Join the Parade

 

With nicer weather, we are entering into Parade season. Don’t you love hearing the marching bands? First the drums, then the tubas, with the full music swelling as it approaches. But before you know it, this band fades into the next one in line.

This is also the season of flowers. Have you noticed the pictures at worship? We’ve tried to show a weekly progression of the blossoms around the church. Every springtime is like a parade of flowers! First the crocus and the daffodils, then tulips. The blooming trees burst out, each in their turn. As one fades, another marches down the street blaring out its beauty. Lilacs are just beginning, peonies are on the way, and a host of others just beginning to push their way out of the ground. How easy it is to see the hand of God behind it all, in beauty revealing His love to the world. Spring would be pretty if the only flower were tulips, and the only color red. But don’t you appreciate God’s exuberance?

You might say that the Bible is like a parade also. We read about one character after another who was faithful in serving God in their day. Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Sampson, David… none of them perfect, but all of them making a contribution. In the New Testament we read about Peter and John and Paul continuing the march. Jesus, the Grand Marshal, came in the middle.

You could read church history and see that the parade has continued on over the centuries. Again, easy to see God’s hand guiding, His word inspiring, His Holy Spirit empowering. God has a purpose and a design for this world.

I like to read and remember our own church history, the pastors who have served here, the members who helped shape who we are today. Like Loretta McCombs teaching the Busy Bee class for over 50 years! Even though she has been gone for several years now, her service to Christ is still affecting lives. I love hearing the stories of our first VBS, or pouring the concrete for the basement walls all in one day.  It’s amazing how God has planned it so one generation flows into another and the music keeps playing.

Does it make you wonder what a future generation will remember about us? We are part of the parade! We didn’t start it; we didn’t even choose the music. We’re just trying to follow the Director.

Wait… if we are in the parade, then who is watching it? Our children, of course. They want to know if it is worth it to jump in line. Will our lives inspire them to take music lessons so they can play in God’s marching band? Those who have made wrong decisions, living apart from Christ, whose lives are in turmoil, are also watching to see if there might be hope for them.

I think there are more – the Saints who have gone before, who have already finished the course, are watching to see how we will continue. Not with a critical eye to point out our sour notes, but cheering us on and celebrating that the song goes on.

And ultimately God is our audience. He’s the one who really matters. He is the one who designed the parade in the first place. It’s His mind that planned the route. His hand wrote the music and set the tempo.

       Keep on Marching!

  

            Blessings!       

Heroes - part 2

            Moses had the right stuff – the stuff heroes are made of. When Pharoah gave orders to throw all Hebrew babies into the Nile, Moses had the good luck of being in the right place at the right time. All heroes start with a large dose of good luck – even Superman did not invent his superpowers, he had the good luck to be born with them. But a true hero does need to nurture and develop and hone his or her abilities. No amount of work will ever make me as good a basketball player as Michael Jordan; yet it certainly required a lot of work on his part to develop his natural abilities.

            Moses had the Mo. He was a rising star in Egypt. He had the connections, the training, the resources. He was a mover and shaker. When he wanted something, he made it happen. So naturally, when he began to think of his Hebrew heritage, he thought he could do something to make life better for his people. Who else was in a position to help?

            Ever notice in a ball game how easy it is for momentum to change? A team is down 20 points just minutes before the half, then intercepts a pass for a touchdown, then on the kickoff recovers a fumble and scores again. They are still down 6 points, but the momentum has shifted. Moses suddenly found himself running into the wilderness, a price on his head. Going from prince to pauper, all his hero dreams were dashed. He was trying to do something great for God, but failed.

            What Christian doesn’t want to do something great for God? Isn’t that why we signed up for camp? We use our skills, our training, our networks to recruit counselors and staff. We plan out what we are going to do when. We’ve got the Mo working our way! Then someone calls to cancel. Monkey wrenches get tossed into the gears, and everything comes screeching to a halt. Bills come due, and we wonder where the $$$ is going to come from.

            It must’ve been depressing out in the wilderness for someone like Moses, raised on hero dreams. Out there he had no fancy clothes to impress. No one cared what books he had read, or poets he had known. His social network was gone… replaced with a family of shepherds. Moses, the man who thought he had the right stuff to fix any problem, discovered he had very little.

