BEHOLD THE MAN – Martha Toews Anderson

After Abraham Lincoln’s assassination in 1865 his body was taken by train to his native Kentucky for burial. Along the route the train stopped at designated stations where thousands of mourners were lined up for miles waiting to get a glimpse of their beloved president.

At one point where the coffin was set in state, a black woman took her young child up in her arms and stepped close to the coffin.

“Son, I want you to take a look at this man,” she spoke through her tears. “Take a good long look at him. This is the man who died for you.”

Good Friday and Easter Sunday are not just another long weekend, but an opportunity for us to behold again the Man who died on the cross for us. We need to take a good, long look at the One who died in utter humiliation and torture to purchase our freedom.

Thank God, that is not the end of the story. He did not remain in the grave, but rose again never more to die. Before He ascended into Heaven He assured His followers with these words,

“In My Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am there you may be also… I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:2,3,6 nkjv).

Because of His promise to us in Scripture we can know assuredly that when our sojourn here is ended our true self will go to live with Him in Heaven. When my husband passed from my side a month ago I knew his soul and spirit had gone to be with Jesus and some day I will join him there. That assurance is my greatest source of comfort.

News and Views from Corner – Martha Toews Anderson

Reflecting on the year we have just left behind, we can say with thanksgiving, “Jesus led us all the way.” There were both joyful experiences and sobering ones. My husband, Eilif, continues to battle with Multiple Myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow. When he could no longer tolerate the treatments, his oncologist said, “There is nothing more we can do for you.” Eilif’s response was, “But there is still God.”

Despite that prognosis, he carried on, though spending more and more time in his lift chair. Just days before Christmas, he woke one morning unable to lift himself off the bed. He fell to the floor and the next day tests showed that the cancer is increasing and his hemoglobin very low. He was given two units of blood with no positive effect.

Our family gathered for our Christmas celebration in the social room in the complex where we live. Although Eilif was not up to leaving the apartment, the family visited him a few at a time and before dispersing, everyone crowded into the apartment to sing Silent Night and pray with him.

Since then we have been introduced to Soursop, a fruit grown in tropical countries. According to reports on Internet, it is a natural cancer fighter, much more effective than chemotherapy and with no side effects. He is using that, but this is too soon to know if it is effective.

In the past year, both my sister, Anna, and her husband, John, have left this earth for their heavenly home. Both in their nineties, John was growing weak in both body and mind, and Anna suffered extreme pain from a major stroke and several falls as a result. Both were living in anticipation of going to be with Jesus.

For those of us who remain, parting naturally brings a feeling of loneliness and sadness, but as the Bible promises, “We sorrow not as others who have no hope.” We know because Jesus came 2,000 years ago to bring salvation, we can anticipate a glorious reunion in Heaven some day.

What a day that will be when we meet again in Heaven and with all those who have accepted Christ’s offer of eternal life, we can sing praises to the One who came to earth for our sakes, those many centuries ago. That is what Christmas is all about. And that is what gives us joy in all circumstances.


Goal Met

We are rejoicing in one goal attained in 2010. I have finished my novel, Echo Valley, and expect it to come off the presses at Word Alive Press in two or three months. Eilif has been a real encouragement in getting this done so I owe a lot of the credit to him and all of our family for standing by us. If you would like to put in a request for a copy at a special price before it is released, you can contact me by email.

My next project is to compile in a series of booklets of the devotionals I have written over the years with some revision to make them relevant to today.

May you experience a joy filled and victorious 2011.

Martha Toews Anderson

The Unknown Road Ahead - Martha Toews Anderson

To stand at the threshold of a new year is like standing at the crossroads staring into the darkness ahead with no road signs or maps. Daily the world news paints for us a picture of devastation caused by natural disasters like floods and earthquakes, and on top of that, stories of man’s inhumanity to man.

I am reminded of the words of Minnie Haskins, made famous by King George VI, when he quoted them in his Christmas Eve address to the nation as the world was teetering on the brink of World War Two:

I said to the man at the gate of the year,

“Give me a light that I might walk safely into the unknown.”

And he said to me, “Walk into the darkness

And put your hand into the hand of God,

And it shall be to you safer than the light

And better than the known way.”

We cannot do better than to step into the unknown with our hand in the hand of the One who created and sustains all things. The same God has a plan and purpose for our lives and knows what is best for us and He will not lead us astray. Elvera Denning’s song expresses that confidence in God’s leading:

My Lord knows the way through the wilderness,

All I have to do is to follow,

Strength for today is mine all the way
And all that I need for tomorrow.

For God to be free to lead our lives in the path that He has planned, requires that we relinquish all control to Him, confident that wherever or however He leads is the best for us as well as for His glory. It requires total trust in the One who holds our hand. Jesus promised never to release His hold on us. 

