Category Archives: Pastoral thoughts

News Commentary, Pastoral thoughts

It’s Not My Law

I’m sure you’re familiar with the scenes.

  • Someone smokes where it is forbidden
  • While driving there is always that driver that just has to speed past everyone else
  • The driver treats the stop sign as a yield sign
  • A person cuts a few corners on their taxes
  • A witness commits perjury
  • A group of friends set off fireworks after posted hours
  • Parents let their underage teen host a party where alcohol is consumed

This one may not be familiar but it fits. From the Detroit News: “Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said Tuesday she would not enforce a state abortion ban if federal protections are overturned…” (1)

While there are many more examples these, hopefully, raise the question of the day. Why do people feel it’s okay for them to break the law? Why do they feel they can say and act as if “It’s not my law?”

I believe the answer is quite simply “Pride.” To knowingly and willingly break the law is to say, in essence, “I’m special. This law doesn’t apply to me.” “I think it’s a stupid law – I know better so I can ignore it.” Pride puts us in a position of feeling superior, better than and different from others. Pride allows us to make laws and set boundaries as we see fit. After all, it’s not my law.

But make no mistake about it; we’ve all been similarly prideful and willingly broken laws at some point in time. And I believe it stems from our rebellious, sinful nature. We saw it with Adam and Eve when, because their pride placed them above God and rejected His law, they ate the forbidden fruit. The reality is every time we sin we are saying to God “It’s not my law.” The testimony of Scripture is clear.

First, there is law. God has firmly established His law within the world He created and “The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength; indeed, the world is established, firm and secure… Your statutes, Lord, stand firm…”  (Psalm 93:1&5) “The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved…” (Psalm 96:10) “The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. They are established for ever and ever, enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.” (Psalm 111:7-8) The truth is it’s not now and never is ‘my law.’ It’s God’s law.

Second, we all break God’s laws. (2) “What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:9-12 & 23)

Third, there are consequences for breaking the law. “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12) A basic theme of the book of Judges is that when everyone does what is right in their own eyes, there is chaos in the land.

Fourth, the power to obey comes from loving Jesus. He proclaimed, “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth.” (John 14:15-17)

Fifth, there is great reward in loving Jesus. Jesus said “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:10-11)

Why this brief overview and summary of Scripture? Because the bottom line is that obeying God’s laws compels and enables us to better obey human laws and to live with joy. The better we understand it the better off we and our world will be; because, after all, “The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved…”

————–

No Smoking Photo by Franck V. on Unsplash

(1)https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/04/16/nessel-id-never-enforce-michigan-abortion-ban/3487903002/

Gavel – Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash

 

Pastoral thoughts

Mother’s Day 2019

In honor of the day this blog is published I am taking a break from my normal blog style. From my files her are two of my favorite resources for Mother’s Day. The first is a light-hearted look at mothers from the eyes of elementary age children. The second is warm-hearted, soul-filled inclusive tribute. The final word is God’s.

Some Humor

Why did God make mothers?
To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We’re related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people’s moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?
I don’t know because I wasn’t there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
They say she used to be nice.

What’s the difference between moms and dads?
Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power ’cause that’s who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend’s.
Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What would it take to make your Mom perfect?
1. On the inside she’s already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.

If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I’d get rid of that.
2. I’d make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her back of her head
Read more at https://www.beliefnet.com/inspiration/2005/05/why-god-made-moms.aspx#ZxR1mvdrtfZbAKKC.99

The Wide Spectrum of Mothering

To those who gave birth this year to their first child—we celebrate with you
To those who lost a child this year – we mourn with you
To those who are in the trenches with little ones every day and wear the badge of food stains – we appreciate you
To those who experienced loss through miscarriage, failed adoptions, or running away—we mourn with you
To those who walk the hard path of infertility, fraught with pokes, prods, tears, and disappointment – we walk with you. Forgive us when we say foolish things. We don’t mean to make this harder than it is
To those who are foster moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms – we need you
To those who have warm and close relationships with your children – we celebrate with you

