Tag: christianity

Posted in mathematics, Through the Bible Devotions

Just do the math

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Antoine Dautry on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Luke 2.

In his gospel, Luke mentions a man name Simeon who is waiting to see the Messiah. “It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ” (Luke 2:26). In faith, he knows he’s immortal until he puts eyes on the Savior. Imagine what you could do with a promise like that!

I’m a math guy, but I never considered that Simeon did the math when he went to the temple on the very same day when Joseph and Mary showed up with Jesus.

The shepherds who saw and heard the angelic announcement and praises about the Christ’s birth had told everyone what they had experienced (Luke 2:17). News like that spreads quickly.

Simeon was righteous and devout (2:25). He knew the Old Testament statute that after circumcision, a woman would come to the temple with her son in thirty-three days for purification (Leviticus 12). The Spirit of God, working through the Word, gave Simeon a good idea of when the Messiah would show up at the temple. This was not an accidental encounter. God had arranged for this meet-up a long time ago.

I’m smiling as I write this. My undergraduate degree was liberal arts, but I majored in math. Years later, God led me to the seminary to prepare for pastoral ministry. To some, math and ministry appear to be thousands of miles apart. For me, they are next door neighbors!

I cut my math teeth on algebra in eighth grade. I helped all my friends get through ninth grade geometry. Functions, trigonometry, and calculus all made sense to me in high school. From statistics to topology, God prepared me for graduate study in theology. By God’s grace, I love numbers almost as much as I love him!

I know enough about math to know that you can’t calculate when Jesus will return. I also can’t assume that the little bit you have won’t go a long way, as it did with the feeding of the five thousand. My age may be a finite number, but nothing about God is. The concept of infinity simply leads me to worship the eternal God and look forward to eternal life.

Math got me some awards and college scholarships in high school. Math prepared me to help my daughter excel in high school calculus. Math gives me the chance to tutor my home-schooled grandsons. Math gives me perspective when people try to use statistics to their advantage. Math reveals a creator who numbers my days, knows the how many hairs I have on my head, and constantly gives more than I ask for or imagine.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

The fear of God: more than a command; an experience

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by hannah joshua on Unsplash

A “through the Bible devotion” from Isaiah 29.

And the Lord said:
“Because this people draw near with their mouth
    and honor me with their lips,
    while their hearts are far from me,
and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,
 therefore, behold, I will again
    do wonderful things with this people,
    with wonder upon wonder;
and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,
    and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.” (Isaiah 29:13-14)

I wonder how much of this is true about me? Do I fear God because someone told me I should fear him? Is my fear of God “a commandment taught by men”?

On the one hand, I am thankful for my parents, pastors, teachers, and friends who taught me to fear God. I’ve never been afraid of God, but I have a healthy respect for his power, which exceeds every nuclear weapon, cat 5 hurricane, destructive tornado, or devastating earthquake.

On the other hand, my fear of God is rooted in what I’ve been taught about him. I have not camped at the foot of a rumbling Mt. Sinai. I have not walked through a parted Red Sea or Jordan River. I have not survived in a desert with nothing but a daily supply of manna. I have not directly witnessed a miraculous healing or resurrection.

I’ve been taught these truths.

God won’t let us limit him to textbooks or lectures. He promises to “again do wonderful things with this people.” His work of salvation isn’t limited to the past. It’s happening right now.

When my faith becomes nothing more than lecture notes, God promises to do wonderful things. He’s more than anything the best communicators can tell us about him. He’s an active participant in my life.

Will I see it? Will I witness his power? Will I see what he can do? Will I fear him because I’ve experienced him? Because I know him?

I certainly hope so!

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Just like riding a bike

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jonny Kennaugh on Unsplash

I was asked to substitute preach last November at the church I retired from two-and-a-half years ago. While I’ve done a few memorials and funerals, this was my first time back in the pulpit for a Sunday morning worship service.

A few months before, someone who knew I was scheduled to preach teasingly asked, “Do you think you’ll remember how?” But it’s a good question. It should be like riding a bike, right? I might be a little stiff, but preaching muscle-memory ought to kick in.

And it did. In some ways it felt like I had taken a couple of weeks off rather than two years. I could have resurrected a sermon from my archive of messages. I didn’t because old messages include things that aren’t relevant. Plus, the discipline of preparing a message assures that it will touch my heart before it reaches the ears of others. I need and appreciate that blessing.

