The Lord Needs It

 

When our new church began holding regular communion services, one couple volunteered a beautiful pottery chalice for us to use, but we had no tray for the loaf of bread. One day when they visited my house, they saw a colorful ceramic tray I had on my kitchen counter that matched this chalice perfectly.

“May we use this with the chalice?” they asked.

I was happy to oblige and, until we could buy pieces expressly for the church, we used my tray. It was an honor to give something of mine for Jesus’ use, so to speak.

When Jesus was planning the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, recorded in Mark 11, He sent two of his disciples on ahead and told them to find a colt. If anyone asked why they were untying it, they were to say, “The Lord needs it.”

Just a few days later, He sent Peter and John to make preparations for the Passover meal that we refer to as the Last Supper. Here they were to borrow a large upper room furnished by someone Jesus knew, as recorded in Luke 22.

What do you have that Jesus needs? A guest room? Some cash to share? A listening ear? A testimony of God’s grace in your life? An hour to pray? A day of fasting? A homemade meal? A piece of clothing or garment? Sometimes the sacrifice is large, sometimes small. Whatever Christ asks of you, it should feel like a privilege to share it.

When the little boy shared his lunch with Jesus, He used it to feed 5,000 people, as recorded in John 6. When God asked Moses to raise his rod over the water, the Red Sea parted to allow the Israelite nation to escape their captors—see Exodus 14.

We never know God’s purposes in asking us for ourselves, or those things that He has given us. But, when we allow Him free use of them, we can be sure that He will bless us and give us joy in seeing His use of them.

 

 

A Tasty Beginning

 

Don’t you just love the smell of fresh coffee? I do. I’ve also become quite interested in reading the bags of coffee I buy and/or the boxes of tea in my cupboard. I read, A Robust Blend with a Captivating Aroma.

That has me thinking. Isn’t that what our Women’s Ministry should be? I looked up some definitions and came up with these from my trusty Webster’s:

Robust—having strength or vigorous health: firm in purpose or outlook: strongly formed.

Blend—to prepare by thoroughly intermingling different varieties or grades: to combine into an integrated whole.

Captivating—influencing by some special charm, or trait with an irresistible appeal.

Aroma—a distinctive pervasive and usually pleasant smell.

We at Redeemer Presbyterian Church pray that the women we touch will grow in health, strength, and purpose, intermingling our gifts and personalities to benefit all of us together.

We also pray that our witness for Christ will captivate with an irresistible appeal those who need to hear the gospel. And, as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 2:14, to “spread everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him [Christ].”

Consider this week how you, along with your women friends whom God has blended together, can represent Christ with a robust blend with a captivating aroma!

 

 

Darkness to Light--An Advent Thought

I guess it’s no mistake that Advent is the darkest time of the year. Not only do we have the least number of hours of daylight, but the weather also tends toward gloomy and dark. Add to that the sin-darkness of our planet, the sickness and poverty around us, and the seemingly never-ending wait for answered prayers, and we easily get into the subdued and melancholy world of Advent.

The Christmas rush and loudness contrasts this blackness of spirit. People either tend to block out any spiritual meditation on the season by an endless stream of numbing busyness and frivolity, or they find themselves in a funk of life’s troubles.

But, I praise God for Advent. We look forward, not to just Christmas festivities, but to the actual coming of Christ into our lives with light and hope. My old friend, Charles Spurgeon, in his devotional on this date, sums it up perfectly:

 

Evening Brightens into Day

It shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.

—Zechariah 14:7

“It is a surprise that it should be so; for all things threaten that at evening I time it shall be dark. God is wont to work in a way so much above our fears and beyond our hopes that we are greatly amazed and are led to praise His sovereign grace. No, it shall not be with us as our hearts are prophesying: the dark will not deepen into midnight, but it will on a sudden brighten into day. Never let us despair. In the worst times let us trust in the LORD who turneth the darkness of the shadow of death into the morning. When the tale of bricks is doubled Moses appears, and when tribulation abounds it is nearest its end. This promise should assist our patience. The light may not fully come till our hopes are quite spent by waiting all day to no purpose. To the wicked the sun goes down while it is yet day: to the righteous the sun rises when it is almost night. May we not with patience wait for that heavenly light, which may be long in coming but is sure to prove itself well worth waiting for? Come, my soul, take up thy parable and sing unto Him who will bless thee in life and in death, in a manner surpassing all that nature has ever seen when at its best.”

Sunday Morning Psalm

Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled. Psalm 65:1

I like that word, “awaits.” We don’t use it much, but it suggests to me pictures of gifts under the Christmas tree, or on the table decorated for the baby shower. We have read in scripture about Zion, the city of God in Heaven, and the praise that will fill the air there: Hosts of angels and people from every nation singing and worshiping our God. We can’t even imagine what that will sound like, or the joy that will fill all of the Creation.

I think of the local church as the “little Zion,” in that those God has called to belong to Him gather and as a company praise Him. I look forward to every Sunday worship service. I hope God looks forward to it too. I think of the music in my bag, my organ shoes, the hymnal on the organ, the preparations I’ve made, and how they “await” the chance to praise God.

