I recently came across an article from the Good News Network about some very old trees.

In 1993, a cypress tree stump in Chile was confirmed by tree-ring-counting as 3,622 years old—showing the capacity of these slow-growing relatives of sequoia to endure through centuries.

However, another scientist recently found that a living individual, known as the “millennium cypress” or “great-grandfather” could be more than 5,000 years old—which would make it the oldest tree on Earth by nearly half a millennium.

That would make it the oldest single tree by a couple hundred years, beating out a 4,853- year-old bristlecone pine tree in Great Basin National Park in Nevada called Methuselah.

I can barely get my head around the age of these trees. When I think about Biblical history, these trees are older. Older than King David, older than Sampson and even older than Abraham. Wow.

I know 5000 years is a short time when compared to geologic time or even how long ago the dinosaurs walked the earth. However, these trees are still alive!

Yet, nothing compares to the eternal nature of God. Before everything there was God and one day after everything is gone, God and His Kingdom will still going strong.

I am reminded of the words of God spoken through the prophet Isaiah…

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8 

Even God’s Word is eternal. That is why I preach from scripture. The Word endures.

I want to (metaphorically speaking) “hitch my wagon” to something that is going to last. Something that will sustain me in and out of season until I see Jesus face to face. That is why I turn to the Bible for inspiration and strength.

This weekend, we will celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives and the life of the Church. When Jesus was talking to the woman at the well in John chapter 4, he spoke about the Holy Spirit this way…

“Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14

The water Jesus is referring to is the Holy Spirit. I am thirsty for more of the Spirit in my life because I know it will sustain me until I enter eternity.

Old things are amazing but eternal things are the best! Cling to the infinite gifts and let go of the rest!

God bless you,
Pr. Ben

I am currently visiting my father in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. Rice Lake is in the northwest portion of the state. I believe the town is named after the lake and not the other way around.

Although I leave for Chicago, IL tomorrow and then to Galesburg, IL after that, I am taking the time to rest a bit. The fancy biblical word for rest is sabbath. A time to rest.

If you remember when God gave the Israelites the 10 Commandments, one of the directives was to take a day of Sabbath rest. Work six days and rest on the seventh. I normally do that on Monday.

However, some time away from CLC allows me some extra rest from the day to days duties of your pastor. It has been a real blessing to me to spend the last three days with my father. Our time together is precious and way too infrequent. 

By the time I fly home with Rachel, I will have driven from Minneapolis, MN to Rice Lake, WI to Chicago, IL to Galesburg, IL and back Minneapolis, MN… yet I have already had time to reflect on this sabbath break.

I am reminded of the words of the great reformer, Martin Luther when wrote about the third commandment to “remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.”

Luther wrote, “The spiritual rest, which God particularly intends in this Commandment, is this: that we not only cease from our labor and trade, but much more, that we let God alone work in us and that we do nothing of our own with all our powers.”

Good words. It is a reminder for me in this time to let God alone work in me and guide me as I spend time with my family and celebrate our youngest’s college graduation. I will be open to what God has in store for me over the next week and let the Spirit guide me including the times it tells me to rest.

I use this time to: Stop, Listen and Breathe (thanks Bruce Ewing!) so that I come home refreshed and ready to pick up where I left off! 

God bless you my friends!

Pr. Ben

I read an article this past week that touched my heart. I want to share a portion with you…

Ayda Zugay isn’t someone who normally likes to save things.

The walls of her Boston home are bare. She keeps a small bag packed with essential items in case she ever needs to leave quickly. 

But for more than two decades, she’s held onto an envelope that she hopes will help her unravel a mystery.

Zugay says she was a nearly 12-year-old refugee fleeing the former Yugoslavia with her older sister when a stranger handed them the envelope on a flight to the United States in 1999. 

The woman who gave them the envelope on the plane made them promise not to open it until they got off the plane.

Ayda and her sister  were later shocked to discover dangly earrings and a $100 bill inside. 

A note scribbled on the outside of the envelope is signed with only a first name — Tracy. And for almost a decade, Ayda says she’s been trying to find her.

Ayda, has been on the search for “Tracy” ever since, so that she may thank her for that gift of encouragement and to share what she has done with her life since arriving in the United States.

She’s 34 now and would love to talk with Tracy in English — to tell her how she works with nonprofits, cofounded a consulting company and represents Massachusetts as a delegate in the Refugee Congress.

I was moved by this story for several reasons. It exemplifies: Love, Care, Compassion, Service and Generosity. These are all words that CLC used to describe who we are and what we do. 

That gift transformed Ayda’s life. It helped her and her sister when her life was turned upside down.

We may never be able to give a gift like that, but there are daily opportunities to show love, care and compassion. The world is in a lot of hurt right now and we as the children of God are called to bring healing wherever and whenever we can.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:10

God bless you,
Pr. Ben

If you didn’t hear, Easter was last week.

The core truth of Christianity is the resurrection of Jesus who is God in the flesh. 

Some people don’t believe that, and that’s ok. 

However, if you are a Christian, that is non-negotiable. I’ll be honest with you, its not really possible to call yourself a Christian and not believe that Jesus rose from the dead. I know that sounds harsh, but it is not a judgment. 

To be a Christian is more than following the ancient Israelite rabbi named Jesus. One can admire the teachings of Jesus and not be a Christian! 

We believe that Jesus rose from the dead.

If he didn’t, what do we have? The answer is nothing. 

There would be no eternal life, and this life would be all we have.

We may be forgiven by his death on the cross (atonement) but to what end if this life is it?

Saint Paul dealt with people in the church who didn’t believe in the resurrection of Jesus and he wrote this…

If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 1Corinthians 15:14

That’s pretty clear, isn’t it? 

The life, death and resurrection of Jesus is not a fable or fairy tale. It is a true story. 

Saint Paul went on in this same section of scripture and wrote this, too…

If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all of humanity. 1Corinthians 15:19

We as Christians don’t just subscribe to a philosophy or a way of life, we follow the risen Lord! And one day we will follow Jesus straight to heaven.

As for me, I believe in the resurrection of Jesus.

God bless you,

Pr. Ben