I do not write out my sermons. I outline them using Keynote (Apple’s version of Power Point), putting a picture on each one to help me remember. That way I can preach just using my bible, freeing me to better engage the congregation.

I also volunteered to lead the praise service that day, since the leader would also be away. And teach an adult Sunday School class between the two morning worship services. In hindsight, I should have just preached rather than dividing my efforts between all those things. I enjoy doing all of that, it just takes a little more preparation to spin that many plates on a Sunday morning.

The week before I noticed that my mind was continually filled with the upcoming sermon. I would think my way through the outline, introduction, illustrations, and applications throughout the day. I had forgotten how sermon preparation moves in and occupies a lot of space in my mind. It requires a lot of mental and spiritual energy.

That’s the part I don’t miss. It sounds terrible, but I don’t miss the weekly grind. As soon as you’re done one, the next one looms. Sundays come around with precise regularity. As much as I love preaching and teaching, I don’t miss it that much. Does that surprise you? I read those words and it surprises me. It’s one of those love-hate things, I guess.

Thanks for lasting this far through a rambling post. Here’s one last thought. I am grateful for the honorarium paid for my Sunday morning efforts. I do want to mention that this is one place where inflation has not spun out of control. I received the same amount as we were paying substitute preachers thirty years ago. I know, I know, you don’t do it for the money. I’m just putting it out there.

I suppose I’ll preach now and again in the future. We’ll see what happens. I still get to teach adults and youth each month, and enjoy that a lot.

I’m still figuring out this retirement thing.

Posted in Devotions, Through the Bible Devotions

Be blessed!

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Ivana Cajina on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from Genesis 14.

I met George and Marie when they brought their son Isaac to vacation bible school every summer. I would run into them every once in a while, and after a quick conversation, George would always say, “Be blessed!”

After Abram makes quick work of the kings who had attacked his nephew Lot, Melchizedek shows up with a blessing,

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
    Possessor of heaven and earth;
blessed be God Most High,
    who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” (Genesis 14:19,20 NASB)

We don’t know much about Melchizedek, other than that he was a king and a priest. He shows up out of nowhere, and then he disappears. His name will come up again to help us understand Jesus (Hebrews chapters 5 and 7).

It’s great to have people show up in our lives to remind us that we have been blessed and to credit God for those blessings. It’s easy to forget. It’s easy to allow what someone else has or does obscure the view of the good things in our own lives. What a gift when someone lends us their eyes to see what God has done and is doing in our lives!

Maybe I can bring that gift, too. When I celebrate the good things going on in the lives of others, it’s a great day for God, too. After all, every good and perfect gift comes from him.

Be blessed!

Posted in prayer

First thing on the agenda: prayer

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Dylan Gillis on Unsplash

The men’s bible class I attended last week began with prayer rather than saving it until the end. Usually, the leader gets sidetracked or the table discussions is really good, and we don’t get to prayer until 7:59 (class ends at 8). But this time, the leader said, “I’m going to let you guys share with each other and pray for about twenty minutes. Then we’ll get into the study.”

Four or five men were seated at each of the six tables. Even though I know most of the guys who come each week, I had just met the three others at my table. One had been a member of the church for about thirty years. Another had just moved to Florida from Oregon. To my left was a thirty-something guy who just started a data science degree program at the local state college.

Typically, the majority of prayer is devoted to those we know who are ill or recovering. Tonight was different. At my table, our petitions were all ones of gratitude. Bob’s son had come back to church, his faith renewed. Kevin was adjusting well to a new home, job and church. Mike’s life was getting back on track and enjoying his studies. I was thankful for time spent with grandchildren.

After we jotted down our prayers, we all took turns praying. Sometimes people are reluctant to pray, but not this group. Not one of my new friends hesitated to offer up thanks for the stuff going on in our lives. I thought to myself, “This is a powerful time, praying with these men.”

The class leader commented that talking about our prayers usually took up more time than the prayers themselves. He was right. We only prayed for about five minutes. But that’s OK. God was listening in on our pre-prayer discussions. That was prayer time, too.

The plan worked well. The leader lost track of time and we didn’t even get through half the night’s discussion questions. It’s a good thing we started with prayer.