A Day in the ER

      I spent most of the day yesterday in the Emergency Room at St. Joseph’s hospital. Before you feel too concerned for me you should realize that it was in the waiting area for the ER. I was not a patient. Joanne was with her mom, who was the patient. Most of us who have been in ERs know that the wait to be seen, treated, and possibly admitted can feel like forever. I had a small computer with me so I was able to do some work while I waited. That was helpful in passing the time. It is not a way or place in which I would typically like to work, but there are a few lessons I can learn by observing what takes place in an Emergency Room over a few hours.

First… we live in a world where so many people are hurting, but we don’t always take the time to see the needs. The maladies are different, but the fear, anxiousness, discomfort, and uncertainties people have share some common threads. Whether they are ragged or refined, everyone comes in with hope that something can be done for them. You can see the trouble in their eyes or on their faces or in their body language. People who accompany the hurting look like they feel helpless and weak, though they want their loved one/friend to feel better. Hurting people are looking for a place to go for answers to their pain and hope for their healing.

Secondly, people feel out of place in the ER (except the workers/employees). They feel like strangers. They seem unsure of what to say or where to go. They get asked a lot of questions by people they don’t know  and they wonder how long they will have to wait. For some it will be a long time. Sometimes others (who even came in after they did) seem to get priority. The needs of some are greater and more immediate than others. The waiting can be hard on some people, especially if they have “things to do” or “places to go”. Most of them want to be someplace else, but know they need to be there.

Third, the people offering help (the employees) seem to genuinely care about those who come in, but they also are very busy. They do their job efficiently, but much of their work is not face-to-face care with the hurting. In time, everyone is “seen” and the first question they are asked by the PA is, “What’s going on?” or “What brought you in today?” People can’t always articulate clearly what the problem is. For others, the problem is obvious. For the most part, those who are there every day doing their jobs show respect and courtesy for all who come in. They are trained to (at least outwardly) show no bias or favoritism. Their training helps them to meet the needs of people “on edge”.

Lastly, from what I observed most people come for treatment and then leave (the same day). A few are admitted for ongoing hospital observation and care. Either way, those who come in are looking for a reason to have hope. They are looking for help. I think, too, they are looking for someone to relate to them in a loving way, because they need assurance that everything will be okay.

This day in the ER has me thinking about some parallels between it and the Church. What are the similarities and differences when a person comes into our church? What if you read this email again, as if it were the church I was describing? It might be an interesting and enlightening exercise. I will leave it to you to ponder the question and to prayerfully seek God’s guidance and will for our ministry to others.

Luke 19:10 (NIV) ¹⁰  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.

Luke 5:31-32 (NIV) 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."

Matthew 9:35-36 (NIV) ³⁵  Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. ³⁶  When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

PRAYER:  Father God, may our church be a spiritual hospital of your love, where people can find healing for their souls be meeting the Great Physician. May they find hope in Christ! And may they find in me, as part of my church, a spirit of grace and one who truly cares for them. May I be a person of compassion like Jesus.  In His name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Scott

My Rock

      Warm sunshine in January is a good thing. While snowmobilers and skiers might take exception, a warm-up day and a bright sun shining can do a great deal to lift spirits, raise hopes, and bring joy. One can only take so much cold, snow, ice, and rain… for so long… before his heart begins to get a little heavy. I honestly don’t know how people in Alaska do it. Joanne and I have noticed the clear change in people on bright days in the summertime after a few cloudy/rainy ones. We see it on the carriage paths or on the streets as we walk or ride. People are just different. They are smiling. They are more talkative and responsive to greetings. It’s an amazing transformation. But it is too bad that our disposition is so impacted and influenced by external conditions.