He said of those who follow Him, “”They shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand, ---No man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand" (John 10:28-29 nkjv). That’s like a safety lock, doubly ensured. What greater security could we have than that as we step out into the unknown days ahead. “If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

Martha Toews Anderson

God In The Bad Times - Martha Anderson

We do not know the true value of our moments until they have undergone the test of memory. ~ George Duhamel November has been designated as a month for remembering so I’m traveling back to my earliest years. I made my entry into this world when the Canadian prairies were sinking into the depression years. The Dirty Thirties, as they became known, brought a change in the weather pattern, resulting in unusually cold winters and extreme heat in summer. Before this change the farmers in western Canada had struggled and sacrificed to carve farms out of the untamed prairies. They had made the most of the resources at hand to build a future for their families. In the ensuing drought during this unusual weather conditions their dreams blew away in clouds of dust, grasshoppers, and Russian thistle. In a recent newspaper column the writer commented that during the thirties some Canadians wore undergarments made of flour sacks. To her this was unthinkable. As a child I didn’t know there were any other kind. The load of flour my father hauled home each fall and stashed away in a corner of the basement provided more than mounds of bread to feed a growing family of nine children. The bags, washed and sun-bleached, were fashioned into anything from slips and bed sheets to embroidered table cloths, only one of the ways they improvised. In thinking back to my early years, one particular day in 1937 stands out in my memory. I tried to capture the experience of that day when I penned the following words some years ago:            In hope, the farmer plows his field Guiding the sweaty team along the furrows Shears slice the crusted soil Turned clods crumble into powdery dust Blood-shot eyes search the empty sky For a sign of coming rain. Coughing, he reaches for the jug beside him And lifts the warm water to his parched lips Perspiration trickles from his swarthy brow He wipes his face with his red handkerchief While his eyes scan the canopy above, hoping, Praying for much needed rain For clouds to hide the relentless sun - Relief for man and beast from the burning heat - Yes, a small cloud is forming on the horizon He watches it darken and expand as it approaches His heart swelling with a new surge of hope Rain is on the way Rain, he shouts, the word sweet on his tongue - The cloud climbs higher blotting out the sun Then suddenly the whole world turns black - No ordinary thunder storm is brewing here - With apprehension he stares into the darkness Hope of rain grows faint The horses trod through the thickening dust To the yard where he quickly unhooks the traces And stables the animals in the barn As he stumbles to the house the cloud envelopes him Billowing dust stinging his unseeing eyes - Not a drop of rain Only drifting dirt and swarms of grasshoppers Clouds without water - Dashing his hopes in the dust - No rain.       Despite the hardships of those years, my parents daily expressed their gratitude to God for making it possible to feed our growing family and anyone else who came by. It was that confidence in an unfailing God that kept them going through those trying years. God promises in the Holy Scriptures that He will give us daily responsibilities, but He is the Lord God who will help us bare them, He is the God that rescues from death (Psalm 68).

WHEN WILL WE EVER LEARN - By Martha Toews Anderson

I have recently been reading up on the World Trade Center and reflecting on the lessons that can be learned from that.

The World Trade Center was designed to bring together in one spot anyone and anything connected with world trade. Yamasaki, the architect, was given explicit instruction: twelve million square feet of floor area on 16 acres with a budget of under $500 million. Yamasaki decided on a two main tower development, 1,368 high with 110 stories, providing about 10 million square feet of rentable space, to be occupied by about 50,000 people. The technology involved in constructing a building strong enough to carry its own weight and withstand any wind storms is mind boggling.

“World trade means world peace and consequently the World Trade Center buildings in New York have a bigger purpose than just to provide room for tenants. The World Trade Center is a living symbol of man's dedication to world peace,” Yamasaki is quoted as saying, “ Beyond the compelling need to make this a monument to world peace, the World Trade Center should, because of its importance, become a representation of man's belief in humanity, his need for individual dignity, his beliefs in the cooperation of men, and through cooperation, his ability to find greatness."

The official opening of the Trade Centre took place on April 4, 1973 although occupancy began two years earlier.

Just 28 years after the ribbon cutting, the towers and all smaller buildings connected to the complex were destroyed at the cost of 2,800 human lives. What was considered man’s greatest achievement toward establishing world peace had been reduced to ashes.

Thus it has always been with man’s self efforts, whether for personal glory and acclaim or on a world scale. We need only to look at world history, from the pharaohs of Egypt right down to Hitler and Stalin in more recent times to recognize that truth.

“What is man’s greatest achievement?” CNN personnel asked this question of people passing on the streets in various cities. Answers covered everything from fire, planes, and computers to cup noodles. One man said, “Peace, I'd say peace. That would be the greatest achievement for all."

