One More One Voice Added to Heaven’s Choir

We have a funny culture around public personalities in the world of American Christendom. Some people capture the imagination of the press or social media enough to be officially recognized when they die – people like Billy Graham or Charlie Kirk. Other no less (and in some cases more) significant figures are a footnote – people like J.I. Packer or Voddie Baucham, Jr. Some aren’t even acknowledged. Part of this phenomenon is that the evangelical Christian community in America is not as unified as it once was. Part of the phenomenon is the weirdness of social media algorithms. More could be said, but that’s not actually my concern.

I simply want to publicly acknowledge the loss of a sister in Christ that has influenced me. Her name is Moya (or Maire) Brennan. You may know her sister somewhat better, the international bestseller, Enya. Or you may be familiar with the band she was part of with her family, Clannad, a multi-award-winning music group that helped pioneer the new “Celtic” sound. To me, however, she was a musician whose haunting music spoke to my spirit early in my ministry (I still listen to her music), particularly her albums “Perfect Time” and “Whisper to the Wild Water.”

Whether you are a fan of Celtic/Irish music or not, Moya’s music comes from a journey through success, its emptiness, and the dark trappings that often some with it, to finding peace in a meaningful faith in Jesus Christ.

Moya passed away earlier this week (April 13) and is now lifting her amazing voice before the throne of God. I look forward to the day when I get to meet this faithful sister in Christ, in the meantime, I will continue to be blessed by her music in my own journey of faith.

Pursue Christ – He is enough,

            Pastor Jeff

PS - Here is a link to her song “Perfect Time”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YnRzH_wrF8&list=RD-YnRzH_wrF8&start_radio=1

Season of Giving?

I was listening to the radio (yes, I still listen to the radio) and reading through emails and saw and heard a whole gaggle of opportunities to give to charities, ministries, and causes. I heard the phrase “season of giving” more than once. It triggered the thought that I’ve heard this phrase often in November and December of past years.

Now I understand the point. We celebrate Thanksgiving and give gifts at Christmas. It is the end of the fiscal year for many organizations, and they are trying to meet budget. It makes sense that there would be a push for giving at this time of year. And yet…it also makes me sad.

The Sage in the book of Proverbs has a fair amount to say about giving (here are a few samples):

Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,
    but he who is generous to the needy honors him. (14:31)

Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord,
    and he will repay him for his deed. (19:17)

Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed,
    for he shares his bread with the poor. (22:9)

This is recorded in a book of wisdom. The key implication of this is that generosity is a practice of wisdom.

Paul tells us that God loves a “cheerful” giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). The context tells us that cheerful is the attitude of the giver, in contrast to being compelled – by guilty, by duty, by fear. The prior verse, however, tells us that God rewards generous givers. This aligns with other teaching in both the Old and New Testament. If we are reading our Bibles regularly this is no surprise.

What surprises me (and makes me sad) is that the idea of a “season of giving” is so common in ministry circles. There should be no season of giving for Christians – it’s all a season of giving. God has been extraordinarily generous to us in Christ, and Jesus promises that God will provide for His followers. To be sure, need will always outpace our ability to meet it. Nevertheless, I wonder how much difference the Church would make if the Church (that means you and me) lived into real generosity all the time, not just in the “season of giving.”

Pursue Christ – He is enough,

            Pastor Jeff