Prettier Than The Picture

One day late last week I looked out the window of our kitchen.  It was late in the day, with the wind blowing, some rain was falling, and bits of daylight were breaking through the clouds as the sun went down.  I took a picture and then shared it on Facebook, describing the setting and saying that the scenery south of our house at the moment was actually a lot prettier than the picture showed. 

I believe we see something similar when we read our Bibles.  The Bible has a lot to say about a lot of things, describing many of them in great detail, and yet also leaving us with many questions about things, questions that cannot be answered with any kind of certainty.  From beginning to end we read things that I believe will be much more beautiful, much more spectacular and glorious, then we can possibly imagine them to be from our vantage point on this side of heaven.

Heaven itself is a good place to start.  Revelation, especially chapters 21 and 22, portray heaven in some amazing ways, and yet also leaving much to the imagination.  I think that when we get there and begin to look around we will find it to be absolutely dazzling, and always exciting.  Whatever it may look like, it won’t be the kind of place where we will ever find ourselves bored.

We will be in the very presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.  What will He actually be like?  We could let our imaginations run wild with the possibilities.  Like heaven itself, we can’t make any but the most general of answers while we are here on earth, but I expect that one of the feelings we might have of that first face-to-face meeting with our risen Savior and Lord will be of heart-pounding excitement. 

In that same moment I believe that we will have a greater understanding of some of the words we use somewhat casually around church.  Things like grace, mercy, forgiveness and holiness.  In the presence not just of the holiness of Jesus, but the holiness of heaven and all who live there, we will see what it means to truly be holy.  And we will understand the true power of grace, the depth of mercy, and the majesty of forgiveness.

I could go on, but I hope you are getting the picture.  The Bible portrays many wonderful things about God, about His mercy towards sinners in the forgiveness they receive when they have faith in His Son, and about the beauty of eternal life with Him as a result of that forgiveness.  So continue to read your Bible, read God's promises and know the truth they contain, and read with a sense of excitement, knowing that the truth's they point to will be even more marvelous on that glorious day when every one of them will be fulfilled.

Testimonial

I went to the dentist yesterday for an exam and to have my teeth cleaned.  After the work was done the hygienist went over a list of recommendations for the ongoing care of my teeth.  For the most part I knew what to expect, as my dentist has recommended for at least two years that I get several crowns repaired.  Last on the list was the recommendation that I wear a mouth guard at night.

To say I didn't take this recommendation well would be an understatement, as I basically told the hygienist that it was ridiculous.  (I'll confess that at this moment I was being unfair to the hygienist, who did an excellent job with my teeth, and who, for as much as I understand of her responsibilities at the dentist's office, always does excellent work.)

Anyhow, in my push-back on the mouth guard idea I "asked" for some sort of objective evidence concerning it's benefit for my teeth.  Among the responses I heard back was this: that she herself uses one.  Unconvinced, I made an appointment to get a filling taken care of and left the office.

I thought about the words we exchanged as I drove home, particularly her supporting the need for a mouth guard through her own use of one.  It occurred to me that that kind of recommendation was a testimonial from personal experience, in combination with her professional experience.  And next came the realization that in my present vocation, I would, and do, the exact same thing, all the time.

As a pastor, everything I do in the key parts of my calling has to do with the Bible.  Be it preaching, visiting in homes, hospitals and nursing homes, teaching or counseling, everything is grounded in the Bible. 

I open it and read it during worship.  I study it and explain it, hoping to apply it's truth to whomever I am with at the moment.  I read it and pray it with those I visit and counsel.  I read it and pray it for myself and with my family.  I encourage others to take up, read, ponder and apply its words for themselves. 