Yes, that it would be, if it were possible. History has proven, however, that it can’t be done by man’s effort. Ever since Adam and Eve decided to go contrary to their Creator, mankind has tried to establish himself, but without success.

God knew that. That is why He sent Jesus to pay the price for our waywardness by His death and resurrection. If we acknowledge our need of His forgiveness and hand over Leadership of our lives to Him, our purpose shifts from our own interests to His purposes for us. Unity of the human race can be achieved only if we follow the same Leader, the God who made us and knows what is best for us. Jesus is the only way to world peace.

The end

I GET ALLA IT! - By Martha Toews Anderson

I finally got my book manuscript sent away so I can now focus on my my next project, collecting information for our family memoirs. As each one of our six children made their appearance, they brought with them their own personalities. I received great pleasure seeing them daily making new discoveries and developing their own interests. When Timothy was three years old, and enjoying his food, as children do, he thought it special to be the one who got to scrap the last crumbs of whatever we were having for our meals. As someone would pass him the empty container, he would sing out, “I got alla it! I got alla it.”

One day I was setting the dinner table for a houseful of company, while Timmy stood beside me happily watching the food appear on the table. As I lifted an oversized casserole dish from the oven and carried it to the table, he bounced along beside me, clapping his hands and singing, “I get alla it! I get alla it!”

“Oh Timmy, you are such a selfish boy. You always want everything,” a guest rebuked him. “If you want to eat all that meat loaf what do you think the rest of us are going to eat?”

I explained that when Timmy says he wants all of something, what he really means is that he wants to be the one to get to scrape the serving dish. Everyone is welcome to as much meatloaf as they can eat as long as they let him have the last dregs.

As I was adding this anecdote to my collection of memories I thought of how this is a parable of how many people seem to view God’s intention when He calls us to a full surrender to Him.

When Jesus said to His followers, “Take up your cross and follow Me,” He really meant just that. Yet we have a tendency to keep on chasing worthless pursuits, sharing their lives and resources with the world and the devil, hoping that when their lives are spent and the candle is about to go out, we can call on God and He will gratefully scrape up the dregs and delightfully announce, “I got alla it! I got alla it!”

Oh, how much we miss when we fail to recognize that only as we give our all to Him, can we experience that abundant life that He died to provide for us. Jesus said, “I am come that ye might have life and have it more abundantly.”

PRAIRIE ROSE – Martha Toews Anderson

Harvesting was in full swing so I drove to the field where my husband was at work to take pictures of the combines in operation. As I walked through the freshly-cut grain field I spotted two red roses like gems hidden in the golden stubble. Though this was late in the season, the tall wheat stocks had shielded the blooms from direct sun that would otherwise have faded their deep-rose colour. Their proximity to the ground had protected them from getting chewed up by the teeth of the combine.

As I paused to admire them and reserve their beauty on film, I contemplated the purpose for which the Creator caused this tiny bush to blossom where until a few minutes ago it was hidden from view by the crop. Certainly it is the Creator’s purpose for a plant to bloom and produce seed after its kind. But why in a spot where no one would have delighted in their beauty if I had not happened along? Did God tuck these little flowers here just for me to discover and enjoy?

I thought of the myriads of flowers that bloom on forest floors or tucked away in crevices where no human eye ever sees them. For whom is their beauty displayed? As I ponder the reason, the words of Sir Isaac Watts came to mind. “There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glory known.” True, God delights in His creation and He placed them there to bloom for His glory. He derives pleasure out of the beauty He has made as He did when He created the world and proclaimed it good. His angels see it and praise Him. The devil’s troops observe God’s handiwork and realize that despite all their efforts to thwart God’s purposes, the splendour of His creation continues. Nothing good is ever lost. Standing there in the sun-soaked field, I prayed that God would keep me faithful in whatever purpose He has for me.

All this came back to me much later while flipping through a pile of old and faded clippings that had been passed on it me. I came across a poem by an unknown author that brought back the memory of my prayer that day when I stood in the stubble admiring the roses.

“Father, where shall I work today
And my love flowed warm and free
Then He pointed out a tiny spot
And said, “Tend that for me.”
“Why, no one would ever see
No matter how well my work was done,
Not that little place for me.”
And the word He spoke, it was not stern
He answered me tenderly,
“Ah, little one, search that heart of yours,
Are you working for them or me?
Nazareth was a little place,
And so was Calvary.”

A Mother's Day Gift With Love - Martha Anderson

Marriage is the closest example of Christ’s relationship with His church. “Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife" (Genesis 2:24 KJV)

With Mother’s Day not long past and Father’s Day just ahead, I’ve been thinking about the meaning of these occasions. My thoughts traveled back a few years to the time when Eilif had just been discharged from the hospital. I was surprised a few days later that he was going to the library for a video. He hadn’t been steady on his feet since his illness so I offered to walk with him.