To those who have disappointment, heart ache, and distance with your children – we sit with you
To those who lost their mothers this year – we grieve with you
To those who experienced abuse at the hands of your own mother – we acknowledge your experience
To those who lived through driving tests, medical tests, and the overall testing of motherhood – we are better for having you in our midst
To those who have aborted children – we remember them and you on this day
To those who are single and long to be married and mothering your own children – we mourn that life has not turned out the way you longed for it to be
To those who step-parent – we walk with you on these complex paths

To those who envisioned lavishing love on grandchildren, yet that dream is not to be – we grieve with you
To those who will have emptier nests in the upcoming year – we grieve and rejoice with you

To those who placed children up for adoption – we commend you for your selflessness and remember how you hold that child in your heart
And to those who are pregnant with new life, both expected and surprising –we anticipate with you
This Mother’s Day, we walk with you. Mothering is not for the faint of heart and we have real warriors in our midst. We remember you.

By Amy Young    https://www.messymiddle.com

Proverbs 31:30-31

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”

 

Pastoral thoughts

Letters of Recommendation

There I was in my first year in my first pastorate, in the beautiful but small town of Sioux Center, Iowa. As the Associate Pastor of Youth & Education I was responsible for ministry to 150 9th – 12th graders. The Youth Leaders and I wanted to do something special for the youth and decided on a formal banquet to honor them. One advantage of a farming community is that good food is abundant – like roast pig. (1)

 

 

So the menu was not an issue. Adult volunteers were not an issue. Entertainment and some type of encouraging message – that was an issue. I had no files, no contacts, and no backlog of resources to draw from. And how could I even begin to think about pulling in some big name person or group without it being a huge cost? After all, there is no easy way to get to Sioux Center (halfway between Sioux City, Iowa and Sioux Falls, South Dakota). Then I remembered – one of the youth had given me a business card of some singers she had heard at a conference shortly before this – she said they were really good. With nothing to lose I called Steve & Maria Gardner – and they came!

Wow! What a night. They were the perfect fit with wonderful, youth-appealing music and an inspiring, challenging message for the youth. And they radiated Jesus – boy did they radiate Him. My wife and I hosted them – and their infant daughter – and fell in love with them and were deeply blessed by them. Jesus was just so evident in their lives! We had a retired pastor who was at the banquet and afterward he told me, “You know, when they started to sing I wasn’t too sure about them and their music. But once that young man started to speak and I felt the Spirit and saw the attention of the youth, I knew they were right and that Jesus would be honored!” They radiated Jesus. (2)

As I think about that great time my mind goes to the Apostle Paul who, in 2 Corinthians 3:1-3 (The Message), wrote “Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Are we like others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation, or who ask you to write such letters on their behalf? Surely not! The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.” Steve & Maria were Jesus’ letters of recommendation. I learned that when we are recommending Jesus, we need to write a good letter. When I ask for a letter of recommendation I expect the person to write a good reference letter, to present me well. So it is with Jesus – He relies on us to write Him good letters of recommendation. (3)

The reality is that because we  are Christians we represent Jesus everywhere we are, in everything we say, and in everything we do – and even in what we do not say and do not do. At all times and in all places, we represent Jesus. So we need to be sure we are writing a good letter. I think of all the times I’ve let my guard down, or let my temper flare up, or let the devil get hold of my tongue or mind and therefore wrote a poor letter for Jesus. “Lord, forgive me – and give me grace and strength to be that vibrant, Spirit-filled living letter of recommendation for You.”

You are always representing Jesus – you are always a letter pointing to Him.  What kind of letter will you be today – and tomorrow – and every day? I pray you will write a good letter.

(1) Image from pixabay.com

(2) Photo from Curry & Barb Pikkaart

(3) Image from StoryBlocks

Pastoral thoughts

Centered

Blessed Easter! The Bible is filled with innumerable resurrection passages. What pulsates in my heart this year is Ephesians 2:16-17 — “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.”

