happens.  The sermon seems like stale leftovers and there isn’t even a bag of candy in which to rummage about.  Yet I am persistent and return to stare yet again.  And what I have discovered is persistence pays off. Spiritual serendipities do happen. Suddenly a new insight floods my mind and I am wonderfully blessed.

I know I should find a blessing every week but sometimes it just doesn’t happen.  It most likely has a direct correlation to the week I just finished.  If I had been more tuned into God I would have heard Him in the sermon.  So I am not complaining about the sermons as much as I am looking in the mirror.   I thought I might mention this because just maybe you also have gone to church and stared into the refrigerator.

Written by Roger Bothwell on November 17, 2008

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

One of the most misused verses of Scripture is Romans 8:28.  “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God.”   Terrible things happen and people often use this verse in the context of the horror being God’s will. Unwittingly they imply that God orchestrated the event to bring about some good. Nothing could be more damaging to God’s reputation and our faith.  A billion things a day, each day, happen on earth that are NOT God’s will.   We live in a dangerous place.  Jesus told us to call  God “Our Father.”   Can you imagine me saying to one of my sons, “I going to lead you to back the car over your child today so I can bring about something good for you?”   If I did that I should be taken out and shot. Yet we do this to God all the time.

 What Paul is trying to tell us is when bad things happen, and they will happen on this sin filled world, God will be there for us.  He did not want the bad thing to happen but He will hurt with us, cry with us and suffer with us.  He will try to draw us near and fill us with the knowledge that it is not always going to be like this.   There are better days ahead.

Christianity is neither an insurance policy against bad things happening nor is it an “every bad thing is a cloud with a silver lining.”   What Christianity is is knowing we are not alone.  Someone at the center of the universe cares and will help us pick up the shattered pieces of our loss and give us the strength to build a new future.

Written by Roger Bothwell on June 23, 2008.

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574