Monthly Archives: September 2018

Pastoral thoughts

The Mountains Along the Way

I’ve never climbed a mountain, which is a good thing. I still remember having to ride my bike up a steep hill – a mini-mountain – on the way to school.

It left me breathless (and not because of the scenery) and my legs all but exploded. And it happened every time – it never got any easier! I can’t imagine what climbing a mountain would be like! But I do know this about mountains – they can make for some beautiful scenery, and the view from the top is breath-taking; but when they are in the middle of the road upon which we’re walking, they’re anything but beautiful. In fact, they’re downright ugly, standing there blocking our path. They’re nothing but a huge obstacle that keeps us from enjoying our walk and slows our progress.

Often the issues with which we deal are like huge mountains that block our road into what we thought was a glorious adventure or future. We are stunned when they first appear on the horizon; so we stir up our positive juices and claim we’ll make it to the other side all right. Then we begin to climb. Soon we are breathless, and at times we feel we’ll explode. Suddenly we aren’t so sure we’ll be able to continue the walk. After all, the mountain is too high, too broad, too imposing. The next thing we know, we are in the valley, looking up, not sure we’ll make it to the other side.

This is precisely when the music of our faith kicks in to remind us of at least two truths. First, we are not alone.

Life is easy, when you’re up on the mountain And you’ve got peace of mind, like you’ve never known. But things change, when you’re down in the valley. Don’t lose faith, for you’re never alone.                               

For the God on the mountain, is the God in the valley. When things go wrong, He’ll make them right. And the God of the good times is still God in the bad times. The God of the day is still God in the night.

We talk of faith way up on the mountain. Talk comes so easy when life’s at its best. Now down in the valleys, of trials and temptations That’s where your faith is really put to the test.

For the God on the mountain is the God in the valley. When things go wrong, He’ll make them right. And the God of the good times is still God in the bad times. The God of the day, is still God in the night. The God of the day, is still God in the night. (1)

The second truth is that God is in control. Israel knew all about mountains. So Isaiah prophesied (Isaiah 49:11): “I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways will be raised up.” Or as the New Living Translation puts it:  “And I will make my mountains into level paths for them. The highways will be raised above the valleys.” Mountains don’t stand in the way – they are the way.  If we believe that the mountains and the hills are God’s, then we can believe He knows the way through and will be faithful as we walk together. God will either raise us up or lower the mountain – but one way or another He’ll get us out of the valley and make a straight way.

God will make a way when there seems to be no way. He works in ways we cannot see; He will make a way for me.                         

He will be my guide, hold me closely to His side. With love and strength for each new day; He will make a way, He will make a way. (2)

I even have a sneaky feeling that because of the mountain, we’ll appreciate the beauty on the other side even more. So walk on.

(1) ‘God on the Mountain’ by Lynda Randle
(2) ‘God Will Make a Way’ by Don Moen

Pastoral thoughts

In the Midst of the Chaos

It was one of those wild Sundays. Worship went well and no one knew what all went on behind the scenes. That’s because God is good and honors our best efforts. But I’m getting ahead of myself. I need to set the stage.

As usual, the worship orders were set, the music rehearsed, and the media presentations prepared. But as the Worship Team began to rehearse prior to the service, something went wrong with the technical equipment and we concluded there would be no multimedia for the opening song set.

We had a choice to make: panic or calm. Not to be unglued, our Worship Leader quickly pulled out familiar songs for the opening set, and in the process moved one of the originally planned opening songs to just after the sermon – in hopes things would be up and running by then. Our pre-service prayer was filled with pleas for the Holy Spirit to work powerfully in the midst of the chaos. We knew Jesus would be our glue.

Many things happened during that service, two of which are important to know here. First, the worship went off smoothly, no one missed a beat or note, and people sang from the depths of their hearts. The glue held it together. “In the midst of the chaos, grab the glue.”

Second, by sermon time the technical equipment was working again, so following the sermon we could invite people to sing the number that was moved, Potters Song. A visitor to the service was deeply moved by the song and following the service asked for prayer. Her life was in chaos and she sincerely wanted Jesus to take control. So we prayed. “In the midst of the chaos, grab the glue.”

I was once again in awe of Jesus. Think about it. If there had not been a tech glitch, Potters Song would not have been placed at the very end and been such a powerful plea for submission. If our Worship Leader had not been so sensitive to the Spirit, we would have canceled singing Potters Song. If our media tech had not been able to get the system up and running, we would not have sung the song. If, if, if…but Jesus! Jesus holds it all together. “In the midst of the chaos, grab the glue.”

