Author: Ian Bothwell

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

When I was a little boy my pastor told us the story from Exodus 5 where the evil pharaoh responded to Moses’ request for a holiday by ordering that the children of Israel no longer be provided straw for the brick making. However, they still had to maintain the same daily quota of bricks.  My little boy sense of justice was violated and I was truly upset by such a bad man.

I remembered this recently while reading II Peter 1:3.   It says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness.”   What a great King we serve! Our God always does His best to facilitate for us the abundant life.  He would never take good from us.  If we need straw we get straw.  If we need divine power to overcome evil and to grow in grace, we get divine power. Verse 4 continues with the great news that even now we can participate in divinity so we can overcome evil. Verses,5 through 7 detail a list of desirable qualities.  Peter then says in verse 8, “If we possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive.” 

Our God is not an evil pharaoh.  He abundantly supplies us with all the straw and character building tools we will ever need. In Ephesians 2 Paul tells us God is lavish with His gifts to us.  I love following this kind of king.  He’s the greatest.

Written by Roger Bothwell on September 12, 2008

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

We received a package. We could not tell from the outside information who sent it.  Inside on top of packing was an envelope with my wife’s three-letter name. Instantly she said, “It’s from Patty.”   I was amazed. It is not that she receives something from Patty on a regular basis.  This is handwriting that appears maybe once or twice a year.  How does she do that?  She has an exaggerated gift.

We all recognize things by use of pattern recognition.  It is the brain’s shorthand for identifying things.  We all do it but she seems to do it better than most of us. Often times I can identify people on the phone with the first “Hello” but in a few sentences she can usually tell people where they grew up.

I used to wonder how God could listen to all our prayers and get the right answer to the right prayer and not get confused.   For God it is no bigdeal.  He knows us by sight, sound and smell.   He knows how we walk and talk.  The truth is we could never disguise ourselves in anyway that He would not instantly recognize us.

 Pattern recognition enables us to know when someone is a fraud.  If someone pretends to be a Christian it doesn’t take long before their behavior or speech will betray them. Last evening two of our students were coming to a door. My wife looked up and said, “That’s….”  It was dark!  She was right.  The students could not hide their basic size, shape and manner of walking. 

How I wish everyone could always recognize us as having been with Jesus.

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 23, 2008

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

Because next week is exam week I spent the day writing finals.  Exams are interesting.  One can quickly write an exam but that usually produces long tedious grading. One can put in lots of time writing an exam and then it is usually quickly graded.  I’m still looking for the quick to write – quick to grade exams. As I was doing so I remembered when I was a little boy I was told some day I would have to be examined by God in a great day of judgment.

I even had to memorize the last verse of Ecclesiastes,”For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing,whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”   Now that was scary because I didn’t want to even try to explain some of my behavior.  The verse said “every”.   That didn’t leave any wiggle room.  I also had to learn James 2:10 which said if I broke one commandment I was guilty of breaking all.   Hey, why bother?  I was dead meat.

How I wish someone would have encouraged me to also memorize         John 5:24 where Jesus Himself said, “Truly, truly I tell you, the one who hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.”Wow! What an incredible verse!  So why did I have to memorize the scary ones and not the great ones.

Jesus changed it all. Too bad Solomon never knew Jesus. If he had I am sure his letter would have finished much differently. Jesus is revolutionary. Jesus is wonderful.  Jesus gives us a “Go to heaven. Do not stop at judgment” card.

Written by Roger Bothwell on December 6, 2008.

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

When we are very small we are good because being bad results in pain or loss.  Unfortunately some people never change their reason for being good. Fortunately some people learn to be good for the sake of love.  They do not want to disappoint those they care about.  This is a very good reason for being good. 

There is another reason for being good.  Reason is the reason. As we mature we understand God’s will is for us to thrive,and the only things He requests of us are for our own good.  There are the do’s.  Take good care of one’s self and one can avoid all manner of ills.   There are the don’ts.  If we avoid certain rotten behaviors, we avoid the rotten fruit.

One of my students interrupted my lecture on why we are good because he wanted to know which was the best reason for being good.  I quickly noted that being good to avoid punishment might work but certainly has no particular moral value. Fear works.  Fear also erodes the quality of life.

 That left love or reason. I like reason.  Reason helps us understand God’s rationale and helps us understand God is not arbitrary.   However, I also like love.  There is something noble about love that has elements beyond our own personal happiness. Love begets goodness for the sake of another. John 3:16 does not say, “For God so reasoned it best to sacrifice Himself for us.”  Which by the way would be a good text.  Instead God’s emphasis is on love.  Love grows and reason grows.  Love and reason fertilize our growth into His image.

Written by Roger Bothwell on June 20,2008.

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

I had a small computer technical problem this evening and  called tech support.   Upon his request I gave the tech support person control of my computer.  In a few moments my computer mouse arrow started whizzing about my screen and as fast as I could barely comprehend, windows were opening and closing, menus appeared and disappeared, commands were typed in little boxes and everything started working properly.   He terminated his control of my machine and I was once again sole commander of my domain.

At first I thought it would be grand if the Holy Spirit would take over our lives like that and aid us in solving our human problems.  How grand just to sit back and watch His divine power make everything right.  But then I paused and thought, “No.”   While it was wonderful to have my computer working, I did not learn anything.  If the same thing goes wrong again, I have no way of repairing it other than to once again call tech support.  He whizzed through windows and menus and I couldn’t note where he was and what he did.   What we need from the Holy Spirit is not just a repair but also knowledge.  We need to know how to avoid future difficulties and should we err, it is very helpful to know what to do to remedy the situation.

God declares us faultless as we come before His throne.  See Jude verse 24. But He is also interested in our growth.  He wants us to learn.  He wants us to become more like Him each day.  He will not only fix He will educate.

How grand!

Written by Roger Bothwell on October 15, 2008.

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