What's Under the Peel?
There are two things in this life I do not like; catching a cold and taking medicine. Unfortunately, those two things go hand in hand especially during these winter months. Since I don't like taking medicine it's best for me not to catch a cold. In order for me not to catch a cold I have to do a lot of prevention. When I go into a hospital, for example, I wash my hands with a generous dose of that liquid germ killer that's always available at the front entrance. I use it again before I go into a patients room and once again on my way out. That's just one way to put the odds in my favor when it comes to not getting sick. Another thing I like to do is eat plenty of citrus fruit, especially oranges. You can never get enough vitamin C as far as I'm concerned. I'm telling you all of this to make a point, not just about personal hygiene but also about eating oranges and maybe something else too ... you'll just have to wait and see.
Anyway, I was getting ready to eat one of my all important sickness prevention oranges the other day. It was a nice orange too. It was big and round and shiny. It had just the perfect tint of color ... it looked like one of those oranges that you would see on the label of an orange juice container. It was the healthiest looking piece of fruit I've ever seen. I took one look at that orange and I just knew that if I ate the whole thing all of my potential health issues would be alleviated right then and there. I would never have to worry about a cold, the flu, bronchitis, arthritis, knock knees, lock jaw, or pneumonia for the rest of my life! That orange looked that good.
I couldn't wait to peel this wondrous specimen of natural goodness so I could reap the health benefits right then and there. As soon as I did, as soon as I started to pull back the peel of that orange I knew something wasn't right. As good as that orange looked on the outside, it looked equally bad, if not worse, on the inside. The fruit of that orange was all pale and withered. It had brown spots and black blotches and it was starting to turn a color I'd never seen before. When I took the rest of that peel off I realized I was holding in my hands an orange that would make a fruit fly lose it's lunch. It was the worst looking excuse for an orange I'd ever seen in my entire life.
My friends, the world is full of people, places and things that are just like that orange. They look so good and inviting on the outside but on the inside they are truly rotten. You and I and everyone else has probably had a run in with that kind of orange in one way or another. It's the kind of thing that can make a person skeptical of every orange from that point onward. It can cause someone to never want to eat another orange for the rest of his or her life.
Brothers and sisters, lets make sure as Christians and as a Christian Church that we are never that kind of orange. When people look beyond what we are on the outside lets make sure they find something good on the inside. Lets live our faith daily with faith, courage, and confidence. Lets make sure we show mercy, kindness, and a gentle spirit to everyone we encounter. Lets make sure we turn people onto Christ not away from Him. On our own that may not always be easy but as our Lord Jesus teaches us, "with God all things are possible" - Mark 10:27.
This Sunday we will holding our annual congregational meeting. Come and share food, fellowship, and hear what your church has been doing during the past year and what our plans are for this year. The youth group will be providing the meal and a free-will offering will be accepted.
If you would like to represent Christ United Church as a delegate to our Houston Association Spring and Fall meetings or the Annual South Central Conference meeting please feel free to lift your arm up as high as you can and shout out that you want to volunteer during our congregational meeting.
Throughout the month of February we will be collecting breakfast cereal, peanut butter, jelly, and juice boxes for Cypress Assistance Ministry. All donations can be dropped off at the church Mon. thru Thurs. 9 AM until 3 PM or on Sunday in the food box located in the Narthex.
Our Scripture lesson for our Sunday worship celebration will be Ezra 6:1-12. We'll be talking about how important it is to include the Lord in our daily activities and how working with Him always makes things work out for the better. Be sure to come to church and don't be shy to invite a friend to keep you company.
Have a great week.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Darrin
