Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday. I had never heard of such things until recent years. They just keep growing. First there was Black Friday. Growing up, it was never called that. It was the day after Thanksgiving. A big shopping day. I remember when we delivered the Herald & Review in Decatur, IL, the newspaper for Thanksgiving was HUGE! I mean really big. There were so many sale ads. We had to stuff the papers to get them ready for delivery. There was no Internet, no online shopping, none of those things. It wasn't even called Black Friday. I don't know when it became Black Friday. I guess someone decided it was a good thing and it stuck. Not sure why it is "black" but that is what it is.
Then came Cyber Monday. Why? Because folks started shopping online. Sitting at home on the comfy couch, you could spend your money. You could get what you wanted without facing the crowds. Stores began to run special sales on Monday after Black Friday. So it became "cyber" Monday. Shop, shop, shop! Spend, spend, spend. The more you shop, the more you save, every day at Shop and Save. Wait, that was a store ad. Guess it really plays into Cyber Monday. Save big money by spending big money. I guess it makes sense.
The came Giving Tuesday. What is it? The chance to help not-for-profits. After spending all your money, maybe you will feel a little guilty about focusing so much on the self, on the material, that you just might want to quell the conscience. Give to some organization that could use your financial help. So now, the email is filled with Giving Tuesday requests. Give to this one. Give to that one. I would suggest LWML if you are looking for somewhere to give on Giving Tuesday. Or perhaps your local church. Think about how much that would help here at St. Paul's if you were to support the local congregation in the work it does. Makes me think, maybe St. Paul's should get into Giving Tuesday next year, send out the emails, mailings, and all in order to gain your dollars.
Then I thought, is that really good stewardship? Who cares? As long as you get the money. As long as you meet the budget, who cares about stewardship? The Lord does. I do. And you should. Christian stewardship is not seen in guilt giving. It isn't taking part in Giving Tuesday. It is regular use of the resources that the Lord has given you. It is continuing to use your financial resources in a way that gives glory to your Lord and helps your fellow man. In reality, if members of congregations would be faithful in their giving to the local congregations, if they were tithe in a faithful manner, most congregations would not have any financial problems. Churches wouldn't have to beg for money to meet the bills. They wouldn't have to do fundraisers in order to make ends meet. That is poor stewardship. Terrible stewardship. It betrays either poor giving stewardship on the part of the members and/or poor stewardship use of the financial resources of the leaders of the congregation. Yes, it goes both ways. Members have poor giving habits. Leaders have poor spending habits. It is terrible stewardship for a church to spend more than it could ever support. Ask for more money, to spend more. It might be that the reason it is spending so much is that it feels like it is doing the right thing. But perhaps each congregation should take a hard look at what it is doing and ask, "Is this really what we need to be doing?" It is hard because it might mean giving up a sacred cow.
How did I get there? I don't know. That is what rambling does. It takes you places that you weren't expecting. Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday and faithful Christian stewardship. All tied together somehow. I will let you wrestle with it. I know that I do. I wrestle with it regularly even without realizing that is what I am doing. Lord, give me guidance. Give each of us guidance and wisdom these days.
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Give Thanks
"Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Jesus asked. (Luke 17:17) This will be the Gospel reading in many Lutheran churches this week as they have the Thanksgiving Eve/Day services. The lepers crying out to Jesus to be healed, then, as they follow Jesus' command, leave to go show themselves to the priests. As they went they were cleansed. The Samaritan returned to Jesus and gave thanks to Him for the healing. The point is made that we need to return to to the Lord and give Him thanks for the many blessings He has given to us.
That is heavy law. Truly it is. It is not telling folks that they should focus on the wonder of the Gospel and give thanks for the healing, the forgiveness, the love of Christ. It is saying, "Get yourself back to church and thank God for the blessings. Do it now! Or you are ungrateful!" Now there is truth in this. We should be giving thanks to God for the blessings He has given to us. But we do that out of joy and not out of obligation. To do it out of obligation is to begin to place our thankfulness under the Law, making it a necessary action in order to show that we truly thank God.