“No, I’ll take the quadicycle. I have to go the bank first anyway. I owe $9.75 in late fees and I have no cash.”

“Then I’ll go with you to help you pedal,” I said, thinking he’d be glad for my offer. Even when he made the blank statement that he didn’t need me, I insisted. Then I remembered I had enough change on hand to cover his late fees, making the trip to the bank unnecessary. We walked to the library together. Only later did I realize that he’d tried to shake me off so he could buy a Mother’s Day present without my knowledge.

On Sunday afternoon our daughter Barbara and her family arrived with the most practical of gifts – a garbage can. For weeks Barbara had insisted that I needed to replace the old yellow can that had inhaled our garbage for years. I didn’t see it as a problem, so she decided to do something about it.

After I’d unpacked the can, she set it up in the kitchen and and her son, Kris, took out the old can with the trash in it. After they left, I said to Eilif, “I thought of putting the old can in the storage room to hold the recycle bag. I think I’ll still go get it.”

“That’s ridiculous!” was Eilif’s response. “Barb would be embarrassed when she sees again.” At this point our buzzer sounded for more company and I forgot about the can until we were getting ready for bed.

“Oh I forgot about the trash can,” I moaned, “Now I’ll have to go out in the dark.”

Although Eilif had not changed his mind about the absurdity of my idea, he offered to get it for me. He put his shoes back on and trudged out to the trash bin. As I thought of him in his weakened state, having to dig through layers of gift wrappings and dinner scraps that would have accumulated by this time, I began to feel foolish about even having mentioned that old can.

When he came through the door with it, I thought how silly I’d really been. That Barb would see the can sooner or later was inevitable. What struck me most was the fact that despite Eilif’s health problems, he went out of his way to accommodate my wishes.

“You did this because you thought this was important to me even though you thought the idea foolish,” I said. “I appreciate that more than the getting the can back.”

He smiled. “Then I am thankful I was able to give you a Mother’s Day present after all.”

Jesus Loves Me - Martha Anderson

"Jesus loves me! This I know for the Bible tells me so," I sang heartily, but without comprehension, as I skipped around the yard. Gradually the simple words of the old children's hymn filtered into my conscious understanding.

Jesus loves me! Me! This song is about me! I am the one Jesus loves. That realization was so overwhelming that I stopped in my tracks and allowed the words of the song to replay slowly through my mind.

“Little ones to Him belong.” Yes, that’s me. I’m a little one. I belong to Jesus. “They are weak but He is strong.” I am little and can’t do very much, But He – That’s Jesus – He can help me. He is strong enough to look after me. A tremendous happiness came over me. I had to tell Mother. I swung around and dashed back into the house letting the screen door slam behind me. My mother was standing beside the kitchen table washing dishes.

“I know what this song means,” I gushed in childish exuberance. “It’s about me.” As I poured out to her my understanding of the song, she turned to look at me, her hands still submerged in the dishwater.

“That’s right,” she said, “That is what it means.” She repeated the words of the song. “That is very important. You must never forget that,” she emphasized. I walked out of the kitchen and through the back porch repeating her words to myself. “That is very important. I must never forget that.”

I never have forgotten. That truth has remained impressed on my mind ever since. Although I had not consciously thought of that momentous moment over the years, it surfaced again in my memory with great clarity when I started recording my childhood memories.

The words of that song first appeared in a novel entitled “Say and Seal,” written by two sisters, Susan and Anna Warner in 1860. In the story, a friend carries a feverish boy around the room. The child asks him to sing. Instead of using a familiar song, Anna wrote the words for a new hymn with special application for the deathly sick boy. The next year William Bradbury, a composer of children’s music, wrote the tune and added the chorus.

Recently I came across a new version of that song, written by Peter Dyck of Warman, Sask. The song begins: Jesus loves me, this I know, Tho’ my hair is white as snow. Tho’ my eyes are growing dim, He still bids me follow Him.”

God has promised, I will be your God through all your lifetime, yes, even when your hair is white with age. I made you and I will care for you. I will carry you along and be your Savior (Isaiah 46:4 LB).

How precious to know that the same Jesus who loved me and protected me as a child loves me now and will continue to be with me, loving me, protecting me, and leading me to ever-higher heights with Him in my senior years.

HOW MUCH HE LOVED - Martha Anderson

Brian faced blistering winds and flying snow as he cut the twine to break the bale for the cattle. His feet slipped on the ice and he fell forward, driving the knife deep into his side.

