Rest

            The other night I was watching one of the World Series baseball games. Much was made before the game as to whether the Red Sox pitcher – Clay Buchholz – would actually be able to pitch. Buchholz, who already was pushed back to Sunday (to pitch) because of concerns about stiffness in his problematic right shoulder, said Saturday he’s “not 100 percent” and sounded as if he would be grateful to complete five innings. Commentators were wondering why the Red Sox manager should even let him play.

            Many great pitchers never make it to a major league game in their lives. Their arms just can’t do it. Many who do make it don’t have long careers for the same reason: their arm is injured or just gives out, losing its strength. The repetitive motion and the physical stress are so great that they can do serious damage over time. Pitchers make a regular practice of icing their arms after every outing. I remember seeing Sandy Koufax with his arm immersed in a large container of water which was full of ice. His elbow was then wrapped in ice for hours. Things like this are routinely done for big league pitchers. It’s amazing that some of them last as long as they do.

            On Saturday my left arm began to get weak after a relatively short while when I was helping Tony Gott move to a new home. It felt very strange because that usually doesn’t happen to me. Several people were there helping, and one of the last things we moved was the heaviest thing of the day. I was struggling more than I wanted to in that left arm. It just “went out” on me. So others had to do more to make up the difference.

            When a muscle is stressed and overused it can only maintain strength for so long. More than anything else it needs rest. Isn’t it the same with the Body of Christ? There are times when certain members have worked so hard for so long that they become weary and weak. When that happens, they need rest. Without it they will get burned out or possibly even broken. This is why every member of the Body is needed. Overuse is dangerous. Let us not be idle while our brothers and sisters work so hard that their strength fails. Let us not be observers only when there is work to be done. Rather, let each of us do his part in those things Christ wants to do in our church and community. An arm works great, but it can’t do it all alone.

            And let us remember to be careful to rest – physically, mentally, and spiritually – in our service to the Lord. It will last longer and be more effective. Certainly our God gives strength to the weak, and He is able to do in us many things which we cannot do on our own. Yet His Word also calls us to rest and it calls for each member to do his part

1 Corinthians 12:12,27 – “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ… Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is part of it.”

Ephesians 4:12 – “… to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…”

PRAYER:  Lord, thank you for strength. And thank you for rest. Give me wisdom to know when I need to rest. And give me more strength for everything I need to do to serve you faithfully. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Scott

Keeping in Step

            Have you ever marched to “Pomp and Circumstance” during your life? Whenever I go to an MDI High School graduation, hear the band, and watch (most of) the students stepping in time – or trying to – my memory goes back to 1974 when I graduated from Edward Little High School in Auburn. Miss Gervais, one of our French teachers, played the organ in the large auditorium as about 400 students marched. She must have been doing it for about a hundred years by the time I graduated. I wonder if she got tired of the playing, since the class was so large. I remember counting it out as we marched: left foot step, right foot stop, right foot step, left foot stop… over and over again while hoping I wouldn’t trip and make a fool of myself.

            This stepping pattern has also been used in weddings I’ve observed and a number I have officiated. I always leave the decision as to whether or not the bride and her attendants will do it… to her. They can usually handle it just fine, but the dads are sometimes a different story. Some can’t be bothered. Some are afraid of messing up. And some manage quite well. I hope I’ll be in this last category when Brianne gets married. I don’t want to do anything silly that draws attention to myself. However, I’m quite certain that Brianne will be so beautiful that it will be very difficult to distract people from her.

            I was never in the military, so I never learned to march properly. But it’s impressive to watch a well-trained unit or drill team going through its paces. The precision is remarkable. The same is true of marching bands and drum corps. Members of these groups have to be able to keep in step with each other, and the best ones do so with apparent perfection.

            The Apostle Paul uses this idea with regard to our life in the Holy Spirit. He says that those who belong to Christ are to “keep in step” with the Spirit. In other words, we are follow the pattern for living that He establishes. Our walk should be “in rhythm” with Him rather than being distracted by the rhythms of the world around us. What He does, we should do. Where He guides, we should go. When He commands, we should obey immediately. Any member of a drill team or a military platoon cannot just “do his own thing”, can he? The whole point is being one in movement, sound, and rhythm. It is to avoid calling attention to yourself but being one with others in whatever cadence the leader directs. The Holy Spirit is our leader in helping us to follow Christ. He sets the beat and we are called to be “in sync” with Him.

Some illustrations of this principle you might want to view can be found at the following links: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1UZpsdxDN0  (metronomes); http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p0DsVPkyZg  (Japanese synchronized walking – men) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jINuX_Hort8   (Japanese synchronized walking - women)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xteDjaNKY0  (United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon)

Galatians 5:22-26 (NIV) ²²  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. ²⁵  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶  Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Job 23:11 (NIV) ¹¹  My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside.

Job 31:4 (NIV) ⁴  Does he not see my ways and count my every step?

Psalm 17:5 (NIV) ⁵  My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not slipped.

