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Be Strong and Courageous, Part 2

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 12:00:18 GMT

BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS, PART 2

Last week we took an initial look at Joshua 1. Moses, the hero of the Exodus and the man who had been used by God to personally hold the nation together through forty years of wilderness wandering, was dead. It is interesting to note that at this point in the history of Israel, only three men in the entire nation were over sixty years old, and two of them were Moses and Joshua! And with the death of Moses, there were only two remaining (if you’re interested in how I can say that no one else was

over sixty, and if you’re interested in who the third man was, look up

Numbers 14:26-30). Israel’s senior ministry was hurting for men and

women who qualified by age!

Over three weeks, we are looking at the reasons God gave to Joshua to encourage him to be strong and courageous, encouragement we can appropriate, too. They are:

1) God's promises to us.

2) God's power for us.

3) God's presence with us.

The first reason, last week’s topic, was that Joshua had God’s promise that he would lead Israel to victory. “Every place on which your foot treads, I have given you (Joshua 1:3).”

We are also in possession of God’s promises, though they are not for land and victory over our enemies. We looked at several promises from the Bible that encourage to us to be strong and courageous when we are feeling weak and unsure of ourselves. These promises included the facts that God will never leave us (Hebrews 13:5,6), nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:35), He provides all our needs (Matthew 6:25 and Philippians 4:19), He is preparing eternity in heaven for us (John 14:1-3), He works all things in our lives together for our good (Romans

8:28), He has removed our sin from us (Psalm 103:12) and our work for God here on earth is never in vain (I Corinthians 15:58).

This week we shift to the second reason Joshua could at that time, and we can today, be strong and courageous; that is, God’s power for us.

In Joshua 1:7,8, God says, “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

After reading that, you might be thinking, “I didn’t see any mention of power!” God’s power comes through his Word. The Word is described as “the law” in verse 7 and “this Book of the Law” in verse 8. At that time, God’s Word consisted of just the first five books of the Bible – what is sometimes referred to as the Pentateuch, or the Torah to the Jews. Today, of course, God’s Word to us is much more extensive. We

have 34 more books of the Old Testament as well as all of the New Testament.

God gives the promise of power to Joshua in verses 7 and 8. Let me paraphrase, “If you do not turn away from My Word; if you are careful to do according to all that is written in it, then you will prosper and have success.” Just as the power Joshua needed to be strong and courageous came from God’s Word, so our power to overcome our tendency toward weakness and timidity, and to “prosper and have success” comes from our meditation on and resulting obedience to God’s Word, the Bible.

But didn’t we see last week that God’s promise to the people of Israel was unconditional? There seems to be a condition in this promise. What is God doing? Changing the rules midstream? Well yes, there is a condition here. But God is not changing the rules. God promised Israel the land unconditionally, but success and prosperity depended upon their adherence to God’s Word. Think of it this way. Two brothers each receive separate parcels of land as an inheritance. One brother decides to go and build a ranch on his property and live there. He invests in the

land, improves it and moves in to enjoy his inheritance. The other brother never touches his land. Both brothers own their land, but only one occupies his land. The people of Israel were promised the land unconditionally. But making it fruitful and enjoying it would only happen on the condition that they followed God’s Word.

The same is true for us today. Eternal life is the inheritance of every believer in Jesus. That is unconditional. Our inheritance is secure. However, occupying the land – translated today as living a useful, God- glorifying, victorious, significant Christian life, is conditional. It is dependent upon our meditation on and obedience to the principles of the Word of God.

How is your attitude toward the Word? Do you pull it out just occasionally, or is your reading, study and meditation a daily discipline? Can your relationship with it be described as that with a dear, familiar and much-loved old friend you love to spend time with, or is it more like a distant relative you invite in for an awkward minute or two on occasion? Is it just a book of facts and information to you, or do you

realize and revel in the fact that it holds the keys to a rewarding life? Several hundred years ago, a man was imprisoned and given only a Bible as a companion. As far as anyone knows, he never found faith in Jesus, but when he died in prison more than thirty years later, they found the following statements inscribed on the walls of his cell: “Psalm 118:8 is the middle verse of the Bible. Esther 8:9 is the longest verse of the Bible. The longest name in the Bible is Mahershalalhashbaz, found in

Isaiah 8:3, Ezra 7:21 contains all the letters of the alphabet except j. The longest sentence in the Bible is in Luke 3:23-38. Cats are never mentioned in the Bible, but dogs are mentioned forty-one times.” The man had become an expert on facts about the Bible, but it made no impact on his life! I hope that’s not you. In a strong Bible-teaching church like Hannaford, it’s easy to know a lot about the Bible. But the

question that matters is, does it change your life? Are you appropriating the power source God has given you?

The first verses of the first Psalm say great things about the man who “delights in God’s Word, who meditates on it day and night.” Verse 3 says, “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” I like that picture of fruitfulness, growth and success! And all I have to do is cultivate a loving, delighted

relationship with the words of the One who created me and gave His life for me? That sounds like the best deal ever!

Make the Word of God your constant companion. Read it, memorize it, meditate on it, let it germinate within you and then grow out of you, performing its transforming work in your thoughts, attitudes and behavior. Let it come out your mouth when you speak and out of your hands when you work and out of your feet when you move.

To be continued...

Listen to the audio version

About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Recently retired, Brad looks forward to the challenges of a new ministry. He feels that seniors are a vital part of the church Body and though he has only recently crossed the threshold of “senior-dom,” he trusts that God can use Him to help seniors build a stronger relationship with God and stronger relationships with others. The senior years are accompanied by unique challenges, and Brad hopes to be able to come alongside seniors to pass along God’s hope and encouragement.

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

Be Strong and Courageous, Part 1

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:00:11 GMT

BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS, PART 1

Moses was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that.*

The nation of Israel was on the doorstep of the Promised Land and the man who had led them there was gone. Joshua was being called to fill some of the biggest sandals ever. If there has ever been someone who needed encouragement, it was Joshua. And God gave him just that. He told Joshua three times, “Be strong and courageous,” in Joshua chapter 1 alone.

Maybe you need the encouragement to be strong and courageous today. Maybe in your walk with the Lord, you feel about as far removed from strong and courageous as is possible. Maybe you’re feeling sick and weak and timid today.

Maybe you feel weak and timid because you’re being criticized when you feel you’re doing the best job you can. Maybe as a man, you feel weak and timid because you struggle with being the spiritual leader in your home. You’ve failed so many times that you’re afraid it’s weakening the integrity of your family.

Maybe as a woman, you feel weak and timid because you’re having difficulty respecting your husband as you know you should and you have many regrets over some of the words you’ve spoken. Or your husband is gone and you feel completely alone sometimes.

Maybe you feel weak and timid because you look back over your life and see so much you should have done differently to impact the world for Christ. Or you feel there isn’t much for you to do to be productive in the church body anymore.

Maybe you feel weak and timid because of mistakes you’ve made that have caused great pain in your life and in the lives of others. Or maybe injustice or violence has been done to you that seems to have debilitated you and crippled you spiritually so that you don’t think you’ll ever recover.

There is hope today for the weak and timid among us.

God told Joshua to “Be strong and courageous,” three times in Joshua 1. And each time, He gave him a different reason for doing so. They are that Joshua, though he may not have known it, was in possession of three incredible gifts:

1) God's promises

2) God's power

3) God's presence

Today we will look just at God’s promises. Joshua 1:3-5 is basically a reiteration of God’s unconditional promise to Abraham in Genesis 15, a passage Pastor John preached on a couple of months ago.

Genesis 15:5-7,18: “And He took him [Abraham] outside and said, ‘Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. And He said to him, ‘I am the LORD who brought you out

of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it.… To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates.’”

You’ll notice that I removed quite a bit from the middle of the above passage. That missing portion describes the process of ratifying the covenant. It was a one-sided covenant because God had caused Abraham to sleep through it! So this was not an “if you do this, I’ll do that,” conditional kind of covenant. No, it was unconditional. God was saying, “No matter what, this is My promise to you.”

And that promise comes up again here in Joshua 1:3-5: “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory. No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.”

God told Joshua to be strong and courageous because of the unconditional promise He had made initially to Abraham and then repeated many times to Moses and the people of Israel.

How could this possibly apply to us? Sure, Joshua was encouraged to be strong and courageous because of God’s promise to give the land to the people. But God hasn’t promised me a land to call my own, or that He’ll conquer all my enemies or solve all my problems. What good is this story for me? God hasn’t promised me anything specific like that! Well, hang on just a minute. I believe He has.

Let’s begin with Hebrews 13:5,6: “’I will never desert you nor will I ever forsake you,’ so that we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my Helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?’” Is that not just about the most comforting promise you’ve ever read? Even when we look around and everyone we know and love is gone, even when we’re being treated unfairly, God hasn’t left us. We’re not really alone - ever!

And how about Romans 8:35? “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” The implied answer is a resounding, “No, none of these!” We will never be cast adrift.

Take a look at these two verses: Matthew 6:25 and Philippians 4:19. I’m going to combine them here: “Do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” We never have to fear that our needs will not be met. God promises to take care of us.

Now to John 14. In the first three verses, Jesus says, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also (:1-3).” Here we see that not only is Jesus preparing us a place in heaven, but He’s coming back one day to take us there to be with Him! We don’t have to be discouraged or defeated in this world; it’s not our home. It has no hold on us. One day we’ll leave it and spend eternity with our heavenly Father. That thought gives me strength and courage to meet head-on the challenges of living a godly life here.

We all know Romans 8:28, but it’s not a cliché by any means. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” One of the greatest promises in all of Scripture.

But wait, there’s more! Psalm 103:12 is a huge promise for all of us. “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” The mistakes of our past, confessed and forgiven, should be irrelevant to the way we live our lives today. Unfortunately, that’s not usually the case, is it? We carry the load of guilt and shame around on our backs. Drop that weight and give your sin and its consequences to God. He hasn’t stopped loving you.

My son Evan loved video games as a teen. Especially shooting games. I played a few times with him. At first I struggled to simply keep level my field of view. Then I struggled with both aiming and firing my weapon. As a result, while he was chalking up hundreds of kills, I was a casualty time and time again. He thought this was the most fun ever, by the way. But the great thing was, every time I got killed, the game put me back together, stood me back on my feet, put a new weapon in my hands and let me start again! That’s the way it is with God’s grace, too. We crash and burn every day. But if we come to Him with a contrite heart, God is faithful to put us back on our feet and let us begin fresh.

There’s a reason the Psalmist used the directions east and west rather than north and south. North and south have endpoints – you can stop going north or south. East and west go on forever. And that’s how far God has removed our sin from us!

I Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” Your service to God is not a waste of time. You may feel neglected, ignored and ineffective, but God doesn’t miss anything. He’s aware of your service. What an

encouragement for the Christian laborer to gather new strength and courage to continue the fight!

So although God has not promised us a physical land to enter like He did Joshua, there are many promises in the Bible that we can take to the bank. I challenge you to look up some more yourself this week. We can gather strength and courage from them, even as Joshua did.

To be continued...

*If that opening sounds vaguely familiar, it’s a slightly modified version of the first line of A Christmas Carol , by Charles Dickens.

Listen to the audio version

About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

Resolution

Thu, 28 May 2026 12:00:20 GMT

RESOLUTION

One of my favorite pieces of classical music is Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber. We listen mostly to Christian music around our house, but there’s a special place in my heart for classical. I grew up in a house where, if the radio was on, it was tuned to the classical music station. When we traveled, it was a classical eight-track tape in the car. And when I was small, I often rode my stick horse around the house accompanied by the Boston Pops (there were permanent scratches on some of our records as a result of my violent galloping next to the stereo console).

Back to Barber’s Adagio for Strings. I bring it up as an example of the topic of this devotional – resolution.

The dictionary’s general definition of “resolution” is “the act of solving or ending a problem or difficulty.” However, like many words, several sub-definitions exist. Some of the headings for the definitions of the word are:

Literature – as in the resolution of conflict in the plot of a story
Optics – as in a high-resolution image
Character – as in the resolution of pioneer women
Government – as in voting on a resolution

And there is another:

Music - the progression of harmony as a whole from a dissonance to a consonance.

Adagio for Strings is a study in tension and resolution. For the first several minutes of the piece, it’s as if the music is trying to find resolution, but can’t quite achieve it. Two separate musical themes vie for your attention. They are content to weave back and forth, trading the melody line, but there is constant tension between them. Over and over they reach out for resolution, but the notes just miss each other and the dissonance remains. Then, at about the five-minute mark, the tension begins to grow in intensity until, at about the six-and-a-half minute mark, the dissonance reaches a crescendo in one long note. And my brain cries, “Enough!” And then the note beautifully resolves into an amazing progression of chords. And the dissonance disappears. And the composer spends the rest of the piece bringing the listener back down again to enjoy a quiet single melody line as the piece ends. I’m

sure there are technical music terms to describe all that, but I don’t know them.

Our ears love to hear musical dissonance resolve. The dissonance produces tension in us. It feels wrong; it feels like all is not right in our world. And when the blessed resolution occurs, we are able to relax and the negative pressure we’ve been feeling melts away into peace.

The same thing happens with our spirits. When I have a conflict with Erin, or anyone else, it produces tension in me. It feels wrong; it feels like all is not right in my world. And when the blessed resolution occurs, I am able to relax and the negative pressure I’ve been feeling melts away into peace.

Unless you live in a cave by yourself in the mountains, conflict in your life is inevitable. Some view conflict as a problem to be solved. I think as Christians we should look at it more as a challenging opportunity to demonstrate God’s love and grace.

Paul summarizes our mandate in Romans 12: 18: “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” But it is often impossible to avoid conflict. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul encourages a couple of feuding women to “live in harmony in the Lord,” a sentiment we can all apply to our lives (4:2). Earlier in the same letter, Paul asks the Philippians to make his “joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others (2:2-4).”