During the 100-km ambulance ride to Edmonton Brian’s mother, Lillian, agonized in prayer over the uncertainty of her son’s life. “God, I know you gave your only Son to die for me. I’ll give you all I have. Only save my son…”

After her 12-year-old son was admitted to the hospital and stripped of his blood-soaked clothes, Lillian was allowed to see him briefly. As she walked through the door to where he lay, she gazed in shock at the naked body, deathly white from the loss of blood, his hair matted with sweat and blood, and his bloodied hands stretched out wide. His breaths came in raspy gasps as from the gash in his side blood continued to drip.

For a moment Lillian did not see her son. Instead she saw Jesus on the cross wearing a crown of thorns. By the time her thoughts returned to her son, the vision of her dying Savior had embedded itself permanently in her mind.

This picture of Jesus in his agonizing death is the scenario portrayed in the Bible by each of the gospel writers. The slow, torturous death was the cruelest form of execution devils and wicked men could devise. Stripped of all clothing, the naked body, usually protected by thick garments, was suddenly exposed to the scorching heat of the tropical sun and the mocking gaze of evil spectators. Skin soon burned and blistered. One spike through the heel bones of both feet, and one spike through the palm of each hand held the body to the cross. Washers fastened to a metal band around the wrist kept the spikes from tearing the flesh. The body sagged, making normal breathing impossible. For every agonizing breathe, Jesus had to force His body upward, his tattered back rubbing against the rough bark of the log that formed the upright of the cross. In the agony, the victims soon lost control of all bodily functions.

I cannot envision the extent of Christ’s physical suffering. In no way can our finite minds imagine the much greater torment of soul and spirit as Christ took on Himself the weight of the world’s sin and guilt.

Yet the Son of God never lost his dignity. He was never more truly the majestic King of Kings than when he hung on the cross. He died fulfilling His life’s purpose, His final cry a shout of victory: It is finished! His death paid for the sins of the whole world, His resurrection sealed His victory.

It is in remembrance of what Jesus accomplished for us by His death and resurrection that we celebrate this event that has become known as Easter.

PEACE – Martha Anderson

Every year spins by faster than the one before and every year I get slower. In the year we have just begun I pray for the strength to be able to complete the writing projects God has impressed on my heart to do. Right now I’m collecting devotionals I have written over the years to reserve for the benefit of those that come after. I’m sharing one of these, based on the story of Jesus calming the storm recorded in Mark 4:35-41.

Slowly the sun sank behind the Galilean hills. The lingering rays of sunlight painted the sky in vivid blends of reds and pinks that reflected in the tranquil waters of the lake below. Since early morning crowds had flocked to the seashore to see and hear Jesus. So overwhelming was the pressure that Jesus had taken refuge in a fishing vessel. From the bow he had continued to teach as the mob pressed close to the water’s edge. Now as darkness descended He needed rest. Wearily He turned to His disciples. “Let us cross over to the other side,” He said. As the boat slipped away from its mooring, Jesus retreated to the stern and was soon asleep.

As is common in the Galilean valley, the weather changed abruptly. Mountains flanking both sides of this deep gorge form a tunnel through which the winds can sweep with a velocity of up to two hundred miles an hour, creating a hurricane that frightened even these experienced fishermen and rugged, outdoors men. Acquainted with the tempestuous waters, they gave up all hope of reaching their destination. In the midst of their peril they did not react well to the seeming indifference of their Leader. “Master, don’t You care that we are sinking?” they asked as they woke Him from deep sleep.

Jesus arose and with arms outstretched, spoke to the angry elements. “Peace be still,” That was all He said. Instantly the wind subsided and the waves dropped into a tranquil sea. The disciples knew that even when the wind ceases, the water will continue to churn and rage for hours. They were amazed that with a few words their Master had performed a double miracle and they trembled with fear at this display of power.

Had they not recently acknowledged Him as the Christ, the Son of the Living God? Had Jesus not told them that they were going to the other side?
This was the first time He showed them that He was also Lord of the Elements and cannot be thwarted in His purpose.

In this world of unfulfilled dreams, broken plans, and tangled lives, this same perplexing question plagues many minds: God, don’t You care?” How often on life’s sea, when the actual tragedy is over, the consequences of that painful experience continue. The wind of disaster has ceased to blow, but the waves of emotional, mental, and physical turmoil rage on. The beatings, verbal abuse, or whatever caused the storm, may be over, but the victim may continue to struggle with the effects.

Jesus was the Only One who could still both the wind and waves on the Sea of Galilee, and He is the Only One who can speak peace in the recesses of the hearts of His suffering children. He can calm the anxieties crowding the mind. He can ease the tensions gnawing at the soul and sapping our strength. Not strained relationships, financial setbacks, health problems, or anything else, can sink the ship of our lives if we put our trust in the Lord of our lives. Looming clouds may sometimes be the very means through which God can work His miracles to reveal His love and compassion for us. We can rest in His assurance “that all things work together for good to those who love God (Romans 8:28 nkjv). He has promised to take us safely to the other side and He always keeps His promise.