            He must’ve learned the lesson well, because when God called from the burning bush 40 years later, Moses had no desire to respond. When God said “Go to Egypt and set my people free” Moses declined because he was a nobody. When God said “I will be with you, now go” Moses replied “I don’t even know your name… how can I claim to represent you?” When God said “I am who I am – the God of your fathers – I will reveal myself to you” Moses answered “I have no authority, no power; why should anyone listen to me?” When God said “What is in your hand, Moses? Throw it down,” and turned the stick into a snake, promising Moses the power of miracles, Moses came back with “but I can’t speak – I’m out of practice, and not eloquent.” When God promised to give him the words, Moses begged God to just send someone else. Anyone could do a better job – he had already tried and failed. He thought he was hero material, but it didn’t work out. Moses saw himself as better suited to be a shepherd. He was too scared to try again.

            As it turns out, that is just the kind of attitude that God was looking for. The world is full of hot-shots thinking they can fix the problems. And often they can, but they create 3 or 4 others in the process. They step on toes and break hearts and disappoint the people who love them most. God does not need our talents and abilities, as if we had something to offer Him that no one else could… He is the one who created our talents and abilities in the first place. “Humble yourself beneath the mighty hand of God, and in due time He will exalt you.” “If anyone would be great among you, he must become least of all.” “The first will be last, and the last will be first.” Get the point? God wants His power and His love to shine through us, not our talents and abilities.

            When we try our best to do something for God, we are surprised when God does not seem impressed. God should be grateful that we have given so much… far more than those other “lukewarm Christians.” Why does He let these great plans fizzle? We worked so hard for Him…

            Give God your nothingness. Remember Paul in Philippians 3:1-11, “Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ….”

            If God wanted glorious service, He would’ve sent the angels.

            God wants the fellowship of working together with us and through us. His power is not something we can wield or control; but when we humbly submit to Him, He can wield us as a weapon to tear down strongholds. God wielded Moses to the destruction of the false systems of Egypt. God chooses the foolish things of this world to same the wise; God chooses the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1Cor 1:27).

            May God use our weak efforts, but submitted hearts, to accomplish His purpose at Solid Rock Camp 2009.

Hungry? Come and Dine

Do This, Remembering Me

     Some parts of our Christian Faith are so simple and easy to understand.  God’s power and wisdom in creation, for instance.  Our human sinfulness and need of a Savior is pretty evident in our own lives, and is reinforced every day in the news.  The love of God, especially in sending Jesus Christ, is harder to accept than it is to understand.

 But when Jesus gathered around the table with the disciples for their last supper together, I realize my mind is not big enough to comprehend.  1 Corinthians 11 tells us “The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

 Could it actually be His body and blood? He was still “wearing” it at the time.  My rational mind says Jesus was using the bread and the cup as a symbol pointing to the meaning of His death on the cross.  But here is the mystery:  when I approach communion in faith and reverence God touches me!  It is different than popping a peppermint life saver in my mouth and thinking holy thoughts.  I can’t explain it.  I experience it.

 God uses many ways to communicate with us.  The Bible, music, a preacher, a book, even a rainbow.  And a sacrament.  Jesus Christ says “Do this, remembering me.” 

 At our church, our Palm Sunday worship will include Communion on April 5.  And on Thursday, April 9, we will have a Maundy Thursday service to remember the Last Supper.  Come with faith, with expectation, and with reverence; open your heart and your mind for the Lord to touch you.

 

He did it just for you

Abraham

Abraham has always been one of my heroes. Perhaps it started because I wanted to be rich like him. But Abraham viewed his riches as simply possessions, nothing to compare with his relationship with God.

I’ve been thinking lately about what Abraham actually did. Not that much, really. He didn’t slay any dragons. He was in one battle, and won it, but God doesn’t share any of the details. Really, all he did was to get up and put one foot in front of the other in response to God’s leading. When he started out, he didn’t even know where God was taking him. But he trusted that God had his best interest in mind.

The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you. Genesis 12:1-3

If you knew that God was planning to bless you, where would you be willing to go? What would you be willing to try? Hey, that’s a good line to use for potential counselors, isn’t it? God has our best interest in mind. He proved it in sending His Son!

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32 

Abraham got up, put one foot in front of the other. Though it was certainly a giant step of faith, it was no great achievement. God did the work. God provided the blessing. God built the nation. Abraham and Sarah couldn’t even have a baby by natural means or by their own power. But they could walk by faith.

That’s what I love about doing camp. That’s why I haven’t missed a summer in 25 years. We just show up, and watch what God does. Yes, we do a lot of planning and preparing; it is important to know what games are we going to play and who is going to sleep in what cabin. Things will go a lot better if we care for the details. But it is God who does the work. He is the one who pours out the blessing.

The marvelous thing about God – when we are faithful in following Him, not only do we receive blessings, so do the peoples around us. His blessings spill over. God’s intention is to bless as many as will receive it. He never blesses one at the expense of another. His blessings never come with unintended consequences or negative side effects. In His awesome wisdom God works for the good of all, all at the same time.

