Pastor's Message
Have a heart
Valentines of every size and description adorn store windows and other places of business this time of the year. The holiday has become a time for love to be enthroned as a virtue, with the heart symbolizing the romance of our lives.
But the heart symbolizes not only love, but life itself! Without a heart, our bodies cannot survive.
Consider God's words to Samuel: "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7, NRSV)
The heart--that inner countenance--shows what we really are. Samuel was to seek one of the sons of Jesse to be the new king. David, even though he was the weakest physical specimen, was the one selected. His heart was great.
Love looks deeper then outward appearances, and we can thank God for that. Don't be swayed by mere valentines--have a heart!
Pastor Keith Mason
January 2012
May God make your year a happy one!
Not by shielding you from all sorrow and pain,
But by strengthening you to bear it as it comes;
Not by making your path easy,
But by making you sturdy to travel any path;
Not by taking hardships from you,
But by taking fear from your heart;
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,
But by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows;
Not by making your life always pleasant,
But by showing you when people and their causes need you most,
and making you anxious to be there to help.
God's love, peace, hope and joy to you for the year ahead.
-Author unknown