Roger Bothwell

Having spent this past weekend in a local hospital I woke up about 1 A.M. with a tremendous appetite for a can of Pringles. If I had had my cell,  I would have called my wife asking her to please please bring me some.  Alas, I could not.  Actually, I would not have called because merely knowing my request she would have gotten out of bed and immediately brought me a can.  (Yeah, she would have!)   Now comes the interesting part of the story.  At 8 A.M.  she came into my room carrying a can of Pringles!  Absolutely amazing.

While I do not have a great theological lesson to draw from this, I just wanted to quote a few famous lines from Psalm 23.  “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

I could fill pages of blessings but to do so would bore many people.  (However, just one more story.)  This morning my wife called drug and grocery stores all over our little city looking for clear Ensure.  No one had any in stock.  She mentioned it later today at our cancer clinic. A dietician overheard and said, “Wait just a moment.”  She returned with the gift of fourteen cans.  She said, “Next week I’ll have more for you!”

I have blessing guilt for I am totally aware that life is gruesome for so many people.  “A life in Christ is a life of restfulness.”  Steps to Christ. E. G. White.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 9, 2017

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There is a very easy trap to fall into when reading Scripture.  I am personally guilty and have to on occasion chide myself. I judge the ethics and behavior of Old Testament characters as if they were Christians.  They were not.  Often I have heard people say people in the Bible had more than one wife.  How come?  The how come is a different time, a different place and a different culture.  As a Christian living in a different time and place we follow Paul’s standard recommended in I Timothy 3 and of course there is the law of our land.

I have struggled with David.  David wrote the majority of the glorious Psalms indicating his deep love for God.  And yet he was a liar, a thief, a conman and a murderer.  Even on his death bed one of the last things he did was to order a murder. I so want him to be a Christian.  He was not.

We are so inculturated into a Christian environment we forget how revolutionary Jesus was.  In the Sermon on the Mount, one of the greatest moral guides in all literature, Jesus said, “You have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.”  To this day we still find this difficult.

Bible stories cannot be properly understood if we fail to consider the historic context.  The next time you sit down and read the Book of Judges remember the characters involved were mostly illiterate, simple folk.  Their actions are not models for us.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 2, 2017

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America is great not because our people live far better than any other population in history.  We are great not because we have more things than ever.  We are great not because we have submarines, aircraft carriers and missiles.  America is great because it is an idea.  More than 50 states, more than a geographic location, America is a never before held idea that “we the people” can govern ourselves.  “We the people” grant to others the same freedoms we ourselves desire.  To miss that this was earth-shakingly unique is to not understand the history of mankind.

In Luke 17:21 Jesus said, “Behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”  The establishment in Jesus’ day continued to look for a physical kingdom that would result in Jerusalem being the capitol of the world with Rome paying them tribute.  They missed the idea that the kingdom of God was an idea.  When Jesus prayed “thy kingdom come, thy will be done” He was speaking of our becoming one with Him and the Father and experiencing peace, forgiveness, grace and rest from works of the law.  Salvation did not depend on diet, tithing or adherence to Leviticus. Salvation is a gift that brings the kingdom of God into the present and not sometime in the future.

Just as America is an idea so is the kingdom of God.  This is not to deny the reality of heaven or the second coming.  Instead it is to recognize that heaven begins now.  Anxiety and stress about one’s salvation should be put to rest.  Going to heaven will be but a change of address with our physical issues remedied as this corruption puts on incorruption.

Written by Roger Bothwell on August 1, 2017

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I’m sure everyone has at least once in their life gotten a paper-cut.  The edge of a piece of paper so quickly slits one of your fingers. The cut is so smooth and so subtle you can barely see it.  But you can surely feel it.  Often it doesn’t bleed; it  just creates nagging, annoying discomfort.  If it is on the end of a finger it makes keyboarding very unpleasant. How can something so small be so aggravating?

Ticks can be even worse. The tiny ticks that almost require a magnifying glass to see them are the worst.  Often you don’t know they are there until it is too late and they have begun using you as a banquet table. Sometimes relationships are spoiled by little things.  Others’ idiosyncrasies can so irritate, things like sucking one’s teeth, constant humming off-key, slamming car doors when you are still inside, not really listening and then asking you to repeat yourself, chewing a finger, putting their cold feet on you in the middle of the night, and on and on.

Life is full of irritants and we are not as innocent as we might think.  We just don’t notice ours, but others do.  They can be like tiny ants that steal away the joy of a picnic.  Paul’s counsel to us basically is not to make a big deal out of others’ issues and to (if we can stand it) mind our own business. He wrote, “So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.”  Romans 14:12.  We can not justifiably say, “But Lord, every time we stop for a traffic light, he picks his nose!”

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 31, 2017

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We talked to a woman today with what had to be the world’s worst ever voice.  We’re talking about a sound so offensive it could clear the room of mosquitoes.  I was so relieved when she stopped talking.  I did genuinely feel sorry for her.  I wondered how she would ever find a spouse.  Well, if he were deaf, that would work.  After she departed I thought the situation could have been reversed, because she was very nice and polite.  What could be worse was if someone had a smooth mellifluous voice and used it to say mean, rude, disgusting things.

How horrible it would be to hear God’s voice, which has to be the best voice in the Universe, say, “I never knew you.” “Many will say to me, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.”  Matthew 7.

The best thing any of us will ever hear is the exact opposite.  To His redeemed God will say, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”  Matthew 25.

