Have you ever felt shut out, like you didn't belong? Rejection is a painful experience. And it is all too common! From the time of childhood, right through adulthood, we human beings have the awful capacity to scorn the person who is different - in color, in race, in religion, in language, even in ability. During World War 2, Americans decided that being of Japanese descent was enough to make a person suspicious, and this land of the free, took thousands of its own citizens and locked them in internment camps. We are shocked by that national policy, but after 9/11 many Americans decided that being Muslim was reason enough for rejection and discrimination. Just as some of our grandparents approved of a policy based on fear of those of Asian descent, many in our time justify discriminatory policies towards Muslims simply because of fear.
Joseph heard that his fiancé, Mary, was pregnant and he determined that he would break their engagement, albeit quietly, without trying to publicly shame her. Can we blame him? His heart was most likely broken by her apparent unfaithfulness and his honor was at stake. He knew that as soon as her pregnancy became obvious, there would be stares and whispers. As he wrestled with his fears and disappointment, God sent a messenger that assured him of Mary's fidelity and with a challenge- "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:20-21, NLT) Stand with her Joseph! And he did! He was an obedient man who took whatever shame and criticism that she might have borne on himself.
God loved us when we were outcasts and rejects. The Bible says, "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!" He stood with us and now He desires that we love those who are rejected, identifying ourselves with them, standing with them. We are called to take up the cause of those that would be denied justice. It is what Jesus would do, and so must we. The Scripture says, "Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world." (James 1:27, The Message) God asks us to practice a costly love that sees the need of others and reaches out to meet that need.
We need to guard against a patronizing kind of assistance that reaches 'down' without really coming alongside of those in need. Much of the so-called care for the poor, the needy, the rejected is done from a distance without really becoming one of 'them,' whomever they are. Simply offering a meal or a pat on the back or a check to help with rent is a nice gesture and relieves some measure of suffering, but such efforts do not change people's lives or show them God's salvation. Only if we are willing to get involved in a way that makes our lives intersect with those in need, can we hope to really make a difference. This is what Jesus did in the Incarnation! "The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish." (John 1:14, The Message)
Believer, when it comes to those in need are you just sending a check, or are you presenting yourself? There's a big difference. Jesus said, "I'll stand with you." I hope you and I will do the same for those who are suffering, rejected, alone, or trapped by sin's consequences.
"With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:6-8, NIV)
Friday, December 07, 2007
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Martha blew a gasket!
At Bible study last night, our text was that familiar story from Luke about Martha's big dinner in honor of Jesus. In brief it goes like this. (Jerry's version)
Jesus was coming to Bethany to visit and, as usual, would be stopping in to see his friends; Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Martha thought it would be great to have a big dinner for Jesus and so she invited friends and set the date. On the day, Jesus arrived with the group that traveled with him and they sat in the courtyard, where he taught and shared. Mary adored the Lord, just soaking in the wisdom of His words, so she got a rug and sat down right at his feet! And there she stayed all afternoon. Every time Martha looked out at the group, all she saw was Mary gazing up at Jesus and each time she became more angry that she had all the dinner preparation to do alone.
About 5 pm, when she was trying to put the finishing touches on the roast lamb and still supervise the servants who were bringing in the additional furniture, she wiped away the perspiration and at that very moment saw Mary just sitting there. Martha forgot her manners and marched right into the center of the group where she confronted Jesus. "Master, don’t you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand." (Luke 10:40, The Message) The atmosphere went distinctly chilly and silent.
How would Jesus handle this outburst? Everyone was embarrassed for Martha, though they understood her frustration. His reply was unexpected, less than comforting, even confrontational: "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41-42, NKJV)
The Bible leaves the story unfinished!
Did Martha's heart change? Did she storm off in anger? Who knows? But we do learn a powerful lesson: serve well and take joy from the privilege of serving!