A relationship with Christ has made a tremendous difference in my life, because He is Lord over even my moods and my emotional ups and downs. The externals (weather, amount of light, etc.) seek to have an impact on me, but Christ is greater than those things. I am not some pinball being bounced around a variety of emotional swings caused by outward circumstances beyond my control. Whatever my situation, and wherever I may be, Jesus Christ is Lord. Since He is my source of joy – not the externals – I have victory in Him. They cannot defeat me or destroy me. They are (and will be) always passing away. I like the Scriptures that speak of God being my “rock”. We all know that God is not literally a rock. But He is like one – to and for us. There is an immovability to His nature. There is a certainty that He does not change. There is a strength that He has for every need and every situation. There is protection for the one in His shadow… for one who is “moored” to Him... for the one rests on Him.

Many Bible people had emotional ups and downs in their lives. Ultimately, only one truth mattered to them. Only one thing could help them. No matter what was happening, God was sovereign and trustworthy. In Him they were safe. He would not let them go, and they could not experience anything – including any and all of life’s hardships – without His enduring and assisting presence. All they need do was trust. Simple trusting is the key for peace in our hearts and minds on a daily basis. God is strong. I am not. May the Lord lead us to rely on Him more and more, and may we never doubt that joy will come “in the morning”.

Deuteronomy 33:27 (NIV) ²⁷  The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemy before you, saying, 'Destroy him!'

Psalm 18:2 (NIV) ²  The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 30:4-5 (NIV) ⁴  Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name. ⁵  For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

Psalm 62:6-7 (NIV) ⁶  He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. ⁷  My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Isaiah 26:3-4 (NIV) ³  You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. ⁴  Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.

Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV) ²⁴  "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

PRAYER:  Father, I cling to you… I trust you… in the midst of each day’s ups and downs. Deliver me from bondage to my feelings. Keep me from trusting in them. Keep me from being pushed around and controlled by them. Instead I will rest in you and rely on you and you alone. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Scott

The Last Time

      A week ago I was thinking about it being the last day of the year. There’s a sense of finality every December 31. Something is ending. The world goes a little crazy every year as the last seconds are counted down. New Year’s Eve has never been much of a big deal in my life. Often I have not stayed up for the “countdown” and just gone to bed. New Year’s Eve always seemed to me to be just a convenient reason for people to get wasted and forget their troubles for a few hours. I guess you could say, “I don’t get it!”

On that same day I finished our “Through the Bible in 2013” reading plan. Part of me felt like saying, “There, that’s done!” And it did feel good to complete it. But do you think I am “done” reading the Bible? I think you know better, because the next day God’s Word had something new for me. While systematic reading through all or part of the Scriptures is a good thing, complete mastery in understanding, obedience, application, and wisdom never comes fully this side of eternity. I will never be “done” reading the Word.

Each of us is steadily moving toward what is often thought of as the last day of our lives. But it won’t be. Our last breath will usher us into eternity. We enter eternity in one of two states: having faith in Christ, or not having faith in Christ. John wrote that “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:12). To “not have life” does not mean to cease to exist. The last day of existence does not come for the one who rejects Jesus Christ. As I read the last chapters of Revelation as the days of 2013 came to an end, I was reminded that the lake of fire (the second death) is eternal (Rev. 20:10). While it is reserved for the devil and his angels, it is also the destination for all whose names are not written in the Lamb’s (Jesus) Book of Life (Rev 20:15) at the final judgment. At that time every “final resting place” will give up their dead (without exception). All who have ever lived will stand before God on His great white throne.

For the person who “has the Son” (whose trust is in Christ alone) this presents no fear because, as Paul writes in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…” The confidence of standing before God wearing the righteousness of Christ is a great cause for assurance in our hearts. We will not be condemned because Christ has cleansed us of our sin by taking it on Himself and by giving us His own righteousness. It is for this reason that we also need not fear that last day of our earthly life – whenever it may come – or the last judgment. Jesus is a great Savior. What a privilege we have to know Him and to be among those God has chosen for faith and for salvation. How humbling that is, and how encouraging that is to share with others whom God will also call to believe on Christ.

