The Waiting Game

We've all prayed  something like this: "OK God, this is what's up, this is what I need. Now, what's taking so long?" We like it when God's approval of our plans comes quickly. Waiting makes us uncomfortable... and the longer we wait the more "squirmy" we become.

We are tempted to interpret a delayed answer as a "no." Sometimes this may be the case. But oftentimes our waiting is the time that God is working.

While we are waiting, God may be at work in the life of someone else. This person may be a part of the answer... or may be encouraged by our response.

While we are waiting, God may be at work in our lives. Sometimes God has work to do in us before God can work for us.

John Waller sings it beautifully:
I am waiting, I am waiting on You, Lord.
And I am thankful, I an waiting on You, Lord.
Though it is painful, but patiently, I will wait.

I am waiting, I am waiting on You, Lord.
And I am peaceful, I am waiting on You, Lord.
Though it's not easy, but faithfully, I will wait.

I will serve You while I'm waiting.
I will worship while I'm waiting.

The psalmist says, "Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (Psalm 27:14)

And as you are waiting, remember: God is working!

2013 Wardrobe

I don't normally re-hash sermons in this blog but by popular demand- well, a couple of people asked at the door- here are the key points for "A 2013 Wardrobe" from Colossians 3:12:17-

Whenever we feel isolated or dismissed by others we should remember that we are "God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved."

Paul follows this affirmation with an instruction to "clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience; that we should forgive one another, and above all, put on love."

My challenge was that we use these seven virtues as guides for prayer in the new year- that each day we could ask God to help us grow in each characteristic:

• Monday- Lord, help me be more compassionate
• Tuesday- Lord, help me be more kind
• Wednesday- Lord, help me be more humble
• Thursday- Lord, help me be more gentle
• Friday- Lord, help me be more patient
• Saturday- Lord, help me be more forgiving
• Sunday- Lord, help me be more loving

Wouldn't it be incredible if we were as easily recognized by these Christ-like characteristics as we are by the clothes we wear!

I closed- and close- with Paul's beautiful prayer in vv. 15-17:

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body, you were called to peace.  And be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

"Are We There, Yet?"

How many times did we excitedly ask "are we there, yet?" as children?  And how many times have we wearily answered as adults?

My Dad used to answer, "just around the next curve" or "just over the next hill." Traveling south Florida's flat. straight roads meant "curves" and "hills" tended to be few and far between!

A friend once told me that the vacation begins when you back out of the driveway- not when you get to your destination. Do we sometimes miss possibilities because we're so focused on the finish line?

Does it help to know where "there" is? "There" could be Disney World, the beach, a certain car, a key promotion... or a new building.

How will we know when we're there? Sometimes in the journey of life and faith it's not as easy as "x-marks the spot" or following mapquest. I have always been intrigued by God's instructions to Abram to "get packed and go to a land I will show you."  In other words, I will let you know where "there" is... when you get there.  God trusted Abram with a call... and Abram trusted God with a response.

Oops!

Monday mornings are usually consumed with "clean-up" from Sunday: checking through fellowship pads, a quick review of the offering, sorting through notes scribbled in the margins of my bulletin and randomly stuffed in my Bible, a mental "sorting" of conversations, and a post portem of the sermon.

This morning I realized that I forgot something. This isn't a novel experience for me- I all too often forget to pick-up a gallon of milk on my way home and there are days where it may take two (or sometimes three) trips to get out of the office. But this was something good, something that impacted me and I wanted to share in the context of the Palm Sunday sermon. This was a big "oops!"

Sooo.. here we go: New testament scholar Fred Craddock reflected on John's record of the triumphal entry as follows, "Jesus is Lord and King by virtue of who he is, totally apart from public praise. Faith does not make him who he is; faith recognizes who he is."

Lord, this Holy Week, give us eyes to see.

Praying for the Preacher

Sometimes folks ask me, "Pastor, how can we pray for you?"

Jonanthan Edwards- no, not "that" Jonanthan Edwards- the current General secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain helped me find words for my need:

We have a lot of facts and a lot of opinions. But amidst these facts and opinions we need wisdom.

That's how you may pray for your pastor today, and he will gladly return the favor.

It's Been a While

It's been a while since my last posting- over six weeks, in fact. I don't know what this blog does for those who read it (assuming there are those who do!) but for me- writing the blog is mostly a time for reflection- which is probably why I haven't been here in so long.