I often wonder about the other 9. Did they not give thanks? Did they go to the priest and not once utter a word of thanks to God for the healing? I know what Jesus is saying. He is showing the importance of giving thanks, and we should give thanks. But the other 9 were only doing what they were told. "Go and show yourselves to the priests," Jesus said to them. And they did. That was what they were doing. When they went and saw that they were cleansed, did their steps pick up? I doubt they drug their feet heading for the priest. They were cleansed! The leprosy was gone. Amazing! I often think that as they went, they were praising God for this healing. They lifted up their voices in songs of praise. They went to the priests and told them, "Jesus healed us!" When they spoke to their families, they told them what Jesus had done. And together they worshiped and praised God.
When you come to Thanksgiving worship this year, don't do it out of obligation, because you are told that you must return otherwise you are like the 9 lepers who did not appreciate what Jesus did for them. Instead, go to worship because you are healed! Because Jesus has healed you of the leprosy of sin. Because you know that without Jesus, there would be no blessings in your life. Because your heart is filled to overflowing for the many blessings of life.
Then don't stop there. Continue to thank God. I know that I thank God daily for the blessings He has given me: Penny, Rachael, Brandon, Matthew and Chelsey, Shirley and my brothers and their families, Penny's sisters and their families, my birth family, their children and grandchildren, my church family at Troy, as well as the families of Harvel, Ferrin and Altamont, my extended family in the LWML, more people than I can count. I give thanks for the blessings of faith and love, hope and peace that are given me despite the sins that I do and the unthankfulness that might reside in my heart. The forgiveness of sins! The wonderful, peace giving, life fulfilling forgiveness that is truly a gift of His grace. So much more. Luther would begin to list out even more things to give thanks for, and that would only touch the surface of that for which I give thanks.
I give thanks with a grateful heart, not because I am told to, but because I want to. I look at my Lord, fall to my knees before Him and thank Him for His love, for all that He has done and continues to do for me in my life. What a great God, an awesome God, a loving God, a wonderful God He is.
Yes, thank You God. I am one of those 9 who follow Your command and praise You as I continue on my daily way. I am that 1 who returns to You and thanks You. I see myself in both because both are folks who are healed, blessed and made clean.
So when I have eaten and had my fill, and I sit back in my chair and look around the table at the family, and the carnage of a meal well eaten, I will give thanks to God.
Yes, God is good. All the time!
That is heavy law. Truly it is. It is not telling folks that they should focus on the wonder of the Gospel and give thanks for the healing, the forgiveness, the love of Christ. It is saying, "Get yourself back to church and thank God for the blessings. Do it now! Or you are ungrateful!" Now there is truth in this. We should be giving thanks to God for the blessings He has given to us. But we do that out of joy and not out of obligation. To do it out of obligation is to begin to place our thankfulness under the Law, making it a necessary action in order to show that we truly thank God.
I often wonder about the other 9. Did they not give thanks? Did they go to the priest and not once utter a word of thanks to God for the healing? I know what Jesus is saying. He is showing the importance of giving thanks, and we should give thanks. But the other 9 were only doing what they were told. "Go and show yourselves to the priests," Jesus said to them. And they did. That was what they were doing. When they went and saw that they were cleansed, did their steps pick up? I doubt they drug their feet heading for the priest. They were cleansed! The leprosy was gone. Amazing! I often think that as they went, they were praising God for this healing. They lifted up their voices in songs of praise. They went to the priests and told them, "Jesus healed us!" When they spoke to their families, they told them what Jesus had done. And together they worshiped and praised God.
When you come to Thanksgiving worship this year, don't do it out of obligation, because you are told that you must return otherwise you are like the 9 lepers who did not appreciate what Jesus did for them. Instead, go to worship because you are healed! Because Jesus has healed you of the leprosy of sin. Because you know that without Jesus, there would be no blessings in your life. Because your heart is filled to overflowing for the many blessings of life.
Then don't stop there. Continue to thank God. I know that I thank God daily for the blessings He has given me: Penny, Rachael, Brandon, Matthew and Chelsey, Shirley and my brothers and their families, Penny's sisters and their families, my birth family, their children and grandchildren, my church family at Troy, as well as the families of Harvel, Ferrin and Altamont, my extended family in the LWML, more people than I can count. I give thanks for the blessings of faith and love, hope and peace that are given me despite the sins that I do and the unthankfulness that might reside in my heart. The forgiveness of sins! The wonderful, peace giving, life fulfilling forgiveness that is truly a gift of His grace. So much more. Luther would begin to list out even more things to give thanks for, and that would only touch the surface of that for which I give thanks.