Abraham was already “blessed” before he ever got up to follow. He had large flocks, a crew of servants, a thriving business. He could’ve been content with what he had already. We have a pretty good life here in America. We could easily be content with the good things that we already have. Abraham believed that God had more in mind. Let’s not forget that God has more in mind for us. Eternal Life! Sins forgiven! Relationship with Him! A huge family of faith! Purpose for living! Perfect peace!

Another marvelous thing about walking with Him – we are most blessed when we most pass on the blessing. God will “fill my cup” with blessing when I need, but when I start passing it on, it’s like getting a garden hose full of blessing – a never ending supply!

I pray for camp this summer, that I will get to be part of God’s garden hose, sharing His blessings with the kids who come.

May God bless you in your thinking and planning and praying.

Yours,

Steve G

 

 

Carry a nail for Lent

A pastor had a little kitten stuck up in a tree, and the kitty would not come down. The tree was not sturdy enough to climb so the pastor decided that if he tied a rope to his car and drove until the tree bent down, he could then reach up and get the kitten. But as he moved just a little too far, the rope broke. The tree snapped upright and the kitten instantly sailed through the air and out of sight.

He felt just terrible and walked all over the neighborhood asking people if they had seen a little kitten. Nobody had and finally he prayed, "Lord, I commit this kitten to Your keeping," and then went about his business.

A few days later he was at the grocery store and met one of his church members. In her shopping cart he was amazed to see cat food. Now this woman was a cat hater and everyone knew it, so he asked her why she was buying cat food when she hated cats so much.

She replied, "You won't believe this but I have been refusing to buy my little girl a cat even though she has been begging for one. Finally I told her that if God gives you a cat, I'll let you keep it.

"I watched my child go out into the yard, get on her knees and ask God for a cat. And really, Pastor, you won't believe this but I saw it with my own eyes. A kitten suddenly came flying out of the blue sky with its paws spread out and landed right in front of her. Of course I had to let her keep the kitten since it came from God…”

Jesus taught his disciples, saying: And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:5-6)

 Prayer -- just the word elicits a wide variety of responses and feelings.  Everything from the most pious of responses to the most piteous of excuses, the concept and practice of prayer has evoked much writing and discussion in Christian circles down through the ages. Most of us would profess fairly easily that we believe prayer is important. Most of us would have to confess, perhaps not so easily, that we do not pray as we should.

 As we begin our Lenten pilgrimage, let us begin with prayer. And I mean that both literally and figuratively. Let us begin where Jesus always seemed to begin every venture and effort, with prayer. It is one of the Lenten disciplines espoused by the religious for years. But it is more than just a discipline. So let us take some time, as we begin our Lent, to explore what prayer is, or is not.

 Lent is a time designed to help us prepare for Easter.  It is intended to help us see our need for a Savior.  As we consider all the ways we have fallen short and failed to measure up, we grow in our appreciation of Christ.

Prayer is one of the primary ways we have of acknowledging our dependance on God.  It’s not about getting God’s help to bail us out, or to help us achieve our goals.  When we pray we are confessing that God gets to set the agenda.  We are asking for clarity in seeing it, and for the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish it.

Too often, though, we start with a self-centered approach.  Mark Twain had Huckleberry Finn give these comments on Prayer:

"Miss Watson, she took me in the closet and prayed, but nothing came of it. She told me to pray everyday, and whatever I asked for I would git it. But it warn't so. I tried it. Once I got a fish line but no hooks. It warn't any good to me without hooks. I tried for the hooks three or four times, but somehow I couldn't make it work. By and by, one day, I asked Miss Watson to try for me, but she said I was a fool. She never told me why, and I could never make it out no way. I set down one day in the woods and had a long think about it. I says to myself, if a body can get anything they pray for, why don't Deacon Wynn get back the money he lost on pork? Why can't Miss Watson fat up? No, says I to myself, there ain't nothin' to it."

Corrie Ten Boom  asks, "Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire ? "

Lincoln's Proclamation on Prayer   April 30, 1863

 “We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to God that made us It behooves us, then to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.”

 This Lenten season, as we think about our purpose in life, let us approach it prayerfully.  Let us remember Jesus Christ, who lived each day in the spirit of prayer.  It was a  mark of his dependance on God.  Express your dependance on God.  Hold on tightly to His purpose. Jesus expressed that supremely when he died on the cross.  He made a commitment and didn’t back down. 