Let’s take a look at that passage and see what it teaches us about conflict resolution. Two sets of four phrases each, make up these verses. Here is the first foursome: “Being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.” Each of those four phrases describes two Christians who are moving together in the same direction; walking the trail hand in hand, with a common goal in sight. When in conflict with another Believer, it is crucial to remember that, as much as we might disagree on an issue, we are walking together; we’re on the same team, and our common goal is to glorify God! Is the personal conflict worth jeopardizing that?

The next foursome is split into two pairs, a “don’t” and then a corresponding “do,” then another “don’t” and yet another answering “do.” Here’s the “don’t” of the first pair: “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit.” Most people, even Christians, have a pretty healthy opinion of themselves. Hopefully, now that we’re getting a bit older, our opinion of ourselves is becoming significantly more realistic after spending a lifetime with a front-row seat to the effects of our own destructive pride! I am reminded of Romans 12:16, where Paul commands, “Be of the same mind toward one another (we just heard that in Philippians!); do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.”

And the corresponding “do:” “But with humility of mind let each of you regard the other as more important than himself.” Ah, humility, that elusive creature. Can you imagine how many conflicts would die stillborn if we would just put away our pride and exercise humility? How many times have you and I created dissonance in the music of our lives and the lives of others because we thought far too highly of

ourselves? Looking outward rather than inward is basic to the effective Christian life and absolutely necessary to the process of conflict resolution.

Let’s move on to the second pair of the foursome. Here’s the negative: “Do not look out merely for your own personal interests.” Selfishness goes hand in hand with pride when it comes to producing conflict in our relationships. “Of course my needs, not his, are the most important ones in this relationship.” Conflict. “She did not fulfill my expectations.” Tension. “It’s not my problem if that bothers him.” Dissonance. “It

may be important to you, but I don’t care.” Discord.

And the final positive: “But also [look out for] the interests of others.” The website enduringword.com put it this way: “As we put away our selfish ambitions, our conceit, and our tendencies to be high-minded and self-absorbed, we will naturally have a greater concern for the interests and needs of others.” We can’t very well walk in their shoes, but we can try to see through their eyes to better understand their perspective.

Of course there is more to conflict resolution than humility and selflessness. We haven’t even touched on grace, mercy, forgiveness or love. But these two attitudes are a very practical place to begin. I encourage you, when the dissonance in your relationship with that person begins to grow, like the dissonance grows in Barber’s Adagio, exercise humility and selflessness, and you’re very much more likely to

experience resolution; peace and harmony and glory to God.

For a much deeper dive into conflict resolution, read The Path of a Peacemaker by Ken Sande, the founder of Peacemaker Ministries in Billings. The organization is dedicated to walking folks through the process of reconciliation, relying on Scriptural principles every step of the way.

Listen to the audio version

About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

Consider It All Joy

Thu, 21 May 2026 12:00:11 GMT

CONSIDER IT ALL JOY

Our Connect group has been studying what is, in my opinion, one of the most practical books in the Bible, the letter from James. If you have never done so, I encourage you to read the entire letter, in one sitting if possible. But brace yourself, because James pulls no punches. If there’s something in your life that is not the way God says it should be, James is going to let you have it, right between the eyes! I always think of James as kind of like that on-fire Christian – you know, the one you avoid at fellowship time because you know he’s going to ask you 1) whether you

are reading your Bible consistently and 2) what God is teaching you right now.

In chapter 1, James jumps right into the meat of his letter by urging the recipients, the Jews scattered by persecution, to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (verses 2-4).”

We’ve all lived long enough to know that if you are not currently experiencing a trial, then either you are just coming out of one, or one is coming down the pike very soon. That’s not pessimistic thinking, it’s reality in this broken world. Chuck Swindoll says that often, the music of life is played in a minor key.

Our perspective on the hardships and difficulties of life is directly influenced by how we view God. The world uses adversity and suffering as an excuse to reject God’s very existence. “I’d believe in God if there weren’t so much suffering in the world.” Or, “If there is a God, where was he when my fill in the blank with a family member got

cancer and died?”

But the Christian is to consider those hard, painful things “pure joy”. Why? Because hard times are fun and we just love and look forward to them? Of course not. No one enjoys difficulty and painful circumstances. No, the reason we’re to consider our sufferings “joy” is because we have God’s assurance of what it should produce in us –Perseverance. Endurance. Determination. Persistence. Stamina. Fortitude. Grit. Tenacity. Yes, I used the “thesaurus” function in Word!

But perseverance is not the end product, as attractive a descriptor as it is. God doesn’t want to simply produce Christians with stick-to-it-iveness, who bear up under trials. No, that is just the intermediate goal. The final goal is growth; it is Christian maturity.

We all like to think we’re mature, especially the older we get. But it’s certainly not a given. We’ve all met older folks whose outlook on life is about as deep as the kiddie wading pool in the park. It’s sometimes jarring when we encounter such a shallow perspective. We naturally assume by their gray hair (or the lack of hair), that the heart has gained some vigor and intensity. And occasionally, it’s not true. I would

suggest that such a person has either not experienced much heartbreak and deep pain, or that they have not allowed that pain to change them. Maturity develops as we bear up under suffering and hard things and pain, and put our trust in God through it all. A.W. Tozer famously said, “It is doubtful God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.”

So are we to go looking for painful experiences, so as to increase our Christian maturity? We would speculate about the sanity of a person who held that view. No, it doesn’t require searching out; “trials of many kinds” naturally come to us. And unfortunately, as much as we would like to join the world sometimes in blaming God for those trials, we can’t lay the responsibility on Him. He created mankind with free will. Without free will, love, the basis of God’s economy, could not exist. But with free will arrived sin. And that sin caused the fall from perfection of both mankind and creation. The final result is all the pain, suffering and hardship we experience from the time we can recognize it until the day we die.

So, yes, we want to:

1) persevere through the struggles and

2) come out the other side as more mature Christians.

The first step is relatively easy. No, I didn’t say “easy.” I said “relatively easy,” as in comparison to step number two. When I was in the middle of some very painful and

very public trials, I was asked, “How are you making it through this?” I have no recollection of how I responded then, but now, looking back, I think, “What is the alternative?” You’ve been there, too, I know. How in the world did you survive that devastating disaster? that catastrophic calamity? that awful tragedy? that horrifying event? I can tell you. You woke up every morning (assuming that you slept the night before), you asked God to give you the strength to survive until lunch, you put your feet on the floor, and you did what you had to do. We either persevere or we check out, ending up curled in the fetal position, sucking our thumb.

So yes, we’re going to get through the painful things, but how to come out the other side with enhanced godly perspective, deepened godly understanding and more passionate love for God and for others? That is the question. The challenge is to come out the other side of the pain a more mature Christian.

The answer lies in staying very close to God. It’s His work to do in our lives. Where else can we find our comfort and power and the love we need to make it through? Who else can we turn to who knows our situation better? Who else will listen to our cries and always respond perfectly? Who else can offer us the exact balance we need between compassion and tough love, to move onward and upward? And instead of viewing the trial as God being uncaring and callous, understand that it

is almost certainly His way of making us more like Jesus. Because isn’t that the goal of our lives? Christlikeness? Steven Curtis Chapman, one of my favorite Christian artists, wrote a song back in 2001 called Bring It On . In it, he sings, “Now, I don't want to sound like some hero, 'cause it's God alone that my hope is in. But I'm not gonna run from the very things that would drive me closer to Him, so bring it on.” He knew that often the hardest things in our lives work to make us more like Christ – more mature! We cling to Him, we pray to Him, we hope in Him, we listen to His Word, we continue to love Him and others. If we do those things even through the pain, we end up looking a bit more like Jesus.

For further encouragement, read II Corinthians 4:16-18

Listen to the audio version

About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

Aging

Thu, 14 May 2026 12:00:15 GMT

AGING

It has been said many times and in many different ways, “Growing older is not for the faint of heart. When I was young I was skeptical. I’m quickly becoming a believer.

Now I realize that, at age 62, I’m younger than most who are reading or listening to this devotional. But the indicators of age are definitely encroaching upon me. If you know my wife Erin, you know that she is very soft-spoken. However, I find myself asking her to repeat herself far more often than I did when we were first married, about fifteen years ago. I had my hearing tested not long after we were married and was told that I had lost a bit more than 10%. I have not been back since. I don’t want to know how much that number has increased! And speaking of hearing, I was talking the other day to an older gentleman who had recently purchased a new hearing aid. He was telling me how terrific it was, and how he hadn’t heard this well in years, and how it was definitely worth the price he had paid. I said, “What kind is it?” He responded, “I think it’s about 4:00.”

Also, like several of you men, I’ve had some unpleasantness with my prostate. I’ll not elaborate. If you’re one of those men, you understand.

And I could go on, regaling you with stories of hair loss, vision deterioration, crepey skin, neuropathy, back pain (remember the days when you could sleep for twelve straight hours?), memory issues, decreased energy and creaky joints. My son recently called me out for making “old man noises” when I sat down next to him. I hadn’t even heard myself doing it.

You know probably better than I do that this is a time of increasing vulnerability and dependence, limitation and isolation. Pastor and writer Stuart Briscoe called aging a time of “diminishing.” It’s definitely not for the faint of heart.

Lest I begin to discourage both of us with all this talk of diminishing, let’s not forget the upside! Hopefully we make wiser decisions than we used to and are a bit more stable emotionally. We tend to focus more on the things that matter, like relationships and meaningful experiences. We’ve learned to manage our expectations and let go of some of the relational stresses that used to weigh us down. And on the more concrete side of things, most of us have the house to ourselves, the stress of full-time employment is gone, and we have a lot more free time than we used to have. And of course, many of us have grandchildren (and

even great grandchildren) to love on.

The Bible has quite a bit to say about aging. Even though we’re getting older, we’re still called to follow closely after God. Proverbs 16:31 says, “A gray head is a crown of glory; it is found in the way of righteousness.” Righteousness is not just a young person’s game. Right living - following God’s commands in our thoughts, words and actions - never gets old.

Getting older doesn’t mean we dry up, either. Psalm 92:14 uses the imagery of fruit trees, encouraging us who are getting on in years to keep on producing spiritual fruit. “The righteous…will still yield fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap and very green.” I pray that you are still very green (I know that you are full of sap), and that you are still yielding fruit. At the mention of fruit, my mind immediately jumps to

Galatians 5:22,23, where Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” How is your fruit production lately? I’ve heard some older folks say, “Now that I’m X years old, I’m all done with ministry. I’ve passed the baton on to the younger generation. Let them do the work now.”

I’m afraid the Psalmist doesn’t allow that attitude. If you’re discouraged about ministry, ask God to open up an opportunity for you (See my emails dated May 1st and May 8th where I mention a “helps” ministry, if you need an idea of where to plug in. And more opportunities for ministry with the seniors are just over the horizon).

In II Corinthians 4:16 Paul writes, “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.” I’m not sure I care for the word “decaying” that the NASB uses, but other versions are no better. The NIV says “wasting away,” the KJV uses the word “perishing,” and the Living Bible paraphrases it “dying.” I don’t really think Paul was specifically talking about old age

here. I think he was referring to the physical deterioration every adult faces all throughout his or her life. I had a college roommate who often said, “We all started dying the day we were born.” Not very uplifting, and pretty atypical language for a twenty-something young man (my roommate was very…eh…unique), but it’s true. Paul knew it, too, and used it to encourage, not discourage the Corinthians. Here’s the Snyder Paraphrase of II Corinthians 4:16: “We may be losing our physical

faculties little by little throughout our lives, but God continues to watch over our spiritual life until the day we go to meet Him.” And that’s something to rejoice about!

My parents began their slow decline into dementia and eventually death about fifteen years ago. I wish I had found Isaiah 46:4 then. It would have encouraged me in my moments of despondency as I watched them fade away. I’m now about fifteen years younger than the age they were then, and the verse encourages me now regarding my own life. “Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.” What encouraging words! He made us and has carried us along every day of our lives (which is mentioned in the verse just prior to this verse). And He will continue to carry us even as we age. And he will deliver us! God doesn’t say what He delivers us from, but I’ll bet I could get a few “amens” if I said many of us need to be delivered from discouragement. It’s easy to get discouraged when you’re dealing with loneliness or grief or chronic pain or isolation or the loss of your independence or fear.

So be encouraged today. God has not left you alone. He loves you and He is, even now, carrying you in His all-powerful and everlasting arms. Rest there.

Our son is former army; he owns several guns, one of which is an AR-15 that he built himself; he works armed security at a gated nuclear site and lifts weights for an hour every day as part of his job (needless to say, we don’t wrestle anymore like we did when he was ten). I recently watched him one evening tenderly carry, one at time, his two sons, ages three and one, off to their beds. He’s a big, powerful guy and yet the gentleness and love he showed to Cody and Tyler was a great picture of how God, so big that He’s present everywhere and so powerful that He has no

rival, carries us gently and tenderly. Remember how close your face was to your small child when you carried him or her to bed? That’s how close God’s face is to you. Talk to him. Pour out your grief and fear. And rest in His arms.

Only the strong live this long, but it’s important to remember that God is still, and always will be, carrying us like a small child when we are too weak and frightened to find the way ourselves.

Listen to the audio version

About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

David and Goliath, Part 2

Thu, 07 May 2026 12:00:45 GMT

DAVID AND GOLIATH, PART TWO

They moved toward each other, the Philistine army following some distance behind Goliath, eager for the long-awaited victory sure to be theirs. No one followed behind David; he was completely alone, or so it appeared. As they neared each other, the size difference became more obvious. When they were close enough to communicate, the giant saw his opponent and began to threaten the boy, mock Israel and blaspheme their god. The boy looked this mountain of a man up and down. He noted the armor; he saw the javelin, sword and spear; he couldn’t help but realize that he had no earthly chance of defeating such a warrior. But that didn’t faze him in the slightest, because it wasn’t an earthly chance he needed. His victory would come directly from heaven. His voice rang out across the valley so both sides could hear him: “You come to me with a sword, a spear and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.” (I Samuel 17:45-47)

Pretty big talk from such a relatively little guy. But Goliath felt the sting of it and rose to the challenge. He moved forward to swat this little fly and end the game. David ran across the relatively flat valley floor – yes, ran – to meet him, and when Goliath was in range, David took from his ammunition pouch a smooth, round stone, one that he had picked right out of the streambed of Nahal HeEla that very afternoon. And he let fly.