The Angels' Message for 2010 - Martha Toews Anderson

Night had settled on the Judean hillside outside the little town of Bethlehem. The sheep had bedded down together, each one facing toward the last rays of the setting sun as is customary with sheep. As the darkness deepened, the shepherds may have been relaxing, lying on the ground or leaning against a rock, yet always alert, lest a predator should sneak up.

Suddenly they were brought to full alertness by the appearance of an angel of the Lord enshrined in heavenly light. Fear gripped their hearts, but the angel spoke reassuringly.

“Do not be afraid,” he said, “I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

As suddenly as the first angel had appeared, a multitude of heavenly beings burst through the dark skies in a blaze of glory, praising and exulting God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace among those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14 translated from the Greek)

This does not imply that God’s peace is given to those who have good will, but who are recipients of the good will or favor that He is offering to them. It was for this that the Savior had come to earth as the Prince of Peace. No tidings could have given more cause for jubilation to those who were anticipating the coming of the promised Redeemer than these words spoken by the angels.

When the angels had returned to heaven, darkness once more enveloped the Judean hillside. But greater yet was the darkness of sin that hung over the world, blinding the hearts and minds to the reality of greatest event of all time. The Savior of the world had come, but man failed to recognize Him.

Jesus was born into a world that had turned to worshipping false gods. In man’s mad race for wealth and power, human life had lost its value. The rulers cared little how many people lived or died. The populace lived in fear, hatred, and greed. To such a world as this, the angels brought the glorious message from God that the promised Rescuer had come. To a world that knew no peace, God sent the Prince of Peace.

Two thousand years later, the world is still entrenched in wars and destruction. The drive for power, wealth, and fame continues to rule human thinking. For half a century men have talked of world peace, but we are no closer to achieving it. Man has made tremendous strides in sciences, technology, and in developing every means of destruction imaginable, but despite endless negotiations and peace talks, he is not one iota closer to living in harmony the world over than the people were the night the angels broke through the skies with the glorious news of the birth of the Prince of Peace.

That should be enough to make us realize that it can’t be done. How did man get entrapped in a mess that he can’t undo? For the answer we have to go back to the beginning of Time. God prepared a beautiful world with vegetation and stocked with animals. When all was in readiness, He made man in His own likeness, possessing a soul and spirit, and the ability to communicate with his Creator. To this human pair God gave the responsibility of caring for the earth and all living things.

Man chose rather to take control in his own hands by doing the one thing God told them not to do, to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. By this act of rebellion man indicated his desire to be his own boss. Human nature has not changed. Man is still trying to abolish God and achieve a perfect world on his own.

As we enter the new year, why not take to heart the message of the angels, and give God the honor due Him by turning to Him in repentance and submission and experience the peace for which each human heart yearns. That is the reason Jesus came to earth so long ago.

THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM - Martha Anderson

The snow that fell a few days ago is a reminder that Christmas is approaching. Along the halls in our building, decorations are appearing on apartment doors. I am determined to do a thorough cleaning of our apartment before I unpack Christmas decorations. Besides, many ideas for articles are dancing around in my head, crying to get onto paper. Upmost in my thoughts right now are the events connected with the Nativity.

To think that back in the beginning of Time when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, He already had laid His plan for redemption. He promised a Redeemer would come through the Seed of the woman. Over the centuries this promise was repeated with more clarity.

Four thousand years later, among the few who were actively looking for the Messiah, were a group of astronomers, presumably three in number, who diligently anticipated His coming. Spotting an unusually bright star, they believed in their hearts that this was God’s sign that the time had come for their hopes to be fulfilled. Accordingly, they made arrangements at once to strike out across the dessert to pay homage to the great King.

I clicked on the television one day and heard a priest proclaiming that the stories of the Nativity and the Resurrection are really fables from which we can draw spiritual lessons. To back up his argument, he asked, “Do you really believe that God dragged a star across the sky slow enough that the wise men could follow it across the desert to Jerusalem?”

No, I don’t believe that. Neither did Matthew, the apostle who recorded the Magi’s visit to the Baby Jesus in Bethlehem. Nowhere does Scripture state that the Wise men followed a star across the desert.

Mathew wrote, “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him (Matthew 2:1,2).

In his book, Born in Bethlehem, H.W. Van Der Vaart Smit explained well the appearance of the star.

“An astronomical event, which explains the references in Matthew and helps and helps fix the birth year of Jesus, actually did occur in history, namely the major conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn…
Astronomy, is the most exact of all sciences; it is pure mathematics, and it’s calculations can be relied upon... The double star in the Near East was visible on any clear night for nine months from the beginning of April, and could be observed sometimes before and sometimes after midnight, and at times throughout the entire night.”

