I want to wish all of you a "Shana Tova" - a Happy New Year.  Today marks the Jewish feast known as Rosh Hashana, the beginning of the Jewish New Year 5739.  "Shana tova" means "the year is good!"  I told my Sunday school class this morning that I sort of like the way Hebrews express things.  While in Israel we learn to say "boker tov" (the morning is good) and "lilah tov" (the evening is good).  So Happy New Year. 

The Feast of Rosh Hashana - which means "the head of the year" - makes the beginning of a series of Jewish feasts.  On October 8, Yom Kippur is celebrated.  As you might remember, that day is known in the Bible as "the day of atonement."  It is the only day in which Israel was commanded to fast.  It was the day in which the high priest would personnally go into the Holy of Holies and sprinkle blood upon the Mercy Seat in order to make atonement for the sins of the nation.  He would only enter after spending time preparing himself so that he was ceremonially pure before entering into the very presence of God.  Attached to the hem of his robe were bells and a rope was attached to his ankle.  As long as those outside heard the bells ringing, they knew the high priest was still alive.  If there was only silence, then they tugged on the rope to remove him from the place where they were forbidden to enter.  Following the ceremony in the Holy of Holies, the high priest would then choose two goats - one to be killed as a sacrifice for the sins of the people, the second to be set free in the wilderness.  This second goat became known as the scapegoat.  His disappearance into the wilderness symbolized that Israel's sins had been forgiven and removed by God.  Then after Yom Kippur came the Feast of Tabernacles.  I will relate more of that great celebration in my next Musings. 

As you know the focus of conversations these past couple of weeks has been the near collapse of Wall Street and the financial institutions.  I had a conversation has week with a young Christian who is a financial planner.  He shared with me that our nation came within hours of having a nation-wide lock-down on banks.  Money was flowing out of financial institutions at an alarming rate.  He said, "Max, as much as I disapprove of the bailout, the government really had not choice.  Without it there would be panic."  Now, I am not an economist by any stretch of the imagination, nor do I pretend that I understand what happens in the world of high finances.  (I do know that my 401k, much like yours, has lost a lot of money this past year.  I tell people, every time the market dips...that is another year I have to work.  Right now I am working until I am in my 80's!)  but, from what I have read from the experts, one reason for the crisis is greed.  Now I define greed as "wanting just a little bit more" but also of "using some risky means of achieving that little bit more."  People received loans that probably had no business receiving loans.  Banks carried loans with too much risk in the hopes of making more money.  And when the walls became to collapse, the entire trench caved in. 

In Luke 12:13-21, Jesus addresses this issue of greed.  It all began with a man who asked Jesus to get involved in an inheritance case.  It seems the person who asked the question felt that he had been cheated by his brother and wanted Jesus to rectify the situation.  Jesus refused to get involved and issued this command: "Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."  Then Jesus proceeds to tell a story about a certain man who had become very successful in the world of agriculture.  He kept getting one bumper crop after another.  Finally, not knowing what to do with all his crops, he reasoned that he should destroy his present storage facilities and build even bigger ones.  [Now, friends, so far there is nothing wrong with this man's story].  But, here was the foundation for his reasoning: "I have a lot of money stored up for my retirement years.  I can live a good life from here on out.  So, let's just take it easy."  [Now here we begin to see a problem with this man's attitude.  All he thought of was himself.  The focus was upon the big "I".  "Look at what I have done."  "This is what I will do."  "This is what I will say to myself."  There was no thought of God.  There was no thought of others.  The problem with this man...greed.]  Jesus then concludes the story by saying that God appeared to him and declared him to be a fool.  He had a lot of stuff, but he would leave it all behind.  And so he died...with full barns but with an empty heart.  And it was all because of greed. 

There is an interesting proverb that states: A greedy man brings trouble to his family, but he who hates bribes will live (Proverbs 15:27).  The headlines in recent newspapers and the discussions on the news programs has confirmed this truth.  People have lost jobs...because of the greed of others.  People have lost homes...because of the greed of others.  How much better it would be if we practiced being content with what God has entrusted to us.  Let us be like the Apostle Paul who declared that "in whatever state he was to be content."  Greed will destroy.  So let us learn the lessons from the proverb and the parable and the reality news of today.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: If your outgo exceeds your income, then your upkeep will be your downfall.  (Bill Earle)