A few months ago I thought it would be kind of fun to learn to sling, so I went on a website that sells them and found that swinging a sling in a circle a bunch of times around your head is not necessary for effectiveness. In fact, one twirl is all that is necessary. It’s an extremely quick process. If David had started zinging that thing around his head repeatedly, Goliath would probably have at least raised his shield for a moment. But he had no warning at all. David had that stone placed in the pouch and in the air in probably less than three seconds. And slung

stones fly amazingly fast. Videos on that slinging website I mentioned showed incredible speed and accuracy, easily lethal.

So Goliath never saw it coming. That stone hit him square in his massive forehead and killed him. He fell like a redwood. It’s interesting that I Samuel 17:50 says the stone killed him. But then verse 51 says David, having no sword, ran up to Goliath’s inert body, took his sword and cut off his head, killing him with it. The only man in the Bible to be killed twice! I say that tongue-in-cheek, because I find this description of events, as gory as it is, to be both inspiring and humorous, and I’m willing to give the writer of I Samuel a pass and not question him as to

why he says both the stone and the sword killed Goliath separately!

Goliath was dead in the middle of the valley floor. Cries of alarm and shock rose from the south. Shouts of incredulity which then turned to fierce victory rose from the north, and it only took a moment for the army of Israel to come streaming across the valley, attack and route the discombobulated Philistines.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this dive into the history of Israel and David. But there is a takeaway. I’ve always wondered how David could be so confident that God would save the day. Would you or I have volunteered? He was essentially betting his life on the belief that God would step in and win this battle. I think part of the reason for his limitless confidence lies in what happened in I Samuel 16 when David was anointed the next king of Israel by Samuel. That was an ironclad

guarantee of life. We are not guaranteed tomorrow; David was guaranteed the crown. And he used that guarantee to bring glory to God by killing Goliath.

But what about us? We are to live by faith and not by sight (II Corinthians 5:7) in a world with no guarantees. The world in which we live is a dangerous place. Our families, our reputations, our homes, our livelihoods, our retirement years, our health, our very lives, can be damaged or even destroyed in short order by circumstances beyond our control.

The giants we face don’t wear armor or wield a sword. Our giants are fear, false accusations, grief, betrayal, declining health, loss of income, unfair or even illegal business practices, deceit, violence, anxiety and depression, disease, greed, fractured families, addictions, ungodly

attitudes and selfishness. Add your own giant to the list if I’ve neglected it.

But we have guarantees, too, just like David did. These guarantees don’t promise us the kingdom of Israel or even continued life here on earth, but they do promise us peace of mind, the presence of our Father in our lives as we square up against our giants, joy, victory over sin and, in the end, eternal life in glory with God. Pretty iron-clad if you ask me!

How about some promises to ponder:

The writer of Hebrews reminds us that God “will never desert you, nor will He forsake you (13:5).”
Some of the last words Jesus spoke were, “I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).”
I Peter 2:9 says that we are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession.”
The writer of Hebrews encourages us again in 4:16, telling us, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need,” and in 13:6, “We can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
Peter again: “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you (I Peter 5:7).”
And don’t forget Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Against the ultimate giant, death, we know that “to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21),”
…and I Corinthians 15:53-57: “ For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Our ultimate victory, whatever we face here on earth, was bought by the blood of Jesus on the cross. “In all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us (Romans 8:37).”
And finally, Jesus told us, in John 16:33, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” So be encouraged today.

You possess the same power that David did; the awesome, unstoppable power of almighty God. Face up against those giants in your life with confidence, trusting God’s promises to see you through.

Listen to the audio version

About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

David and Goliath, Part 1

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 12:00:59 GMT

DAVID AND GOLIATH, PART ONE

It was hot overlooking the flat, treeless Valley of Elah. Approximately two and half miles long and just under half a mile wide at its widest, the valley ran east/west. The stream, Nahal HeEla, ran only during the rainy season, so right now the streambed was dry.

The Israelite army, commanded by King Saul, was camped in the hills on the northern side of the valley. The Philistine army was camped in the southern hills, at approximately the same elevation. In other words, the armies, a mile apart, looked each other dead in the eye about two hundred feet above the valley floor.

The men of the army of Israel milled about aimlessly. It was almost time. Tension built. Tempers flared over minor issues. Work ceased all through the camp. No one began a task, no matter how small, because in just a few moments they would be interrupted.

And the soldiers of Israel were not disappointed. Brazen trumpets blared across the valley to the south. The soldiers left what they were supposed to be doing and filed partway down the slope to a point just above the valley floor. A large portion of the Philistine army was marching north across the valley toward them. Most stopped halfway across, but two continued on to within a long bowshot of the watching Jewish army. One of the two men was absolutely enormous, between nine and ten feet tall. Rumor had it that his armor weighed over one hundred and twenty pounds and that on his massive spear, the head alone weighed a cool fifteen pounds. His name was Goliath. He shouted to the watching Israelite army, “Why bother using your whole army? Am I not Philistine enough for you? And you’re all committed to

Saul, aren’t you? So pick your best fighter and pit him against me. If he gets the upper hand and kills me, the Philistines will all become your slaves. But if I get the upper hand and kill him, you’ll all become our slaves and serve us. I challenge the troops of Israel this day. Give me a

man. Let us fight it out together!” (I Samuel 17:8-10 The Message)

This was not the first time the giant had issued the challenge. He’d been at it every day for almost six weeks. But the entire army of Israelites still melted away in fear, back up the hill to their camp. And the giant laughed in derision.

Where was the king of Israel in all this? You remember, Saul, the man who was both the most handsome and tallest man in Israel (I Samuel 9:2)? I looked briefly online, and most scholars believe the average height of men in those days was probably around five foot six. But I Samuel 9:2 says Saul was head and shoulders taller than anyone in Israel, not just the average man. I’m just guessing, but I would think some of the tallest men in Israel would have been around six feet tall. Again, I’m speculating, but I believe that would put Saul at maybe six ten or more. You included Saul in a mass of Israelite men and you would see his head and shoulders sticking up. He literally stood out in a crowd!

Almost seven feet tall is a far cry from nine foot nine inches, but Saul, as warrior king of Israel, seems like the natural choice to fight Goliath. And this single combat was apparently not an unusual thing in the ancient world at that time. I Samuel 17:4 says that Goliath was “a champion.” You don’t get that moniker simply by being the biggest guy around. It’s clear that he’d done this sort of thing before and come out on top.

But why would any king, backed by an army, even consider such a thing? Have you ever wondered why Saul let this go on forty days? Saul had three choices: 1) fight Goliath alone, 2) attack with his army or 3) withdraw altogether. It had to be terribly demoralizing to his men to hear Goliath’s taunts every day. Why continue this daily circus? Saul lacked the integrity and courage to pursue any of the three choices. God had rejected him (I Samuel 15:26), the kingdom had been torn from him (I Samuel 15:28) and most importantly, the Holy Spirit had left him (I Samuel 16:14). He was a shell of a leader at this point and would be for the rest of his life.

He knew full-well that fighting Goliath alone would cost him his life. Goliath was huge and experienced, and besides, Samuel had told Saul that God already had a replacement king waiting in the wings (I Samuel 15:28). And, of course, asking God for help was out of the question. Saul was not walking with God. It would be a short and bitter battle and his entire army would watch him humiliated and destroyed. Saul was very proud and I’m sure would not want to leave that kind of legacy.

Attacking was also out of the question. God specifically mentions Saul in I Samuel 17:11, when describing the reaction of the Israelite army to Goliath’s taunts: “Saul and all Israel…were dismayed and greatly afraid.” I doubt the idea of attacking the Philistines ever entered Saul’s mind. He was terrified.

And withdrawing wouldn’t solve anything. The Philistine army would simply advance farther and farther into Israel until either Saul surrendered or took a stand and fought them somewhere else.

So Saul was caught between two rocks and a hard place. He wouldn’t fight Goliath himself, attacking with his army wasn’t an option and retreating would solve nothing.

And then a teenager showed up who believed God would save the day. David certainly had no idea what was in store for him when he got up that morning. He could not have known that he was going to be transformed from “lunch delivery boy” to “champion of God” and “giant-slayer,” all before supper.

It was probably after noon by now and the heat was intensifying in the Valley of Elah. Several hundred yards from the southern verge of the valley stood a giant, nearly ten feet tall. Beside him, dwarfed, was his armor bearer, of normal height. Filling the valley behind him, was the Philistine army. Facing Goliath, having just made his way down the slope toward the northern verge of the valley, now standing out on the valley floor about a quarter of a mile from the giant, was a teenage boy. No Israelite soldiers followed him. The giant “had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale-armor which weighed five thousand shekels of bronze [about 125 pounds]. He also had bronze greaves on his legs and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders. And the shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron [about 15 pounds].” I Samuel 17:5-7 (NASB). The teenager wore no armor; only the simple clothes he had put on before he left home that morning. He carried only a shepherd’s sling, composed of two cords, each about 24 inches in length, with a thong in the middle. The sling was used to defend his father’s sheep from predators, though this teenager was known to use his bare hands on occasion! He was no pushover, but also no match for the huge, seasoned warrior across the valley.

The boy, however, was special. Yes, he had been secretly anointed the next king of Israel. That was special, but not special enough to win this battle. The title “King” didn’t provide courage or bring victory. After all, the current king of Israel was cowering in his tent a safe distance from the battle line. No, what made this teenager special was his unwavering belief that YHWH would win the day and he was glad to simply be the weapon He would use to accomplish that victory.

To be continued...

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About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

Babies

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:00:09 GMT

BABIES

In 2025, my morning devotional was New Morning Mercies, by Paul David Tripp. I dog-eared September 24 because it had an extra impact on me. I’d like to share a paragraph with you. He wrote of God, “ He is the sun that gives us light. He is a refuge where we can hide. He is the water that nourishes us. And the bread that feeds us. He is the solid rock on which we stand. He is the Captain who defends us against the enemy. He is wisdom, blessing us with the insight of truth. He is the Lamb that bore the penalty for our sin. He is the High Priest who daily brings our case to the Father. He is the faithful friend who will not forsake us even in our worst moments. He is the Giver who blesses us with spiritual riches that we could never earn. He is the one who makes us aware of our sin and brings conviction to our hearts. He is the Shepherd who seeks us when we have wandered and are lost, and brings us back to the fold of His care. None of these actions is a luxury for us. They are all necessary ingredients of our spiritual lives, yet they are not things that we could ever provide for ourselves. We are like babies. Unable to meet our own needs and completely dependent on the love of our Father for life, sustenance and health.”

Our daughter had a baby girl on Friday, April 10th . Lola June Anderson is our third grandchild, but the first who lives in Helena, so we are looking forward to exercising our grandparenting muscles more often now. Lola is only two weeks old and is completely dependent on her parents for everything. She’s a sweet little thing, but she is completely helpless.

And will be for quite awhile. I remember watching a Christian comedian a few years ago, describing, tongue in cheek, how once, in frustration, he railed at his four-month-old son, “Can’t you do anything for yourself?!” Just like those little babies, we are completely unable to do anything for ourselves, spiritually. Even the most educated, wise and experienced Christian is completely helpless without God.

Let me summarize what our Father provides for us from the Paul David Tripp paragraph I quoted above: light, security, water, food, stability, defense, insight, substitution, intercession, friendship and support, spiritual riches, conviction and rescue.

The proud will bristle, because total dependence smacks of humiliation. The strong will object because total dependence implies weakness. In our world that values only strength and self-sufficiency, admitting that I am unable to provide for myself is unacceptable. Confessing that I am completely helpless is intolerable. Many will object: “No one can operate or bargain from a position of weakness.” Of course not; there is no “operating or bargaining” to be done. They will say, “But I must bring something to the table!” No, God expects nothing from you; He already knows that you have nothing to offer. And even with that knowledge, He provides everything you need from His infinite storehouse. Remember II Peter 1:3: “His divine power has given us

everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” And Philippians 4:19: “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

Don’t bristle; lay aside your pride and rejoice that God thinks so highly of you as to provide all your needs. And grace upon grace, He also occasionally provides you with your wants!

We sang Great is Thy Faithfulness in church recently. Sing it again to yourself as you read, “All I have needed Thy Hand has provided. Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.”

What should our daily response be to such grace and provision? Paul David Tripp places a fitting benediction on his devotional. “All praise, honor, worship, and service go to God and God alone. He sought us, He birthed us, He sustains us. He matures us. He protects us. And He will

finally deliver us. To Him be the glory. Amen.”

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About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

Luck

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:38:23 GMT

Luck

Do any of the following phrases sound familiar to you?

“I’m feeling lucky today!”
“As luck would have it…”
“That was beginner’s luck!”
“The luck of the draw.”
“What an unlucky break.”
“You lucky dog!”
“Don’t push your luck.”
“You got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well do ya, punk?” (Dirty Harry).

We’ve all heard those statements, probably even said them ourselves a time or two (except maybe the Dirty Harry line). But is there really any such thing as luck? Here’s the definition of luck from the Cambridge Dictionary: “The force that causes things, especially good things, to

happen to you by chance and not as a result of your own effort or abilities.”

Really? The “force?” It sounds very mysterious and nebulous; like the Cambridge Dictionary folks were watching a Star Wars movie when they wrote that definition.

The watershed ridgeline, or litmus test, as to what you call that “force,” of course, is whether you believe in a personal God or not. Without such a God, what else but luck could produce the circumstances in our lives? If no Designer exists, no Supreme Being presides, no King rules, then

anything and everything that has ever happened to you or to me or to anyone else in history has been completely random.