These astronomers knew the Christ was to be born in the land of Judea.
Naturally, they would assume the promised king would be born in the palace in Jerusalem. The visit to Jerusalem was not a mistake, however, but part of God’s plan for the message of Messiah’s birth to reach the leaders, both political and religious. Sadly, we have no record that anyone of them even went to investigate the truth for himself.

After receiving a cold reception in Jerusalem, the visitors may have had some conflicting questions tumbling around in their minds. Why were these Jewish scribes and teachers not excited at the birth of their King?

In any case, they set out that same night for the little village of Bethlehem. To their surprise and joy as the travelers made their ascend to Bethlehem, the star they had seen in the east appeared just above the crest of one of the two hills on which Bethlehem is situated. Any doubts that may have risen in their minds were erased by this confirmation from God that the Messiah indeed was born in this place. Through this star God spoke into their hearts the assurance that they were about to see the long-awaited Savior and they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

The conjunction of the two planets could be seen three times that year. So this would have been the second conjunction. Coincidence? Mere chance? Or Divine arrangement?

Jesus is referred to in Scripture as “the lamb slain before the foundation of the world.” In other words, before God brought the world into existence, plans were laid for Christ to descend to this planet in human form to die for man’s sin. Could He not schedule the movements of the planets in their orbits so that this conjunction of the two planets would occur at just the precise time He wanted to inform the Wise Men when to start on their journey and again nine months later, to confirm that they had reached their destination?

The incarnation of the Son of God was of such significance that God could have arranged the laws of nature 4000 years before to join in announcing the great event. Indeed God makes the forces of nature to display His power and purpose. This phenomena of the meeting of Saturn and Jupiter did not occur again until 1981 and is not expected to happen again until 2238.

When God speaks, every detail carries significance. As we look forward to the Christmas season, I intend to continue checking out the Scriptural account to learn more about the significance of the details mentioned in connection with the advent story that have so often been skipped over or misinterpreted.

ONE CONSTANT IN A CHANGING WORLD - Martha Anderson

"You know, God doesn't know anything more now than He did before He created the world," I commented to my husband Eilif as we were driving home one day. While Eilif took a few moments to ponder that statement I continued, "And when this world, as we know it now, comes to an end God will know no more than He does now."

"Did you come up with that deduction just now?" he asked.

"No, I read it somewhere a few days ago," I told him, "And I've been mulling it over in my mind ever since."

The more I pondered that thought the more evident the conclusion became. Because everything operates on the principle of cause and effect, we can assume there is a cause behind all matter. The Power that flung the stars in space has to be greater than anything it created. For the galaxies to be brought into existence would have required a plan of infinite knowledge and wisdom. That Force, therefore, would not only have to be all-powerful, but would also possess a personality with all-knowledge and all-wisdom.

A Being that already knows everything could not learn anything new. Such a Being would have to be God.

To be God He would have to possess all godlike attributes. Holiness, love, justice, truth, goodness, fairness, faithfulness, mercy, consistency, and compassion would constitute his personality. Above that, He would have the ability to be everywhere present, as well as holding all knowledge and power. This being the case, we can only conclude that God is changeless.

For God to improve would be impossible for He is already perfect. To become less than He is would likewise be impossible. He would then no longer be God. God cannot change from within and nothing can change Him from without because His power is supreme.

Because God knows all things He can learn nothing. Being eternal, God existed when there was nothing else. He knew before He brought anything else into existence what He was going to do, how he would do it, and how it would all end. He sees the past, present, and future at the same time. With Him there is no past tense or future tense. He is not the God that once was or the God who will be, for He is always in the present. The God who created all things and kept the galaxies in their orbits throughout the ages is the same God who still holds all His creation in His hands. He is the Great I AM.

In contrast, our life span is extremely limited. The Apostle Peter wrote 2,000 years ago:

All flesh is like grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers, and its flower falls away (I Peter 1:24 New King James Version)

Grass dries up, blossoms lose their petals; so our time on earth and any fame or fortune we attain is soon gone. But God continues.
In the Bible the Psalmist King David describes God this way:

You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those
Who call upon You... There is none like You, O Lord; Nor are there any works
Like Your works... For You are great, and do wondrous things; You alone are God
(Psalm 86:5,8,10 NKJV).

In the confusion of constant fluctuation, in a society where change for change sake has become a god in itself, how good to know that there is One Constant Factor in the equation of life.
Moses, the man who led God's people in ancient times, addressed God in this way:

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and The world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God (Psalm 90:2 NKJV).

Another Psalm says:
Know that the LORD, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting And His truth endures to all generations (Psalm 100:3,5 NKJV).