I used to sing a song by Mark Heard in church when I was younger called “The Last Time”. The lyrics remind me that we are always living out the things we do in life for potentially the last time. For me this was both a comforting and challenging thought. Each breath… each prayer… each meal… each day of work… each song… each heartbeat… each year is one closer to being with Jesus in eternity. The thought of this could make a person fret, but not the one who knows Christ and looks forward to His appearing: the one who knows the “last” of anything is not ours to determine, but is in His hands (His will). May the Lord give you peace about these things because you are in Christ. And if you are not in Christ, may the Lord rescue you out of such a hopeless and helpless place so that you may be able to place your hope in Him.

If you’d like to listen to the song, this link can get you to it: https://myspace.com/johnmarkheard/music/song/the-last-time-88298428-98007323

Isaiah 53:4-6 (NIV) ⁴  Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. ⁵  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. ⁶  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) ²¹  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

PRAYER:  Father, in this new year I rejoice that you have by grace, imputed to me the righteousness of Your Son. Not because of who I am, and not for anything I have done, but for your glory and according to your lovingkindness and mercy. For this I praise you. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Scott

This Is the Day

      Deep breath… the last ones are on their way!

That’s how it felt yesterday morning when our daughter Brianne and her new husband Joshua pulled out and headed for home in New Hampshire. A weekend full of freezing rain coincided with their wedding, so I was quite concerned about guests and family members getting home by car or by plane. Joanne’s sister left with Brianne and Joshua because her flight from Bar Harbor (Trenton) had just been cancelled for the fourth time. Her own kids were coming home to New Jersey for Christmas, so – while she loves us – she was very eager to get out of here. Thankfully, Brianne and Joshua were able to deliver her to Boston and she got a flight last night and finally got home. If you have ever been in the middle of travel woes caused by inclement weather, you can identify with some of the emotions and concerns.

I wonder what it was like for Joseph and Mary. It must not have been easy to travel to Bethlehem from Nazareth in Galilee, especially as Mary was nearing the delivery of her first child. My imagination has them muttering to one another… “Stupid Caesar and his registration…!” Mary was such a godly young woman, though. She had said to the angel… “I am the Lord's servant… May it be to me as you have said.” (Luke 1:38). She was saying (my paraphrase) to the angel… “I’m ready for whatever God has in store for me… I am willing to receive whatever the Lord has planned.” What an example she is to us.

A relative of mine was “complaining” recently on Facebook about having to clear the car of snow. I felt like commenting, “Stop your whining and be thankful.” I didn’t, but I did post this: “Psalm 118:24”. Amidst all the inconveniences that life throws our way, Psalm 118:24 stands like a fortress for our hearts. It says, “We will…”. I will deliberately choose and intentionally see my day in a certain way. I do not have to live my life as if God is not there. He is there… and that will impact my attitudes and my choices… toward weather, inconveniences, people, things I can control, and things I can do nothing about. In all that, my attitude may be subject to God.

May we follow Mary’s example and be ready and willing to receive from the Lord’s hand what He has for each day, because we know He Himself will be with us. And let’s be praying for those without power from the storm… especially as the temperature drops… and let’s pray for the workers out restoring it. AMEN.

Psalm 118:24 (NIV) ²⁴  This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

PRAYER:  Father, I will rejoice today, for today is a gift from you. Whatever may happen this day, I am counting on the fact that each day you give yourself through your Spirit. Thank you for the gift of your presence. Take away any complaining spirit that abides in me and lead me to rejoice and be glad in you. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Scott

Let It Snow, Let Snow

     The weather is always a good reminder to me that I am not in control and that everything does not always go according to my plan. A few inches of snow can shut down the plans of many, and many inches of snow can bring a community – even a whole region – to a virtual halt. If you’re living on a tight schedule with much to do and important events to attend, watch out! A few (or a lot of) flakes of snow can grind your agenda to a sudden halt, and you are “helpless” to do anything about it, except wait. Airport terminals overloaded with travelers know these things. Drivers grounded in motels and homes know this. Cities trying to remove the white stuff are full of inconvenienced commuters and shoppers. I guess we all know what enough snow is capable of doing.