I spent my undergraduate years at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, in the 1980s. I was there at the same time as Pastor John, though we never met. We moved in completely different circles, because I was getting a degree in Biology Education so that I could teach secondary science, and he was studying to enter the ministry. It’s very possible, however, that we sat near each other in Chapel or in Old Testament Survey or in the cafeteria, and never knew it! My science courses at Liberty were all taught by Christian professors, and the

curriculum approached the issue of both origins and science from a Biblical perspective. God created the heavens and the earth, and everything in existence is a direct result of the infinitely creative and ever-loving Hand of our heavenly Father. And that Father/Creator is, even today, intimately involved in every aspect of every life that has ever lived, including ours.

In the 1990s, with a bit of teaching under my belt, I attended graduate school at Montana State University in Bozeman and spent most of my time in the Biology Department, pursuing a Master’s Degree. MSU approached the issues of origins and science from a perspective

diametrically opposed to that of Liberty: There is no God. Everything we see in the world around us today is the result of luck. Billions of years of it, shaping our world and its inhabitants ever so slowly. No direction, no design, no plan, just sheer faceless luck. Proponents of that

viewpoint call it “chance.”

This perspective has always struck me as extremely bleak and hopeless. Because in a world ruled by chance, human lives are devoid of meaning. If my existence is a cosmic coincidence caused by the random collisions of atoms and molecules over billions of years, then of what value is it? And of what value is anyone else’s existence, for that matter? We’re all the products of blind luck! And when I die, I will cease to exist, just like all who have gone before me. My life has no meaning. I’m not sure how people who believe this can even sleep at night. And if you drill down far enough, you conclude that nothing has any real meaning; it’s all just a big cosmic joke, and you and I are the butt.

If, on the other hand, I was created personally by a loving God who knew my name before time began and is intimately involved in every area of my life, then I have infinite worth. I am loved and I have purpose. My value is inestimable. And when I die, I have the promise of spending eternity with my Creator Father. Next time you’re having trouble sleeping, just meditate on the wonderful concept of a loving Creator who not only knows your name, but sent His only Son to die in your place for all the wrong you’ve ever done and ever will do. You are held in high esteem by the very Creator of the universe!

In case you are unaware, the Bible clearly teaches of the identity and power of the Creator and the infinite value of the creation, and especially of mankind.

Isaiah 44:24 reads, “Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, ‘I, the Lord, am the maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself, and spreading out the earth all alone.’” God made everything that exists.

I won’t take the space to quote all of Job chapters 38-41, but in response to Job’s well-meant but woefully incomplete understanding of God, God proceeds to challenge Job, beginning with the question, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth!” After almost seventy

verses of forcefully guiding Job on a tour of His power, majesty and control over His creation, God takes a figurative breath and Job responds with, “I am insignificant; what can I reply to Thee? I lay my hand on my mouth.” But God isn’t finished with Job. He sings a second verse,

finishing up fifty-some verses later and causing Job to finally acknowledge that, like us, he hasn’t the slightest clue as to the almighty power and creative genius of God. And he finally says, like we should also, when we are tempted to believe those who preach that “chance

rules all,” “No purpose of Thine can be thwarted…I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees Thee. Therefore, I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.”

Psalm 139 can’t be any clearer about the means by which humans have come into existence. David writes, “For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Thy

works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as

yet there was not one of them. How precious are Thy thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with Thee.” (:13-18) God created us individually and is intimately involved in our lives, loving and guiding us at every moment.

Here are the two worldviews side by side. The first is that the world is godless, directionless, ruled by random chance; the second is that the world is designed for us, full of meaning and significance and ruled by a loving, personal God. The first promises a bleak, hopeless and

meaningless future, and requires nothing of us; the second promises a future that is bright and joyful, but requires our faith and obedience.

I’m taking the second worldview, thank you. To anyone who chooses the first, I say good luck with that.

Listen to the audio version

About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

"Mary"

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:00:01 GMT

“Mary”

Though Resurrection Sunday is now past, I’d like revisit it with you.

One of my favorite scenes in the entire Bible is found in John 20. You remember the story. Jesus was dead. Joseph of Arimathea and the Pharisee who came to Jesus in the night, Nicodemus, had to rush the preparation of Jesus’ body for burial because of the impending Sabbath. So Mary of Magdala and a few other women went back to the tomb very early Sunday morning to perform a post-Sabbath touch-up final treatment of the body. John only names Mary, but Matthew, Mark and Luke all mention several women. That is not a discrepancy; John

focused on only one woman, as the rest of this section will show, so he left the others out of his description of events.

Now, how crazy is this: I’m currently reading a book by Lee Strobel called Seeing the Supernatural, not expecting to read anything remotely connected with the women at the tomb. And today, a scant day after I wrote the above paragraph, I came across a discussion of how many women came to the tomb Sunday morning and whether, since the Gospels don’t agree, they can be trusted! And I read that the device employed by an author, of highlighting one character even though others are present, just like John did here, has a name. It’s called literary spotlighting. Interestingly, it’s clear that John was aware that other women were present at the tomb, because in his account, when Mary later reported to Peter and John what had happened, she said, “we do not know where they have laid Him.”

When the women arrived, they were presented with the most astonishing scene possible; the stone had been rolled away from the opening to the tomb (:1)! Matthew, Mark and Luke tell us that the women looked inside, certainly expecting to see the body of Jesus, but were confronted instead by angel or two (depending on the Gospel version) who told them that Jesus was alive. John tells us only that Mary saw the stone rolled away and then ran to tell Peter and John. Keep in mind that John is telling a different story than the other Gospel writers, employing literary spotlighting, focusing on several personal, one-on-one interactions of Jesus after the resurrection. He’ll relate the story of Thomas in a similar way and later, the story of Peter on the beach.

So Mary ran away, unaware of the good news of Jesus’ resurrection (:2). All she knew was that the body was missing. She ran to Peter and John to tell them the bad news. All three then made a beeline for the tomb, John winning the footrace but then stopping just short of the finish line by not entering (:3-5). Peter then arrived, puffing and blowing, pushed past John and entered the tomb. John joined him and they both observed the graveclothes of Jesus (:6-9). This sight caused at least John to believe (:8). A lot has, notably, been made of the shape of those graveclothes. They were in the shape of the body of Jesus! Something else about them that you rarely hear, however, is that, according to John 19:39, that Jesus-shaped shell of graveclothes weighed between seventy- five and one hundred pounds!

Peter and John then departed the scene (:10), leaving Mary by herself outside. The thought that Jesus was alive had never entered her mind. Things were happening way too fast for her. But the most overwhelmingly important thing to her right then was that the body of Jesus was missing and she needed to find it in order to care for it. Mary, weeping, finally went into the tomb and there encountered two angels – they apparently weren’t there when Peter and John went in (:11). She explained to the angels that her tears resulted from her inability to fulfill her desire to care for the body of Jesus. She completely missed the fact that she was talking to two angels (:12,13)! She then stepped out of the tomb and saw a man close by. It was the

risen Jesus, but she didn’t recognize Him (:14). Some have said that her failure to recognize Jesus was a result of the tears in her eyes obscuring her vision, but more likely it was a supernatural blinding. The same thing happened to Cleopas and his friend when they encountered Jesus walking home from Jerusalem to Emmaus in Luke 24.

Mary has very likely been weeping since before the crucifixion. I think we can probably all relate. We’ve suffered the loss of a loved one, and the tears just won’t stop. We think we have them under control, only to have them return full force a few minutes or hours later. At times, we can barely function, the emotions are so overwhelming. That was Mary. She was beside herself with grief. She was crushed and devastated. Just like you and I have been.

Jesus asked her why she was weeping. She had no idea who this man was who was asking her such a personal question, but she figured he must work there, so instead of answering his question (which may not even have registered with her) she asked him if he knew where the body of Jesus could be found (:15). He didn’t answer her as she expected. He simply said her name. “Mary!” And her eyes were open and she recognized Jesus (:16)!

Have you ever been asked what Bible event you would like to witness? I am sure we share some big, powerful events on our lists, like the destruction of the walls of Jericho, David killing Goliath, the parting of the Red Sea, Gideon’s victory, the dedication of the Temple by Solomon,

the crucifixion. But also on my list is this moment: seeing Mary’s face as recognition dawned.

I doubt there has ever been someone as despondent as Mary was at that moment. Jesus, whom she had loved with every fiber of her being, was unexpectedly dead. And it had been so sudden. It’s possible that she had just seen Him Thursday afternoon before He celebrated Passover with the Twelve, and by Friday afternoon He was dead! There had been no good-bye. She couldn’t understand how this could even have happened at all. Jesus was so powerful that He could cast out demons, He could heal any disease, He could even raise Lazarus from the dead! How could He Himself be dead?! I imagine she was still in shock to a degree.

She had seen Jesus die on the cross, but Joseph and Nicodemus had taken His body down and then whisked it away for hasty preparation and burial. She had been outside the tomb when they interred the body, but everything had been so rushed, she had never had the opportunity to kiss Jesus’ face or touch His hand or weep over His body. She needed to see

Him! And now she wasn’t even going to be allowed to weep over Him because His body had been stolen! No one seemed to know anything. Maybe this man could help her find Jesus.

Instead, Jesus said, “Mary!” No fanfare. Just her name.

We can only use our imaginations to describe the scene, but I picture her temporarily losing the use of her legs. Her knees may have buckled as her bewildered brain tried to make sense of that familiar voice. Every feature of her face transformed from utter despair to unadulterated joy in a moment. If she did fall to the ground, I don’t imagine it took long for

her to regain the use of her legs and launch herself at Jesus, crying “Teacher!”

We have all lost people we loved dearly. This may be painful for you, because nothing we do will ever bring them back from death like Jesus came back. But to attempt to get just a slight taste of what Mary felt in that moment, try to imagine your loved one suddenly appearing in real life, in the flesh, as you unlock your back door and walk into your house. Or there they are, standing with open arms when you walk into your kitchen. And they say your name with love and affection. You can hear their familiar voice and see them, healthy and strong. [Okay, I’m crying now myself, so let’s get back to Mary and wrap this up.]

We know Mary launched herself at Jesus, because in verse 17, Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me!” She must have been incredulous, wondering if this was real, and exploding with joy. I imagine a thousand questions occurred to her later on, but right now she simply held on to

Jesus as tightly as she could for as long as she was allowed.

Are you hurting today? Are you grieving?

Let these Scriptures sink in and encourage you;

The righteous cry and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:17,18
He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. II Corinthians 1:3,4
Whom have I in heaven but Thee? And besides Thee, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:25,26
Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6,7

One last point to make. If you have a personal relationship with Jesus; if you have surrendered your will to Him, then someday you will see Him face to face, just like Mary did. Well, probably not exactly like Mary did; probably more the way John saw Jesus in Revelation 1: “Among

the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been

made to glow in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.”

That sounds more than a bit daunting to us now, maybe even bordering on terrifying, but I don’t think it will be that way when you stand before Him. He will look at you with love in His eyes and He will say your name. And He will stretch out His nail-scarred hands to you. And I

imagine your knees will buckle, and when you recover, you will launch yourself into His arms and He will hold you close. And He will not tell you to stop clinging to Him, but will welcome you to your eternal home where you will worship and love and serve Him with never-ending joy.

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About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

The Death Of The Lamb, Part 3

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:00:04 GMT

The Death of the Lamb, Part 3

I had heard that it could take as long as four days for the crucified to die and asked Simon if he wanted to leave the horrible scene, as some others already had, making their way miserably back into Jerusalem. He said he would stay until the end. But he didn't think death would take

nearly as long coming as it usually did for those crucified. He said that by the look of Jesus’ back and head, which was still ringed by the crown of thorns, he had lost so much blood from the scourging and the beating that it would only be a matter of hours before he was dead. I had heard that sometimes those sentenced to scourging and crucifixion didn't even live long enough to make it to the cross. I guess it depended on how enthusiastic the scourgers were. I decided to stay with Simon. I felt that I owed it to Jesus. He had changed my life. Before he had come along, I was focused only on myself and what I could get out of life and out of others. But Jesus taught me that my focus needed to be on others, not for what I could get from them, but for what I could give to them.

You don't leave a man who has made that kind of impact on your life alone to die. Simon and I sat down on the stony ground, a little apart from the rest of the people. I glanced up at the sky to check the time and suddenly noticed that the clear day had become overcast and gloomy. But by my estimate it could be no later than the third hour from sunrise.

The morning wore on. My lamb had fallen asleep. I held it gently on my lap and stroked its wool. It was comforting to feel its warmth and to watch it breathing. I leaned over and whispered, “You, little one, were spared from death today. Because of Jesus death, you're going to become a pet for my little sister instead of a sacrifice for sin.” The lamb slept on,

oblivious to its salvation.

The Roman column that had escorted the procession to Golgotha was now idle. These men had seen so much death that crucifixions made no impact on them. They were just doing their jobs and now they were simply bored. A few of them now and again would mock Jesus, saying

such things as, “Save yourself! Come down from the cross!” Or, “If you're truly the Son of God, as you say, come down!” Even the men who were being crucified alongside Jesus said these things. And I must admit that I couldn’t help thinking the same thing. If Jesus really was the

Deliverer, where had his power gone? I had heard about how he raised a man from the dead in nearby Bethany a few weeks ago. If a man could defeat death like that, how could he have allowed himself to be taken like this and nailed to a cross? I confess that I began to doubt, sitting there hour after hour on the uncomfortable rocks. But then I remembered all the things I had seen Jesus do, and I remembered so many of his words, and first and foremost I remembered his words of forgiveness for those who were executing him, and my doubts withered. No mere man could say those words and really mean them. Yes, Jesus was who he

claimed to be. I would go on believing him even if I didn't understand what was happening.

Later in the morning, the religious leaders came out and began to mock Jesus. I was appalled. These were our spiritual leaders, and there they strutted in their long rich robes, gloating before Jesus and shouting to us, “He could save others, but not himself! Surely you don't still believe that he is your Messiah?” I was completely disillusioned. If these spiritual giants could be so consumed by hatred and vindictiveness, what hope was there for a simple, uneducated country boy like me? And then, with a flash, I remembered the words of Jesus during one of those confrontations with the religious leaders. He had said to them with fire in his eyes, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so, you too outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” And right then, I knew. These men may be religious, but they didn't know God. And I decided right then that I would continue to respect their position, but I would never again follow what they taught. I would follow the teachings of Jesus.

