Sandra, the leader of Jennifer’s home Bible Study, informed the women of her job promotion with Key Bank. As a result, she would be moving to another state. While the women cheered her good fortune, immediately they wondered what would happen to their group when she left. At first, there was quite a bit of discouragement. Jennifer was personally going through a rough time in her life as a parent and Sandra’s advice was often invaluable and encouraging.
Meditation
1 Corinthians 16:7-9—I don't want to see you now just in passing, for I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord allows. But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, because a wide door for effective ministry has opened for me—yet many oppose me.
The Apostle Paul changed his travel plans because God presented him with significant opportunity to extend his ministry in the city of Ephesus. From the passage above, we can see that Paul recognized that how he spent his time was subject to God’s permissive will. He further understood this required an open mind to observe what God was doing in his life and around him and a sensitivity to maximize divine providence.
Paul’s letters reveal personal frustration he sometimes felt in trying to be an effective minister of the gospel. Even while God opened a wide door for him to minister in Ephesus, people opposed him. Why? Perhaps some felt he should not spend as much time there. Maybe, his presence threatened leaders with their own agendas. Possibly, Paul faced purely secular threats—people purposely opposed to his sharing about Christ.
Often, God allows change or adversity to open our hearts to other options and opportunities, or, to test our resolve in proving faithful in what He provides. Sandra called Jennifer and asked to meet with her a week before moving. To Jennifer’s surprise, Sandra shared that she saw God’s hand at work in her friend’s life and sensed that the Spirit was orchestrating events so that Jennifer could exercise leadership. Sandra separately prayed with the other women and they collectively agreed Jennifer was the right one to teach the study. What looked initially discouraging to all of them turned into a blessing.
God allows or arranges circumstances to lead us to a different place. He brings us to a door we are to walk through by faith. If we miss His handiwork, we see only walls. If we take counsel of our fears, we fail to turn the knob. If the door is before you, and the Spirit beckons, walk through it and experience the joy of knowing your journey is a sanctioned adventure!
Inspiration
We discover the doors our Lord opens by watching the things unsaved human nature reacts against.—Oswald Chambers in If You Will Be Perfect
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Homage
There is a slang term in the English language, brown nose. It means to seek favor in a fawning manner. For example, someone may pay you a compliment to make you feel good about yourself while in reality what that person wants is simply to gain your favor. People brown nose to gain a higher standing. Those who observe people brown nosing, often ridicule them directly or behind their back because the action smacks of flattery and a lack of genuineness.
Brown nosing is the seamy side of paying homage, which should be a dignified act. Centuries ago in European society, a vassal might surrender himself to the feudal lord, by kneeling and giving his joined hands to the nobleman, who clasped them in his own, thus accepting the surrender.
Meditation
2 Chronicles 24:17,18—However, after Jehoiada died, the rulers of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them, and they abandoned the temple of the LORD God of their ancestors and served the Asherah poles and the idols. So there was wrath against Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.
The Bible tells us, “Throughout the time of Jehoiada the priest, Joash did what was right in the LORD’s sight” (24:2). However, as soon as the priest died, officials from Judah came and turned his heart. How did they succeed in corrupting a good king? My hunch is it had much to do with paying homage. Those rulers appealed to King Joash’s ego stroking his sense of importance such that the king viewed himself higher than he viewed God. Why else would he rebel from his Lord and authorize idol worship? Undoubtedly, those evil rulers stood to gain from the practice of idol worship. They may have resented the authority and prominence of a religious priest. Somehow, they so corrupted the king’s thinking that he commanded that Johoiada’s son, Zechariah, be stoned to death after the priest’s son chastised the people for turning away from God. What a tragic turnaround for a leader who knew better!
How is your ego? What happens inside your heart when people attempt to curry your goodwill by sweet talk? If our need for importance, power, or control is out of balance, we are set up to accept hype and praise and potentially make compromising decisions. One course of action will help keep us in balance. As soon as someone gives you praise (whether it be genuine or with an agenda), deflect the glory to God. Someone says, “You are such a great speaker.” Respond simply, “Thank you. I give the credit to the Lord who gives me the wisdom to know what to say as I rely on Him.” The Lord is the worthy One! If there is to be homage, let it be to Him.
Inspiration
The tongue is our most powerful weapon of manipulation.—Richard J. Foster in Celebration of Discipline
Brown nosing is the seamy side of paying homage, which should be a dignified act. Centuries ago in European society, a vassal might surrender himself to the feudal lord, by kneeling and giving his joined hands to the nobleman, who clasped them in his own, thus accepting the surrender.
Meditation
2 Chronicles 24:17,18—However, after Jehoiada died, the rulers of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them, and they abandoned the temple of the LORD God of their ancestors and served the Asherah poles and the idols. So there was wrath against Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.
