Night Candle Meditations

As our world and way of life appear to come apart around us, remember that three things will always remain: "Faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love" 1 Corinthians 13:13. Real love is exhibited by our commitment and attendance to others. This love rises from a foundation of faith in God that allows a person to also have faith in others. Hope is the melding of attitude with future perception. Love is the praxis of faith and hope. This combination enables one to experience love as manifested by God. Our ability to love is God's gift that we are expected to share with others. I suggest that such love may be found in the marriage commitment between husband and wife. "He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord." A person may earn or inherit wealth, "but a prudent wife is from the Lord." It can be difficult to find a wife determined to have character that reflects the image of God. "She is worth far more t...

There is an absence of peace, assurance, and confidence as one views current news reports. Though there is a waning of Covid pandemic and government restrictions, the detrimental impact continues. Every aspect of our lives has been touched in one way or another. Australia mandated internment camps for some in effort to quell the pandemic. Canada has instituted martial law in response to peaceful protest by their nation's truck drivers seeking relief from government mandates regarding Covid restrictions. Is it possible that other nations adopt similar measures? The world's economy continues to be affected by inflation and rising prices. Shortages of many items are blamed on supply chain problems, though production shortfalls due to Covid are also a factor. Every country is struggling with these issues along with their own internal matters. As if matters were not bad enough, the world's attention is now focused on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Many of the changes that...

For years I've had the habit of tossing handwritten notes into file folders with assorted labels. Unfortunately lecture and sermon notes sometimes lack date and/or speaker's name. My memory is insufficient to recall note details from years long past. This past week I had a file folder open looking for information requested by one of my neighbors. During the search I came across words obviously scrawled in a hurried manner. I vaguely remember copying the words from the scribbled composition of a former homeless alcoholic and drug addict. I regret that I do not remember his name, but I do recall his occasionally reading aloud one of his compositions at our Friday evening services. Despite his willingness to orally share his poems, he didn't appear to be socially active within our group. Though much of his writing didn't appeal to me, the following words opened my eyes to another's need while reminding me of my own need:           Riding this bus homeward, L...