Because Jesus rose from the dead we have a center of eternity. Some young children were asked to write what they believed about death. Gilda, age 8, wrote, “When you die they put you in a box and bury you in the ground because you don’t look too good.” Stephanie, aged 9, said, “Doctors help you so you won’t die until you pay their bill.” 9 year old Marsha wrote, “When you die, you don’t have to do homework in heaven unless your teacher is there too.” And Raymond, aged 10, said, “A good doctor can help you so you won’t die, A bad doctor sends you to heaven.”  The truth is, we all want to know what’s going to happen – maybe even when. And that’s an important question. After all, as Rick Warren points out, we’ll spend more time in eternity than we will here on earth. In his words, “This is just the first inch of the yardstick. This is preschool for what’s going to happen in eternity.” (1)

But what do we know for sure? It is certainly possible to postpone death, but not to avoid it. But with Jesus on the throne our lives are centered on a new hope: Easter reduces death from a destination to a passage. Death is not an end but a thoroughfare.

In Herman Melville’s great classic Moby Dick (2,) one of the most beloved people on the ship is named Queequeg.

One day he became seriously ill, and although he recovered, it made him think about his future. So he requested a coffin to be made in the shape of a canoe. The ship’s carpenter did so. Near the end of the story, the whale, Moby Dick, capsized the boat. Ishmael, the storyteller, found himself floundering in the water, now prey for the sharks. Suddenly a ‘black bubble’ burst up from the water, lifted by its own buoyancy. It was the canoe shaped coffin. Ishmael climbed into it, where he floated for a day and a night, until he was rescued by a passing ship. What an image! Because of Easter, our coffins are nothing more than canoes bearing us from this world to the next.

Winston Churchill (3) had it right. He pre-arranged his own funeral. After the benediction he had arranged for a bugler high in the dome of the Cathedral on one side to play “Taps”, the universal signal that the day was over. But then, after a long pause, a bugler on the other side began to play “Reveille”, the signal for the beginning of a new day. It was Churchill’s way of proclaiming that we who are left behind say “Good night” while others in heaven are saying, “Good morning.”  Easter is the New Year’s Day of the soul!

Because Jesus rose from the dead, life is the climax of death. The Apostle John wrote: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.  And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” (Revelation 21:1-4 New Living Translation) Life is the climax of death.

Steve McQueen (4) was a renowned actor who led a life as tough as the one he portrayed on the screen. He was extremely successful until alcohol and a failed marriage left him empty. Out of sheer desperation he attended a crusade conducted by a Billy Graham associate. McQueen made a profession of faith and asked if it would be possible to meet Dr. Graham. Arrangements were made and eventually Dr. Graham met with McQueen in the actor’s limousine. McQueen just wasn’t sure that God could give eternal life to someone with such a checkered past. Dr. Graham pointed him to Titus 1:2: “…a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time…” He asked Dr. Graham to write it down, but Dr. Graham instead gave him the whole Bible. Later, McQueen died in Mexico while seeking experimental treatment for his cancer. He passed into eternal life with his Bible open and his finger on that verse. Life is the climax of death. So Jesus said (John 14:1-3 NLT), “Don’t be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. If this were not so, I would tell you plainly. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” Life is the climax of death.  As a great Easter hymn proclaims, “Soar we know where Christ has led…Following our exalted Head. Made like Him, like Him we rise. Ours the cross, the grave, the skies.”  Life is the climax of death.

At the end of the movie, Jesus of Nazareth, Peter stares into the empty tomb (5) and says, “Now it all begins.”

It begins right now. New life! New power! New hope! For Jesus lives! No matter your situation today, no matter what condition you are in – you can come to the throne, where Jesus offers so much more. Give yourself to Jesus, our resurrected Lord, who sits on the throne. I invite you to discover life, and be prepared for eternity. Let this Easter day be the New Year’s Day of your soul!

(1) Rick Warren, What Difference Does Easter Make?, from Preaching Today.com (https://www.preachingtoday.com/sermons/sermons/2005/august/223.html)

(2) Moby Dick – https://images.theconversation.com/files/105969/original/image-20151215-23172-ezz51l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=5%2C58%2C3882%2C1885&q=45&auto=format&w=1356&h=668&fit=crop

(3) Churchill –  Image by <a href=”https://pixabay.com

(4) Steve McQueen https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjAj6GrhN_hAhVIba0KHfc9A4cQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fworld.wng.org%2F2017%2F09%2Fa_hollywood_story&psig=AOvVaw2ZeKAGlEkl_ErdOaw920wY&ust=1555862116749975

(5) Tomb picture by Barb Pikkaart

Pastoral thoughts

Staking Claim

(1)

“The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, “Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”” (John 12:12-15) The reality is that Jesus was now the commander of the Lord’s army. He was ushering in the host of heaven to win the day and establish the Kingdom of God. Jesus was taking over, staking his claim over all of life.