They didn't stay long at Golgotha. Apparently, the rabble and the stench of blood and mangled flesh didn't agree with their refined senses. They certainly seemed satisfied with themselves as they walked away though.

The morning wore on. Jesus, head bowed, was suffering unimaginable pain now with every movement he made. Flies swarmed over his wounds. Now and again he would raise his battered body, suffering the agony it produced, just to get a precious lungful of air. I had heard that almost every victim of crucifixion died of asphyxiation; finally, not able to lift the weight of his body from off his lungs, he simply suffocated.

The sky’s gloom grew deeper and deeper. Soon the crosses could only dimly be distinguished in the murky light. By midday, total darkness had fallen. It was almost as if God was shielding His eyes from the scene. The darkness quieted most, although weeping could still be heard from some of the women. The puzzled and alarmed soldiers sent into the city for lamps and placed several of them on the ground. Suddenly we were in an island of light, surrounded on all sides by blackest night. The lamplight, weakened by the murk, cast only a faint glow upward on Jesus, producing ghastly shadows that transformed his ever kind and gentle face into a grimacing, misshapen terror. This spectacle, combined with the stillness of the air produced an eerie, awesome effect.

The afternoon passed slowly. The darkness, almost tangible, beat down unbearably upon us, like a black, heavy blanket trying to penetrate our tiny haven of light. No one spoke, and the soldiers no longer mocked Jesus, but sat silently, except for one group that sat apart gambling. Their laughter was jarring in the stillness. My lamb awoke and, frightened by the darkness and the silence and the scent of blood, bleated softly. I bent to comfort and quiet it. As I did, it occurred to me that right about now was the time of the sacrifices in the temple.

As the ninth hour neared, I could see that the Teacher's agony was intensifying. His movements, although restricted by the nails, became more agitated. His entire body began to quiver, certainly causing unbearable pain, but he made no sound. Suddenly he lifted his battered face toward heaven and with a trembling yet amazingly strong voice, cried out in anguish, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” The utter despair in that cry pierced my heart like a blade of ice, and I wept again, desolate. Then, quietly, he spoke again. “I thirst.” One of the soldiers dipped a sponge in some vinegar, mounted it on a short reed and stretched it up to Jesus. In a voice trembling with emotion, it seemed, Jesus said, “Tetelestai – It is finished.”

Then, deep in the earth, a tremor began that slowly grew and grew until it seemed that the very foundations of the world would crumble under its force. It was terrifying in the blackness. Wails and shouts of fear rose all around Golgotha. Both Simon's and my lamb panicked. Simon was able to control his, but mine struggled with a strength borne of terror, and I couldn't hold on. The lamb leaped to the ground and ran as if pursued by wolves. I hurried after it as best I could over the heaving ground. A panicked commotion had begun among the people, alarmed at the Earth's violent shaking. Just as I caught up to my lamb and snatched it up in my arms, the shouting of the people was suddenly cut short. I turned to several near me to ask what was happening. Their eyes were all on the cross. I turned and followed their gaze. Jesus’ head had snapped erect. All eyes were on his face, which was fully illumined by some unseen source of light. He was smiling and his eyes shone, clear and bright through his swollen flesh. He gazed toward heaven and said in a strong, vibrant voice, full of love and devotion, “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit.” With that, he went limp, his beautiful head hanging on his chest. The crown of thorns fell, clattering to the ground at the feet of the centurion.

Jesus was dead. They would take him away later and put his body in a tomb. Simon and I turned quickly from the scene as the earth began to settle and with black hearts and blind eyes, stumbled away into the growing light.

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About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

The Death Of The Lamb, Part 2

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:00:07 GMT

The Death of the Lamb

Part II

I was nearing the city, thinking of how, with a bit of help from some of my friends, I could probably get my mother to Jerusalem to see Jesus in a few weeks, and how pleased she would be at that thought, when I noticed a loud commotion on the road ahead. A large procession was coming out of the city gate. That tiny little seed of dread, sown so mysteriously in my heart that morning, momentarily forgotten as I mused on lambs and little sisters, now suddenly began to grow again. For I could see that it was a crucifixion procession. The Romans had brought this ghastly method of execution with them when they had occupied Palestine, and more were taking place every day. This man was probably a runaway slave or maybe a thief, and now he was going to die carrying his own cross. But as the procession passed by me, I was suddenly stricken by a paralyzing horror. For a moment I couldn't move, I couldn't think, I couldn't even breathe. This was no rebel Jew, it was Jesus! They were going to crucify Jesus. He was bent nearly double under the weight of the horizontal beam of the cross. His rugged face

was hardly recognizable, swollen and disfigured by countless blows. A cruel circlet of thorns was embedded deep in his scalp and blood streamed from the gashes it inflicted, covering his battered features. His beard had been savagely torn, and his eyes were swollen half closed and glazed with pain and fatigue. His bloodstained garments, evidence of a severe scourging, stuck to his open wounds. As my numbed mind beheld this awful scene, all hope fled, both for the glorious Kingdom promised by the Teacher and for the miraculous healing of my mother.

Even as Jesus passed me, he stumbled in exhaustion and fell, his face in the dust of the road, the heavy crossbeam on top of him. He lay as one dead, except for the heaving of his bruised chest as he fought for air. A horrible silence fell, broken only by the rattling gasps of the Teacher. The centurion in command, seeing that Jesus could no longer go on, quickly scanned the crowd in the road and picked out Simon. I had met Simon that morning and we had walked together toward Jerusalem. He was bringing his own lamb for the sacrifice, too. He was a big man and from the country like me. Also like me, he was enthusiastically awaiting the advent of the new kingdom and had been going to hear Jesus again. He hastily thrust his lamb into my arms as the centurion grabbed him. “I've got it,” I said, now with my arms more than full with two squirming little lambs. Simon was made to pick up the Teacher's beam

and carry it. Jesus was dragged roughly to his feet and made to stagger onward. I abandoned my plans for the Passover celebration in Jerusalem and followed the horrible procession. I almost let my lamb go, but the monetary investment I had made in it stopped me. I hitched up both lambs a little higher under each arm and trudged on. My mind was in a daze. Though the sun still shone, in my eyes the fair day had turned black and I felt cold inside. That seed of dread had bloomed and its deadly flower covered my heart because I knew where we were going. Golgotha, the Hill of the Skull. It was a name that recalled anguish to many whose loved ones or friends had been slain on that loathsome hill. It was the place of death. Everyone knew the name Golgotha. It struck dread into every heart. No one sentenced to death ever came back from there.

Many others also followed this procession, some wailing, some weeping softly, some silent, but all filled with despair. All hopes for the overthrow of the Romans were dashed. Our supposed Messiah was defeated and on his way to ignominious death, and the double column of

legionnaires flanking him ended any thought of rescue.

When we arrived at the hill, we saw that two men already hung writhing in agony on their crosses. I was told later that they were thieves caught red-handed. Simon was released from duty. He put the beam down gently, took a quick, pitying look at Jesus, and came to stand by me. I gave him back his lamb. Both of the lambs were bleating, hungry and afraid. Some of the women of the city hurried toward Jesus and offered with trembling hands the drink of myrrh mixed with wine taken by those about to be crucified. It provided numbing release from the worst of the pain. But strangely, Jesus refused it.

The Roman soldiers detailed to the Crucifixion brutally ripped the Teacher's clothes from his body, tearing flesh and reopening wounds that now again sent forth streams of bright blood down his hideously scourged back. I had to look away at my first sight of his back. It had literally been torn apart. Under the horrifying mass of bloody pulp, I could see the chunks of flesh were missing. As Jesus bent and his skin stretched, I was sure I could see the white gleam of a rib showing.

All watched, appalled, as Jesus was made to lie down on what was left of his back. His arms spread wide over the rugged crossbeam. One of the soldiers knelt on Jesus’ upper arm, pinning it to the beam. He then took a hammer and a large iron nail and deftly placed the point of that nail on Jesus’ arm. He raised his hammer and brought it down with a dull clank, driving that nail through Jesus’ forearm between his two arm bones, just above the wrist. Several of the women gasped. But Jesus, looking straight up into the sky, made no sound. I turned away to hide my eyes, but I couldn't shield my ears from the dull clanks of hammer on nail. Quickly and efficiently, the soldier repeated the process on the other wrist. Suddenly Jesus cried out the first words I had heard him utter. But this was not a scream of agony or a curse against the Romans, he cried, “Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they do!” I was astounded. How could he possibly be forgiving these Romans who were treating him so brutally? They were killing him! The Teacher's actions were beyond me. My mind was filled with sorrow and hatred, and Jesus was not only neither angry nor bitter, but he was sympathetic and forgiving of his tormentors.

The soldiers then helped Jesus to his feet, supporting the weight of the crossbeam on their shoulders for a few moments. They attached a rope to the center of the beam. The other end of the rope was threaded through a pulley on top of a tall post already standing between the crucified thieves, and several of the soldiers took their places on it. As they pulled on the rope, the beam and Jesus began to rise, bumping their way up the post. Blood from his wrists poured out onto the ground. The weight of his body on his outstretched arms immediately caused both of his shoulders to dislocate. I shuddered to think of the excruciating pain he must be experiencing. When the Teacher's feet were two or three feet off the ground, one of the soldiers nailed a short plank to the post between his legs to partially support his body. Several soldiers then lashed the crossbeam to the post, while still others secured the pulley rope to a peg in the ground. The soldier with the hammer stepped forward again then and, bending the Teacher's knees slightly, drove a nail into the post through the heel of each foot. Finally, one of the soldiers mounted the back of the cross and hung on a nail a board on which was written in Aramaic, Hebrew and Greek, “Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

Jesus was crucified. The loving hands that had healed so many, that had miraculously fed the thousands, that had welcomed and blessed the children; the feet that had trod so far over the dusty roads to bring hope to so many - were nailed, bleeding, to the rugged cross. No longer would the Teacher sit on the ground, surrounded by eager ears, and tell of his wonderful kingdom. No longer would he stand before the sick, healing far into the night. And no longer would my mother and I look forward to the day when she and I could walk side by side into Jerusalem, her crippled legs straight and true.

Coarse laughter interrupted my thoughts. The soldiers were distributing the Teacher's bloodstained garments among themselves. Squatting just behind Jesus’ cross, they then drew lots for his robe. It was woven of just one piece of fabric, and the soldiers apparently considered it too valuable to be divided among them. The lot fell to the one who had wielded the hammer. He draped the blood-stained thing over his shoulders and the others bowed low to him in mockery of Jesus. Hatred welled up in me so that, had I a sword close at hand, I might have attacked the filthy Gentiles. And I’d most likely have ended up dead too. I felt Simon's heavy hand on my shoulder. I turned and saw tears in his eyes as he shook his head and said, “It would do no good, my friend.” Finished with their sport, the soldiers went and sat down. Their job was done.

To be concluded

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About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

The Death Of The Lamb, Part 1

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:00:06 GMT

The Death of the Lamb, Part I

The morning was warm and fair, but a strange dread lay on my heart as I walked toward the city. My lamb squirmed in my arms, not liking to be confined. I paused for a moment in the throng and looked up at the sky. I couldn’t put my finger on it; there was just an ominous sense of expectancy in the air, like when you first awake on the day of an unpleasant event. You know it’s not going to be a good day, but you can’t remember why for the first few moments. Today was like that. The sun was shining, but there was something dark lurking around the edges of its brightness.

Today was Passover, one of the most important days of our year. I was walking to Jerusalem both for the afternoon’s Passover sacrifice and hopefully to listen to the Teacher again. I could hardly wait to hear and see Him. I had first seen him three years before, when I was helping my mother at the Pool of Bethesda. We were looking for the movement of the magical waters that could heal her crippled legs. He had made a lame man walk that day, and I had tried to get my mother up close to him in the hope that he would heal her, but of course everyone else had the same idea. The crowd was just too great, and my mother was nearly trampled in all the confusion. I had wanted to follow the Teacher when he left Jerusalem back then, but eventually I had to agree with my mother; I was just too young and she had no one else to care for her.

Jesus had returned to the area several times since then, and last year, with my mother’s permission, I had gone for a couple days to listen to him as he traveled from town to town. I had never heard anyone speak the way Jesus spoke. I can’t describe the feelings that welled up inside me when he looked at me. He made me feel like I was the only one in the crowd, like he was talking to me alone. It made me feel somehow worthy and capable of doing great things for God, like Moses and David did.

The religious leaders said that Jesus was a blasphemer and demon-possessed, but it certainly didn’t seem that way to me. I had seen my share of the demon-possessed. They were irrational, unpredictable and sometimes violent. Jesus couldn’t have been less like that. He was calm, logical and supremely confident, and that seemed to upset our religious leaders. They also said that he was uneducated and a bastard half-Jew. I couldn’t comment on that. I guess it all depends on how you measure a man. It doesn’t seem right to judge a man by his parents. I don’t imagine any man has much say about who his parents are. And I could certainly relate to the part about being uneducated. I am uneducated. Of course, like most boys, I spent several years early on in school to learn the basics of reading and writing so that I could study the Torah as well as do business, but then the demands of learning a trade

stepped in and I had to give up book learning. The same is true of all my friends. So if being uneducated is somehow something wrong with a person, then there is something wrong with me, too, and with virtually everyone I know.

Jesus was the most intense person I had ever seen. During the short time I had spent traveling with him, it seemed like he never wasted a moment. I got the impression that somehow his time was short and he felt that he needed to get on with his work. I didn't understand it then, and I still didn't understand it as we slowly made our way into Jerusalem that morning. He was fairly young, maybe a little bit younger than the age my father would be had he still been alive. Most men Jesus’ age could look forward to at least another 20 years, and sometimes many more than that. Why there was such a sense of urgency about him was a mystery.

