Yes, You are Lord!

Yes, You are Lord!

Five years ago as my Dad wrestled with the cancer diagnosis, his soul was restless, his faith tested. Repeatedly, during long nights, we would talk and he would wonder aloud why he was not healed, why cancer was ravaging his body. For a time, he wondered if the Lord had turned away from him. That was hard to see, in many ways worse for me than the physical suffering. I asked him bluntly one night, “Dad, do you think that God, our Father, somehow slapped His head a few months ago suddenly realizing that cancer has slipped up on you, that it somehow eluded His awareness?”   It was hard for my Dad to accept that God, while not the One who causes cancer, certainly knew and had a purpose in allowing it.  But, he is not alone in this test of faith.

The idea is so simple it should be obvious. God is "in charge.” I hear your laugh as you think “Jerry, you really stretched for that one, didn’t you?” Actually, I did. I knew it intellectually long before I owned it! The fact is that a contented, peaceful, faithful Christian rests his entire life on this one key fact - “God is in charge.” Even when circumstances argue against His rule, even when suffering seems meaningless, even when what is going on around appears to be random - God reigns! When we abandon the need to know why and trust Him completely, we find amazing grace. Will you accept the gift of faith that allows you to live in that place?

I am not a fatalist! I know that choices are made by me and people all around me that have an impact on my life! I know that the seeds I plant today by my actions produce a harvest in my life and in the lives that intersect with mine, and yet I know that God is greater and that He is able to "work for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, NIV) From that fact grows real assurance -"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31, NIV) Faith, not fate, allows us to live in peace when life is shaken to its very foundations. 

Jesus commended a Roman commander for his recognition of the sovereignty of God. "When Jesus arrived in Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and racked with pain.” Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.” Then the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed! I know, because I am under the authority of my superior officers and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this or that,’ they do it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all the land of Israel! And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 8:5-11, NLT) 

Let’s not be like the ancient Jews who had the Scripture and knowledge of God but who lacked enough faith to radically trust Him. A Gentile who had been trained in a pagan environment exercised a greater faith than those who should have had multiple reasons to truth the Lord. His response of faith opened the door for God to act. He did not need to dictate the outcome. He simply made the request and trusted the Lord with the results. “Just say the word....”and it will be done.

The most pressing prayer we need to pray is for increased faith. As we trust Him more, we become participants in His purposes and when we are living squarely in the center of His will, there is serenity and quiet strength. 

Here’s a word from the Word. May we have the faith to own and to live it. "

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV)  

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Mystery

Sweet Jesus Christ, my sanity.

Sweet Jesus Christ, my clarity.

Bread of heaven, broken for me.

Cup of Salvation, held out to drink.

Jesus- mystery!

Christ has died and

Christ is risen

Christ will come again

Celebrate His death and rising,

Lift your eyes, proclaim His coming.

Celebrate His death and rising,

Lift your eyes, lift your eyes.

Sweet Jesus Christ, my sanity.

Charlie Hall

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sixsteps Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

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The Least Among You

The Least Among You

It’s just an hour each month, but it’s an important one to me.  Several of us from our church gather at a home for the aged on the second Sunday of the month to worship with the residents.  Some of them are only partially aware of their surroundings,  many are severely debilitated by age. Most are simply forgotten, too old to matter to anyone any longer. They matter to us.  We look each one in their eyes, shake their hands, and greet them. We sing together, and I share the hope of Christ.  None of these people will ever become part of the church where I serve as Pastor. None will ever staff a ministry or make a contribution. So why invest the time to lead a worship service there, some might ask?  Let me answer that question with Jesus’ own words.

"All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. Then the King will say to those on the right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’" (Matthew 25:32-36, NLT)  "Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.’ " (Matthew 25:40, The Message)

We naturally tend to focus our attention on those who can contribute something of value.  The bright, the beautiful, the influential, those who have life together, are easy to like, aren’t they? Those with social grace who know enough to put away their cell phone in public, who are showered and combed, who don’t blurt out offensive observations are easy company.  But what about those who have not been so blessed?  Have we fulfilled the law of love if we do not exclude them but continue to ignore them?  When they approach is there acceptance or avoidance?  Does our body language betray what we might never say?  

Jesus was equally at home with Lazarus and his sisters, respectable residents of a Jerusalem suburb, as he was with the ‘tax collectors and sinners.’  He extended the same worth to beggars and prostitutes and rich guys like Zacchaeus.  I cannot help but be changed in my attitude toward others when I know how much He loved me! (and I’m nobody, from nowhere)   

James reminds us of the importance of loving the least.  May this word from the Word  "My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim that you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people more than others? For instance, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in shabby clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, doesn’t this discrimination show that you are guided by wrong motives?

Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the kingdom God promised to those who love him? And yet, you insult the poor man! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear? Yes indeed, it is good when you truly obey our Lord’s royal command found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you pay special attention to the rich, you are committing a sin, for you are guilty of breaking that law." (James 2:1-9, NLT)

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Afraid to be alone?

Afraid of Being Alone?

Our networked era keeps us ‘in touch’ almost constantly. Twitter tweets, Facebook updates, and text messages follow us 24/7!  Many work in small cubicles, not private offices. Our churches press us to form relationships and get in a group.  In our worship gatherings, we are seldom encouraged to retreat into silence. Instead, we are urged to “greet somebody and tell them you’re glad they came to worship with you today.”   All of this relating can condition us to fear being alone.   If we desire spiritual depth, we will learn to retreat, to be alone.  Loneliness or social isolation is not the same as choosing to be alone.  The former are tragic results of sin; the latter a choice for growth!