But how do I respond? If you live in Maine long enough you realize that, for the most part, you slow down and go with the flow. You “respect” the conditions enough to not act foolishly and you do not proceed as if nothing were happening. You anticipate delays, and you expect your schedule will have to change, and you figure that some things just can’t be. If you cannot do these things, then Maine is probably not the place to be living. Control freaks don’t do well in snowstorms, and the bigger one you are, the more likely you are to end up crying or screaming.

It is good to have reminders that we are not in control… that life does not revolve around us. There are things that are “bigger” than we are. The most important application of this is that we remember that God is in control. I live in a “Christ-centered” universe, not a “Scott-centered” universe. I need to listen and focus on the sovereignty of God in all things, and be prepared to adjust myself to Him, rather than expecting Him to adjust to me. This is where I go wrong in prayer so often. I expect God to accommodate my “wishes” in prayer. I think, “He should do what I want Him to do,” rather than, “I should do what He wants me to do.” What a good thing to remember when praying: I live in a Christ-centered universe. Just that one truth will impact how I pray.

Perhaps each time it snows this winter we can be reminded of that truth, and we can live and pray in a mental and even physical posture of submission and surrender and acceptance toward the Lord of this universe.

Proverbs 27:1 (NIV) ¹  Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

Matthew 6:7-15 (NIV) ⁷  And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ⁹  "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, ¹⁰  your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. ¹¹  Give us today our daily bread. ¹²  Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ¹³  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' ¹⁴  For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

PRAYER:  Father, You know all things, and you do all things well. Remind me – even through the inconveniences of my life – that you are in control… that you are sovereign. Thank you for inviting me to come to you in prayer about all things. Help me to listen and receive, and not just dictate a wishlist to you every time I pray. I love you and thank you for your grace. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Scott

Whatever It Takes

     How is joy possible in the midst of trials? We’ve been thinking about this in our Bible study in James on Thursday nights. God’s Word is full of surprises like this one. When James tells us to count the presence of trials in our lives as joy, you initially want to ask, “Why does God always ask us to do such hard things?” – because such a response to hardship seems so difficult. Trials come in all shapes and sizes. We used a ski trail analogy this past week (green circle is easy/beginner, blue square is more difficult/moderate, and black diamond is very difficult/”expert”) to think about our own trials. Do you have any “black diamond” trials going on in your life right now? James says to you, “Count it all joy.” He does not say “Enjoy them.” He doesn’t say that trials are a joy. Nor does he teach a “Don’t worry, be happy!” message.

Basically, James communicates to us that, in God’s hands, trials will produce something that will ultimately be good. Every trial we undergo (light and heavy) is a test of our faith. It is a make it or break it opportunity (with regard to faith). But God’s plan for testing our faith is intended to bring about perseverance and, beyond that, maturity, or Christlikeness. Becoming like Jesus is the real source of joy. So, when we say we want to be like Jesus, part of that is welcoming trials. Would you ever pray a prayer that went like this: “Lord, do whatever it takes in my life to make me like Jesus. Amen!”? That is a great prayer. But it’s a challenging prayer. Certainly we want to be like Christ, yet we must remember that Jesus told his disciples it would be a rough road for any who would follow after Him. But being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and looking forward to being with Him in eternity is greater than anything we face in this life.

When you think about all that Christ underwent on the cross – the physical pain, but most of all the spiritual weight of bearing the Father’s punishment for our sin – it’s hard to imagine the possibility of Him finding any joy in that. But for Christ the hardship was not the joy. It was the result of the hardship that was His joy. I think that is a model for us, for James is teaching that it works the same way in us. There’s an old Gospel hymn by Esther Rusthoi I used to sing when I was younger, with the words, “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 till we see Christ.”

While trials are never easy, I cannot imagine life – with its trials – without Christ. As hard as it can be to make sense of heartaches, tears, separations, disappointments, and pain as a Christian looking forward to eternity, how desperately sad it is to think of people trying to make sense of trials and trying to get through them without the kind of hope we have in Jesus! No wonder people turn to so many harmful things and distractions to escape or to “medicate” their pain. But Jesus bore our pain on the cross – as bad as it may be. As difficult as the trials are – Jesus not only understands, but He intercedes. He carries us through and helps us to persevere, if we trust Him. Christ has overcome the world – including all the trials a person might ever face. And the end result He has in mind for us (completeness in Him) is worth reckoning the trials for joy.