Martha's mistake was not in making dinner, but in thinking that her sister was obligated to be a part of her service! Her resentment destroyed her joy in offering her gift of service. In that she is a lesson for everyone of us. I hope to remember this story throughout this time of Christmas when there are so many opportunities to do good, to serve. I hope I remember to just do what I do for the sheer joy of it, and not to think that everybody needs to think that what I am doing is so important that they must join in! The Word shows us how to serve in a way that avoids frustration: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." (Colossians 3:23-24, NIV)
Jesus did not condemn Martha's efforts, nor did He not appreciate her offering of a wonderful meal. He challenged her attitude in preparing it! How would He view what you do for Him, friend? Is your giving, your serving, your worship offered from a sense of obligation, with an edge that says, "I'm the only one who gives myself at this level of sacrifice. Why am I surrounded with such a bunch of turkeys?" If so, the most wonderful service in the world is tainted, the joy of it both for the served and the server lost. We need to stop looking around to see who is joining in, who is applauding, who appreciates what we do and just look up! There in the face of Jesus is all the reward and affirmation we need.
Martha blew a gasket when she let all the details of serving dinner to Jesus overwhelm her so that she lost sight of the reason she was doing it in the first place - to show Him her love. Let's not make the same mistake.
"Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in.
Study how he did it.
Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever.
And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God." (Hebrews 12:2, The Message)
Jesus was coming to Bethany to visit and, as usual, would be stopping in to see his friends; Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Martha thought it would be great to have a big dinner for Jesus and so she invited friends and set the date. On the day, Jesus arrived with the group that traveled with him and they sat in the courtyard, where he taught and shared. Mary adored the Lord, just soaking in the wisdom of His words, so she got a rug and sat down right at his feet! And there she stayed all afternoon. Every time Martha looked out at the group, all she saw was Mary gazing up at Jesus and each time she became more angry that she had all the dinner preparation to do alone.
About 5 pm, when she was trying to put the finishing touches on the roast lamb and still supervise the servants who were bringing in the additional furniture, she wiped away the perspiration and at that very moment saw Mary just sitting there. Martha forgot her manners and marched right into the center of the group where she confronted Jesus. "Master, don’t you care that my sister has abandoned the kitchen to me? Tell her to lend me a hand." (Luke 10:40, The Message) The atmosphere went distinctly chilly and silent.
How would Jesus handle this outburst? Everyone was embarrassed for Martha, though they understood her frustration. His reply was unexpected, less than comforting, even confrontational: "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41-42, NKJV)
The Bible leaves the story unfinished!
Did Martha's heart change? Did she storm off in anger? Who knows? But we do learn a powerful lesson: serve well and take joy from the privilege of serving!
Martha's mistake was not in making dinner, but in thinking that her sister was obligated to be a part of her service! Her resentment destroyed her joy in offering her gift of service. In that she is a lesson for everyone of us. I hope to remember this story throughout this time of Christmas when there are so many opportunities to do good, to serve. I hope I remember to just do what I do for the sheer joy of it, and not to think that everybody needs to think that what I am doing is so important that they must join in! The Word shows us how to serve in a way that avoids frustration: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." (Colossians 3:23-24, NIV)
Jesus did not condemn Martha's efforts, nor did He not appreciate her offering of a wonderful meal. He challenged her attitude in preparing it! How would He view what you do for Him, friend? Is your giving, your serving, your worship offered from a sense of obligation, with an edge that says, "I'm the only one who gives myself at this level of sacrifice. Why am I surrounded with such a bunch of turkeys?" If so, the most wonderful service in the world is tainted, the joy of it both for the served and the server lost. We need to stop looking around to see who is joining in, who is applauding, who appreciates what we do and just look up! There in the face of Jesus is all the reward and affirmation we need.
Martha blew a gasket when she let all the details of serving dinner to Jesus overwhelm her so that she lost sight of the reason she was doing it in the first place - to show Him her love. Let's not make the same mistake.
"Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in.
Study how he did it.
Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever.
And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God." (Hebrews 12:2, The Message)
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
With you to the end!
When our children were little on occasion one of them would appear at our bedside in the middle of the night crying, "I had a bad dream." She would then crawl up between Bev and me and snuggle in. In a matter of minutes (usually seconds) she would be sleeping again, comforted by the presence of her parents. I would then pick her up in my arms and carry her back to her own bed. In the morning, she usually did not even remember her midnight distress! Even as an adult, I know this 'presence of another' phenomenon. In a situation where I would be afraid to walk alone, I feel no fear when accompanied by another.
