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Bob's Blog - January 19, 2022
January 19, 2022
Yesterday evening, our son Bobby and his wife Taylor, welcomed Haddon Bernie Johnson into the world. Everyone is doing well. Even me (thanks for asking). He is their 5th child (4th boy), and our 7th grandchild (6th grandson). Haddon is the middle name of Charles Spurgeon, esteemed pastor in London in the 1800s, the first name of Haddon Robinson, esteemed preacher in the late 1900s and HB are the initials of HB Charles a wonderful pastor in the 2000s.
But Bernie? Where did that come from? A candidate for the presidency? Uh, not exactly. You may not know that Cathi’s middle name is Bernadine (named after her grandmother) and since Bobby and Taylor are looking at the trend and realizing that there may not be any more girls, they wanted to honor Cathi in some way, so they decided on Bernie. But, you know how it is with names. Just because you have one or two doesn’t mean that people actually call you that, particularly in Kentucky.
But, what kind of a world is this to be raising kids? Russia appears poised to invade Ukraine and create a serious crisis in Europe. Covid continues to plague us and much of the world. The economy looks rather shaky and our political situation is, well, uh, (you get the idea). So, what kind of a time is this to be raising kids? It is a very needy time and this world needs more kids who are raised with love, hope, truth, the gospel, and the church. This is not a time to hide our faces and muffle our voices. We, of all people, have something worth dying over, and until you have something worth dying over, you are never truly prepared to know what to live for.
One of the fruits of the gospel is embracing the fact that life comes from God, is for God, and goes back to God. Another related fruit of the gospel is, therefore, treasuring life in others, loving, and esteeming them, particularly those who are vulnerable. This view of life is part of the foundation of our Food Pantry ministry. Weekly, we are able to care for those who feel marginalized in a personal and dignified manner. This view of life is also the foundation for why we are convictionally Pro-Life. This conviction is seen in our support of our local Care-Net Pregnancy Center through funding and volunteering. This month, we are filling baby bottles with change (or big bills) as a way of providing some additional funding for this important work. You can get yours from the display in the Gathering Space.
The tide may be turning somewhat on Roe v. Wade. That remains to be seen, but I love being the pastor of a people who rightly treasure and faithfully put their heart into the heart of God on this matter.
Grace and peace,
Bob
Sunday’s Text: 1 Samuel 8 (again)