As He so often does, Jesus took our chaos and held it all together, and took our visitor’s chaos and held it all together. In fact, I believe God created our chaos to lift up her chaos so she could experience Jesus’ healing touch in the midst of her chaos. As the apostle Paul emphatically wrote, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17) And the Heidelberg Catechism powerfully confesses, “Providence is the almighty and ever present power of God by which he upholds, as with his hand, heaven and earth and all creatures, and so rules them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and lean years, food and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty – all things, in fact, come to us not by chance but from his fatherly hand.” It all happened by His fatherly hand! God created the chaos of the morning so Jesus could heal the chaos of one woman’s life – and in the process heal ours as well.

I’m still in awe of Jesus, in whom all things hold together. Your life either is, or will sometime again be in chaos. Don’t come unglued. Rather, “In the midst of the chaos, grab the glue.” You’ll be in awe of Jesus.

 

Pastoral thoughts

Dealing With the Overflow

I was pouring from a pitcher into my drinking glass and wasn’t paying attention – and before I knew it the overflow was on the countertop. So I grabbed a ‘quick picker upper’ and wiped it up. I then gave myself the usual brow beating for being so careless.

Yet once again I was struck by the amazing way God works. At that time I had been preparing messages on the blessings of giving and had been making presentations for our church stewardship campaign. My personal focus was on Malachi 3 and 2 Corinthians 9, which both deal with abundance and overflow of blessings. I thought of the two key passages.

Malachi 3:8-12 (New Living Translation)

“Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!
“But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’
“You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. 9 You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me.10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! 11 Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 12 “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

2 Corinthians 9:6-12
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written:“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.

My brow beating stopped – I realized that rather than berate myself I should have stopped and offered a prayer of thanksgiving. After all, I had enough supply of drink, more than I needed; I had an excess. I was reminded of the many times God’s rich abundance has overflowed in my life. My lesson for the day was “When you need paper towels, thank God for the overflow.”

With a different analogy another of my facvorite poems, this one by Jimmy Dean, states it poignantly.

I’ve never made a fortune
And I’ll never make one now,
But it really doesn’t matter
Cause I’m happy anyhow.

As I go along my journey
I’m reaping better than I sow.
I’m drinking from the saucer
Cause my cup has overflowed.

I don’t have a lot of riches
And sometimes the going’s tough,
But when I’ve got my kids to love me
I think I’m rich enough.

I’ll just thank God for the blessings
That his mercy has bestowed,
I’m drinking from the saucer
Cause my cup has overflowed.

If you give me strength and courage
When the way grows steep and rough
I’ll not ask for other blessings,
I’m already blessed enough.

May I never be too busy
To help another with his load,
Then I’ll be drinking from the saucer
Cause my cup has overflowed.

From what are you drinking?

Picture from: https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-h9QaKEXloug%2FVMaX3j7hkoI%2FAAAAAAAAAsA%2FP8bljavJ5gw%2Fs1600%2FDrinking%252Bfrom%252Bmy%252Bsaucer.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fleonachoy.blogspot.com%2F2015%2F01%2Fdrinking-from-my-saucer.html&docid=Z15xYstXjiFSSM&tbnid=u8-St3C2O8RjCM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwj4yJHFp67dAhUh1oMKHRZlCDgQMwhKKBAwEA..i&w=583&h=437&bih=738&biw=1160&q=drinking%20from%20a%20saucer&ved=0ahUKEwj4yJHFp67dAhUh1oMKHRZlCDgQMwhKKBAwEA&iact=mrc&uact=8

Pastoral thoughts

God’s Extras

As I mentioned last week, having been  called out of town unexpectedly I will not be writing any new blogs for a couple more weeks. So I am using this opportunity to share with you a few of the inspirational poems that have impacted me over the years. I pray they will impact you as well.

God’s Extras

God could have made the sun to rise
Without such splendor in                                                                 the skies;                                                                                                                               He could have made the sun to set                                                                                 Without a glory greater yet.

He could have made the corn to grow
Without the sunny, golden glow;
The fruits without those colors bright,                So pleasant to the taste and sight.

And caused the apple trees to bloom
Without the scent that doth perfume
Those dainty blossoms, pink and white.
That fill our hearts with sheer delight.

  He could have made the ocean roll
Without such music for the soul—
The mighty anthem,                                                       loud and strong—                                                                                          And birds  without their clear, sweet song.

The charm of kittens’ dainty grace,
The dimples in a baby’s face-    All these are ‘extras’ from His hand,                                                                                                                           Whose love  we cannot understand.

The God who fashioned flow’rs and trees,
Delights to give us things that please,
And all his handiwork so fair
His glory and His love declare.

Yes, He Who made the earth and skies
Gave “extras” for our ears and eyes,
And while my heart with rapture sings,
I thank Him for the “extra things.”

Poem by Margaret Fraser – From… Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (pp. 495–496). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.