In story of Israel's exodus from Egypt, which is a metanarrative for the Believers journey from sin to sainthood, at one point Moses has a conversation with the Lord about his uncertainty about being able to fulfill his calling. "Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. ..." The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" (Exodus 33:12-16, NIV) Moses reveals his fear of the future, his inadequacy for the task. God's answer is to assure him of His Presence.
When Jesus was about to return to the Father, bringing the era of the Holy Spirit, He issued a commission and gave a promise of Presence to His disciples and, by extension, to us. "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV) Christians believe that God is everywhere, that He is not localized in some building or mountaintop. We call this the omnipresence of God. While this is an important part of our theology, Jesus was promising something more than this to us. In John's Gospel, we read His promise that God's Spirit will be living in us. He explained that we would be connected to Him like a branch is connected to the vine!
We need never walk alone nor fearfully, but sometimes we do. Why?
There are several reasons that we fail to experience the Presence of God in our lives. In no special order, here are some of them.
Faithlessness! At times we become so focused on the immediate circumstances that surround us, we lose sight of God's larger purpose. Peter walked on water, by faith, until he became focused on the waves beneath his feet. Then, losing sight of Jesus, he sank!
Sinfulness! Everyone of us is subject to temptation. Depending on our personalities, situations, opportunities, and experiences there will be differing kinds of temptations. One will be attracted by material things; another by power; and yet another by pleasure. While dealing with temptation can be tiring, there is no sin until we give ourselves to the seduction, making the choice to reject the way of God for our own way. When we do, we sin and sin separates us from knowing the Presence of God.
Fatigue! Knowing how to find rest, when to step aside, and the importance of regular worship (the OT teaches us the Sabbath principle) will keep us from this hazard. But, many times we allow the tyranny of the urgent to drive us beyond our limits, to cause us to ignore the necessity of renewal, and we become victims of fatigue. God has not forsaken us, but we think He has. Like Elijah, we wail, "I am the only one left among the faithful." The sweet rest of His Presence is replaced by a sour driven dutifulness that dries up our spirit.
Dear friend, it is easier to write of living in the Presence of God than it is to actually do it! He is faithful always, we are not! If you are weary, drained, and afraid, do not believe the lie that God has forsaken you, left you forever. He does not move from us. We move from Him. Quiet your mind today. Make time to be worshipful. If temptation is lurking, thank the Spirit for His power in you that allows you to resist and rise above it. Take a simple passage of the Word and meditate on it. And... wait patiently for the Lord.
Here is a word from the Word. "How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies. I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the Lord. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God. ... A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked." (Psalm 84:1-2, 10, NLT)
___________________
You're calling me to lay aside the worries of my day.
To quiet down my busy mind, and find a hiding place
Worthy!!! Worthy!!!
I open up my heart and let My spirit worship Yours.
I open up my mouth and let A song of praise come forth.
Worthy!!! You are worthy!!!
Of a childlike faith,
Of my honest praise,
And of my unashamed love!
Of a holy life,
Of my sacrifice,
And of my unashamed love.
Worthy!!! You are worthy!!!
Unashamed Love
Lamont Herbert
CCLI License No. 810055
In story of Israel's exodus from Egypt, which is a metanarrative for the Believers journey from sin to sainthood, at one point Moses has a conversation with the Lord about his uncertainty about being able to fulfill his calling. "Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. ..." The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" (Exodus 33:12-16, NIV) Moses reveals his fear of the future, his inadequacy for the task. God's answer is to assure him of His Presence.
When Jesus was about to return to the Father, bringing the era of the Holy Spirit, He issued a commission and gave a promise of Presence to His disciples and, by extension, to us. "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV) Christians believe that God is everywhere, that He is not localized in some building or mountaintop. We call this the omnipresence of God. While this is an important part of our theology, Jesus was promising something more than this to us. In John's Gospel, we read His promise that God's Spirit will be living in us. He explained that we would be connected to Him like a branch is connected to the vine!