Hebrews 12:2-3 (NIV) ²  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

John 16:33 (NIV) ³³  "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

2 Timothy 3:10-12 (NIV) ¹⁰  You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, ¹¹  persecutions, sufferings--what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. ¹²  In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

PRAYER:  Lord, do whatever it takes in my life to make me like Christ. May your grace be sufficient for every trial I face. May my faith grow strong through the trials. Let me share in the joy of Christ, and may my vision see through to the end you have in store for me. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Scott

Wrestling With a Monster

     I totally missed it and I survived. I did not enter a single store on Black Friday and lived to tell about it. Black Friday has become an industry in and of itself. It reaches out to grab every possible person it can. It has backed itself up into Thursday – Thanksgiving Day – to increase its piece of the action of people’s lives and pocketbooks. Every store and business – clamoring to get our attention with “an offer you can’t refuse” – appeals to our culture’s materialism. There is this delicate balance between businesses trying to stay alive and people trying to get the best deal they can on things they typically want, but do not necessarily need.

I’m not a very good person to criticize the whole thing. The monster of materialism lurks within me as well. If I “have it”, I will often be tempted to spend it. This year – with college, wedding, and medical bills pressing in – I didn’t “have it”, so ignoring Black Friday (and “Small Business Saturday” and “Cyber-Monday”) was pretty easy to do. I felt bad for the people who lost their jobs because they wouldn’t open stores or businesses on Thanksgiving Day. Some took a stand and suffered for it. More evidence of our culture’s ongoing and growing romance with materialism. So many people’s jobs… their livelihood – depends on people’s greed at Christmas time. Isn’t that ironic? Christmas season spending makes or breaks companies every year. People “need” other people to spend (even wastefully and carelessly) at Christmas in order to be able to pay their bills and provide for their families. It seems like one of those “necessary” evils.

Nowhere is it written in any law or made a requirement for life that I participate. This season is always a valuable time for me to wrestle through the difference between needs and wants. And it’s not just a wrestling match in my conscience. It’s a wrestling match in prayer. “Lord, how do You want me to respond? Give me eyes to clearly see the difference between my needs and my wants. Give me strength to choose wisely. Help me to be a good steward, because all that I gain comes to me from Your hand. It’s Your money that I am spending – or being tempted to spend. I ask for wisdom and care, and I want a hand that is open to others and generous. Keep me from being sucked in by the monster of materialism. Remind me that You – and You always will – meet my needs. Help me to learn contentment and give You thanks. Deliver me from everything in this season that is part of the monster, and let me enjoy You and all You have done for me through Your Son. Lead me to glorify You and not become focused on my wants and help me to be a humble example to my family and to others. You have been so good to me, and I bless Your name…”

Your prayer may be different than mine, but if you ever do wrestle in any way with the monster of materialism – inwardly or with the pressure outwardly from the world – I encourage you to take that “wrestling match” to the Lord in prayer. Tell Him your weak spots. Seek His forgiveness for spiritual failings. Seek to love Him more and to have your affections redirected by His grace. Without prayer, the monster usually wins. But if we go to the Lord, it cannot stand in His presence and it cannot withstand His power.

1 Timothy 6:6-8 (NIV) ⁶  But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

Philippians 4:11-13 (NIV) ¹¹  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹²  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³  I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Proverbs 15:16 (NIV) ¹⁶  Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.

Hebrews 13:5 (NIV) ⁵  Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

PRAYER:  Lord, thank you that you give us our daily bread. Teach me to want you, and to be satisfied with you and with your will for me. Teach me to be a wise steward of all that you provide for me. Keep me from loving it and wanting it more than I love or want you. Temptation is real. I need you. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!

Scott