Psalm 37:23 (KJV) ²³  The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

Colossians 2:6 (NASB) ⁶  Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

PRAYER:  Father, as your Spirit sets the pace for me to follow with my brothers and sisters in Christ, help me to listen to Him and to stay true to the steps He has for us. Help to remember that it’s not about me and drawing attention to myself, but rather it’s about Jesus and drawing attention to Him. May He be fully on view in me. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Scott

Owner's Manual

      Joanne likes to get out and rake this time of year. Raking leaves has never been one of my favorite things to do. We had a huge lawn where I grew up, and all leaf removal was by manpower only. My dad didn’t buy machines to help and he could not afford heavy equipment to manage the leaves. He did, however, have six kids who were a pretty good workforce. Seasons came and seasons went. Somehow the job got done.

      This summer I decided to “get out of raking”. I bought a Toro Power Vac leaf blower and vacuum. I haven’t tried it out yet, but I am hoping it will be a better, quicker, and easier way to deal with the many maple leaves that fill our yard each year. Yesterday I took it out of the box. While it was tempting to start putting the attachments together and give it a try, I held off. The machine might look ready, but I wasn’t. Having a machine in front of me doesn’t mean I know what to do with it. I hadn’t read the owner’s manual. I like to read the owner’s manual when I buy something. I feel safer and more competent when I read the owner’s manual. I feel like I have a better chance of NOT breaking something (man or machine) if I’ve read the owner’s manual.

       Owner’s manuals are useful, even critical items. When they are ignored, bad things can happen. Users who ignore owner’s manuals do so to their own peril. You could even say they are foolish. The foolishness of pride is a sad and destructive thing. While it may not always be a big deal with some products or projects in our lives, it is always a big deal with regard to the spiritual life. And for that there is the most important owner’s manual - the Bible. By God’s grace we are “users” of His manual, which never leads astray. It always guides us to know and do God’s will. It shows us what choices we should make and what paths we should take. We can trust that following the Bible will always result in success (God’s version) in whatever “job” or task we face. The Bible is God’s manual for our lives. We ignore it at our peril. We use it for life. Taking it for granted results in harm. Taking it seriously results in hope and a godly health. God’s Word shows the way. It explains the what, where, why, and how of knowing God. Are you living today according to the Owner’s Manual? If not, what are you risking? What dangers are you facing? I encourage you to open God’s Word today and seek Him.

Psalm 19:7-11 (NIV) ⁷  The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. ⁸  The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. ⁹  The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. ¹⁰  They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. ¹¹  By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Psalm 119:9-11 (NIV) ⁹  How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. ¹⁰  I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. ¹¹  I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) ¹⁵  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV) ¹⁶  All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷  so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Psalm 119:105 (NIV) ¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

Romans 15:4 (NIV) ⁴  For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

PRAYER:  Father, Your Word is life. Lead me away from trusting in any other word than Yours. Transform me by Your Word. Guide me. I desire to know Your Word and to let it shape my life. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

 Jesus Christ is Lord!

Scott

What to Do When You're Fed Up

     As annoyed, frustrated, angry, irritated, infuriated, exasperated, aggravated, upset, bothered, maddened, dissatisfied, irate, vexed, peeved, incensed, riled up, disappointed, dismayed, distressed, troubled, saddened, disturbed, perturbed, uptight, displeased, disgruntled, discontented, unhappy, fed up, disenchanted, perplexed, depressed, disheartened, distraught, and impatient as people may get about politics, the current situation in Washington puts all those ingredients in a pot and turns the burner on high. As politicians play a high stakes game of chicken to see who blinks first, people all over the country are hurting. People we know are hurting. People all over the political spectrum are affected. To date my personal life hasn’t been too overly impacted, but I feel “it” coming. There’s a sense of… “If things don’t improve… if communication doesn’t open up… if a willingness to serve rather than have power doesn’t prevail… if people in leadership aren’t willing to work together for a common good… then something bad is going to happen. Hopefully it won’t come to that uncertain trouble, whatever “it” could be. In the meantime my future son-in-law has been furloughed, so my daughter is naturally apprehensive about that. People I serve in this church are furloughed and are anxious about their jobs. The tendrils of impact are diverse and long in our families, community, and our church.

      Into all this comes the Word of God, calling me to pray for those in authority. On the one hand, I think they need it so much that it should be a “no-brainer” for me to lift them up to the Lord. On the other hand, I have feelings like they don’t deserve my prayers. Do you see the way pride creeps in on me? Who am I to say someone doesn’t “deserve” prayer? It’s quite void of grace, isn’t it? But God doesn’t limit my prayers like I am inclined to do – wanting to pray for only those I agree with or those who are doing things “right”.

      Our God is the Lord of history. He is not some watchmaker who wound the world up, let it go and then stepped back only to observe and ever be “uninvolved”. God is sovereign over the nations. He uses the affairs of men for His purposes and ultimately for His glory. He may be trusted by those who serve and worship Him. We know that nothing can happen apart from His will, and he makes “all things work together for good” for those who love Him.