I haven't had- haven't found- haven't taken much time for reflecting since December 7. In that time I've had weddings, funerals, advent services, more sick people to visit than I can remember, made a trip to Florida for my Dad's 80th birthday, a 21-year old son to get his tonsils removed, and Christmas happened somewhere in there! Oh yeah, now someone wants to buy our church land and help us move-up the street. Time for reflection... puh-leeze!

Then, late this afternoon I heard a gentle pleading... "Be still and know that I am God."(NIV,KJV,RSV)

But God, we just elected three new committees and have a huge decision to make as a church... "Calm down, and learn that I am God!"(CEV)

But God, one of the kids is sick, there are bills to be paid, and the mechanic just called with bad news..."Cease striving and know that I am God/Let go, relax, and know that I am God."

But God... "Stop fighting and know that I am God." (TEV)

Be still...calm down...cease striving...let go... stop fighting... He is God!

Hope

I've never been big on poetry- except when my English teacher in ninth grade had us study the music of Simon and Garfunkel! I am however, big on hope- and the poem below pictures it as thoughfully and beautifully as possible.

Hope is the thing with feathers- that perches on the soul-
And sings the tune without the words- and never stops- at all.

And sweetest- in the gale- is heard- and sore must be the storm-
That could abash the little Bird that kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land- and on the strangest Sea-
Yet, never, in extremity, it asked a crumb of me.

by Emily Dickinson
(found in Keeping Hope Alive by Lewis Smedes

9/11 Remembrance

It is the images of 9/11 that we remember:
Jets crashing into towers of steel and glass
Flames flashing from the angry wounds
Bodies falling helplessly through the air
Dust and debris and smoke billowing down New York streets
The dazed and wounded seeking safety
Office workers who became heroes and first responders- policemen, firemen, medical personnel, chaplains- bravely doing what seemed only natural to them
The Pentagon- headquarters of our national defense under attack
The capitol quiet and vulnerable
A smoking crater in the field in Pennsyvania where those who responded to the call "let's roll" gave their lives to prevent greater harm.

Yes, Lord, we remember. And we remember that you are the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our afflictions.
We remember shock and horror and give thanks for peace.
We remember sorrow and sadness and give thanks for hope.
We remember anger and bitterness and give thanks for forgiveness.
We remember sacrifice and generosity and give thanks for selflessness.
We remember fear and despair and give thanks for peace.
We remember hatred and give thanks for love.

As part of our worship on 9/11 we read together Psalm 23 at the beginning of this section and read the Lord's prayer at the end.

A Preachable Moment

As a parent, grandparent, teacher, or church volunteer, you from time to time experience "teachable moments" with young children. These are those special, unplanned, serendipitous situations that provide an opportunity to reinforce a concept or to help a child see or experience something in a new way.

Sunday morning I experienced a "preachable moment." It wasn't one of those "Oh, there's a good sermon illustration" experiences- though you might be surprised when those can come! Instead, my preachable moment was a new experience for me, the preacher, right in the middle of the sermon!

The message came from John's account of Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. I was attempting to make the point that we need to be careful about how we interpret the stories of others' lives- most of us have heard that this woman was a prostitute, but there is no such indication in the text. I cautioned that we should be careful not to jump to conclusions about another's life story- like the woman, he/she could have simply had a "hard life," not necessarily a "bad life."

I sensed immediately that something happened. And then it dawned on me- we were in a room full of people whose story had been misunderstood, or even misrepresented. Jesus' refusal to condemn the woman was not just a model for our compassionate response to others- it was an offer of grace to us!

Thanks for teaching the preacher something last week!

God With Skin-on

There's a much-used sermon illustration about a little boy who was frightened by a storm one night. Several times he cried out in fear and his mother would come to his room for comfort and to remind him that God was always with him. As she prepared to leave the third time her son grabbed her arm, held tight, and said, "I know Mommy, but I want God with skin-on!"

I have been blessed this week by appearance after appearance of "God with skin-on."

I have seen "God with skin-on" in hospital rooms as friends gathered for prayer and support.

"God with skin-on" has been in doctors offices for pre-op visits and provided transportation for follow-up care.

"God with skin-on" has been present in hugs and handshakes, laughter and tears, conversation and quiet.

Sometimes "God with skin-on" has delivered a meal and provided companionship for an afternoon.

The late Wayne Oates, a marvellous professor and practitioner of pastoral care for generations of students at Southern Seminary, called this idea of "God with skin-on" the ministry of presence. Dr. Oates reminded us that whenever we visit we share our lives with someone and when we go in the name of Christ and his church we become the powerful presence of God, as well.

We are all glad for "God with skin-on" in the dark, stormy, scarey times of life.