We need never walk alone nor fearfully, but sometimes we do. Why?
There are several reasons that we fail to experience the Presence of God in our lives. In no special order, here are some of them.
Faithlessness! At times we become so focused on the immediate circumstances that surround us, we lose sight of God's larger purpose. Peter walked on water, by faith, until he became focused on the waves beneath his feet. Then, losing sight of Jesus, he sank!
Sinfulness! Everyone of us is subject to temptation. Depending on our personalities, situations, opportunities, and experiences there will be differing kinds of temptations. One will be attracted by material things; another by power; and yet another by pleasure. While dealing with temptation can be tiring, there is no sin until we give ourselves to the seduction, making the choice to reject the way of God for our own way. When we do, we sin and sin separates us from knowing the Presence of God.
Fatigue! Knowing how to find rest, when to step aside, and the importance of regular worship (the OT teaches us the Sabbath principle) will keep us from this hazard. But, many times we allow the tyranny of the urgent to drive us beyond our limits, to cause us to ignore the necessity of renewal, and we become victims of fatigue. God has not forsaken us, but we think He has. Like Elijah, we wail, "I am the only one left among the faithful." The sweet rest of His Presence is replaced by a sour driven dutifulness that dries up our spirit.
Dear friend, it is easier to write of living in the Presence of God than it is to actually do it! He is faithful always, we are not! If you are weary, drained, and afraid, do not believe the lie that God has forsaken you, left you forever. He does not move from us. We move from Him. Quiet your mind today. Make time to be worshipful. If temptation is lurking, thank the Spirit for His power in you that allows you to resist and rise above it. Take a simple passage of the Word and meditate on it. And... wait patiently for the Lord.
Here is a word from the Word. "How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies. I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the Lord. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God. ... A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked." (Psalm 84:1-2, 10, NLT)
___________________
You're calling me to lay aside the worries of my day.
To quiet down my busy mind, and find a hiding place
Worthy!!! Worthy!!!
I open up my heart and let My spirit worship Yours.
I open up my mouth and let A song of praise come forth.
Worthy!!! You are worthy!!!
Of a childlike faith,
Of my honest praise,
And of my unashamed love!
Of a holy life,
Of my sacrifice,
And of my unashamed love.
Worthy!!! You are worthy!!!
Unashamed Love
Lamont Herbert
CCLI License No. 810055
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
The Word and the Light
God presented us with a beautiful, wonderful world!
On Nature, a PBS program that I watched Sunday evening, the complexity of the Creation was on full display. From tiny creatures to huge whales, in vivid colors, I saw God's creativity in a way that makes the best art of humanity look like the crayon sketches of a little child. And then I see what man does to Creation - polluted rivers dying, amazing jungle habitats burned, blue skies turned grey with smoke.
God's gifts go beyond the splendor of rivers, oceans, and canyons. He gave us the exquisite gift of love and sexuality, the ability to become 'one' with another. What can compare to the love of a man and a woman? And what have we done with that? We have turned love into a commodity. We cheapened sex, made it into an act of the darkness. We sell it on the street, use it to enslave and exploit, and turn something beautiful into something that pollutes body and soul!
Yet, another gift of God, the desire to know Him that He placed in us, that longing for Life; is turned into religion that only produces Death! The glory of the Transcendent Lord was 'exchanged for images made to look like mortal men, and birds, and animals, and reptiles.'