He had staked his claim over THE PHYSICAL REALM of life. Through the fall of Adam, humans lost dominion over the earth. Jesus reclaimed it. At his command the wind stopped, the storms ceased, water became wine, fish appeared where there had been none, and five loaves and two fish fed over 5,000 people; lame people walked, blind people gained sight, deaf people started to hear. Jesus was ushering in a new Kingdom, preparing for a new heaven and a new earth of which He would be the source of life and light.

Jesus had also staked His claim over THE MORAL REALM. There was the day He was teaching in the middle of a house when four men, desperate to bring their paralyzed friend to Jesus, sawed a hole in the roof of the house and lowered the man on his stretcher so Jesus would have to deal with him.

“Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.” But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!” Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!” (Mark 2:5-12) (2) Jesus was emphatically saying, “Let this visible miracle be proof that I have authority over the invisible realm. I have authority over the moral realm.” So Jesus had authority to preach “Be perfect, therefore, as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15)

And Jesus had staked claim to the SPIRITUAL REALM. Joshua met the commander of the army of the Lord, the heavenly host. Jacob saw this host when he returned from exile. Elisha’s servant saw this host surrounding God’s people just prior to battle. Jesus spoke of the host when, leaving Gethsemane, He indicated He could have called twelve legions of angels who were at His disposal; but He did not. Jesus knew that through His death on the cross, He would reclaim the spiritual realm. One day He would even send His Spirit to fill His followers, which led John to write “…the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) Jesus was staking His claim and taking over.

Additionally Jesus had staked His claim over the ETERNAL REALM. On several occasions, he brought dead people back to life. The most dramatic occurrence had been calling Lazarus forth from his tomb. He did this just after proclaiming “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26) Jesus gave proof to His claim that He was the Resurrection and the Life. He had firmly staked his claim to the eternal realm. (3)

Fast forward 40-50 years to the Island of Patmos, to an old man banished into exile because of his preaching about Jesus. It’s John. While there, God lifted him up in the Spirit and shared with him what was yet to come. He was reminded that JESUS HAD STAKED HIS CLAIM AND HE IS IN CHARGE. “Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.” (Revelation 19:11-16 New Living Translation) Jesus is the Lord of life and death, the only Sovereign King and ruler of all of life. He is Christ the Victor. Jesus has staked His claim and He is in charge. He alone reigns forever – the eternal King of kings and Lord of lords!

An old parable goes like this:

“The donkey (4) awakened, his mind still savoring the afterglow of the most exciting day of his life. Never before had he felt such a rush of pleasure and pride. He walked into town and found a group of people by the well. “I’ll show myself to them,” he thought. But they didn’t notice him. They went on drawing their water and paid him no mind. “Throw your garments down,” he said crossly. “Don’t yyou know who I am?” They just looked at him in amazement. Someone slapped him across the tail and ordered him to move. “Miserable heathens!” he muttered to himself. “I’ll just go to the market where the good people are. They will remember me.” But the same thing happened. No one paid any attention to the donkey as he strutted down the main street in front of the market- place. “The palm branches! Where are the palm branches!” he shouted. “Yesterday, you threw palm branches!” Hurt and confused, the donkey returned home to his mother. “Foolish child,” she said gently. “Don’t you realize that without him, you are just an ordinary donkey?” (5)

Just like the donkey that carried Jesus into Jerusalem, when we lift up Jesus Christ we are no longer ordinary people; then we are key players in God’s plan to redeem the world. The game plan is before us. Let’s get busy!

(1) Picture from LOGOS
(2) Ibid
(3) Ibid
(4) Photo by Andre Iv on Unsplash
(5) Jim Benedict, “Not what we had in mind,” Union Bridge Church of the Brethren website, April 1, 2012. cob-net.org.

Pastoral thoughts

Do the Time: It’s Worth the Climb

The dark valley. (1)

We’ve all been there – and most likely will be again. Perhaps it’s your current dwelling place. We may be in the valley because of the circumstances of life. Things happen, difficult things, that we cannot control. Dark times are a fact of life. Or we may be in the valley because our attitude, our mindset takes and holds us there.