I think of the words, carefully chosen, written and printed in bulletins laboriously put together and folded, that praise God and exalt His goodness. They “await” the hour when the church will gather and speak and read together. The soloist’s and the choir’s practice and the aural expectations they have put together “await” the time of presentation to God. The communion elements, the ushers’ plates, the new batteries sitting in microphones all “await” the time when all will come together to praise God.

And why, do all these things wait for the hour when they will all fit together? The Psalm tells us, because…when we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions. Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple. INDEED!

Instant

We live in an “instant” world. Since World War II, more and more products on the market bear the label. We have instant soup, instant pudding, instant weather reports, instant fast-food, and even instant heart rate using your phone.

In this context it seems pretty unlikely that we can find the word “instant” in the Bible. Yet, there’s this from Romans 12:12(KJV) Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; a description of serious Christians.

As an illustration, I look to Nehemiah from chapter 1and 2 of the book named for him. In Nehemiah 2:4 (NIV) we read, The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God in heaven, and I answered… Sounds like an instant prayer to me.

But would Nehemiah’s prayer have carried much weight with God had the following not happened? (Nehemiah 1:4 NIV) When I heard these things [about the trouble in Jerusalem], I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. That was anything but instant prayer.

It seems to me that God answers “instant” prayers, especially when they are accompanied by a long habit of prayer. Like instant coffee that satisfies when we can’t get the real thing, instant prayers should be our watchword throughout the day. The way for those prayers to succeed is to offer them in combination with a life of devoted prayer. If all you did was “instant-message” someone, they would not likely respond well, but if you often talked for longer periods with this person and knew him or her really well, an “instant-message” would probably get extra attention.

God admonishes us to pray instantly when we need Him, but He wants more than quick “help me” prayers. He wants to know us intimately and to make real conversation with us. So save the “instant prayers” for emergencies and quick reminders.

Wait…and Hurry Up!

You’ve heard the expression, “Hurry up and wait.” I think of this when I’ve hurried around all morning to make a doctor’s appointment. Then when I get there I sit in the waiting room or exam room for another hour before the doctor can see me.

Then there are the commercials that say, “Hurry! Call now…but wait.” And then they give you more of a deal than you can possibly pass up.

But, in Scripture, it seems that God makes us wait…and wait…and wait. Then when He begins to act, things happen at the speed of sound.

I think of two stories in the Old Testament. One is the story of Joseph from Genesis 39. Potiphar threw Joseph into prison under false accusations. Joseph languished in prison for two years waiting for release. The one person who said he would stick up for him on the outside, forgot him.

BUT, one day, the man remembered. Pharaoh met with Joseph and Joseph was “quickly” brought out. He was elevated to serve Pharaoh serving as governor of the entire land of Egypt.

The other major story of the Old Testament, one which gets told year after year by the Jews on Passover, is the story of the Jews as slaves in Egypt. In Exodus 2:23 we read:

...The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God.

For forty years they had waited for relief. Even after Moses went to them to rescue them as God had instructed, they had to wait while God dealt with the rebellious Egyptians with punishing plagues.

BUT, on the night that the Angel of the Lord came to strike Egypt’s firstborn, Pharaoh instructed Moses and Aaron, as recorded in Exodus 12:31-39:

“Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested…³³The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country…³⁴So, the people took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing…^39bThe dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves.

Amazing! There are other places in scripture where you see the word “quickly.” Usually God is working in such a situation.

When we think we have been forgotten, and have waited longer than any human should ever have to, God shows up and says “Hurry!” May we be encouraged while we wait that there WILL come a day when circumstances begin to move at lightning speed.

Glory to God!

Places and the Sons of Korah

I don’t know if there is Dutch ancestry from the Korah family, but if there is, I’m pretty sure I share it. The Psalms written for or by the Sons of Korah, these temple singers and door keepers, really resonate with me. For one thing, these Psalms talk about places.

Places have a special meaning to me. It may seem like a strange thing, or even a wrong thing to value, but I have always loved places.

From the way I viewed a certain grove of trees in the sunlight on my family farm when I was a child, to the elementary school with its large green park-like grounds where I taught for 24 years, to my present dining room with its warm honey tones, I love places. I might add that some spots even seem holy to me. God has met me there. Some are so dear that I reserve the memories to my own secret thoughts. I couldn’t begin to describe the beauty of these spaces anyway.

In Psalm 48, the Sons of Korah describe the place of worship—the city of our God, his holy mountain. See how they describe it: beautiful, lofty, the joy of the whole earth. In another of their psalms, Psalm 84, these servants of God yearn and faint for the courts of the Lord. They describe those who dwell there like birds who have found a home, a place near to God Himself. No wonder they proclaim, Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.

It seems to me that many Christians have never stopped long enough to ponder the beauty of places. Maybe God has just given these people a different value system. As for me though, I find visual beauty a very important aspect of worship. If God took care to even assign “designers” to help with the original place of corporate worship, the tabernacle (really a large portable tent), how much more must HE too appreciate all we can do to adorn the place where we gather to exalt Him.