(HT: David Heddle at He Lives)

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build.”
(Ecclesiastes 3:1-3, NIV)

Do you know what’s a bad sign?  When the pastor preaches a series on tithes, stressing the need for giving, and then announces a sermon based on this passage from Ecclesiastes.  You can pretty well bet that there are big changes afoot.  Or if he’s not happy for a long time, and then preaches a series from Titus on the qualifications of a pastor.  Yep, that’s a bad sign, too.

Pastor opened with the Ecclesiastes passage today, and then dropped the bomb – the church is closing.  Next week is the last service.  This came as a surprise to everyone except the church board.  Maybe it wasn’t such a surprise, because giving has been way down, and he just finished an extended series on the importance of tithes.  Apparently that series didn’t have its intended effect.

At a previous church, the pastor seemed to have lost his enthusiasm for preaching, and then preached a several week series from Titus.  Uh, oh.  Sure enough, he then announced that “God had called him elsewhere in ministry.”

What’s the right way to close a church, or to announce your resignation as a pastor?  Is there a right way?  In both instances, there were misunderstandings, hurt feelings, anger, and finally for most, acceptance that God is in control, not us.  Obviously we haven’t worked through all of that in the present case, but I trust and pray that it will happen.

“With the angelic host proclaim:
“Christ is born in Bethlehem”
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

No biggie, it’s Christmas, right? The folks at the gas station may not have been believers; maybe the boss said to play some Christmas music and they played whatever was handy. It struck me that no matter how vigorously our culture shakes its collective fists at God, He will be heard. We can bemoan the sad state of society, with its petty debauchery and vice, or we can rejoice that the King of Glory is come and is in control.

Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.

“Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.”

The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.

Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,

“I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.” (Psalm 2:1-6, NIV)

God is king and lord of all that is seen and unseen. Even at the gas station.

Merry Christmas!