Whichever the case, it’s never fun. And climbing out is hard constant work. Sometimes we feel it’s just simpler to stay there and grin and bear it, thinking “This, too, shall pass.” Yet seldom, if ever, does someone swoop down and pull us out.

But we need not give in to that temptation of simple bearing it. In fact, there is a way of thinking and living that not only lifts us out of the valley but can lessen the number of times we’re in the valley. The prophet Ezekiel paints a stirring picture.

“The passageway of the side chambers widened from story to story; for the structure was supplied with a stairway all around the temple. For this reason the structure became wider from story to story. One ascended from the bottom story to the uppermost story by way of the middle one.” (Ezekiel 41:7 New Revised Standard Version)

There is a way to the uppermost story, to the top floor, to the grand, broader and brighter view. There is an uppermost level that changes everything. Just climb the stairs. Do the hard, constant work of climbing the stairs one at a time. (2)

In other words, do the time – it’s worth the climb.

Charles Spurgeon preached it powerfully. (3)

“We ought not to rest content in the mists of the valley when the summit of Tabor awaits us. How pure are the dews of the hills, how fresh is the mountain air, how rich the fare of the dwellers aloft, whose windows look into the New Jerusalem! Many saints are content to live like men in coal mines, who see not the sun. Tears mar their faces when they might anoint them with celestial oil. Satisfied I am that many a believer pines in a dungeon when he might walk on the palace roof, and view the goodly land and Lebanon…Aspire to a higher, a nobler, a fuller life. Upward to heaven! Nearer to God!”

We climb upward through the constant hard work of filling our minds and hearts with thoughts of the higher broader view. It’s daily, sometimes hourly work. It’s focusing all our sight upward. (4)

You’d think that after 45 years of ministry I’d find it easy. Not! I find it harder than ever. At least when I was preaching every week I studied and soaked in the Word. But without that weekly deadline and pressure, it’s way too easy to become lazy. And I begin to lose that higher broader view. And that impacts everything I do.

So I confess – I am working at it. I know what’s needed. More reading and studying the Word. More times of prayer. More Christian media and music. In other words more time set aside and focused. Easy, right? But that means less TV, less IPad word games, less sports talk radio! Ouch – it hurts to think about it.  But I know that if I do the time – it will be worth the climb.

So two points for your thoughts. One – There will be times beyond our control when we’ll be in the valley. Whether or not we stay there will be up to us. Two – Whether or not we slowly lose the higher broader view and slip into the valley at other times is up to us. These words express it more eloquently and pointed than I can.

Not many of us are living at our best. We linger in the lowlands because we are afraid to climb the mountains. The steepness and ruggedness dismay us, and so we stay in the misty valleys and do not learn the mystery of the hills. We do not know what we lose in our self-indulgence, what glory awaits us if only we had courage for the mountain climb, what blessing we should find if only we would move to the uplands of God. (5)

Will you do the time? It’s worth the climb! I’m certain that’s why Jesus spent so much time apart to be in contact with His (and our) Father. If He needed to, surely we do too.

May the words of Jason Oatman, Jr. be your prayer and song (6):

“I want to scale the utmost height,
And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray, till heaven I’ve found,
Lord, lead me on to higher ground!”

(7)

(1) Valley Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash
(2) Stairs Photo by Maxime Lebrun on Unsplash
(3) As quoted in Streams in the Desert, January 2, Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, © 1965 Cowman Publications, Inc.
(4) Eyes Upward Photo from Lightstock
(5) As quoted in Streams in the Desert, January 2, Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, © 1965 Cowman Publications, Inc.
(6) Higher Ground
(7) Higher Ground-Photo by Eric Froehling on Unsplash

Pastoral thoughts

Slowing Down the Speeder

My wife and I recently spent a lot of time traveling in our car (60+ hours – but who’s keeping track?) It was over the course of 2 weeks and much of it was on the highway. And I smiled as ‘it’ happened again.

We were on a stretch of 5 lane highway. I was in the middle lane doing the 70 mph speed limit. (Well, okay. For transparency’s sake I was doing 75. That’s still within the spirit of the law isn’t it?) Suddenly, over in the far left lane a car went speeding by at – my estimate – 90 + mph. There’s always someone who just has to do it.

