Greetings Lifers -

I'm composing this email in the glow of a scented candle. It's been two weeks since something literally died inside the walls of my office, and its scent still lingers. 

I first noticed the unmistakable stench of a rotting corpse two Saturdays ago and soldiered through the putrescence as weekend services came and went. But that Monday brought new levels of stink, the kind most humans can only stand for a brief period before running from the room. God's grace prevailed in that the rest of our offices were spared the carcass bouquet, as the smell was most potent where my desk was situated. Yay for me.

Scented sprays were amply dispersed daily. A candle gifted to me for Christmas years ago came out of my desk junk drawer and was pressed into service - I burnt the thing until its wick was gone. Such measures were employed to mask the problem for a time, but the odor is strong with this corpse. Pray with me that it ends soon.

Reminds me of what we humans often do with our transgressions and the "stank" they produce in our lives. We know "all too smell" (see what I did there?) that sin brings spiritual death that stinks, so we go around spraying good works over personal failures in an attempt to cover up their foulness. We light candles of compensation, hoping that no one notices the nastiness emanating from our thoughts, words, and deeds. Such efforts can seem to work for a time, but in the end, when we open the door of our lives (like I've opened my office door recently), we are greeted by the perfume of past indiscretions.

The smell never goes away until we finally deal with the source. 

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

– 1 John 1:8-9

Less spraying, more praying, people. Less redolence (look it up 😊) and more repentance. Only God can remove what reeks in us. Ask Him, and He will.

Thanks to everyone who made our Resurrection Sunday services the success they were. Ask your friends to join us this weekend at our regular service times (Saturday at 6:00, Sunday at 9 & 10:45am) for a new series on the prophet Elijah - read up on him when you get the (1 Kings 17-19). Grateful to be service to Our King with you - peace!

Mark Saunders, Pastor

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