I give thanks with a grateful heart, not because I am told to, but because I want to. I look at my Lord, fall to my knees before Him and thank Him for His love, for all that He has done and continues to do for me in my life. What a great God, an awesome God, a loving God, a wonderful God He is.
Yes, thank You God. I am one of those 9 who follow Your command and praise You as I continue on my daily way. I am that 1 who returns to You and thanks You. I see myself in both because both are folks who are healed, blessed and made clean.
So when I have eaten and had my fill, and I sit back in my chair and look around the table at the family, and the carnage of a meal well eaten, I will give thanks to God.
Yes, God is good. All the time!
Monday, November 12, 2018
Thank you veterans, a mite challenge and snow - random ramblings.
Veteran's Day was yesterday, Sunday, Nov. 11th. I want to thank each veteran who served our country in both peace time and war time. They have given of themselves. They have served with distinction. I thank God for each one. You, as a veteran, may not have received the recognition that you deserve, but know that you are greatly appreciated. I give thanks to God that there are men and women who are willing to serve in the armed forces in some way. I want to give a special shout out to Christian Engelbrecht as he took the oath yesterday (what a day to take the oath!) to become part of the Ohio National Guard. Very proud of him to take this step. God bless all our veterans.
This last week I attended the various meetings of the LWML in St. Louis, MO. Convention Planning Committee (CPC), Executive Committee (EC) and Assembly of Leaders (AOL). Each one had a special focus and work to accomplish. I give thanks that I have been able to serve the Lord as junior pastoral counselor of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League. What a blessing this has been for me and how it has pushed me to grow in faith and service to the Lord.
Pastor Bob Mundahl, senior pastoral counselor, has challenged me to lose 20 pounds by the time we have the Board of Directors (BOD) meeting in later January. I accepted that challenge. Now comes the hard part, to accomplish it. 2 months, 10 pounds a month, during the holiday season. Am I crazy? Penny bakes so many wonderful Christmas cookies. How will I lose weight when I have a wife who bakes such great things? It will take discipline and hard work to accomplish this feat. Oh yes, we have committed ourselves to giving $10 a pound that we lose - to the mites of the LWML.
Here is a challenge for you. Would you join in supporting the mission of the LWML at this time. How about you commit yourself to giving a certain amount over and above your regular mite offering, a certain amount per pound that I lose. $1 a pound, $5 a pound, whatever you are able to do. This in not a requirement but something that you might want to do. I will also put this challenge out on Facebook, to see if we can raise more for the mites of the National LWML so that we can reach our mite goal of this biennium.
We wait to see if it will snow today. I hope it does. Penny and I love snow. We like to see it coming down, to see the landscape turn white. If only we could have it snow just on the grass and trees and avoid the roads, wouldn't that be grand? And wouldn't it be even better if it could snow when it was around 50 degrees rather than under 32? Is that too much to ask? Well, maybe it is too much to ask. I guess we must accept the laws of nature that the Lord has put into place.
Whatever - let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
This last week I attended the various meetings of the LWML in St. Louis, MO. Convention Planning Committee (CPC), Executive Committee (EC) and Assembly of Leaders (AOL). Each one had a special focus and work to accomplish. I give thanks that I have been able to serve the Lord as junior pastoral counselor of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League. What a blessing this has been for me and how it has pushed me to grow in faith and service to the Lord.
Pastor Bob Mundahl, senior pastoral counselor, has challenged me to lose 20 pounds by the time we have the Board of Directors (BOD) meeting in later January. I accepted that challenge. Now comes the hard part, to accomplish it. 2 months, 10 pounds a month, during the holiday season. Am I crazy? Penny bakes so many wonderful Christmas cookies. How will I lose weight when I have a wife who bakes such great things? It will take discipline and hard work to accomplish this feat. Oh yes, we have committed ourselves to giving $10 a pound that we lose - to the mites of the LWML.
Here is a challenge for you. Would you join in supporting the mission of the LWML at this time. How about you commit yourself to giving a certain amount over and above your regular mite offering, a certain amount per pound that I lose. $1 a pound, $5 a pound, whatever you are able to do. This in not a requirement but something that you might want to do. I will also put this challenge out on Facebook, to see if we can raise more for the mites of the National LWML so that we can reach our mite goal of this biennium.
We wait to see if it will snow today. I hope it does. Penny and I love snow. We like to see it coming down, to see the landscape turn white. If only we could have it snow just on the grass and trees and avoid the roads, wouldn't that be grand? And wouldn't it be even better if it could snow when it was around 50 degrees rather than under 32? Is that too much to ask? Well, maybe it is too much to ask. I guess we must accept the laws of nature that the Lord has put into place.