As he went by I wasn’t smiling – I just shook my head. But then ‘it’ happened. About 15 yards beyond us he (or she) suddenly slowed down significantly. At the next curve in the road I saw why – about 15 yards ahead of us in our lane was a state trooper. That’s when I smiled.

(By the way, I estimate the trooper was doing about 75 mph!) For the next 15-20 miles the speeder maintained the slower speed. Then the trooper exited and in a moment, ‘in the twinkling of an eye’ to use a Scriptural phrase, the speeder hit the gas and was quickly out of my sight. I smiled again.

I smiled because I’ve seen it before and will see it again. These speed demon drivers base their mph on who’s watching. They’re daring enough to be disobedient but not daring enough to be disobedient when authority is watching. My smile indicates my theory that they are not as daring as they think they are.

Yet speed demons are not the only ones who behave this way, not the only ones who are disobedient when they think authority is not watching. Children are disobedient when parents are not watching. Students are disobedient when the teacher is out of the room. Employers are disobedient when the boss is not around. Adults have affairs as long as they believe no one is watching. I’ve certainly been disobedient when I thought no one was watching (that’s all you’re going to get! That’s where my transparency ends!) And I suspect you have been as well.

It’s sad that often the basis of our actions is who’s watching. It’s a pretty flimsy foundation for life. But you know what? It can be a good foundation if we remember one thing: God is watching – always watching. We need to recover the awareness that God’s people had.

  • “The LORD sees what happens everywhere; he is watching us, whether we do good or evil.” (Proverbs 15:3 Good News Translation)
  • “The Lord… will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:7-8)
  • “Where could I go to escape from you? Where could I get away from your presence? If I went up to heaven, you would be there; if I lay down in the world of the dead, you would be there. If I flew away beyond the east or lived in the farthest place in the west, you would be there to lead me, you would be there to help me. I could ask the darkness to hide me or the light around me to turn into night, but even darkness is not dark for you, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are the same to you.” (Psalm 139:7-12)

This awareness should be the foundation our behavior. It powerfully impacts what we do and don’t do, what we say and don’t say, where we go and don’t go. It’s not that God is a dictator and we must obey Him “or else!” No – He watches us, as the Scriptures above indicate, so He can protect and provide for us. Our disobedience breaks His heart and blocks much of what He wants and waits to do for us. Our obedience, on the other hand, warms His heart and allows the free flow of His grace-filled protection and provision. What a difference it will make in our lives if we, at the time of decision, remember God is watching. It will stop us from doing and speaking some things and prompt us to do and say other things. It will stop us from going to some places and send us to other places.

And by the way, we have a constant reminder in an unusual place. On our money. No, not the “In God we trust’ motto. Check out the back of a dollar bill.

It’s part of the seal of the United States. Notice the eye. It’s called the all seeing eye. And while there are some varying pieces to its history the point of most agreement is that it represents the providence of an all seeing God. The words “ANNUIT CŒPTIS” is one of two mottos on the reverse side of the Great Seal of the United States. Taken from the Latin words annuo, “to nod” or “to approve”, and coeptum, “commencement, undertaking”, it is literally translated, “[providence] favors our undertakings” or “[providence] has favored our undertakings.” So even in our spending God is watching, protecting and providing!

It’s as the psalmist said: “Where could I go to escape from you? Where could I get away from your presence?” The truth is I don’t want to get away from His presence. It’s what keeps me on the right, healthy and blessed path. It will do the same for you.

Pastoral thoughts

Reflections on Bargaining

I am lousy at bargaining (1). In fact, I don’t like to do it. Just give me your best deal up front. So I seldom try to bargain. Except when it comes to God. I have tried bargaining with Him more times than I can recall. I guess that’s why I like the following story.

A little boy wanted a bike for Christmas. On Christmas Eve he hunted around the house and realized that none of the parcels were big enough to contain a bike. Worried that he might not be getting the bike, he got down on his knees and said, “God, I really want a bike for Christmas. I really do. More than anything else I want a bicycle. And God, if you give me a bicycle for Christmas, I promise I’ll be good for a month. For one month, God. I won’t do anything wrong. I will please only you.”

