Tuesday, March 17, 2009

KNEELING

I'm sure you have noticed that the news seems to be getting worse by the week. Tonight I ate dinner with Ken and Brenda and their sons in Charlottesville, Virginia. They were telling me about all the people who have lost jobs in the Richmond area and how thankful they are Ken still has his job. Ken said it hasn't been this bad in this area since the early 70's.

I'm sure you have noticed there are lots of people looking for work. Companies are laying off employees by the droves or going completely out of business. Houses are in foreclosure at record numbers. The flu season seems to be hitting harder, the weather seems worse and pessimism is growing faster than moss on an Oregon roof.

Meditation
Psalm 95:6,7-Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker, For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under His care . . .

Have you noticed anyone kneeling recently? I'd like to start a kneeling campaign. What if at noon tomorrow, everyone of you reading this got down on your knees wherever you are and better yet, got every Jesus-believing friend you could find to join you! What if we did this for a week straight, or a month, or a year?! Why we'd have people in India, Israel, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, South Africa, New Zealand, Singapore, the Philippines, Cambodia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Peru, Scotland, Sweden, Germany, Ukraine, the United States and who knows where else, all kneeling whenever noon arrived. Don't worry who's watching, or where your location is, just get down on your knees and worship!

Focus on kneeling before the Lord, the Creator, the One who loves us with an eternal care plan. He IS our God. The antidote to every crisis is worship. The attitude that beats discouragement is one of humility before the King-recognizing that He is above all our problems and He is worthy of our focus. Knowing he faced an enemy out to take his life, Daniel, God's mighty man of faith, did not fear to pray. "When Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house. The windows in its upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before" (Daniel 6:10). If Daniel could do this three times a day, every day, can we handle once a day setting aside everything to come before God in prayer?

Are you too busy to kneel? Are you too proud to bow down? I didn't think so! I'm not either. So let's do it. Will you join me for as long as the Spirit leads you? When your next noon arrives, kneel before the Lord and thank Him for His leadership. Let's tell the world that we have a Savior we trust. Praise God for His awesomeness. Something to think about . . . in reveration!

Inspiration
Kneeling in prayer, and not ashamed to pray, The tumult of the time disconsolate To inarticulate murmurs dies away, While the eternal ages watch and wait.-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

WISDOM 2

Have you ever had a period in life where you felt like an idiot and wish you could crawl in a hole and hide? I think I'm just emerging from the hole.

Fourteen months ago, we put a man we trusted in our vacant house to minister to homeless people. It was to be a sanctuary where folks could get their lives back in order. We had clear guidelines and standards on how the home was to operate-so much for good intentions. The man running the home refused to be accountable. He disregarded the rules with the excuse that his spiritual guidance was sufficient. Then he began insisting I gave him the house and quit paying "mortgage assistance." We gave all the occupants a 30-day eviction notice and they refused to leave. Finally, after securing an attorney and going through several sessions in court, we have our house back. The home leader promised before the judge to pay us a sum of money and to turn the premises over with everything moved out and "broom clean." He reneged on paying us and left the place full of trash and an incredible accumulation of stuff. What an ordeal.

Meditation
Proverbs 1:23-If you turn to my discipline, then I will pour out my spirit on you and teach you my words.

Wisdom grows through the discipline of unity. "Can two walk together without agreeing to meet?" (Amos 3:3) My wife was never at peace with the decision to use our house in the manner it was run. She sensed there would be problems. Optimistic compassion often results in good but from a floor of sand. Realistic compassion waits until the concrete is poured.

Wisdom grows through the discipline of obedience. There were countless signs that the policies we established in the beginning were violated. Instead of correcting the problems early on, I chose to be gracious and give the director every chance to succeed. By allowing him to disregard the standards a hill of discontent became a volcano of rebellion. "The one who keeps a command will not experience anything harmful, and a wise heart knows the right time and procedure" (Ecclesiastes 8:5).

Wisdom grows through the discipline of rest. We saw that the director was often overwhelmed by the problems of those in the home and that in reality it was far too big a ministry for him to handle. We should have extracted him from the mess and used a different leadership approach. Relief is sometimes the best answer.

Wisdom is not grown by hoping problems will go away, by avoiding confrontation, by naïve kindness, or by lowering standards. She offers her counsel to those willing to listen, and that takes discipline. I hope you learn from my mistakes and I hope you remember what I'm reminded of-God's love and grace is always deeper than our misfortune.

Inspiration
A fault once denied is twice committed.-Japanese proverb