Whatever - let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
Thursday, November 1, 2018
For all the saints...
All Saints' Day. November 1st is the day when we remember those dearly departed who have entered into their eternal rest. It is a day that has really disappeared from the thoughts of folks, Christian folks. The focus is on Halloween, All Saints' Eve, Hallowed Eve.
I find that to be amazing. Why? We, Christians, have lost the focus of that which is to come for us - life eternal in heaven with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For that is what All Saints' Day reminds us of - the fact that as we remain in faith, believing in Jesus as our Savior, we will go to heaven for eternity. This world, this world in which we live and breath and work, is but a temporary place. When our Lord Jesus comes on the Last Day, this world, this universe, will cease to exit. There will be a new heaven and a new earth, whatever that truly means. I know, we have ideas about what it means, as theologians, we come up with our best explanation, using Scripture to give us parts of what it means, but in the end, all we know is that the current earth will be no more and there will be a new life, a new place, which will be perfect, holy, just as our Lord Jesus Christ is holy. Now, before we get into a discussion of what Jesus means when He talks about heaven, eternity, let's agree that we know it is coming, it is perfect but in the end, we really can't understand it.
Stop for a moment and think about that loved one who has passed away, either recently or in the years gone by. Who is it? What was their relationship with you? What was their relationship with the Lord? That last question becomes the important one. What was their relationship with the Lord? Strong faith? Weak faith? A faith that held to Christ in the midst of pain and suffering? A faith that was there when needed but was struggling through the mundane days of life? It doesn't matter. Was there faith? Did they believe in Jesus as their Savior?
Faith of a child - that is all it takes. The faith that says, "Yes, I believe in Jesus Christ as my only Savior." That is what it is about, not how much faith, how strong faith. But a faith in Christ. Period. Actions that follow the faith are wonderful. But they don't save. Remember yesterday, Reformation day? Justification by grace through faith? The hallmark of Scripture? Salvation is a gift to those who believe. It is not earned by how much you do. Grace. Period. Did he/she believe? Yes, then they are saved. They have eternal life.
They are one of those that we sing, "For all the saints, who from their labors rest..." They are one of those in the white robes before the throne that John sees in Revelation 7. All praise to God for the salvation He gives through His Son.
All Saints' Day is a day of the proclamation of God's grace and mercy. It is a day in which we say, "Thanks be to God that He saved that person." That person, your loved one, your friend, did not save themselves. They did not get themselves into heaven by being faithful or by doing the right thing. They were saved by grace through faith. All Saints' Day reminds us that God saves. That He gives eternal life. That He is the One who takes sinners and makes them saints, gives them life eternal.
I think of my loved ones who died in faith. I rejoice for them. For they have received the crown of eternal life. One day, through Christ, I too will enter into heaven. One day, this heart will stop, this life on earth will cease, and I will begin life eternal with my Savior. Until then, I confess that Jesus is my Lord. And I thank Him for saving those who have gone before me.
A blessed and happy All Saints' Day.
I find that to be amazing. Why? We, Christians, have lost the focus of that which is to come for us - life eternal in heaven with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For that is what All Saints' Day reminds us of - the fact that as we remain in faith, believing in Jesus as our Savior, we will go to heaven for eternity. This world, this world in which we live and breath and work, is but a temporary place. When our Lord Jesus comes on the Last Day, this world, this universe, will cease to exit. There will be a new heaven and a new earth, whatever that truly means. I know, we have ideas about what it means, as theologians, we come up with our best explanation, using Scripture to give us parts of what it means, but in the end, all we know is that the current earth will be no more and there will be a new life, a new place, which will be perfect, holy, just as our Lord Jesus Christ is holy. Now, before we get into a discussion of what Jesus means when He talks about heaven, eternity, let's agree that we know it is coming, it is perfect but in the end, we really can't understand it.
Stop for a moment and think about that loved one who has passed away, either recently or in the years gone by. Who is it? What was their relationship with you? What was their relationship with the Lord? That last question becomes the important one. What was their relationship with the Lord? Strong faith? Weak faith? A faith that held to Christ in the midst of pain and suffering? A faith that was there when needed but was struggling through the mundane days of life? It doesn't matter. Was there faith? Did they believe in Jesus as their Savior?