The unchanging God is always present with us and knows us individually. He is the God who loves us.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Martha Anderson

When my elder brother, Julius, was in his teens and I was half his age, I noticed that whenever he was speaking to our father, he’d say, “Dad,” both at the beginning and end of every sentence.

“Dad, are we going to stook the oat sheaves today, Dad?”
“Dad, I’ve finished cleaning out the barn, Dad.”

One day the two of them had just left the house for morning chores, when I mentioned this habit of Julius’s to my mother.

“Yes, he doesn’t find it hard to say, Dad. I’m glad our sons have no problem with saying, Dad,” she replied. “They’re always saying Dad.” She spoke with such feeling that made me wonder why she felt so emotional about the matter. I had only found it amusing. After all, why would that be too hard for them to say. Dad was a simple enough word to pronounce, and after all, he was their Dad so why not call him that?

I learned in later many teenagers do have difficulty addressing their father in as respectful manner. To too many of them their dad is “the old man” or worse.

On one occasion I read through the Bible books that tell about the life of Jesus, I underlined every name that referred to Jesus. I noticed that the names by which Jesus was addressed always reflected the opinion of the speaker. His followers called Him Master. Those who sought him out for healing often addressed him as Son of David, Rabbbi, or Lord. Jesus often referred to himself as the Son of God, which I understand to be a contraction of The Son-of-God-become-Man.

To his enemies Jesus was an unnamed identity. They refused to give him the respect of even calling him by any name or title of dignity. Instead they spoke with distain of “this fellow,” which would be equivalent scoundrel.

When Jesus came close the end of his public ministry, he turned to his disciples to ask them, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

They answered, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

Then Jesus asked the same question of his disciples, “But who do you say that I am?”

Then Simon Peter boldly declared what he had come to realize: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

I am so glad that this truth about who Jesus was has been passed on to us. Because of who Jesus was He was able to take on himself the punishment for all our sin so that I can now be free to address God as our beloved Father.

Martha Anderson

I’m Thinking About Presents - Martha Toews Anderson

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Eilif and I celebrated our 56th wedding anniversary by traveling to Calgary to witness the marriage ceremony of our granddaughter, Judith, to Shawn Roberts. What especially thrilled my heart was the confidence in their actions and voices as they spoke their marriage vows, expressing their commitment to each other before God. I pondered the fact that in marriage the couple is literally giving themselves to each other. I am thankful that after over half a century of married life, the giving becomes even more meaningful.

Coincidentally, the message we heard at church the next morning was on the subject of Giving. When it comes to giving gifts or donations to someone we are also giving something of ourselves, in a smaller scale. We are making an investment in the recipient. If given with the right motive, a gift increases our interest in that individual or cause.

My husband’s eightieth birthday followed only a month later. As the family was organizing a celebration in his honour, they wanted to come up with a gift that would have special significance for him. Knowing his passion to help the Leprosy Mission buy the much needed medicine that cures lepers and gives them another chance at life. They set out a basket for contributions, collecting $80.00. Eilif called it, “A very thoughtful way to honour me.” A gift is special to the recipient because of the thoughtfulness and love it represents.

God, likewise, has given individual gifts to us. He invests something of Himself in each life at conception. Each person, created in God's image, is endowed with a sense of creativity and a specific combination of talents. God reveals His interest in us personally by giving us what I like to call birthday presents. These abilities, unique to each one, are entrusted to us for the benefit of others. For example, Eilif enjoys working with metal and has come up with various inventions. What he considers his greatest contribution is the Grain Guard aeration grain drier, making it possible to dry grain in the bins, thereby saving much grain.

When we are born again, our Creator again gives us birthday presents. Along with the new life in Christ, He distributes to each new member specific abilities for ministry. The Scriptures refer to them as gifts of the Spirit, differing from our natural talents. For example, an individual may have an unusual ability to write with clarity on various subjects. When it comes to spiritual truths, however, natural talent is not enough. To be able to expound the Word of God requires spiritual understanding. As we share in the fellowship of God's people, our special abilities in certain areas will become evident, either to the individual or to others. The Bible explains it best.

“Now God gives us many kinds of special abilities, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service to God, but it is the same Lord we are serving (11 Corinthians 12:4,5 LB). Paul, under the inspiration of God, enumerates some of these: ability to give wise advice, studying and teaching, faith in prayer, healing, preaching, and discernment to determine the truth of what others claim.

Sadly, these gifts, like our natural abilities, are often unrecognized. That is why it is important for us to let our fellow members know in what way we are blessed through them and to encourage them in that ministry. God has not made us to live independently. We are members one of another. We all need each other. That’s why Inscribe Christian Writers Fellowship serves such a great purpose.