Submitted
From The Pastor's Desk
Honor Widows That Are Widows Indeed.
-1 Timothy 5:3
Been thinking a lot about Widows lately. A Biblical widow that the church was to care for was at least 60 having been the wife of one man (1 Tim 5:3).
They were to have a good Christian reputation (1 Tim 5:10).
A young widow was to re-marry and take care of the home and the children (1 Tim 5:14). That wouldn't be popular today.
In any event, I want to share some thoughts on a few of the widows that have been in our church and others than I have known.
It rained Sunday morning and I remembered that Mrs. Myrtle Quinn always mentioned that she liked the sound of a steady rain. Mrs. Quinn was a charter member of our church and the last one. She is gone on now and her trailer is gone. I pass the spot everyday. She was a true godly widow.
My best preacher friend, Ron Gross passed away a month ago. His wife, Evelyn Gross is a precious lady indeed. She is in the early stages of being a widow and as normal thinks Ron should be walking down their hallway. I keep wanting to call him. Takes time to get accustomed to the fact they are gone.
Judy Forth has been in our church some 40 years. Been a widow about 20 years. Oliver was a great husband and my close friend. She has buried a son too. Can't say enough about her. She sings every Sunday at our church.
While I was in Springfield last week, I visited Barbara Copeland. He husband, Max passed away in February. He was my sports buddy. Met him in our prayer meeting at Seminole in Springfield in 1978. She is another that fits the mold as a godly widow. She lost a daughter a couple of years ago.
Well, I can't forget my own mother. She was a widow 22 years. She had a stroke and was never the same. I watched her die. She lost two children. I helped preach her funeral.
My Aunt Mazzie has been a widow over 40 years. She has lost three children. Uncle Johnny was a mountain man. Afraid of nothing.
My Aunt Mott is 93. Also, been a widow over 40 years. She buried two daughters. Her husband was one of the best fishermen I ever fished with.
My Aunt Pudin passed away several years ago. An ice storm prevented me from preaching her funeral. I went down later to Arkansas and did a grave side service.
Sonny Stull's Aunt Chris had two good husbands. She is still with us. Great lady.
Jean Taber was my brother in-law mother. Someone told her six months was long enough to grieve.
I have always said that when someone dies far away they can stay in your memory everyday but when a household member dies your habit pattern is broken on top of the personal grief that you have to deal with. The spouse in this case, is simply not there anymore. Not at the dinner table, not in bed, not in front of the TV and all the rest. A ton of paperwork has to be done. You have to re- adjust to everything. They have to learn to do what their spouse always did. It is border line devastating. We tend to think the funeral is the end of it. It is just the beginning. In many cases they are now truly alone. Some end up in a nursing home. The families have naturally gone back to their own lives.
I am Johnie J. Logue pastor of Grace Baptist Church at 31046 Hwy MM. Get off your blessed assurance and come on out this Sunday at 11:00 AM.
Warsaw Christian Church
One of the theological problems that has long plagued the church is the relationship between human freedom and divine providence. In Genesis, we see an excellent example of how those two realities work together. In Genesis 50:20, we read a remarkable statement from the lips of Joseph. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Perhaps you recall the context. Joseph was betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery. He ends up in the home of a chief official named Potiphar. As the story unfolds, he is falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife of making unwelcome advances. He ends up in prison, but because of his gift of interpreting dreams, he is called upon to interpret a dream of Pharaoh. The Egyptian ruler is so impressed with Joseph that he is appointed second in command over the land. He becomes Pharaoh's right-hand man and can provide the food his family needs during a severe famine.
How did this remarkable turn of events happen? Joseph’s brothers had but one thought. They were jealous of Joseph and that technicolor coat given to him by their father, Jacob. They were also a little irritated when Joseph interpreted a dream that his brothers would one day bow before him. Their motive was purely wicked. They wanted to be rid of their smart-aleck brother. They are responsible for the sin they committed against their brother. “You intended to harm me,” says Joseph.
There was, however, another invisible hand at work in these events. God was going to use the evil intent of Joseph’s brothers to save them from starvation! They did not know that, nor did Joseph foresee how things would finally turn out. He just continued to trust in God. God was working behind the scenes for good.
If we can grasp this concept, it will help us overcome the hard times we all face. People act in ways that hurt us; sickness and death strike those we love; evil sometimes seems to control the world. All of that is true, but there is also the invisible hand of God working behind the scenes to bring good to His people (see Romans 8:28). We don’t always see how things will end, nor did Joseph. We can, however, trust in the God who loves us and is planning to bring us into our heavenly home. We can trust that His invisible hand is working behind the scenes to bring good to His people, even when others may have acted in hurtful ways.
Unity Of The Lakes
Rev. Don will be speaking 8/27/23 at Unity of The Lakes. His service is "Another Counselor". Have you received another counselor? Please join us as we delve into the scriptures to find the meaning. There may be good reason this idea is only found in the Gospel of John. Service is 11 am, dress is casual and all are welcome. Follow us on Facebook. We have an exciting activity coming up! "Unity is a link in the great educational movement inaugurated by Jesus Christ." We are located 8 miles south of Warsaw on highway 65 and are a small church with a big heart. We believe we are a way and not the way and honor all paths. We may be a way for you to find and follow your way. Why not come and find out for yourself? We look forward to seeing you.
