Letter from Pastor Dave Bateman
Harmony Note January 6, 2021
As I sit here tonight on this twelfth night of Christmas, we are reminded of the Magi who came to see the Christ child, bringing gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. These were men who were astronomers, watchers of heaven and seekers of light. They followed the star to the place where Jesus lay and saw him as the Messiah, come to save a nation and maybe the world. We would do well to seek him still.
We have become so entranced by our own devices, our tablets and phones of information, our devices that give us countless choices for personal pleasure and entertainment. We are so absorbed in looking down at our devices that we forget to look up and follow the stars to find the Christ child. On this Twelfth Day of Christmas, it’s time to take down the tree and put away the decorations for another year. Suddenly the barren look of winter strikes us as the lights and decorations are tucked safely away. The cloudiness only accentuates the gloominess as we trudge through the day that becomes a time of transition.
We continue to struggle with the effects of the pandemic with everyone knowing someone or some family affected by it. Although the vaccine is now available to some, it will take time to distribute enough for “herd immunity”. Many still work from home which also becomes classrooms in many cases. Still we try to be careful, wear masks and keep our distance to slow the spread of the virus. The isolation wears on us as well as the lack of human touch.
Today also, we experienced an attack on our nation’s capitol. It was an attempt to disrupt the vote affirming the results of the electoral college naming Joe Biden the next president of the United States. As I write this, they have now recessed for the night after ploughing through some of the procedures. Our democracy will survive, and maybe we will find the will to work together. We still need some reforms, but insurrection is not a viable option.
I encourage all of us to emulate the wise men, seek the child in a manger and fall on our knees to worship him. On this distressing evening, may we be reminded of our motto, “In God we trust”. Our hope is not a savior in the White House, but with God in our house. This nation was built by hard working men and women who believed in God and in each other and that together we could build a society that encouraged our dreams and sustained our vision for America as a beacon of hope and bastion of freedom and democracy.
Let us, like the wise men, seek him and honor him.
Let us offer ourselves to follow him.
Blessings and Peace and Love,
Pastor Dave
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