Faith of a child - that is all it takes. The faith that says, "Yes, I believe in Jesus Christ as my only Savior." That is what it is about, not how much faith, how strong faith. But a faith in Christ. Period. Actions that follow the faith are wonderful. But they don't save. Remember yesterday, Reformation day? Justification by grace through faith? The hallmark of Scripture? Salvation is a gift to those who believe. It is not earned by how much you do. Grace. Period. Did he/she believe? Yes, then they are saved. They have eternal life.
They are one of those that we sing, "For all the saints, who from their labors rest..." They are one of those in the white robes before the throne that John sees in Revelation 7. All praise to God for the salvation He gives through His Son.
All Saints' Day is a day of the proclamation of God's grace and mercy. It is a day in which we say, "Thanks be to God that He saved that person." That person, your loved one, your friend, did not save themselves. They did not get themselves into heaven by being faithful or by doing the right thing. They were saved by grace through faith. All Saints' Day reminds us that God saves. That He gives eternal life. That He is the One who takes sinners and makes them saints, gives them life eternal.
I think of my loved ones who died in faith. I rejoice for them. For they have received the crown of eternal life. One day, through Christ, I too will enter into heaven. One day, this heart will stop, this life on earth will cease, and I will begin life eternal with my Savior. Until then, I confess that Jesus is my Lord. And I thank Him for saving those who have gone before me.
A blessed and happy All Saints' Day.
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Halloween? Reformation Day? Which is it?
Happy Halloween. Blessed Reformation Day. Which is it? Which do you "celebrate"? Which do you participate in?
That is a challenging question for one who is a church leader. Can I dress up and enjoy the trick-or-treating? Or do I have to withdraw from it and remember the way Martin Luther saved the church from the evils of works and the Roman Church?
There are those who would say, "No, you cannot celebrate Halloween. It is a pagan festival honoring the devil. Avoid it!" They would be correct at one thing, if you are celebrating Halloween to honor the devil, then it should be avoided. As a child of God, I will not do anything to honor the one who brings death and destruction to the goodness of the creation of God.
But they are wrong. The children going out trick-or-treating could care less about honoring the devil. Putting on a costume does not mean I am paying homage to the devil. It means that I am participating in an activity that brings smiles to faces and candy to children (and their parents). Perhaps it is a holiday which is meant to give more business to the dentists. Maybe they are the bad ones in this whole thing. No, I guess not. We can't get upset with dentists because we give candy to children who will then have tooth decay. Be sure to brush when you are done with the candy.
I have no problem with Halloween. I know that there are brothers and sisters in Christ who do have. I will respect that. At the same time, I will also ask that they respect those of us who will dress as ghosts and goblins, zombies and supermen, Spiderman and Wonder Woman. Me, I love to see the kids. I love to see the teens dressed up and going around. Are they too old? Of course not. If they want to enjoy the day, why should we stop them? It is better than going out and destroying property on this night. Come to my table at Light the Night. No age limit. I will give candy to young and old. Just let me enjoy your costume and bring a smile to my face.
Can we celebrate Reformation day? Why yes we can. It is the day when the Lord began to bring the Church back to the teachings of the Bible, the sole source for doctrine and practice in His Church. So today I will talk about Luther in chapel. I have been teaching the 7/8 grade day school kids about Luther and the Reformation. I taught the 5/6 grade day school class about the Reformation yesterday.
But if we allow our remembrance of the Reformation to elevate Luther to the place of "savior" of the church, then we are just as wrong as those who "honor" the devil on Halloween. Luther is not the savior of the church. He was merely a tool that God used to bring His Word back into the forefront of the Church and its teachings. We do not worship Luther. That would be wrong. That is wrong. At times the very ones that demand that we do not celebrate Halloween will turn around and elevate Luther to the point where it seems as those we are worshiping him rather than God. Wrong! Can't do that. I would rather not mention Luther at all than worship him. He is a mere man. God is still the God of the Church. Jesus is still the only Savior. Period.
So what will I do? I will enjoy this day. I will remember what God did through Luther. I will celebrate the wonder of God and His Word and the power He has to change lives and give salvation. I will dress up as something and enjoy giving candy out to children who pass by my table tonight at Light the Night.
I have no problem with either. Both can be a part of this day. When the day is over, I will still thank God for the day. It is all about our Lord and His presence in this created world. I will worship Him alone. Not Satan. Not Luther. Only Jesus Christ.