Last Monday evening we kicked off another year of our community youth ministry, and I'll close this post with the same words I used in teaching the children that night, as my own testimonial, if you will, although the words are the Lord's:

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness, that the man [or woman] of God may be competent, equipped for every good work."   2 Timothy 3:16-17

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

One Percent Of The Square Root…

I have a "gift" for collecting and recalling odd, virtually useless bits of information.  Every so often this gift shows itself around the house and Robin will ask how I can know something that would be so obscure.  "Beats me!" is my best answer. A fact caught my attention in some way and got filed away in my brain, awaiting that time when it would spring forth, perhaps in a game of Trivial Pursuit, when it may actually be useful.

One of those odd bits was a claim made, I believe, by proponents of Transcendental Meditation, that if one percent of the square root of the world's population would simultaneously meditate, then actual progress would emerge in world peace. If I had to guess I would say I heard that in the late 70's or early 80's.  I do know that I was skeptical of the claim then, and would call it outright nonsense now.

Last night we had a community prayer meeting.  The needs of our community are great and for a while I have thought it would be good to gather people together and pray for our community. A good idea, but I never got around to doing anything about it.  So three weeks ago, while making the church calendar for September, I set a date and time, and then last week I asked Robin to make some signs, which I put up around town.

And last night, eight people gathered together to pray.  In a community of 2,743 that may not be a lot of people, just under 0.3% of the population.  I was never a whiz at math but if I figured correctly we had 16 times the minimum standard of those seekers of world peace via meditation. 

Eight people sitting in chairs arranged in a circle.  One of them reading a psalm and then about 30 minutes of people praying, sometimes aloud and sometimes silently.  My primary intent in gathering was to pray for our community, but being God's people gathered in prayer other things were lifted up as well. 

The psalm, 121, begins like this:

"I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

  He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
  Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep."

Are the prayers of eight people enough to make a difference?  This side of heaven that is a question without an answer.  One thing we did agree on afterwards was that we are going to do it again.  We were a small group, but we pray to a God without limits in power, in strength, in mercy, in love. 

He alone is our help, both as individuals and as a community.  And we will continue to gather and ask Him to act for the good, and for the healing, of our community.  And may He, alone, receive all our praise and glory.  Amen.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Working Of The Spirit

I left the house early this afternoon to run two quick errands.  I'd be back in 10-15 minutes. 

                           

Two hours later I returned home.  One thing lead into another, as I did my errands and then some.  It was all good and I came home without regrets. 

No regrets, but certainly a measure of wondering, particularly about an unplanned encounter at the grocery store.

As I was walking into the store I ran into someone I have known from very early in our time in Dulce, but who I haven't seen for a long time.  He is among the many people I know in this community who struggle with alcohol.  Being a pastor I am aware of quite a few people who face this same struggle, but this man is one who is among the ten or so people that my wife and I pray for daily.

Anyhow, this man and I talked for a bit, I prayed with him, and then I went into the store.  I put some signs up on the bulletin board and then came out, but my friend was already gone.

And I wondered.  I wondered, How many times have I prayed with him over the past four years?  How many more times will I pray with him?  How many times, and how many more times, are my wife and I going to pray for him?  At what point in all those prayers is God going to provide the answer we all long for, that of deliverance from his struggle with alcohol?

One of the things I did after getting back to work at home was to read a sermon by James S. Stewart titled, "The Wind of the Spirit."  Tucked into that sermon were these words:

"Perhaps some of us would think twice before praying for the gift of the Spirit if we knew where He was liable to lead us." 

I don't know if I've ever prayed in particular for the gift of the Spirit but I do know that Robin and I prayed quite a bit as we listened for where God was calling us in ministry.  Four years later and we continue to pray for God's providence and guidance as we serve in Dulce. 

Would we have prayed differently if we knew more clearly what lie ahead, of whom my four-year friendship above is but one example?  I don’t think so.

The Holy Spirit was at work in bringing us to Dulce.  The Holy Spirit is at work as we pray for this friend.  And I believe that one the Holy Spirit will work in this friend in such a way as to deliver him from alcohol.  And all of these workings of the Spirit are to the eternal praise and glory of God.  Amen.