Update - February 17, 2024
Dear Seattle Saints,
This weekend in the United States we celebrate a holiday called “President’s Day”. It is an interesting story honoring 45 presidents, although it grew from the r specific holiday which first honored the birthdate of George Washington (the first) on February 22, 1885. Washington was honored as one of the “Founding Fathers” of the nation. In 1971 these holidays were consolidated to the third Monday in February and the Federal government still recognizes it as honoring Washington’s Birthday . Some states had already been celebrating a holiday honoring Abraham Lincoln on his birthdate of February 12 and in most of those it was now included in the President’s Day holiday.
We are blessed in many ways to live in our country with the freedoms which are ideally afforded to all. Yet we understand that human leadership, by it’s very nature is flawed because of the sin which infected humanity in the Garden of Eden and still is pervasive. Ancient Israel was intended to be a “theocracy”, having God as King and ruler but soon rebelled requesting a human leader. One commentator well describes the role of government using this idea. “Ultimate authority resides in God and God alone. Human government is, therefore, always limited and always intended to be within the framework of God’s will. The best ruler will be the one who best carries out God’s design for just rule.”[1]
Romans 13 instructs us (and those who were under the rule of the Roman Empire at the time) that ultimately God is in control and we are to respect authority and just government. Yet we also find the Apostle Paul rebuking government authorities for unjust imprisonment and punishment. So there is always tension between the two extremes and ultimately many will have differing opinions about government and its role and success, particularly in the polarized world in which we live today.
May we all remember that God is the ultimate and final authority and judge. He alone knows human hearts and motives. He alone will bring every hidden thing into the open and justice will one day be served. May our sojourn here remind us that we are ultimately citizens of Heaven and may our words, actions, and reactions be reflective of the grace, love, and mercy which have been extended to us in the person of Jesus. May we honor God not only by what we believe, but also by the way in which we live and share it with others in the days and months ahead.
God bless you all.
Housekeeping Notes:
Choir – There will be choir practice tomorrow at 3:30 pm.
Seattle Food Drive – There are two more Sundays remaining of our food drive to help those in need locally.
Kawasaki, Japan – The building plans for the Kawasaki Japan church will be moved to the 2nd floor landing. They begin demolition/construction next month. If you want to support…just note “Japan” on your donation.
Security – Our new front doors are completely installed and windows replaced. We will soon be adding “riot glass” over the windows which face the lower parking lot (prayer room, sanctuary, narthex) and also next to the 2nd floor back door. We are also installing new brighter lighting for the lower lot and over the upper lot back door area. Thanks for your patience as we do our best to keep our church safe and secure for all.
Just for Fun - Presidential Facts: First president– George Washington, shortest in office - Wm Henry Harrison (31 days), longest in office -Franklin D Roosevelt (over 12 years) , Grover Cleveland served two terms but not consecutively so is counted as 22nd & 24th presidents. Four presidents died in office of natural causes and 4 presidents were assassinated. One resigned. Current president is Joe Biden.
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
[1] Joel F. Drinkard Jr., “Government,” ed. Chad Brand et al., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 675.
This weekend in the United States we celebrate a holiday called “President’s Day”. It is an interesting story honoring 45 presidents, although it grew from the r specific holiday which first honored the birthdate of George Washington (the first) on February 22, 1885. Washington was honored as one of the “Founding Fathers” of the nation. In 1971 these holidays were consolidated to the third Monday in February and the Federal government still recognizes it as honoring Washington’s Birthday . Some states had already been celebrating a holiday honoring Abraham Lincoln on his birthdate of February 12 and in most of those it was now included in the President’s Day holiday.
We are blessed in many ways to live in our country with the freedoms which are ideally afforded to all. Yet we understand that human leadership, by it’s very nature is flawed because of the sin which infected humanity in the Garden of Eden and still is pervasive. Ancient Israel was intended to be a “theocracy”, having God as King and ruler but soon rebelled requesting a human leader. One commentator well describes the role of government using this idea. “Ultimate authority resides in God and God alone. Human government is, therefore, always limited and always intended to be within the framework of God’s will. The best ruler will be the one who best carries out God’s design for just rule.”[1]
Romans 13 instructs us (and those who were under the rule of the Roman Empire at the time) that ultimately God is in control and we are to respect authority and just government. Yet we also find the Apostle Paul rebuking government authorities for unjust imprisonment and punishment. So there is always tension between the two extremes and ultimately many will have differing opinions about government and its role and success, particularly in the polarized world in which we live today.
May we all remember that God is the ultimate and final authority and judge. He alone knows human hearts and motives. He alone will bring every hidden thing into the open and justice will one day be served. May our sojourn here remind us that we are ultimately citizens of Heaven and may our words, actions, and reactions be reflective of the grace, love, and mercy which have been extended to us in the person of Jesus. May we honor God not only by what we believe, but also by the way in which we live and share it with others in the days and months ahead.
God bless you all.
Housekeeping Notes:
Choir – There will be choir practice tomorrow at 3:30 pm.
Seattle Food Drive – There are two more Sundays remaining of our food drive to help those in need locally.
Kawasaki, Japan – The building plans for the Kawasaki Japan church will be moved to the 2nd floor landing. They begin demolition/construction next month. If you want to support…just note “Japan” on your donation.
Security – Our new front doors are completely installed and windows replaced. We will soon be adding “riot glass” over the windows which face the lower parking lot (prayer room, sanctuary, narthex) and also next to the 2nd floor back door. We are also installing new brighter lighting for the lower lot and over the upper lot back door area. Thanks for your patience as we do our best to keep our church safe and secure for all.
Just for Fun - Presidential Facts: First president– George Washington, shortest in office - Wm Henry Harrison (31 days), longest in office -Franklin D Roosevelt (over 12 years) , Grover Cleveland served two terms but not consecutively so is counted as 22nd & 24th presidents. Four presidents died in office of natural causes and 4 presidents were assassinated. One resigned. Current president is Joe Biden.
BB
Rev. William E. McKibben
Senior Pastor
[1] Joel F. Drinkard Jr., “Government,” ed. Chad Brand et al., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 675.
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