Take the Faith With You!

The old timers did not know what to make of Jesus. I imagine their conversations went like this.

"That new rabbi in town--have you heard him speak? He talks of a new law while reciting the Shema with the Leviticus passage added on. There is nothing new about that. What is all the excitement about? The people have forgotten that the faith never changes. God is the same!"

We live in a changing world. I am amazed to think of how many changes my parents have seen in their life time. Then I think about how many changes I have lived through. My grandchildren will live through changes that I cannot even imagine.

I have just become aware of a change that I have to admit I really like. It enables me to travel lighter and read more.

One of the heaviest things in a preacher's life is our personal library. I cannot tell you how many books I have packed and unpacked. How many books have I carried around? And it is true in our world today. Just look at a backpack that is being carried by our high school students. They need a back brace and a mule.

Recently I have published two of my books as Ebooks on Amazon.com. It is amazing! With my new electronic reader I got for Christmas from my darling wife, I am able to download my new books and add them to my library. I am able to highlight and bookmark as I read. I am able to transfer highlights and bookmarks to my computer to print out. When I go somewhere today, I carry my entire library with me. I cannot lose it. It is always accessible. How light it that!

Now I can already hear some of you saying, "I just want the book. It is just not the same!" So you will miss out on the joy of more reading as you ride your horse and buggy to the store. You can reach me on your dial up telephone as you come in from the outhouse in the back yard.

The religious leaders did not get what Jesus was making new. Jesus wanted the faith to be carried with people where ever they went! Jesus wanted the faith to be incarnate--fleshy. Jesus wanted to free the world from the weight of carrying religion to the pursuit of the kingdom of God filled with love and grace.

Maybe it is time to consider joining the new age of accessibility! Maybe God is at working doing new things in our world to share the Good News!