The Good News is we can be sure we will hear the latter.  Jesus is so straightforward when He says to us in John 5:24, “He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”  This is so wonderful and so powerful even the “dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.”  That is a sweet voice!!  John 5:25.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 26, 2017

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I had plenty of fuel to get home to the Napa Valley when I departed from Redlands, California.  But soon, while over the western edge of the Mohave Desert, I encountered much stronger head winds than forecast.  It became evident I was going to have to refuel somewhere up the coast.  Fuel consumption is measured not in miles covered but in hours in the air.  As I neared San Francisco I decided it would be interesting to stop at SFO.  I fully expected the control tower to bring me in on a small runway designed for private aviation but was pleasantly surprised to be led to one of the two giant side by side runways designed for 747s.  It was a real treat.

As soon as I touched down a truck appeared in front of me with a large sign that read, “Follow me.”  He would lead me to fuel.  As I taxied behind him I thought how interesting it would be if the sign read, “Matthew 16:24.”  Few pilots would even have a clue.  This was in such contrast to construction trucks on highways that say, “Don’t follow me.”

We all follow someone. Whether our pride allows it or not each of us is influenced by role models and our behavior, upon study, would reveal who it is.  Following Jesus is the best ever role model anyone anywhere could ever emulate.  He will take us to destinations far beyond our ability to think or imagine.  He will not only change our behavior, He will make us anew.  Following Jesus is not “off to see the wizard” but off to see unnumbered worlds filled with dazzling creatures who have never sinned and have only lived to serve others.  Come with me.  Let’s live forever.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 25, 2017

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For most of us salads are much better with our favorite dressing.  When it comes to people salads God enjoys a vast variety of dressings.  Surely He enjoys Italian with its zest or French with its smoothness or maybe Russian dressing.  According to Scripture God does not discriminate He must love them all.  See Romans 2:11, “For God does not show favoritism.”

Paul talks about dressing God’s people.  However, he refers to a different definition of dressing.  In Galatians 3:27 he writes, “As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”  And in Ephesians 6 he wrote, “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”  Paul has quite a wardrobe for us.  And once we are well dressed in Christ our lives will be so much better.

One specific way our lives improve is we cease thinking about others as “they” and become more inclusive.  We learn to be “we.”  If we go back to Galatians3:28  he helps us with the following understanding.  “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”  I long for us to see ourselves as “one.”  Can you imagine with this straightforward counsel some churches still discriminate against women?   In a salad the carrots don’t think they are better than the cucumbers, who do not see themselves as better than the sweet peppers, who do not think they add more to the salad than the tomatoes.

Let all of us get dressed in Christ and watch the wonders of unity that will follow.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 21, 2017

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As far as salads go lettuce is by far the least nutritious and most boring ingredient.  But generously toss in carrots, tomatoes, sweet peppers, cucumbers and celery and you have a small delicious banquet.  It is just like God’s family.  We are a marvelous salad of humanity.  Jesus commissioned us to go to the world and make disciples and the result is fabulous.  I’m sure there are members of His family from every nation in the world and He must find it delicious to behold.

Paul wrote in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

It seems the more variety we have the better the salad.  Take some of our U. S. presidents for an example.  Abraham Lincoln was the tallest at six feet four inches.  James Madison was the smallest at five feet four inches.  He weighed only 100 pounds as compared to Taft who weighed three hundred and thirty.  Calvin Coolidge was famous for not talking much and they couldn’t stop TR from incessantly talking.  Truman was the only president never to attend college, while Woodrow Wilson was a professor.

Shame on us if we ever discriminate by race, gender or language.  As Paul wrote in Romans 14 God invited us all to His table.  Who are we to cross anyone off God’s guest list?  Ultimately we all end up at the same place – the foot of the cross – needing mercy and forgiveness.

People salads are the best.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 20, 2017

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In 1956 Allan Jay Lerner collaborated with Fredrick Lowe to write the lyrics for a song in My Fair Lady.  As I read them it describes my 75 year-old relationship with Jesus and with some adaptation (my apologies to Lerner and Lowe) I read the lyrics like this.

He makes the day begin

He’s second nature to me now
Like breathing out and breathing in
I’m very grateful He’s my Savior and not so easy to forget
Rather like a habit one should never break

How I have longed for my reactions to life’s ups and downs to be, without thinking on my part, automatically His.  Paul wrote in Philippians:5 “ Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”  There it is.  The goal of every believer should not only to be saved but to become like Him.  And should He never come to save us, (He will.  He promised.) we will have been the winner because a Christ-like life is the richest, happiest life ever lived by ANYONE.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 17, 2017

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My older sister and her husband have been visiting this past week.  It is difficult not to observe that we say everything twice. The first time the response is “What?” and the second time they and we get it.  Alas, we are now reaching that stage described in Ecclesiastes 12.

“Honor and enjoy your Creator while you’re still young,

Before the years take their toll and your vigor wanes,

Before your vision dims and the world blurs

And the winter years keep you close to the fire.

In old age, your body no longer serves you so well.

Muscles slacken, grip weakens, joints stiffen.

The shades are pulled down on the world.

You can’t come and go at will. Things grind to a halt.

The hum of the household fades away.

You are wakened now by bird-song.

Hikes to the mountains are a thing of the past.”

 

One of Jesus’ favorite expressions was “Let him who has ears, let him hear.”  It seems apparent that Jesus was in his early thirties when He said that.   Of course, Jesus was speaking of comprehension and our response to the truths He was teaching.  He wanted us to hear the Beatitudes and learn to be happy.  He wanted us to read His comments to Nicodemus and find eternal life.  All we need for happiness now and life evermore is found in His words.  Let him who has ears let him hear.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 19, 2017

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