He went to bed and started to think that his bargain with God was not very realistic – after all, a month is a very long time. So he got back on his knees and said, “Okay, God. I’ll tell you what. I will give you a week. I will be good for a whole week if you give me a bicycle for Christmas.” He got back in bed – and started thinking about how his sister and how annoying she was, how she knew just what to say to get him wound him up and make him mad. He realized a week was probably too long also. So he got back on his knees again, and said, “Okay, God. I’ll tell you what. How about a day, okay? You give me a bike tomorrow for Christmas – I’ll be good for a day.”

Then he started thinking about his mother and how he had to keep his room tidy and all the other little things he didn’t do, and how he might fail even in a day. Then it hit him. He remembered a small, formal chapel, right near where he lived. He sneaked out of bed and hurried across the street. He opened the door to the chapel and just on the left was a little stone basin for holding water, and above that was a small statue of Mary.

He took the statue off the pedestal, ran out of the chapel, dashed across the street, sneaked upstairs, and barricaded himself in his bedroom. He put the statue in his wardrobe, closed the door, got down on his knees and prayed, “Okay, Jesus. If you ever want to see your mother again…”

I wonder if it worked? I doubt it. God really isn’t interested in bargains. Yes, He certainly tells us to ask – but never does He tell us to bargain for anything. The Psalmist learned this lesson. “You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.” (Ps. 51:16-17 New Living Translation) The prophet Hosea learned it. “You don’t want sacrifices. If I gave an entirely burned offering, you wouldn’t be pleased. A broken spirit is my sacrifice, God. You won’t despise a heart, God, that is broken and crushed.” (Hosea 6:6-7 Common English Bible). Peter learned it. In response to a man who offered to pay money for the spiritual gifts Peter was exercising, “Peter replied, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought! You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God.” (Acts 8:20-22 New Living Translation)

God isn’t interested in bargains. What God gives He gives freely; it can’t be bargained for. The reality is He does not want what we can offer — He wants us. As for those bargains we do end up trying to make with God? Be careful. Should God decide to agree and keep His end of the bargain, we need to be prepared to keep our end. Far more times than I want to think about I’ve heard someone say or pray  “If God does such-and such” (like heal or grant their desire) “then I’ll…..” (be more faithful at church, give more, etc.). And when God did what they asked they fail to follow through. That’s plain dangerous. The side preacher warned:

“As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few. Too much activity gives you restless dreams; too many words make you a fool. When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him. It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it. Don’t let your mouth make you sin. And don’t defend yourself by telling the Temple messenger that the promise you made was a mistake. That would make God angry, and he might wipe out everything you have achieved. Talk is cheap, like daydreams and other useless activities. Fear God instead.” (Ecclesiastes 5:1-7)

If you like to bargain, do it with gusto. You’ll probably get better deals than I will. And that’s fine. But be careful trying to bargain with God. The following ancient prayer of submission, prayed daily, is a good antidote to the desire to bargain – and it will take you straight to the throne and heart of God.

“I am willing, Lord, to receive what You give, to lack what You withhold, to relinquish what You take, to surrender what You claim, to suffer what You ordain, to do what You command, to wait until You say ‘Go.’” (2)

——
(1) Photo by Phad Pichetbovornkul on Unsplash

(2) From Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymns Stories for Daily Devotions by Kenneth W. Osbeck, August 15 entry

Pastoral thoughts

When Darkness Strikes

It had been quite a project. Our team had been recruited by the Reformed Church in America to engage in a three year process of helping the denomination wrestle with what it means to Reformed and Missional. Members of the team came from every Regional Synod in the RCA, so there were people from the East Coast, the West Coast, and from the Midwest. We enjoyed being together, working together, worshiping together, and praying together. It was a privilege to be a part of it.

The opportunity to relax and celebrate had finally come. So we gathered in a restaurant in Grand Rapids, Michigan to eat, relax, and laugh a little. We had just been seated and handed menus when the lights went out. And this was not a restaurant with a lot of windows – in fact, it was one of those sporty, dimly lit places to begin with. And now, no lights at all! While we could see each other, we could not see the menus. Since the manager wasn’t initially sure about the cause or extent of the outage, he encouraged us to sit tight, order, and when power came back on they’d be ready to serve us. The plan sounded good except we had no lights by which to read the menus.