Jesus spoke with love, but had no time for those who weren't serious about living lives that glorified God. And it always seemed that he could discern who those people were. Every time Jesus had an encounter with the religious leaders, the tension in the air would almost take your breath away. I had witnessed a few of those confrontations and I remember feeling uncomfortable watching Jesus take these men to task. What he did was turn our ideas about what pleases God upside down. You see, we were taught from the beginning that the sacrifices we made pleased God, and that the keeping of the law pleased God as well as our giving money. In fact, the religious leaders taught us that the more we gave to the coffers at the synagogue, the more God would shower his blessing on us. But here came a man who taught that it wasn't our actions so much as our hearts that God was interested in. He said that our actions would follow as our hearts became more attuned to God's. He said that daily obedience was more important to God than our sacrifices; that loving and serving others was more important than keeping the Sabbath. And that God was more interested in the cheerful heart of the giver than He was in the amount the giver gave. All of which stuck in the craw of our religious leaders. It is one thing to be a nobody like me and have your lifelong way of thinking challenged, but it is another altogether to be a respected religious leader in the same position. Although I was taught to respect our leaders, I never really thought they cared much about us. They were certainly very spiritual though, and it was hard to watch them being embarrassed by the Teacher.

The Sunday before, Jesus had again entered Jerusalem, but this time riding on a white colt amid the joyous shouts of the people. We had all thought that this must be the day of our deliverance. We had suffered under the iron fist of Rome for almost 100 years now. Ever since General Pompey came rolling into our land with his legions. In my more bitter moments, I was gratified by the knowledge that Pompey was murdered by the Egyptians as he got out of his boat on the shores of Alexandria. Betrayed by the very people who had promised to protect him from the wrath of his popular rival, Julius Caesar. Too bad that hadn't happened before he came to Israel. Ever since that conquest, we have been living on our own land, but subject to the pagan Romans. I had difficulty understanding why God, the one true God, would allow this to happen. Why would He allow the worship of idols to go on in the land of His people? Why would He allow the rights of His chosen people to be trampled? And why didn't He answer our prayers for salvation? Like every Jew, I knew that our people had suffered much longer enslaved in Egypt back before the days of the deliverer Moses. But that didn't make it any easier to swallow our present plight. A great number of people thought that Jesus must be the next deliverer promised to us. He certainly had the power of God with him, and the support of the people necessary to begin a revolt. And when he came riding into the city of God that bright morning, he was hailed as the promised deliverer, “Hosanna Hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” the crowd shouted. Word spread like wildfire all over the countryside that the Deliverer, the promised Messiah, had arrived in Jerusalem. It would be only a matter of time before he would lead us to victory over the Romans and establish the everlasting Kingdom that the prophet Isaiah spoke so much about. The desert would bloom and the lion would lie down with the lamb, and I was sure that in that Kingdom I would eventually be able to gain an audience with King Jesus and he would heal my mother. So we waited expectantly.

But Jesus didn't do anything. All we heard was silence. In fact, after teaching in the temple each day that week, Jesus disappeared each evening. No one knew where he went, and nothing happened. The Roman legionnaires still walked unchallenged through our streets, their coarse speech insulting us and our way of life. Their armour glittered in the sun, boasting the invincibility of the Empire. The people still had hope, however, and they hung on the Teacher’s every word, waiting for him to make his move and send out a call to arms to begin the revolt. I knew with Jesus at the head of our army, with his miraculous powers, we couldn't help but crush the Romans. They didn't have a chance.

So it was with an air of expectancy that I went into Jerusalem that morning. What better time than Passover for Jesus to overthrow our enemies? After all, wasn't this centuries-old annual celebration about God's overthrow of the Egyptians and his deliverance of his people by

the hand of Moses? Jesus had probably been waiting for this very day to make his move. Of course, that was why he had delayed. He was waiting for just the right moment. I was not the only one walking toward Jerusalem that fair morning. Beggars, pilgrims and others like me, wishing to hear the Teacher again or awaiting the expected revolt, made their way into the city. The sound and smell of livestock was strong. Many were leading or carrying lambs as I was. Early this afternoon we would all go into the Temple and with a priest standing by with a bowl, we would sacrifice these lambs to atone for our sins. The priest would catch the blood in the bowl and then sprinkle it on the altar. There were so many thousands of people that we

would have to go in shifts. This commemorated the deliverance of our people from slavery in Egypt so many years ago. I had bought a lamb from the temple stalls last year and it had cost me so much that I decided to buy, raise and bring my own for the sacrifice this year. My little sister had been appalled when I told her why I was bringing the lamb with me this morning, and had run away in tears. Someday she'll understand what the Torah says. There has to be shedding of blood to pay for our sins, and only a spotless lamb, one without blemishes, qualifies to be that sacrifice.

To be continued...

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About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

The Divine Exchange

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 12:00:08 GMT

The Divine Exchange

Each year, my wife Erin and I try to read some kind of special devotional book during the weeks approaching both Christmas and Easter. We usually do this separately, but this year we are together reading a book by Charles Martin titled It Is Finished: A 40-Day Pilgrimage Back to the Cross . On Day 5 (p. 39), the author lists all the

things brand-new sinners Adam and Eve lost when God banished them from the Garden of Eden. For example, he writes that they went from “effortless to impossible, gentleness to hatred, intimacy to alienation.” And I thought, as I read this super-discouraging litany of loss, that if we turned all those examples around, it would be a list of all the things we gain when we believe in Jesus!

I hope Charles Martin won’t mind if I reproduce his list, in reverse. Buckle your seatbelt and prepare for your day to improve!

“We are walking from not perfect to perfect. From uncertainty to provision. Abject poverty to limitless wealth. Homeless to mansion. Rejection to acceptance. Disqualified to qualified. Curse to blessing. Disease to perfect health. Need to abundance. Burdened to carefree. Prideful to humble. Heavy-laden to weightless. Impossible to effortless. Hatred to gentleness. Alienation to intimacy. Uncertain to certain. Sorrow to joy. Torment to tenderness. Depression to praise. Absence to presence. Imperfection to perfection. Legalism to grace. Unrighteousness to righteousness. Unclean to clean. Slavery to freedom. Vagabond to heir. War we cannot win to peace. Limited to limitless. From a lifetime of pain to the absence of pain. Utterly powerless to power. Chaos to order. Lies, accusation and falsehood – and not being able to tell the difference, to truth. From blasphemy to the

inerrant Word. Creature to Creator. Dominated to dominion. Dark to light. Death to life. From the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of heaven. From dead sinner to immortal, holy and blameless.”

What wonderful list! Everything bad in your life that you can possibly think of, God turns to good when you trust Him as your Savior. In Colossians 1:13,14, Paul writes, “For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” We’ve worshiped with Phil Wickham’s song House of the Lord in church many times. In it, we sing “We were the beggars, and now we’re royalty. We were the prisoners, and now we’re running free. We are forgiven, accepted, redeemed by His grace. Let the house of the Lord sing praise.”

I encourage you to go back and read that “backward” list from Charles Martin again. Meditate on it and thank God for this amazing exchange. God brings to the table His righteousness and every possible good thing, including eternal life with Him; we bring nothing but darkness and sin. And God exchanges what we bring for what He offers. As Paul writes in Ephesians 2:4-9, “But even though we were dead in our sins God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love He had for us, gave us

life together with Christ—it is, remember, by grace and not by achievement that you are saved—and has lifted us right out of the old life to take our place with Him in Christ in the Heavens. Thus He shows for all time the tremendous generosity of the grace and kindness He has expressed towards us in Christ Jesus. It was nothing you could or did achieve—it was God’s gift to you. No one can pride himself upon

earning the love of God.” (Phillips)

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (II Corinthians 9:15 NASB).

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About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

March Forth

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 16:57:36 GMT

Marc h Forth

Star Wars aficionados have appropriated May 4th as their official Star Wars Day, by restating the famous phrase, “May the Force be with you,” as “May the Fourth be with you.” It’s a cute pun. I was a huge Star Wars fan when the original trilogy came out in the 1970s, but haven’t been inspired by any of the movies since. In the same way that May the 4th is big for Star Wars fans, I have always thought that March 4th should be a day when we Christians celebrate God’s grace, mercy, love and forgiveness in our lives and, with renewed joy and energy, go out to share those virtues with a hurting world.

March Forth!

You could call it ministry, or you could call it simply loving people. God has blessed us so richly, it only makes sense that we would share Him and His riches with others.

Has God laid a person or a group of people on your heart? March Forth and love them! I know a man who hands out personal care/hygiene packages, including Bibles, to the homeless. I know a woman who leads a group study involving wounded women to biblically address their pasts and find healing. I know a man who meets one-on-one with several men regularly, discipling them. I know many people who bring food to church for the various meetings on a Sunday. Several women send birthday cards. A woman prays for the people in her church every

day. Another woman regularly makes meals for those whose lives are in crisis. A man does household jobs and small repairs for those who can’t. Several folks lead groups that bless those who attend. A woman who fills the communion cups and a man who makes sure everyone gets one. People who set up and tear down meeting rooms. A man who walks his neighborhood every day he is able, praying for his neighbors. A man who regularly prays with his waiter/waitress. Another who looks for opportunities to befriend the friendless. And these are just a few

examples.

God has given us so much, how could we help but let His love overflow to the people around us?

How about a few Scriptures to encourage you?

1 Peter 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD yourGod is with you wherever you go.”
Matthew 28:19,20 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Colossians 3:23,24 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

Where to begin? Henry Blackaby, in his book Experiencing God, wrote, “Find out where God is working, and join Him there.” Look around with spiritual eyes, asking God to show you where there is a need. Ask Him where He wants to use you. Listen for His leading and make sure your selfishness and pride are locked in a cabinet out of reach. Then, following your heart, knowing that you can’t go wrong, march forth

and love people!

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About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

Anxiety

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 13:00:21 GMT

Anxiety

Are you anxious today? Are you worrying about something? You can be honest; it’s just you and me here. If you’re anxious about something, you’re certainly not alone. According to a May 1, 2024 report by the American Psychiatric Association 77% of adults in the United States are anxious about the economy, 69% are anxious about gun violence and 68% are anxious about keeping themselves or their families safe. Other issues producing anxiety are identity protection (63%), health (63%),

climate change (57%) and the impact of emerging technology (46%). That last percentage has probably increased significantly in the almost two years since the article was written, as the influence of Artificial Intelligence continues to expand.

Is there a situation out of your control that you wish you could do something about? Is some unpleasantness looming? Is there a relationship in your life that is not what it should be? Are you concerned about family members? Is the slow deterioration of your body keeping you awake wondering what the future holds? Are you

worried that you aren’t doing enough? It’s very likely that if you’re honest with yourself, at least one of those questions causes you at least occasional concern. And there are plenty more such questions looming out there. Anxiety doesn’t just plague the younger folks, after all. We have plenty of things to worry about, too!

Or do we? Read Philippians 4:6,7: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (NASB)

Richard DeHaan, who led the Our Daily Bread ministry for many years, gives us the following illustration: “I heard about a woman who kept a box in her kitchen that she called her "Worry Box". Every time something troubled her, she would write it down on a piece of paper and put it in the box. She resolved not to think about her problems as long as they were in the box. This enabled the woman to put her troubles completely out of mind. She knew they could be dealt with later.

Occasionally she would take out a slip of paper and review the concern written on it. Because she had not been drained by anxiety, she was relaxed and better able to find the solution to her problem. Many times she discovered that a specific worry no longer existed. Writing your worries on paper and putting them in a box may be helpful, but how much better it is to place them in the hands of God. Worry robs us of joy, drains us of energy, stunts our spiritual growth, and dishonors God. Jesus

said, ‘Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble’ (Matthew 6:34).

Let's believe the Lord's promises and trust Him to meet our needs. Placing our problems in His hands is far better than putting them in a worry box.

And if we go back about 150 years, we can read what Charles Haddon Spurgeon had to say about anxiety. He pastored a very large church in London, England for many years and is sometimes known as the “Prince of Preachers.” His language is a bit archaic in places, but his point is clear. “No care, but all prayer. No anxiety, but much joyful communion with God. Carry your desires to the Lord of your life, the guardian of your soul…Do not pray doubtfully, but thankfully…Hide nothing. Allow no want to lie rankling in your bosom; ‘make known your requests.’ Run not to man. Go only to your God, the Father of Jesus, who loves you in Him. This shall bring you God’s own peace. You shall not be able to understand the peace which you shall enjoy. It will enfold you in its infinite embrace. Heart and mind through Christ Jesus shall be steeped in a sea of rest. Come life or death, poverty, pain, slander, you

shall dwell in Jesus above every ruffling wind or darkening cloud. Will you not obey this dear command?”

Both Richard DeHaan and Charles Spurgeon agree with the apostle Paul that we should take our cares/anxieties/worries directly to the throne of God. God may not erase the situation that causes our anxiety, but He will give us the “peace which surpasses all comprehension.” I hope you have experienced that peace. Spurgeon said “it will enfold you in its infinite embrace.” Paul, in Philippians 4, says that sweet peace that “transcends understanding (NIV)” also guards our hearts and minds. It

keeps our attention on Jesus so that when the anxious thoughts come pounding on the doors of our heart and mind, they are turned away, rejected into the cold night, while we enjoy the warmth and light of the presence of God, knowing that whatever happens, our Father is in control.

So if you are anxious today; if the cares of life are weighing on you, take them to God in prayer and leave them with Him. If you’re like me, you may need to do that several times every day. In return for that burden, God will give you miraculous peace.

For more Scripture encouragement regarding anxiety and peace, read I Peter 5:7,

II Thessalonians 3:16, Colossians 3:15 and Isaiah 26:3,4.

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About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

Judgement and Grace

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 13:00:14 GMT

Judgment and Grace

A few years ago, the Cleveland Clinic produced a powerful video about empathy. The video shows various people moving about in a hospital setting and places captions above their heads. A husband and wife in the hospital cafeteria looking careworn; “19-year-old son on life support.” An older man in the elevator: “Wife just had a stroke. Wondering how he will take care of her.” The woman next to him: “Recently divorced.” A nurse working with a patient: “Nearing the end of a 12-hour shift.” A woman sitting in a waiting room: “They saw ‘something’ on her mammogram.” A man coming up an escalator: “The tumor was malignant.”