The Gospels tell us that "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." (Luke 5:16, NIV)  At the beginning of His public ministry, there is this mysterious record: "Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil." (Matthew 4:1, NIV) God intentionally led His Son to be alone where He would face tests that would strengthen His faith. We are to be like Him. Are you finding times to be truly alone;  listening, learning, growing?  

When are alone many thoughts that we keep safely hidden away make their way into our consciousness. Self-doubt arises and we wonder if we are up to the task of parenting, doing our job effectively, or even of being the Christian God desires.  We may find temptation rising in us when the external noise of our lives is turned down. It can frightening to be confronted by thoughts rooted in our baser human nature!  We wonder, “is that really me? Could I be that cruel or selfish?”   On the positive side, aloneness allows us to discover the richness of the Spirit.  His voice, often obscured by the incessant chatter of everyday life, emerges as we come to the quiet.  Inspiration emerges, creativity blossoms, insight dawns.

In The Celebration of Discipline,  a book that was foundational in my Christian experience, Richard Foster writes about the tumult of our lives.  He says that “Our Adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry and crowds. If he can keep us engaged in ‘muchness’ and ‘manyness,’ he will rest satisfied.”  How true.  Modern Christians have little understanding of the practice of contemplative prayer, where the aim is to listen not to speak.  He urges meditation as a way to enter into silence and aloneness.  No, it is not the meditation of the guru who calls us to empty our minds. It is rather entry into the Presence of God.  Richard Foster puts it this way: "In the discipline of meditation we are not so much acting as we are opening ourselves to be acted upon. We invite the Holy Spirit to come and work within us – teaching, cleansing, comforting, and rebuking. We also surround ourselves with the strong light of Christ to protect us from any influences not of God."

The Psalm teaches us to "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes." (Psalm 37:7, NIV)  The Hebrew word that is translated as “still”  in that passage means to be silent, to be dumb (without speech).  In our silence, we do not despair. We wait and listen.  It’s a command we need to follow.  In yet another Psalm we read  “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”  (Psalm 46:10, NIV)  Here the Hebrew is different.  It urges us to relax, literally to ‘sink down,’  to retreat from effort!  Once again, the follow up is not falling asleep,  but becoming aware of the Presence of God.

Do you fear aloneness? I understand!  One of the more difficult, yet memorable, weeks of my life was spent in silent retreat at a monastery. I had anticipated a time of restful renewal, but in the aloneness and quiet, I was confronted by all manner of inner thoughts. I learned that God is greater, that His Spirit speaks in the quiet as well as in joyful noise.  May you be willing to enter into quietness and wait patiently, knowing that He will be exalted.

Here’s a word from the Word. Take the hope it promises.  "So when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your benefit and salvation! For when God comforts us, it is so that we, in turn, can be an encouragement to you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in suffering, you will also share God’s comfort. I think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and completely overwhelmed, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we learned not to rely on ourselves, but on God who can raise the dead. And he did deliver us from mortal danger. And we are confident that he will continue to deliver us." (2 Corinthians 1:6-10, NLT)

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As the deer panteth for the water

So my soul longeth after Thee

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship Thee

I want You more than gold

Or silver

Only You can satisfy

You alone are the real joygiver

And the apple of my eye

You alone are my strength my shield

To You alone may my spirit yield

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship Thee

As The Deer

Martin Nystrom

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The Conclusion

Every year I speak at many funerals.  
 Some are emotional, with many tears, grief laying on those gathered like a thick fog.
Some are functional- the prevailing mood being  “let’s just get through this and get on with life.” 
Some are celebratory occasions where people remember a wonderful person’s contribution to the world.
Sometimes  the room is full of anger especially when the person in the casket left a pile of regrets, unfinished business, or broken hearts.  As I stand to speak to those rooms full of people my singular prayer is that God will somehow use me to remind those gathered of the Hope found in Christ Jesus and the importance of living with the fact of their mortality never far from their conscious thought.

The late Stephen Covey taught that those who live most effectively always ‘begin with the end in mind.’   Knowing our mortality, and coupling that knowledge with the fear of the Lord, will most surely lead to better choices every day.  Moses prayed,  "Seventy years are given to us! Some may even reach eighty. But even the best of these years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we are gone." (Psalm 90:10, NLT)  "Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom." (Psalm 90:12, NLT)   That may sound like a grim depressing way to live, but in reality, those who keep the end in mind will invest their time here on earth, not just spend it, and they surely will not waste such a precious gift.

When we live ‘in step with the Spirit’ we connect this passing world with the eternal.  So, at  death,  we just step from time to eternity, entering fully into what we have already known in part. Death is less an end, for us, than a transition. When we are alive in Christ, the Bible says that the sting of death is removed,  the dark sorrow brightened by the certain hope that "the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:53-54, NIV)

Two questions beg our responses. Are  we ready to meet God? Have we left behind no unfinished business? "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." (Ecclesiastes 12:12-14, NIV)  Those who accept this by faith build a rich reward, anticipating the Day of justice, assured by the embrace of their Savior and their willing obedience to His will.

Here’s a word from the Word. Make it your hope. "I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!" (Job 19:24-27, NIV)

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When We See Christ

Life's day will soon be o'er

All storms forever past

We'll cross the great divide

To glory safe at last

We'll share the joys of heav'n

A harp a home a crown

The tempter will be banished

We'll lay our burden down

It will be worth it all

When we see Jesus

Life's trials will seem so small

When we see Christ

One glimpse of His dear face

All sorrow will erase

So bravely run the race

'Til we see Christ

Esther Kerr Rusthoi

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CCLI License # 810055