It’s hard to find a good VCR

February 8, 2007

By Randy Mantik

“They just don’t make ’em like they used to.”

I’ve heard people say that for years, and I’m agreeing with them more and more. For instance, we’ve had the same television for six years, and it was used when we got it. It was headed for the trash until a good repair shop worked on the set and it has lasted longer than the TV it replaced, which we bought new.

The VCR we use to record services at church needs to be replaced. I could just go to Wal-Mart and pick one up. However, I have a few older ones around I know will work better, so why bother with getting a new one? It seems the VCR manufacturers aren’t making a better quality product because the technology is going out of style and they don’t want to put too much more into it.

This makes me think of holiness and how we as believers are called to be separate to God. I’m not aiming so much at everyone else’s morals, but at a pernicious lie of the enemy I have seen sneak into my own heart and mind. It goes something like this: “Oh, the morals aren’t getting so bad; you’re just being relevant to the culture. You don’t want to get legalistic! All that holiness stuff is going out of style. You’re getting too spiritual!”

To that I say, “And by God’s grace may I become even more spiritual!” Not in a holier-than-thou, looking-down-my-nose sort of way, but in a living-right-and-pure-before-God kind of way that keeps my heart clean, my spirit right, and attracts others to the life-changing message of the gospel I proudly represent.

Think of Noah in the midst of his generation.

“The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain” (Genesis 6:5,6, NIV).

Think of the hardness of hearts in those times, not that many generations removed from the creation. They were dark times. Jesus referred to those dark days when describing the last days.

“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:37).

I sincerely believe we are in those times. Such great darkness and hardness fill men’s hearts, not only in the world but also in the church. Many of God’s children have strayed so far and are falling off the very same cliff they were supposed to lead the lost away from.

However, hear the promise, even in this dark time: “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6:8).

As everyone else’s light was going out, Noah’s light shone all the brighter. It’s not time to cash in on our morality. It’s time to stand up and live pure and holy while letting our Light shine, not in our own power but by the precious Spirit of God. Dear ones, what a high calling and privilege we have to be God’s representatives to a world that needs Him so desperately.

Let’s not blend in with the crowd and fall for the same traps and temptations. Let’s show the world what real freedom and joy and peace look like. God still “makes them like He used to.” He never takes shortcuts on the quality of what He offers.

Randy Mantik is senior pastor of Crossroads Church of the Assemblies of God in Pembine, Wis.