Happy Halloween. Blessed Reformation Day. What kind of candy do you have?
That is a challenging question for one who is a church leader. Can I dress up and enjoy the trick-or-treating? Or do I have to withdraw from it and remember the way Martin Luther saved the church from the evils of works and the Roman Church?
There are those who would say, "No, you cannot celebrate Halloween. It is a pagan festival honoring the devil. Avoid it!" They would be correct at one thing, if you are celebrating Halloween to honor the devil, then it should be avoided. As a child of God, I will not do anything to honor the one who brings death and destruction to the goodness of the creation of God.
But they are wrong. The children going out trick-or-treating could care less about honoring the devil. Putting on a costume does not mean I am paying homage to the devil. It means that I am participating in an activity that brings smiles to faces and candy to children (and their parents). Perhaps it is a holiday which is meant to give more business to the dentists. Maybe they are the bad ones in this whole thing. No, I guess not. We can't get upset with dentists because we give candy to children who will then have tooth decay. Be sure to brush when you are done with the candy.
I have no problem with Halloween. I know that there are brothers and sisters in Christ who do have. I will respect that. At the same time, I will also ask that they respect those of us who will dress as ghosts and goblins, zombies and supermen, Spiderman and Wonder Woman. Me, I love to see the kids. I love to see the teens dressed up and going around. Are they too old? Of course not. If they want to enjoy the day, why should we stop them? It is better than going out and destroying property on this night. Come to my table at Light the Night. No age limit. I will give candy to young and old. Just let me enjoy your costume and bring a smile to my face.
Can we celebrate Reformation day? Why yes we can. It is the day when the Lord began to bring the Church back to the teachings of the Bible, the sole source for doctrine and practice in His Church. So today I will talk about Luther in chapel. I have been teaching the 7/8 grade day school kids about Luther and the Reformation. I taught the 5/6 grade day school class about the Reformation yesterday.
But if we allow our remembrance of the Reformation to elevate Luther to the place of "savior" of the church, then we are just as wrong as those who "honor" the devil on Halloween. Luther is not the savior of the church. He was merely a tool that God used to bring His Word back into the forefront of the Church and its teachings. We do not worship Luther. That would be wrong. That is wrong. At times the very ones that demand that we do not celebrate Halloween will turn around and elevate Luther to the point where it seems as those we are worshiping him rather than God. Wrong! Can't do that. I would rather not mention Luther at all than worship him. He is a mere man. God is still the God of the Church. Jesus is still the only Savior. Period.
So what will I do? I will enjoy this day. I will remember what God did through Luther. I will celebrate the wonder of God and His Word and the power He has to change lives and give salvation. I will dress up as something and enjoy giving candy out to children who pass by my table tonight at Light the Night.
I have no problem with either. Both can be a part of this day. When the day is over, I will still thank God for the day. It is all about our Lord and His presence in this created world. I will worship Him alone. Not Satan. Not Luther. Only Jesus Christ.
Happy Halloween. Blessed Reformation Day. What kind of candy do you have?
Thursday, October 18, 2018
Watching the Clock
Watching the clock. The minutes ticking by. Slowly. The hours, they don't seem to make any movement. There goes one hour, but it must have taken more than 60 minutes to pass. It seemed more like 120 minutes. Or more. Why is time going so slowly? Why can't time speed up?
Watching the clock. It comes to us at many times. Late at night, while we wait for morning. Eyes open when they should be closed. Waiting. Watching. Wondering when the long hours of the night will be over. Yesterday was a mess. Today will be a start to a new day. Maybe it will be better. Yesterday was a good day. I don't look forward to today because... Watching the clock.
Sitting at the desk. Watching the clock. When will this shift be over? Can it go much slower? Sitting in the classroom. Listening to the teacher drone on and on. Why does that second seem to have stopped? Am I in an episode of the Twilight Zone? Has time stopped? Will it ever start up again?
You have been there. I have been there. Often the situation is difficult. Something is going on. Pain. Physical pain. Mental pain. Spiritual pain. It doesn't matter. It is still pain. And pain seems to make the clock stop moving. We long for the night to be over because there is the hope that in the daylight there will be relief. Maybe. We hope. We pray.