The Bible tells us, “Throughout the time of Jehoiada the priest, Joash did what was right in the LORD’s sight” (24:2). However, as soon as the priest died, officials from Judah came and turned his heart. How did they succeed in corrupting a good king? My hunch is it had much to do with paying homage. Those rulers appealed to King Joash’s ego stroking his sense of importance such that the king viewed himself higher than he viewed God. Why else would he rebel from his Lord and authorize idol worship? Undoubtedly, those evil rulers stood to gain from the practice of idol worship. They may have resented the authority and prominence of a religious priest. Somehow, they so corrupted the king’s thinking that he commanded that Johoiada’s son, Zechariah, be stoned to death after the priest’s son chastised the people for turning away from God. What a tragic turnaround for a leader who knew better!
How is your ego? What happens inside your heart when people attempt to curry your goodwill by sweet talk? If our need for importance, power, or control is out of balance, we are set up to accept hype and praise and potentially make compromising decisions. One course of action will help keep us in balance. As soon as someone gives you praise (whether it be genuine or with an agenda), deflect the glory to God. Someone says, “You are such a great speaker.” Respond simply, “Thank you. I give the credit to the Lord who gives me the wisdom to know what to say as I rely on Him.” The Lord is the worthy One! If there is to be homage, let it be to Him.
Inspiration
The tongue is our most powerful weapon of manipulation.—Richard J. Foster in Celebration of Discipline
Monday, June 7, 2010
Remembered
Step after step in unison they marched, accenting the weight of each boot upon the carpet so that everyone in that banquet room could hear. Not an eye wandered, each man in his dress uniform staring straight ahead as they slowly moved across the assembled guests. Near a small round table, the squad leader halted them and faced them to the center. Then he moved to the second man and slowly saluted him, before taking from his outstretched hands the folded flag. In return, the one no longer carrying his nation’s colors, saluted. Next, the sergeant marched in silence to the empty table and placed the folded flag upon it. Returning, he aligned himself in front of the next man in line. From this one’s hands, he took another folded flag. Instead of saluting as before, he turned to his right and waited while the last man in formation moved to join him. Slowly the two unfolded the mostly black flag. Then, with reverence and precision, the younger soldier snapped the flag in place on a thin pole, beside the empty table set for one. Across the bottom of that flag were printed the words, “You are not forgotten.”
We who are soldiers pledge not to forget our fallen and missing comrades—those brave men who never came home. Where they languish in captivity, or died on lost and lonely landscape is unknown. That is only part of what fills our minds. What matters more is that we honor them, soldiers who swore to protect their nation knowing they might give the supreme sacrifice. In this case, to remember is to value—it is a spiritual concept breathed by our Creator! Moreover, tugging our hearts is that inner hope that if we were in their place we would not be forgotten.
Meditation
Isaiah 49:14-16—Zion says, “The LORD has abandoned me; The Lord has forgotten me!” “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the child of her womb? Even if these forget, yet I will not forget you. Look, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me.”
Imagine if God forgot us. Imagine if we died and our bodies turned to dust and our souls were nothing more than some wind carried, siren song. Imagine if there was no homecoming because the Maker saw no need to forgive, restore, and perpetuate. Fortunately, the same God who promised never to forget the nation of Israel, sent His Son who promised us, “My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish—ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27,28).
When was the last time you thanked God for a Savior that always remembers? . . . something to think about . . . in reveration!
Inspiration
There is nothing so secure as the salvation of God; it is as eternal as the mountains, and it is our trust in God that brings us the conscious realization of this.—Oswald Chambers in The Pilgrim’s Song Book
We who are soldiers pledge not to forget our fallen and missing comrades—those brave men who never came home. Where they languish in captivity, or died on lost and lonely landscape is unknown. That is only part of what fills our minds. What matters more is that we honor them, soldiers who swore to protect their nation knowing they might give the supreme sacrifice. In this case, to remember is to value—it is a spiritual concept breathed by our Creator! Moreover, tugging our hearts is that inner hope that if we were in their place we would not be forgotten.
Meditation
Isaiah 49:14-16—Zion says, “The LORD has abandoned me; The Lord has forgotten me!” “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the child of her womb? Even if these forget, yet I will not forget you. Look, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me.”
Imagine if God forgot us. Imagine if we died and our bodies turned to dust and our souls were nothing more than some wind carried, siren song. Imagine if there was no homecoming because the Maker saw no need to forgive, restore, and perpetuate. Fortunately, the same God who promised never to forget the nation of Israel, sent His Son who promised us, “My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish—ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27,28).
When was the last time you thanked God for a Savior that always remembers? . . . something to think about . . . in reveration!
Inspiration
There is nothing so secure as the salvation of God; it is as eternal as the mountains, and it is our trust in God that brings us the conscious realization of this.—Oswald Chambers in The Pilgrim’s Song Book
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