Thus, Jeremiah laments that "the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9, NIV)
But, all is not lost. As we celebrate Advent we find the Promise that brings us to renewed hope for the restoration of all things at the coming of the Lord. Our hope looks back to the Incarnation, when "the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." And, we saw "His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14, NIV) He lived to bring us Truth about our God, died to bring us Reconciliation with our God, and was resurrected to bring us Eternal Life in the presence of our God. However, that was only the first act! The second act is the Coming of the Lord of Glory. John, in language rich with symbolism, explains that He will ride out of Heaven to destroy evil and restore what God made to bless us. "I saw Heaven open wide—and oh! a white horse and its Rider. The Rider, named Faithful and True, judges and makes war in pure righteousness. . . . On his robe and thigh is written, King of kings, Lord of lords." (Revelation 19:11, 16, The Message)
And this, Believer, is what the Season is really all about. No wonder we rejoice. In this intermission between the Incarnation and the Revelation, we have the opportunity to be agents of reconciliation that appeal to those around to look up, to turn from their devotion to empty things to gaze on the wonder of His majesty. We invite them to accept the grace of God, to become part of the conspiracy of righteousness, which Jesus described this way. "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches. . . . The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough." (Matthew 13:31-33, NIV)
Do you live in the Light?
Do you know the Truth of the Word?
Are you filled with the Beauty of His Holiness?
The Gift is yours to receive, by faith, provided without cost to you, at great cost to God. Accept Him today. In honesty, own up to the darkness, the hidden sin, the rejection of His ways, the ignorance that made you a slave to evil. But don't wallow in guilt! Take the offer of grace that makes you a child of God, that restores your inheritance, that gives you dignity and worth. Believer, live in that Glory. "Become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life." (Philippians 2:15-16, NIV)
_________________________
Joy to the world, the Lord is come.
Let earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare Him room,
and Heaven and nature sing!
No more let sin and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground.
He comes to make,His blessings flow,
far as the Curse is found!
He rules the world with Truth and Grace,
and makes the nations prove,
the glories of His righteousness.
and wonders of His love.
-- Isaac Watts, Public Domain
On Nature, a PBS program that I watched Sunday evening, the complexity of the Creation was on full display. From tiny creatures to huge whales, in vivid colors, I saw God's creativity in a way that makes the best art of humanity look like the crayon sketches of a little child. And then I see what man does to Creation - polluted rivers dying, amazing jungle habitats burned, blue skies turned grey with smoke.
God's gifts go beyond the splendor of rivers, oceans, and canyons. He gave us the exquisite gift of love and sexuality, the ability to become 'one' with another. What can compare to the love of a man and a woman? And what have we done with that? We have turned love into a commodity. We cheapened sex, made it into an act of the darkness. We sell it on the street, use it to enslave and exploit, and turn something beautiful into something that pollutes body and soul!
Yet, another gift of God, the desire to know Him that He placed in us, that longing for Life; is turned into religion that only produces Death! The glory of the Transcendent Lord was 'exchanged for images made to look like mortal men, and birds, and animals, and reptiles.'
Thus, Jeremiah laments that "the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9, NIV)
But, all is not lost. As we celebrate Advent we find the Promise that brings us to renewed hope for the restoration of all things at the coming of the Lord. Our hope looks back to the Incarnation, when "the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." And, we saw "His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14, NIV) He lived to bring us Truth about our God, died to bring us Reconciliation with our God, and was resurrected to bring us Eternal Life in the presence of our God. However, that was only the first act! The second act is the Coming of the Lord of Glory. John, in language rich with symbolism, explains that He will ride out of Heaven to destroy evil and restore what God made to bless us. "I saw Heaven open wide—and oh! a white horse and its Rider. The Rider, named Faithful and True, judges and makes war in pure righteousness. . . . On his robe and thigh is written, King of kings, Lord of lords." (Revelation 19:11, 16, The Message)
And this, Believer, is what the Season is really all about. No wonder we rejoice. In this intermission between the Incarnation and the Revelation, we have the opportunity to be agents of reconciliation that appeal to those around to look up, to turn from their devotion to empty things to gaze on the wonder of His majesty. We invite them to accept the grace of God, to become part of the conspiracy of righteousness, which Jesus described this way. "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches. . . . The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough." (Matthew 13:31-33, NIV)
Do you live in the Light?
Do you know the Truth of the Word?
Are you filled with the Beauty of His Holiness?