The video ends with the words, “If you could stand in someone else’s shoes, hear what they hear, see what they see, feel what they feel, would you treat them differently?” The video makes no claim to be faith-based in any way, but it got me thinking.

Even though God, as well as many people throughout my life, have shown me amazing grace, I still judge others far too readily. Maybe you do, too. Whether it’s in traffic or at the store or in a restaurant, in a conversation, watching the news, or just watching people, I’m much more likely to pronounce judgment than I am to grant grace. I seldom say to myself, “I wonder why he/she did that?” I have no idea what life events have made people what they are, what struggles are dogging their

steps or what kind of pain, whether physical or emotional, they are dealing with today. Maybe this man’s wife just had a stroke, like the man in the video. Could it be that woman was sexually abused by a close relative for years? Maybe that man has cried out to God over and over for release from an addiction. Perhaps this woman is in the middle of a horrible custody battle. It’s possible that the pain almost kept that

middle aged man in bed this morning and he’s struggling with it every day, wondering if he will ever find relief. It’s possible that young lady’s parents and teachers lied to her about her identity and about God throughout her formative years. None of that background information is visible.

Should we never judge the rightness or wrongness of someone’s behavior? Hardly. Many have interpreted Matthew 7:1 (“Judge not, lest you be judged.”) to mean that no one should ever be held accountable for their sinful behavior. But that interpretation runs contrary to many other teachings of Jesus and, in my experience, is typically used by people attempting to justify their sin. One of my professors put it this way: “God is the only Judge of the motives of the heart, but you and I are called to be fruit inspectors.” In other words, we can never know what causes people to behave the way they do, especially if they are total strangers to us, but we can certainly discern whether their actions are supported by Scripture.

Shall we be the judge and jury of the people we encounter every day? Do we qualify? James 4:12 says, “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?” Who am I to judge and condemn the people I encounter every day? Do I know anything about that rude man who cut me off in traffic and then honked and glared at me like it was my fault? Have I any knowledge of what experiences shaped the life of that angry

screaming woman on the television news? How about that woman walking down the sidewalk in rags, or the man berating the barista? In John 7:24, Jesus told His followers, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” Look beyond the appearance and behavior and see the person underneath.

Every day I need to consciously work to break that condemning, judgmental spirit that lives inside me. I am going to make every effort, with help from the Holy Spirit, to reserve judgment on the people I see. I’m in no position to know the motives behind their behavior. Though many behaviors are unquestionably wrong by God’s standard, I don’t have the right to condemn that person. I can condemn the sin, but I have no right to judge the sinner. That’s God’s job. If you’re a “judger” like me, I hope you’ll join me. We’re called to grant grace.

Just like God does for us.

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About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

The Beauty and Wonder of God's Creation

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 13:00:19 GMT

The Beauty and Wonder of God’s Creation

Contrary to what you may have heard, God created this world and all that is in it. Genesis 1:1 couldn’t possibly be more clear. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Nehemiah 9:6 says, “You alone are the LORD. You have made the heavens, the heaven of heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them. And the heavenly host bows down before You.” And in Psalm 33:6, the psalmist sings, “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host.” God’s creation is astonishing. In many places, it beggars description.

Just think about what it must have been like before the Fall when everything was just as God originally created it; before sin entered the world and the long slide of corruption began?

I have experienced just a small portion of creation’s amazing beauty.

I have gazed at Mt. Rainier from its Springtime meadows and I have partaken of the splendor of the Tetons in autumn. The thunder of countless waterfalls around the country still resonates inside me. I have watched the sun set over Haystack Rock on the Oregon coast and enjoyed the rainbow of Grand Prismatic Spring. I have driven through the wonder of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. The towering cliffs of Yosemite Valley left me speechless, as did the vast curtain of stars over the Paradise Valley here in Montana. I was inspired by the view of Atlantic waves crashing on the rocks on the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland. I have experienced the sunset’s glow on Delicate Arch in southeastern Utah. The view of Zion Canyon from Angels Landing took my breath away. I’ll never forget the glorious sunset from the island of Santorini, Greece.

I have been terrified by the awesome power of a thunderstorm high in the Washington Cascades and I have gasped in awe at several of the most incredible vistas Glacier National Park has to offer. I have enjoyed the intimacy of the Black Hills from the summit of Black Elk Peak and I have watched enthralled as clouds scudded above the magnificent chasm of the Grand Canyon.

And yet, there is so much more I haven’t seen or experienced.

I encourage you to take a moment to think back over your life and remember those powerful experiences you have had in God’s creation. Maybe it was admiring the delicate structure of a wildflower, or maybe it was drinking in the view from the summit of Mt. Everest.

Where were you and what happened?

What did you see, hear, smell, touch and feel?

How did God work in your soul as a result of the experience? Thank Him for this world He has given us, as well as His personal dealings with you.

And that brings me to my final point. Every time I experience the majesty of God’s creation and marvel at His works, I’m reminded of one of the most astonishing realities known to man. God, who created all this world around us, as well as our sun and our solar system and yes, the entire universe, knows my name. And He knows your name. In fact, He knew us before He created the universe. Paul writes, in Ephesians 1:4, “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him.” And in II Timothy 1:9, Paul writes, “He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.” My finite mind can’t comprehend that; how the Creator of the universe could know me personally. And equally as mind-boggling, if not more so is that, knowing me and all of my sin and rebellion against Him, He loves me and gave His only Son to die in my place! Almost unbelievable. But He asks me to believe it. And if I do, and if you do, we receive eternal life into the bargain! What a God, what a Father. Let’s thank Him for His love for us and for the creation He has given to us to enjoy.

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About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

Where Are They Going?

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 17:00:30 GMT

Where Are They Going?

Every day driving

I’m surrounded by people

Where are they going?

To work, an appointment, the grocery store, out to eat, to the doctor,

To run an errand, buy a gift, home, to pick up a child from school

I’ve considered following a random car, just to see

Where they are going

Every day living

Surrounded by infinite souls

Where are they going?

Does it even cross my mind?

What have they done with Jesus?

Son of God killed in my place, alive again my Savior?

Or quotable dead guy, like Charles Dickens only maybe more important

A friend of mine died Sunday night, more of an acquaintance really

Ashamed to say I don’t know where he went

I have my suspicions

We talked off and on for years

The subject of eternal destination never came up

Does he now wonder what I was playing at?

I don’t know, don’t really want to

Surrounded by aimless, heartless, mindless

I hear Jesus say, “The fields are white for harvest”

Unless I step out

I know where they’re going

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About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

Identity

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 16:49:05 GMT

Identity

“So, what do you do?”

When I meet someone new, that’s almost always the question they ask me. And I ask it often of others. I’ll bet you do, too. My answer used to be easy: “I work for Social Security.” But now I’m not quite sure what to say. I stopped working at SSA in March 2025, but I don’t consider myself retired. I’m growing my voice over business and I’m working part-time with a terrific group of people at Hannaford. I don’t think it’s accurate to say, “I’m retired,” but I certainly can’t say what I used to say. At times I’m not sure what my identity is or who I am. Maybe you’ve been in the same situation:

“Now that I no longer work for XYZ Company, who am I?”
“Now that the kids are all grown up, who am I?”
“I used to be very active and involved, but now my health (or the health of my spouse) has deteriorated to the point that it’s difficult to even get out of the house. What am I now?”

Maybe you’re in one of those situations, or one similar, right now.

Let me offer a different perspective. If Jesus were to join you in the room right now (and for the sake of discussion, let’s set aside the fact that you would immediately fall on your face before Him in awestruck worship), do you think He would greet you with, “So, what do/did you

do?” Hardly. If you are a Believer, He would likely smile at you, wrap His arms around you in the warmest hug you’ve ever received and, with unfathomable love in His voice, say, “My child.” If you have put your faith in God, you are an adopted child of the Father. In Romans 8:15-16,

Paul writes, “You have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are the children of God.” (NASB)

The last phrase of Galatians 4:4-7 says, “Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” And Paul writes, in Ephesians 1:5, “He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.”

Your identity as a Christian is not found in what you did before or what you do now. It’s not external. It’s not a product of your performance. It’s not something you accomplish. Your value to God has nothing to do with doing, but instead, with being. It has nothing to do with you and

everything to do with God. Money has no value in and of itself; it’s simply paper or metal. Its value is placed on it by people. In the same way, God has placed value on you. And the situation doesn’t change as you get older. Whether you’re a senator or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company or you spend most of your time gardening and quilting and woodworking and volunteering and enjoying your grandchildren, your worth is based solely on what your heavenly Father did for you, in sending His Son Jesus to die in your place on that cross and then rise again to conquer Death.

And frankly, I’d much rather be measured by God’s standard than by the standard of the world. “Who am I” and “To Whom do I belong”, rather than “What do I do.”

Asking people what they did/do is so ingrained in our culture that it’s not likely we’ll stop, but I’m going to do my best to remember, in every encounter, that the most important thing about any person is the fact that God loves them. And that includes you and me.

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About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

Lion and Bear Moments

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:00:08 GMT

Lion and Bear Moments

I recently heard a radio pastor say that we should never forget our “lion and bear” moments. That got my attention. He was referring to the story of David and Goliath in I Samuel 17. David stands before Saul, having just volunteered to take the fight to the giant. King Saul looks at

David’s size and youth and asks him how he thinks he can possibly defeat a seasoned warrior who also happens to be almost ten feet tall! Here is David’s response: “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up

against me, I seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God…The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” I Samuel 17:34-37 (NASB)

You know the rest of the story. Saul agreed, David slung, Goliath died and Israel won a great victory that day (and hopefully every soldier in the army learned a valuable lesson about letting God do the fighting). In our lives, “lion and bear” moments are the victories God has allowed us to achieve throughout our Christian walk. Don’t forget them and don’t downplay them. If you’re like me, you tend to remember, often in excruciatingly detailed Technicolor, your failures. That is not how God wants you to live. In Psalm 103:12, David the giant-killer, but also the adulterer and murderer, writes, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (NASB)

God knows all our failures and loves us despite them. Instead, focus on those spiritual triumphs. Some might be worthy of an entire chapter in your biography, but most fly under the radar - standing firm against temptation, serving the Body of Christ even in the most behind-the-scenes way, planting the seeds of the gospel with a friend or coworker even when you’re petrified with fear, showing kindness to someone who didn’t deserve it, praying, shutting your mouth when it needed shutting or opening it when it needed opening, loving the

unlovable, speaking the truth in love, spending time listening to God through His Word, forgiving, rejoicing with those who rejoice and mourning with those who mourn, contributing your time or your money or your expertise to the cause of Christ. I could go on and on!

When you are discouraged and feel like you are failing God at every turn, ask Him to encourage you by bringing to your mind the “lion and bear” moments in your life, even the ones you might consider minor. The purpose is not to pat yourself on the back or to build your ego, but to praise God for them and to allow Him to remind you how, even in your weakness, He makes victory possible in your life by His grace, mercy and faithfulness to you.

Listen to the audio version

About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

Combating the Darkness

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 17:00:16 GMT

Combating the Darkness

For a lot of people, the weeks after Christmas are difficult. In Montana,

it’s usually cold and mostly snowy and always dark late into the morning

and dark early in the afternoon. Visiting family has gone home and the

warm feelings generated by the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons are

but pleasant memories. Those living without God often struggle

mightily in post-holiday winter.

But even those enjoying a close relationship with God can have

difficulty with encroaching darkness at times. I admit that January is my

least favorite month, for all the reasons I mentioned above.

The psalmist was clearly struggling when he wrote in Psalm 42:5, “Why

are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed

within me (NASB)?” He repeated the phrase later, in verse 11. And yet

again in the next Psalm, 43, verse 5.

Contrary to what many believe, we do have an Enemy, and part of his

plan is to rob us of the hope and joy of our salvation and thus make us

ineffective witnesses of God’s glory and love. Don’t let him do that.

Read the sentence that comes next in Psalm 42:5: “Hope in God, for I

shall again praise Him for the help of His presence.” And the sentences

that follow 42:11 and 43:5 are identical: “Hope in God, for I shall yet

praise Him, the help of my countenance, and my God.” Or, as Eugene

Peterson paraphrases it in The Message, “Fix my eyes on God – soon I’ll

be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God.”

As those who have put our faith in Jesus, we have hope that all will

someday be made right. Righteousness will overcome evil and eternal

light will overcome the darkness (Revelation 20-22). That “puts a smile

on my face.”

Several practical ways to combat the winter blues come to mind

immediately. First, spend more time with God. Reading the Word,

especially the Psalms, is refreshment to a weary soul. Let God’s Word

flood those dry, thirsty parts of you. And talk to God; even consider

writing about your struggles. Don’t hold back your feelings. He will

never turn away honest confusion, anger or frustration. He’ll bring

peace to your spirit. Many of the Psalms begin with the psalmist singing

the blues, pouring his heart and hurt out to God, working through his

pain and grief, and the unfairness and struggles of life. Along the way,

perhaps by allowing him to hear his own words, God brings him back

around to a better understanding of His character. And by the end of

many of those Psalms, the psalmist is reveling in worship and praise of

his Creator God.

Also, get enough rest and good food. I lived alone for almost fourteen

years between my divorce and remarriage and tended to stay up too late.

I also ate a lot of food that wasn’t very good for me. Contrary to popular

bachelor belief, mac and cheese is not a food group.

Finally, do your best to have something on your calendar every day.

Maybe it’s meeting with someone for coffee, reading an uplifting book,

exercising, listening to or playing music, or volunteering. You need to

have a reason to get up in the morning!

And be encouraged. “Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him!” The

darkness, both literal and spiritual, will pass!

Listen to the audio version

About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

Treasure

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 20:54:29 GMT

TREASURE

Remember the old pirate movies, like Treasure Island, where they would find an old-fashioned treasure chest, break it open and find jewels and gold, all glittering in the light of their torches? There’s a passage in the Bible that reveals treasure far more valuable than gold and jewels.