 I  carry a nail in my pocket, as a reminder of what Christ went through.  But it also reminds me of Christ’s commitment to me.  When we want something to be solid, we nail it down.  He didn’t need nails to hold him to the cross;  his love was enough. But it reminds us of how solid his love for us is.

  Is your commitment to Christ nailed down solid?  Is your love for Him dependable?  Unwavering? Or is it dependant on the weather, or your health, or material prosperity?

“No Rules, Just Right”

Courtroom visits are sad.  Especially when you see a good boy, who was raised in a good home and a good church, who has made some very bad decisions.  You can’t pass over the consequences, or remove his responsibility, even though you grieve for him and his family.

  It is hard, raising kids.  When they are little, we can just give them rules to follow.  “Don’t play in the street;  don’t hit your sister…”  As we teach them about God, we stress obedience, and doing what God requires.  “Don’t tell lies;  don’t steal;  don’t swear…”  Rules, however, only reach as far as Daddy’s arm.  It’s OK, if you don’t get caught.  Big kids/adults need more than rules.

Sometimes our faith gets stuck at that childhood level of obeying the rules.  A “good Christian” is one who does good.  Hey, that’s better than doing bad!  The problem is, Jesus didn’t pay much attention to rules.  He always did what was right, but not because of rules.  Put simply, Jesus walked in harmony with the Father.  Right actions flowed from a heart that was right with God.

Jesus defines a “good Christian” as one who is in tune with Him.  One who cares about the things He cares about.  One who would do nothing to displease or dishonor Him.  One who finds joy just in spending time with Him.  The Christian life is – Christ in me.

I don’t understand it.  Rules would seem simpler.  On the other hand, seeing what we humans do with tax rules shows that it’s not that simple;  we’re always looking for a loophole!  God would rather have our heart first, then our behavior.

This is the beginning of the season of Lent in the church, when we consider again what does it mean to be a Christian.  You’ve heard the commercial, “No Rules, Just Right.”  A heart that is right with God does right without rules.  Let’s consider Jesus, heart to heart.  Take time to read the Gospels, and talk to the Author.  Do some fine-tuning, to be locked into His wavelength.  Christ in you.  When Christ is in our thoughts and attitudes, it will show in our actions

Even Greater than Expected

What if the various churches in a community could come together for a joint season of seeking the Lord, and reaching out to their neighbor?

Last fall 15 pastors in Anderson decided to try it. We co-wrote a devotional, focussing on the Greatest Commandment and the Great Commission. Our 15 congregations from a variety of backgrounds started reading it this week. Week one targets what it means to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. Week two aims at loving our neighbor as ourselves. Week three  is designed to share with an unchurched friend, with six daily readings describing the joy of living with Christ. The title for this grand adventure? "Living the GREAT Life." Check it out at www.AndersonChurches.com. 

I've been reflecting on that - how great life is when we love God to the best of our ability, let that love spill over to our neighbor, and participate in sharing the good news of God's love! I used to think that life was something you endured. Get through the day. Keep your head down, enjoy what you can along the way, but don't expect too much. That way you will not be disappointed. God was in the picture, but only around the edges. He was the shadowy figure waiting to judge. You could call on Him in emergencies, but it was best not to call too much attention to yourself if you could help it.

Then by God's grace that all changed. God showed me He wants to be the center of life, not the shadow.  I prayed 36 years ago to ask Christ to be my Savior, and to help me live for Him. He answered that prayer with more than I ever imagined! What a GREAT life it has been!

I like to say "God's way is the right way; all shortcuts lead thruogh the brier patch." God has given us guidelines for good healthy living, and every time I think I know a better way than Him I find out how wrong I am. My ways always bring unintended consequences and hidden costs. His ways have unexpected blessings and surprise bonuses. 

But God's way is far more than a list of rules or principles. It's a relationship! That's why the greatest command is about love, and the primary principle is to live by faith. It means to put our hand in His hand and walk together. And let me tell you, there is no greater life than that. There is no greater joy than to receive God's love and to give mine back. There is no greater adventure than to step into the unknown with Him, trusting that He knows where He's going!

I think back on all the amazing times at church camp (All Ages II at Merom - WOW! Solid Rock Camp at St. Marys - POW!) of seeing God touch young lives. Emmaus Walks and mission trips. God has taken me places I never dreamed I'd be able to go; India, Nicaragua, Hungary, Ukraine. Nothing inspires faith quite like your first taxi ride in India! 

Truly, there is no greater life than living with God and for God. No greater work than letting Him work through you. No greater legacy than planting seeds of eternity. No greater thrill than seeing God's miracles.