The Gift is yours to receive, by faith, provided without cost to you, at great cost to God. Accept Him today. In honesty, own up to the darkness, the hidden sin, the rejection of His ways, the ignorance that made you a slave to evil. But don't wallow in guilt! Take the offer of grace that makes you a child of God, that restores your inheritance, that gives you dignity and worth. Believer, live in that Glory. "Become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life." (Philippians 2:15-16, NIV)
_________________________
Joy to the world, the Lord is come.
Let earth receive her King.
Let every heart prepare Him room,
and Heaven and nature sing!
No more let sin and sorrows grow,
nor thorns infest the ground.
He comes to make,His blessings flow,
far as the Curse is found!
He rules the world with Truth and Grace,
and makes the nations prove,
the glories of His righteousness.
and wonders of His love.
-- Isaac Watts, Public Domain
Monday, December 03, 2007
Just trust Him!
In 1977, Bev and I left our first real ministry call and moved to Wyoming. A boom town called Gillette, full of young workers and with a shortage of spiritual care, caught my attention and seemed like a place where a young preacher could do something good. I felt that the Spirit was in the desire to relocate far from family, friends, and the familiar, so, we packed up and moved. We were on an adventure with no safety net or job promise! The first three months that we lived in that town brought one trial after another. Our son, Jay, then an infant, developed critical pneumonia and was hospitalized. The denomination that credentialed me balked at transferring my ministerial license to another District because, due to my inexperience, I had failed to observe proper protocol. To support my little family I took a back- breaking job in construction working from sun-up to dark! It sure looked like I had made a colossal error in judgment! After a year in that town, we moved back to New Jersey and to the position we had left. I looked like a kid that lost his nerve and failed in his mission. The whole move appeared to be a meaningless detour. But, all these years later, I am still convinced that God sent us to Gillette, Wyoming. What I did not know then, but do now, was that His purpose was not to use me to save the town! He used the town to save me! In those 12 months, He provided mentors and experiences that gave me lessons about His faithfulness and grace that changed my life, literally!
A half-century on this earth has made me aware of one sure thing - God's way are higher than my ways! Just when we think we made our plans and secured our future, everything turns inside out. Our new business runs headlong into a recession. Our investments lose a ton of money. We suddenly learn of a major physical problem. Or, just when it looks like we're about to go over the cliff, a bridge across the chasm Providentially appears. When there seems to be no answer, God reveals a divine solution. I believe that God smiles at our sense of surety, not because He's mean, but more like a father who knows how much his children do not know. As I watch my own adult children I sometimes want to rush in to offer them the benefit of my experience, but realize that they need to figure it out for themselves. My counsel is available, but not forced on them. God, too, offers the counsel of the Word and the Spirit, but is patient as we work it out.
And, for this I am so thankful - that He is a patient Father that works out His purposes; sometimes with our cooperation, and sometimes in spite of our obstinacy! When we are so certain that He's got one plan for our life, but He keeps on working out His purposes using even the detours for our benefit. Not every experience ties itself up into a neat package with a complete answer. Some our our experiences remain puzzling. We ask, "Why did that happen? What purpose did that serve?" The Lord told Isaiah, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.... For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9, KJV) So, we trust Him.
Remember Moses? His mother, fearing that Pharaoh would put him to death along with the other Israelite babies, set him afloat in the reeds. An Egyptian princess found him and took him to the palace where he grew up in royal privilege, given a great education, and learning to deal with power. Then, he grew headstrong, killed a man and became a fugitive. Did it appear that any promise in his life was gone? Sure enough! He spent 40 years tending a few sheep in the desert, far from power and privilege. But God had not forgotten him. In a moment of revelation at the burning bush that miraculously was not consumed by the fire, Moses heard God commission him to go and lead the Israelites out of slavery. He balked. He dallied. He stumbled. God steadied him, led him, and used a refugee, murderer, fearful man who stuttered, to build a new nation for His glory.
