The Bayfield Post, 1981-12-17, Page 2Page 2
FROM THE Pastor's Desk
THE ROAD TO BETHLEHEM;
"Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth -
PEACE, good will toward men." Luke 2:14
We are in the CHRISTMAS MONTH again, Soon
the festive season will be upon us. The bells
of BETHLEHEM will peal out once more their
message of PEACE ON EARTH - GOOD WILL TOWARD
MEN. As this gentle music falls again on
human ears, what will men and women be think-
? There are millions, alas, even in so
called "Christian countries" to whom these
Christmas chimes will signify NOTHING of
vital spiritual significance, NOTHING beyond
the pleasant symbolism of an annual festivity.
But there are others too, who will think deeply
again. They will ponder again the mystery of
Divine love when God sent His only begotten
Son into the world that we might LIVE through
HIM. I John, chapter 4, verse 9.
But the thing that will strike the minds of
thoughtful people again this Christmas will
be the ironic contrast between those appealing
chimes of "PEACE ON EARTH" and the present
state of the world with its seething rivalries
and ILL WILL; its international suspicions and
crooked diplomacies, its bitter factions and
fictions. The supreme irony is that although
the lasting cure for all of the world's ills
lies wrapped in the swaddling bands of that
little Babe of Bethlehem, the Nations will NOT
have HIM and are still seeking in vain for
lasting cures elsewhere:
Away back in the Book of RUTH, we are tol:i of
a certain man of Bethlehem, named ELIMALECH,
and his wife NAOMI, who went AWAY FROM BETHLE-
T M to seek better fare in the alien land of
Moab. The name ELIMALECH means "GOD IS MY KING"
- and "NAOMI" - means "PLEASANTNESS" or "FAVOUR".
According to the Bible story, this ELIMALECH
and his wife leave BETHLEHEM to go to MOAB -
They take with them their two sons, MAHLON -
whose name means JOY or SONG, and CHILION
whose name means "ORNAMENT" or "PERFECTNESS".
After ten tragic years Naomi returns to
Bethlehem, saying: "Call me not Naomi, call
me MARAH - meaning BITTER::
Is not all of this that is revealed in this
Bible story, an ADVANCE TYPE PICTURE telling
the sad story of men and Nations in relation
to BETHLEHEM? Our greatest need, friends,
is to GO BACK TO BETHLEHEM. Sometime we shall
HAVE TO GET BACK THERE - however hard and
humbling we have made the way for ourselves.
We shall have to GET BACK THERE - even if we
have to be DRIVEN THERE - by the AGONIES
that we have brought upon ourselves! As a
dear Scottish man of God once wrote long ago...
It's a long hard road back to BETHLEHEM
And many have lost the way
War trumpets out -sound the Angel's song,
The wise men - have GONE ASTRAY
But the face of the sky - shows the Star
of morn
Still pointing to where our Lord was born!
Why not determine in your heart right now -
that YOU will return to BETHLEHEM - (HOUSE
OF BREAD) - The BREAD OF LIFE - THE LORD JESUS
CHRIST - that God has graciously provided for
the needs of us all:
In John chapter 6 and verse 37 Jesus said:
"ALL that the Father giveth me shall COME TO
ME - and him that COMETH UNTO ME - I WILL IN
NO WISE CAST OUT: Why not take HIM at HIS
promise right now?
Pastor - Leslie G. Shiel
Bayfield Baptist Church
EL D.
The Sugar S3,ack
Fc,-esi de citilerr9
catering T pryer
groups of Zs -80
Phone 51,5-2'150
for information
and reseruatLor,s
pleasurndile dini y
experience 14.0iEh the
71ospt621-tiy of bonne
The Restaurant
(Vex
Fri. Sat . Sart . 8 ern -Spn.
and
Open. 7 days a week
by reser✓atcon
for speczei.L Luncheons,
dinner parties /or
groaps of Its -2,5
Located Z mc. S. of Bayfeeld on Hwy LI.
THE RESTAURANT WILL BE
CLOSED DEC. 25, 26 & 27
HEAR YE! HEAR YE:
SUGAR BUSH BEAR? FACT OR FICTION?
It has been established by Sam Spade and his
trusty hound dog Beauregard that there is not
now, nor has there eee-r+ been, a bear in the
SUGAR BUSH.
SAM & BEAU INVESTIGATIONS
Goderidi Vacuum Centre
32 West St., Goderich
Phone: 524-4112
Directly Across from Culbert's Bakery
Sales -Service & Supplies
NEW AND RE -BUILT
*FILTER QUEEN *ELECTROLUX
*HOOVER *KIRBY
*ROYAL *REGINA *LEWYT
*EUREKA
*ELECTRO -HYGIENE
Complete Service Centre
For Most Appliances
"Wl gibe you hat sad .tfki.st service
Dip'n 1tutt
Neilson's Vanilla ICE CREAM
2 litres $2.39
HOSTESS POTATO CHIPS
200 g. .99¢
MICRO -WAVE HOT SANDWICHES AVAILABLE
WINNER OF MAN'S WATCH IS
HELEN 1i0GGA :3T t
Located on Hwy 21 next to Liquor Store
PHONE 565-2688
dill 16 Victoria Street, Box 127
Zurich, Ontario NOM 2T0
Flora Telephone (519) 236-7779
and SEE US FOR THAT SPECIAL
(WO** CHRISTMAS PLANT
OR ARRANGEMENT!
Distinctive wedding and funeral designs
Floral arrangements for every occasion