The Bungee Cord 5-9-23

Hello,

I never knew who Blippi was until I had a grandchild. As a matter of fact, I never knew that Blippi even existed…..but he does!

Blippi, as any of you who are Grandparents may know, is a children’s TV personality. Blippi takes children on all sorts of adventures, many of which are places that they may go: playgrounds, school rooms, doctor and dentist offices, and nature reserves. Some places that Blippi takes the kids are places that they may never go: on rocket ships, construction sites, farms, and factories. He teaches them new words (words that I think are sometimes pretty bog for a two-year-old….which my grandson is). He teaches them about life skills, and he teaches them about machines and trucks….my grandson’s favorite. He even has songs about all these things. Blippi and my grandson are great friends, as a matter of fact after dinner as he is getting tired, he says to his mom and dad, “Blippi time”, and he gets his daily dose of Blippit before going to bed.

Last week was my grandson’s second birthday, and as you can see from the picture, he and I dressed up as Blippi for the grand event. Blippi balloons hung from the walls. Blippi songs were sung, presents were given (one of which, of course was a Blippi book!). Never would I have known about the thrill of Blippi had I not had a grandchild.

In a much more significant way, never would have I known of the depth of God’s love for me, had God not sent his Son, Jesus, into the world. And I might go as far to say, I might never have even known of God, had God not sent his Son, Jesus into the world. Jesus is, as one of the prayers that is said at Christmas, “the God whom we can see, so that we might believe in the God that we cannot see.”

And a la Blippi, God been with me in the adventures of life, some adventures frightening ad painful (no offense intended to dentists or doctors, but when I went in for cancer surgery, I have no problem confessing that it was a scary trek), and some places overflowing with joy (my wedding to my wife, and the birth of my three children…just to name a few highlights). Songs that speak of Jesus’ power and presence in my life, and the hope that it gives me echo from the church pews where I first learned them. Daily at bedtime, and weekly at church time, I find myself spending some “Jesus time”.

One of the first hymns that I learned, because it was one of my mother’s favorites (my mother turned 89 yesterday, and although she lives in confusion and delusion, I am sure she could sing it all to you), was “What A Friend We Have In Jesus”, a hymn that although may be a bit overly sentimental to be one of my favorites still sticks in my heart and enlightens my soul with its words. “Have we trials and tribulations? Is there trouble anywhere? Never need we be discouraged. Take it to the Lord in prayer.”

Blippi may be a wonderful friend to a child. But Jesus, in whom God is revealed and at work in the world, is a lifetime friend. “What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer!”

Have a great week.

God’s grace and peace (ggap),

Pastor Jerry Nuernberger

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