Perhaps you're 'in the desert' today. The bright promise you once knew is gone. It might be because you made some dumb or sinful choice, like Moses. It might be for reasons you cannot understand. Just know this, God knows who you are, where you are, and He still has a purpose for your life! Trust him! "But my work all seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose at all. Yet I leave it all in the Lord's hand; I will trust God for my reward." Isaiah 49:4 NLT
I do not mean to suggest that we should become fatalists, floating down the stream of life without using the oars provided to us by the Lord. We need not bounce off all the rocks while we stupidly shout, "Praise Jesus!" Choices must be made and they need to be shaped by a God-honoring obedience. It is important that we live intentionally, `on purpose.' Yet, it remains that even when we are obedient, even when we have the best of intentions—there will be side trips and detours that leave us wondering. In those moments, we must `let go and let God lead.'
Here's a word from the Word. Let it reshape fear into faith and change despair to hope. "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son,
so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
What shall we say about such wonderful things as these?
If God is for us, who can ever be against us?" (Romans 8:28-31, NLT)
________________________
Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my hands and let them move,
at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise;
Take my intellect and use
ev'ry power as Thou shalt choose.
Take my will and make it Thine.
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own.
It shall be Thy royal Throne.
- Frances Havergal
Public Domain
A half-century on this earth has made me aware of one sure thing - God's way are higher than my ways! Just when we think we made our plans and secured our future, everything turns inside out. Our new business runs headlong into a recession. Our investments lose a ton of money. We suddenly learn of a major physical problem. Or, just when it looks like we're about to go over the cliff, a bridge across the chasm Providentially appears. When there seems to be no answer, God reveals a divine solution. I believe that God smiles at our sense of surety, not because He's mean, but more like a father who knows how much his children do not know. As I watch my own adult children I sometimes want to rush in to offer them the benefit of my experience, but realize that they need to figure it out for themselves. My counsel is available, but not forced on them. God, too, offers the counsel of the Word and the Spirit, but is patient as we work it out.
And, for this I am so thankful - that He is a patient Father that works out His purposes; sometimes with our cooperation, and sometimes in spite of our obstinacy! When we are so certain that He's got one plan for our life, but He keeps on working out His purposes using even the detours for our benefit. Not every experience ties itself up into a neat package with a complete answer. Some our our experiences remain puzzling. We ask, "Why did that happen? What purpose did that serve?" The Lord told Isaiah, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.... For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9, KJV) So, we trust Him.
Remember Moses? His mother, fearing that Pharaoh would put him to death along with the other Israelite babies, set him afloat in the reeds. An Egyptian princess found him and took him to the palace where he grew up in royal privilege, given a great education, and learning to deal with power. Then, he grew headstrong, killed a man and became a fugitive. Did it appear that any promise in his life was gone? Sure enough! He spent 40 years tending a few sheep in the desert, far from power and privilege. But God had not forgotten him. In a moment of revelation at the burning bush that miraculously was not consumed by the fire, Moses heard God commission him to go and lead the Israelites out of slavery. He balked. He dallied. He stumbled. God steadied him, led him, and used a refugee, murderer, fearful man who stuttered, to build a new nation for His glory.
Perhaps you're 'in the desert' today. The bright promise you once knew is gone. It might be because you made some dumb or sinful choice, like Moses. It might be for reasons you cannot understand. Just know this, God knows who you are, where you are, and He still has a purpose for your life! Trust him! "But my work all seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose at all. Yet I leave it all in the Lord's hand; I will trust God for my reward." Isaiah 49:4 NLT
I do not mean to suggest that we should become fatalists, floating down the stream of life without using the oars provided to us by the Lord. We need not bounce off all the rocks while we stupidly shout, "Praise Jesus!" Choices must be made and they need to be shaped by a God-honoring obedience. It is important that we live intentionally, `on purpose.' Yet, it remains that even when we are obedient, even when we have the best of intentions—there will be side trips and detours that leave us wondering. In those moments, we must `let go and let God lead.'
Here's a word from the Word. Let it reshape fear into faith and change despair to hope. "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son,
so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
What shall we say about such wonderful things as these?
If God is for us, who can ever be against us?" (Romans 8:28-31, NLT)
________________________
Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my hands and let them move,
at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise;
Take my intellect and use
ev'ry power as Thou shalt choose.
Take my will and make it Thine.
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own.
It shall be Thy royal Throne.
- Frances Havergal
Public Domain
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