Then it hit me – I had a little flashlight on my key chain. (Before you ask – this was pretty much pre-cell phone flashlight days.) By it we could, one or two people at a time, see the menu. I had the light all the time – I just didn’t think to turn it on! I realized then that I need to plug into my memory bank, “When the darkness strikes remember to turn on the light.”

To make a longer story shorter, we never did make our orders and eventually received word that the outage affected a fairly wide area of 28th street. In other words, it could be a while. So we decided to head for another location. But, of course, it was dark and making our way from the table to the exit was somewhat of a risk. So without hesitation I took the lead with ‘this little light of mine’ – this time I was going to let it shine! We all made it out safely. “When the darkness strikes remember to turn on the light.”

We have all experienced times of darkness. I wonder how often we’ve brooded, worried, and perhaps even panicked in our lack of sight when all along all we needed to do was turn on the light. Didn’t Jesus say that he was the light of the world? Didn’t Jesus say you and I are the light of the world? Didn’t Jesus say we are not to hide the light under a bushel? “When the darkness strikes remember to turn on the light.”

In the midst of the darkness, a word from Jesus, a reminder of His presence, can brighten the whole scene – at least enough to make our way forward to the exit. The darkness will not last forever: “the light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not (and will not) overcome it.” (John 1:5) So in the meantime, “When the darkness strikes remember to turn on the light.” And let it shine!

Pastoral thoughts

Sailing Through Life – Part 7 – Reflections on Feeling Lost

As we sailed throughout our journey, we were surprised how often we felt at least slightly lost. We had wandered and taken some wrong turns or simply lost track of where were because we were too busy enjoying the scenery and activities. “Where’s our room?” “Which deck is that on?” “Which deck are we on?” “Can we get to the other end of the ship on this deck?” We spent time laughing at ourselves. But we never worried – we knew we weren’t really lost. We were just disoriented.

The important thing was we knew we really couldn’t get lost. There was always lots of help. There were signs and maps posted along the way.

There were also plenty of people to help and staff to assist. As long as we were on board, we could never be truly lost.

It just like the life of those who are baptized. We’re on board with Jesus. We sometimes feel lost; we wander too far, take some wrong turns. We lose track of where we are and where we need to be because  we’re too busy enjoying the scenery and activities of life. Yet we’re never really lost – we just get disoriented. Think about baptism.

At the moment of baptism God makes some very special promises.

“Baptism is the sign and seal of God’s promises to this covenant people. In baptism God promises by grace alone: to forgive our sins; to adopt us into the Body of Christ, the Church; to send the Holy Spirit daily to renew and cleanse us; and to resurrect us to eternal life.” This promise is made visible in the water of baptism. Water cleanses; purifies; refreshes; sustains: Jesus Christ is living water. (1)

In baptism we are getting on board with Jesus for our journey through life.

“Through baptism Christ calls us to new obedience: to love and trust God completely; to forsake the evil of the world; and to live a new and holy life.” (2)

We may become disoriented through our wandering and sinning, but we are and always will be on board.

“Yet, when we fall into sin, we must not despair of God’s mercy, nor continue in sin,
for baptism is the sign and seal of God’s eternal covenant of grace with us.” (3)

Just like on a cruise ship, God provides plenty of help. There are signs and maps – the Word of God. God sends plenty of people to help – family, friends, fellow Christians, mentors, coaches, teachers, friends. God’s staff is always present and available – Pastors, Sunday School teachers, Youth leaders, Christian authors, angels, His Holy Spirit.

 

 

 

 

The reality is, baptism assures us that once we’re on board, we’re never really lost; only disoriented for a while. I’m not sure if King David ever sailed on a ship, but he knew the same reality.

You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
(Ps. 139:2-12)

Once we’re on board, God keeps us on board. Jesus affirmed it when He said, “My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind.” (John 10:27-30 The Message)

The reality is, once we’re on board we’re never really lost; only disoriented for a while. Jesus has us – and He will never let go!

(1) Baptismal Liturgy of the Reformed Church in America
(2) Baptismal Liturgy of the Reformed Church in America
(3) Baptismal Liturgy of the Reformed Church in America