Watching the clock. And while we watch, the Lord watches over us. We might forget that. It might slip away from us because of what we are facing but it is true. The Lord is there. Holding us in His hand. He is there to comfort us, assure us, help us, lead us through whatever it is that is making the clock stop. "I will not leave, nor forsake you," the Lord promises. "I will be with you always," He says to you.
When you are in that situation, turn away from the clock. Look to the Word, the Savior, the One who is there for you. Trust that He will continue to lead you, to help you. The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, knows what you need. He is praying for you even as you don't know what to say. He is taking You to the very throne of the Almighty, the One who made you.
Know this. God is with you, even in those ticking minutes. He is still holding you. Will the pain leave? Will health return? Will sleep come? Will the shift be over? Those I cannot answer. Will God be with me? That I can answer with a resounding "YES!" That is not my word. It is His promise.
And God has never broken a promise.
Watching the clock. It comes to us at many times. Late at night, while we wait for morning. Eyes open when they should be closed. Waiting. Watching. Wondering when the long hours of the night will be over. Yesterday was a mess. Today will be a start to a new day. Maybe it will be better. Yesterday was a good day. I don't look forward to today because... Watching the clock.
Sitting at the desk. Watching the clock. When will this shift be over? Can it go much slower? Sitting in the classroom. Listening to the teacher drone on and on. Why does that second seem to have stopped? Am I in an episode of the Twilight Zone? Has time stopped? Will it ever start up again?
You have been there. I have been there. Often the situation is difficult. Something is going on. Pain. Physical pain. Mental pain. Spiritual pain. It doesn't matter. It is still pain. And pain seems to make the clock stop moving. We long for the night to be over because there is the hope that in the daylight there will be relief. Maybe. We hope. We pray.
Watching the clock. And while we watch, the Lord watches over us. We might forget that. It might slip away from us because of what we are facing but it is true. The Lord is there. Holding us in His hand. He is there to comfort us, assure us, help us, lead us through whatever it is that is making the clock stop. "I will not leave, nor forsake you," the Lord promises. "I will be with you always," He says to you.
When you are in that situation, turn away from the clock. Look to the Word, the Savior, the One who is there for you. Trust that He will continue to lead you, to help you. The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, knows what you need. He is praying for you even as you don't know what to say. He is taking You to the very throne of the Almighty, the One who made you.
Know this. God is with you, even in those ticking minutes. He is still holding you. Will the pain leave? Will health return? Will sleep come? Will the shift be over? Those I cannot answer. Will God be with me? That I can answer with a resounding "YES!" That is not my word. It is His promise.
And God has never broken a promise.
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
The Great Need
What are you feeling? How are you feeling? Anxious? Afraid? Blessed? Excited? Bored? Upset? Weak? Strong? Happy? Sad? How are YOU feeling?
We ask that often. "How is it going?" It is a way to say hello. It isn't an invitation to actually say how you are doing. The person asking often doesn't have the time to hear your answer. So we respond with the bland, "Good." "OK." "Fine." or something similar. We don't really say how we are doing. We hold that in. We let it stay inside of us.
Perhaps that is why folks are willing to talk with their pastor. They hope that he has time to talk to them. No, that isn't true. They hope that he has time to listen to them, to let them open up, to pour out their heart, their joys, their fears, their feelings.
As a pastor, I listen. I don't always have the right words to say. Many times, it isn't about having the right words to say. It is about being that caring heart that actually listens to what they have to say. As a pastor, the one thing that I know is that the Lord has called me to be that one that the needy, the hurting, the weak, the ill, the sin-sick, the emotionally drained can come to and talk to. To know that there is one who is willing to listen.
Then to bring one thing forward, the love of Christ, the message that while the world around them is too busy, too unwilling to listen, to filled with anxiety and pain in itself, there is one who will listen. Who will bring the word of the Healer to them. That word is the message of the love of Christ, that touches the heart and life in many different ways.
The pastor listens. He cares. He wants to be the one that represents the Rock, the Healer, the Savior, the Lover, the Teacher, the One who cares in every situation. The speaks only when he can bring Christ into the conversation. He lets the hurting pour herself/himself out. He is there for that person, for that moment, no other moment matters because that person at that time needs Christ and he is Christ's representative for that person.
Take a moment and say a prayer - for the person who is hurting, upset, anxious, fearful. Then thank Jesus for His love. And when you are ready to say "Amen," stop and say, "Thank You for the one who listened to me in my pain."
Your pastor is there for you. I am there for you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)