So let’s pray… and let’s look for ways to do good and help people in their time of need.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV) ¹  I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- ²  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³  This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴  who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Proverbs 21:1 (NIV) ¹  The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.

Titus 3:1-3 (NIV) ¹  Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, ²  to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men. ³  At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

1 Peter 2:12-17 (NIV) ¹²  Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. ¹³  Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, ¹⁴  or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. ¹⁵  For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. ¹⁶  Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. ¹⁷  Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

Romans 8:28 (NIV) ²⁸  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

PRAYER:  Father, please give wisdom, grace, good judgment, a sound mind, a servant attitude, a cooperative spirit, a willingness to work together, freedom from power’s hold, and humility to our President and to every Senator and Representative. May your will be done in them and through them and may every purpose of yours prevail. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Scott

Sexual Brokenness

            A few days ago Joanne brought a few bottles down to our cellar to put in our recycling. A few seconds later I heard this loud crash and the sound of shattering glass. Before she said anything I grabbed the broom and dustpan and headed downstairs. It’s not hard to sweep up the pieces, but it would have been virtually impossible to put them together again (just like Humpty Dumpty, I guess).

            Do you know that feeling you get when something breaks? The more important it is to you, the worse it feels. You experience the “if onlys” of wishing you had been more careful or that you had done something differently so as to avoid the “accident”. Cracks, rips, dents, or whatever breaks in some way leave us disappointed and, sometimes even depressed.

            In my sermon Sunday I ended up speaking for a few minutes on the brokenness of our sexuality. I’ve thought about this a lot, especially since various issues around homosexuality have come so much to the forefront in our culture. It is “easy” for the Church to become overly focused on the moral and biblical aspects of homosexuality – to the exclusion of a great many other matters regarding human sexuality. As a church we do not endorse the idea of any sexual expression or activity outside of marriage because marriage is the only setting that the Bible affirms sex as pleasing to God. It is His creation and design. But it can be so easy for us (for Christians) to zero in on one thing while placing a low emphasis on others. This is why I said on Sunday – and think that we should always remember – that every human being is broken sexually. It is an inevitable consequence of the Fall in our world.

            Sexual brokenness takes so many forms. It includes the abused and their abusers. It encompasses those who are tempted with just a look in just a moment at someone immodestly dressed, as well as those who are not married engaging in sexual activity (from teenagers to seniors). Even husbands and wives can experience sexual brokenness in their marriage when they differ about the place or role of sex in their relationship. So many people use or withhold sex in a manipulative, controlling way. Our culture and its media and entertainment are incredibly over-saturated with sexual themes, images, and encouragements to “do whatever you want to do” with no restraint. The problems of prostitution and sexual slavery around the world are growing so that law enforcement can’t adequately deal with them. Pornography is one of, if not the largest moneymakers on the internet. Sexual brokenness includes the thought life as well as actual activity. And, because we were born in sin, we all have experienced some form of this brokenness. And the Bible includes homosexuality in this brokenness as well. But it is not a special category in the sense that it is outside the reach of God’s grace any more than any form of sexual brokenness is. Why? Because God is the healer of sexual brokenness in whatever form it takes, just as He is with sin of all kinds that “break” people.

            God’s grace reaches all people whom He saves who are broken by sin. Not all are saved, but I will certainly not be the first in line to tell God whom He can and cannot save. Jesus came to die for people who are broken by sin, and I will not establish any category of person whom God’s power and love cannot touch and redeem.

            I raise this subject because Jesus came to seek and to save what was lost. Therefore, that’s what I want to do. He has invited us to partner with Him in carrying out His mission. Often I think how much easier it was for Jesus to do this than it is for me. My knowledge of people is limited. My love for people is less than His. My desire to be with people who are broken is not even close to His. Yet His mission was to call the sick, not the healthy. Oh how desperately we need the Spirit’s help to see people with Christ’s eyes and to love them as He does. It’s not easy for broken people, like us, to be like Christ. But we are now so much more than “broken” people. Christ has saved us, forgiven us, given us His Spirit, taken up residence in our lives, given us authority against the enemy and his servants, and given us victory over sin. Our brokenness no longer defines us. Christ has given us a new heart and a renewed mind. We live on the side of the cross that changes lives. So we have much to offer those who are broken. Let us do so with grace, forbearance, gentleness, humility, and love.

Luke 5:30-32 (NIV) ³⁰  But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" ³¹  Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ³²  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

Luke 19:9-10 (NIV) ⁹  Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Ezekiel 36:25-27 (NIV) ²⁵  I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. ²⁶  I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷  And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

PRAYER:  Father, thank you that Your Son does not just “put me back together again” from my brokenness. He has given me a new heart and a new spirit through the cross. I live in that newness of life. What Jesus has made me and what He has done for me is what defines who I am. By your Spirit do a continuing work of straining the ideas and ways of my old life out of me. Thank you for who I am in Christ. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Scott