It’s Ephesians 1:2-14 and it reminds us of the treasure heaped upon every Believer.

It’s as if the apostle Paul is reaching into God’s treasure chest and taking out the valuables one by one and describing them to his readers. But instead of, “Here’s a gem-studded dagger of gold,” he says this (which I have edited extensively): “God chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him; He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself; He freely bestowed on us His grace; in Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins; He lavished His grace upon us; He made known to us the mystery of His will; we have obtained an inheritance, having been

predestined according to His purpose; we were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who was given as a pledge of our inheritance.” If that passage of Scripture doesn’t light your fire, your wood’s wet! The treasures in the physical chest, the treasures we spend so much time

and energy pursuing, are easily destroyed by moth and rust (Matt. 6:19). But the treasures Paul describes; the ones God provides to us, His children, are of eternal value.

Read the full text of Ephesians 1:2-14 in the version of your choice and be encouraged. You are a child of the King and He has lavished upon you unfathomable riches!

Listen to the audio version

About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad received a degree in Biology Education long ago from Liberty University and another in Biology from Montana State University almost as long ago. The first twenty years of his career he worked with young people in various capacities. The second twenty years were spent with the Social Security Administration. Recently retired, Brad looks forward to the challenges of a new ministry. He feels that seniors are a vital part of the church Body and though he has only recently crossed the threshold of “senior-dom,” he trusts that God can use Him to help seniors build a stronger relationship with God and stronger relationships with others. The senior years are accompanied by unique challenges, and Brad hopes to be able to come alongside seniors to pass along God’s hope and encouragement.

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

The Gift, Part 2

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 21:49:24 GMT

The Gift – Part 2

Last week, I wrote about God’s “indescribable gift” (II Corinthians 9:15). God came down among us, His creation, as one of us, Jesus, lived a perfect life and died the death that every one of us deserved, the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.” What is our response to the greatest gift we’ve ever been offered? Take a moment and think of the gift you most want, the most incredible, desirable gift in the world, and picture it wrapped and placed under your

Christmas tree. If it’s not tangible, use your imagination to picture it gift-wrapped beautifully and nestled under the branches. Your name dangles from the package, embossed on a beautiful tag, and on Christmas morning, the giver is excited to see you open it. You’ve been

in that position, haven’t you, giving gifts to your children or grandchildren? In our scenario, however, you decide you don’t want it, so you leave it there, unopened. Is it still yours? Yes. Do you receive any benefit at all from it? No. And that is where so many millions miss the point every single Christmas. This is the time of year when we celebrate the greatest gift of all time – the gift of Jesus and the salvation and eternal life He offers. And many of us have taken that offered gift. We have unwrapped it and we have thanked God for it and it has fundamentally changed our lives. But so many, even as they are unwrapping their wonderful gifts from family and friends throughout this season, are leaving the indescribable gift unopened under the tree. Maybe that’s you. You enjoy Christmas every year, and everyone assumes you’re a Christian because you say the right words and sing the right songs. But you’ve neglected God’s gift to you. Every year you put it back in the basement or attic after Christmas, and there it sits, waiting to be received. God gave the gift of salvation through His Son to everyone who has ever lived, but only those who have accepted the gift from Him, only those have the benefit of the gift, a personal relationship with Jesus, and eternal life. Have you accepted the gift? It’s right there; your name is on it. In Acts 16:31, Paul told the Philippian jailer, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.” In John 3:16b Jesus told Nicodemus, “Whoever believes

in Him [Jesus] shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Simply believe. Paul writes in Romans 1:16 that the gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes,” and in Romans 10:9, he writes “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that

God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” It’s not complicated. Simply believe. No checklist for salvation exists. There are no hoops to jump through, no prerequisites to meet, no

minimum achievement test scores to attain, no behavioral standards to live up to, no background checks to pass and no flowery prayers to recite. Simply believe and you will be saved. I pray that if you haven’t, you will. Don’t leave that personalized, incredible, indescribable gift wrapped under the tree again this year. And if you do receive it, please let me know so I can celebrate with you!

Listen to the audio version

About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

seniorministry@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

The Gift, Part 1

Sat, 27 Dec 2025 16:06:30 GMT

The Gift – Part 1

December 25, 2025

It’s here! All the anticipation has led up to this day. Merry Christmas!

Gift-giving is a big part of our Christmas traditions. When I was

thirteen or fourteen, I really wanted that electronic hand-held football

game for Christmas; the one that had little red pips on the screen and did

a lot of beeping. I never got that gift, even after several years of asking.

I was so disappointed. About fifteen years ago, I bought one for myself

from a catalog of vintage toys. I was so disappointed!

When my wife was pregnant with our first child, we gave both of our

sets of parents a pair of white, knit baby booties, with some clever little

poem, hinting at what would soon fill those booties. We got exactly the

excited reactions we hoped for.

We all have stories of memorable Christmas gifts, the bad as well as the

good; the vacuum cleaner your husband gave you, or the crocheting

lessons your wife gave you.

I’m reminded of several fictional characters who were given amazing

gifts. The Grinch was given the gift of realizing that “Christmas doesn’t

come from a store, that Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

And whatever that “more” was, caused his heart to grow three sizes (I’ve

always thought it interesting that Dr. Seuss, in that book, never did

explain what the true meaning of Christmas really is).

Ebenezer Scrooge received the opportunity to look at his life from the

outside, and he was given a second chance to make a positive impact on

the people in his life and the world around him.

Finally, George Bailey’s gift – an amazing chance to see how terrible the

world would have been minus the impact of his life well-lived.

Those were all great gifts, but let’s shift gears now to talk about the

greatest gift ever given. Second Corinthians 9:15 says, “Thanks be to

God for His indescribable gift.” Before the beginning of time, God

knew that His creation would rebel, and that rebellion would generate a

tragic separation between God and His creation. But the Plan was

already in place. God would come down among His creation as one of

them, live a perfect life and die the death that every one of us deserved,

the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of

sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our

Lord.” What an indescribable gift!

But let’s take a moment to try to describe it, however inadequately. It

was the most mind-boggling gift in the history of the world. When God

became a man, he was 100% man, but still 100% God. Our minds can’t

process that concept. Aren’t you glad there are so many things

surrounding God that we can’t comprehend? This was also the most

sacrificial gift of all time. Jesus was the required perfect sacrifice for

sin, and He went to an excruciating death on the cross. It was the most

loving gift ever given as well. God looked across the ages, saw you and

said, “He’s worth it. I love him. She’s worth it. I love her. I’m going to

provide a way for them to be with Me forever.” Finally, this gift was the

most influential event in the history of the world. The time of the giving

of this gift is the commonly-used dividing line between B.C. and A.D.

(at least among those who love God). All of human history rotates on

the hub of this gift.

Today, enjoy the giving and the receiving, especially if there are children

involved. But don’t forget the free and indescribable gift God gave you!

Listen to the audio version

About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

office@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

Immanuel

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 16:09:03 GMT

The Hebrew word for God, “El,” is found all over the Bible in the names of people and places, often flying under our radar. Before you look down and continue reading, take a moment and see how many you can list on your own.

Daniel – “God is my judge”

Elijah – “my God is YHWH”

Elisha – “God is salvation”

Elkanah – “God has created”

Samuel – “the name of God”

Ezekiel – “God strengthens”

Joel – “the Lord is God”

Gabriel – “man of God”

Michael – “who is like God?”

Elizabeth – “God is an oath”

Nathaniel – “God has given”

Israel – “he that strives with God”

Bethel – “house of God”

Gamaliel – “reward of God”

Ishmael – “God hears”

Eleazar – “God has helped”

Eliab – “my God is father”

But one name stands out far beyond all the others – Immanuel. The name is only found three

times in the Bible, twice in the Old Testament prophecy about the coming Messiah (Isaiah 7 and 8), and once in the New Testament, recounting the fulfillment of that Old Testament prophecy. The prophecy is found in Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call his name Immanuel.” Pastor John has been preaching on that passage and its context for the last couple of weeks.

The fulfillment of the prophecy is recounted in the story of the birth of Jesus in Matthew 1:23, which quotes Isaiah 7:14. But Matthew goes one step further than Isaiah. He is very helpful to us, his readers, and adds the translation of the name Immanuel – “God with us.” Thousands of years had passed since God drove rebellious Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. Thousands of years during which the Creator dealt with his disloyal and recalcitrant human creation at arm’s length. Years during which the continual shedding of blood was the only way to cover sin. And years during which an ongoing intimate relationship with the holy Creator was not an option for sinful man. And then God provided the Solution, planned from before the beginning.

The Old Testament Scriptures pointed to it; the people expected it, though they were clueless as to the form it would take and didn’t recognize it when it arrived. The Incarnation - the most logic-defying miracle in the history of the world. The second member of the Trinity, the Son, “emptied Himself” of His Godhood and took on the “likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7). God, becoming a man, reduced the infinite distance between Himself and mankind to zero. Immanuel, God with us. And He lived a perfect life, teaching us in turn how to live. And He was killed, taking on Himself all the sin of all mankind, past, present and future, providing a once-for-all final blood sacrifice to not just cover temporarily man’s sin, as in the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, but to forgive it completely (Hebrews 9:11-14). And then He rose, conquering death and paving the way for our eventual resurrection (I Corinthians 15:20-23). And finally, Jesus ascended into heaven to sit in triumph at the right hand of the Father (Romans 8:34).

Someone might then say, “So God is no longer with us. He is ‘Immanuel’ no longer.” But Jesus did not leave mankind on its own. He left us His Spirit (Acts 1:5,8), who (among other things) dwells within us, and illuminates the Word of God for us, and fills us, and comforts us, and produces spiritual fruit in us, and equips us with gifts, and seals our inheritance and convicts us of sin. God’s presence permeates His people. He is still with us.From the first moment in the manger until now, God has been with us, and that will never change (Matthew 28:20).

What wonderful words of reassurance for all of us who believe. If you have not believed, what a wonderful time to begin a relationship with God. Through physical pain, through emotional pain, through spiritual pain, God is there with us. When we are rejected, when we are overlooked, God is there with us. He rejoices with us when we revel in the love of surrounding family and the joys this life offers, and He weeps with us and hugs us tightly in the dark despair when we can’t see the way forward and are not sure we will make it through another day.In this world where a true guarantee is nearly impossible to find, God promises “never to leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5).

He truly is Immanuel – God with us. God with you.

Listen to the audio version

About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

office@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).

Considering Christmas

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 05:14:07 GMT

It’s that time of the year again. My favorite time of the year. I love the decorated tree glowing in the corner. I love the smells - apple cider simmering on the stove, maybe with a stick of cinnamon peering out; hot chocolate after a chilly evening of caroling (or really, anytime at all); the fir garlands strewn about the house; the peppermint of the candy canes. I love singing the old carols. The lights adorning any and every surface inside and out thrill me. It warms my heart to see people who don’t get along very well making a valiant attempt to do so. I love the decorations, loaded with memories, lifted carefully from the box once again to grace the house with their festive spirit. I even love the sound of the Salvation Army bell! To me, none of this ever gets old.

But what I love more than any of those things is The Story . So much gripping narrative packed into just a few chapters of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, telling of the birth of Jesus. The angel Gabriel’s busy year, making announcements to both Elizabeth and Mary regarding their miraculous pregnancies. Mary’s awful sacrifice - knowing she was innocent but thought a sinner by all her family and friends and indeed, the entire region. Joseph’s emotional rollercoaster - devastation at the news of Mary’s pregnancy, relief after being informed of the truth, and finally the awful realization that everyone would naturally think either 1) he was the father and therefore a sinner or 2) he was marrying a sinner. The discomfort and stress involved in the journey to Bethlehem, Mary almost to term. The crowds everywhere due to the census and the corresponding lack of lodging. The desperation to find a place to shelter and possibly the near-panic as Mary’s labor began. Those rough shepherds “abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” The host of angels appearing to the terrified shepherds in the middle of the night, by the blazing light of the glory of God. The shepherds striding boldly into Bethlehem asking everyone they encountered where was the new baby and then afterward telling everyone they met about their heavenly encounter. And eight days later, the meeting in the Temple with the two faithful old servants of God, Simeon and Anna.

Maybe you’re not as thrilled as I am about this Christmas. Perhaps it has been a painful year of loss for you, and you are focused on simply climbing slowly, excruciatingly, out of the dark. Or maybe you’ve suffered the horrible grind of watching a loved one fade slowly away, knowing you can’t do a thing to stop it. Or you’ve watched in helpless frustration as a loved one has self-destructed. Maybe shattered relationships and regret have crushed your spirit. Possibly the ones you love are far away and the loneliness you feel threatens to overwhelm you. Perhaps the continual diet of corruption and atrocity you’re exposed to on the evening news has numbed your optimism.

And The Story has lost a bit of its shine for you!

Wayne Watson wrote and sang a song back in the early ‘90s called Say It All Again . Here are a few lines of that song:

“From creation days, to the tales of kings

To the baby born Messiah, something deep inside me clings

So say it all again. Same old story, same old lines

I have heard it all before, but say it over one more time

It will warm my frozen heart, so say it all again.”

We live in a fallen world, filled with pain and the constant fight against sin. But be encouraged! God sent His Son into the world to win the battle against sin and set us free! And one day every wrong will be made right. The pain of loss and loneliness will disappear forever. If you don’t have personal relationship with God, please talk to me as soon as possible. I’ll be happy to lead you closer to Him.

So, if you’re struggling to get into the Christmas spirit this year, I understand. Can I make a suggestion, though? Consider reading Matthew 1,2 and Luke 1,2 again. Marvel once more at this incredible story – God came to earth to redeem us from the mess we’ve made. No other story in the history of mankind rivals that one. It’s sure to warm your frozen heart.

Listen to the audio version

About the author:

Brad Snyder, Senior Ministry Director

office@hannaford.org

406-449-2273

Brad and his wife Erin began attending Hannaford in November 2019. They have three grown children and two grandchildren (and a third due Spring 2026).