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“See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. Exodus 23:20
One of the first sermons I ever preached was based on Exodus 23:20 and following verses. The sermon “I Go Before You” spoke to the lesson each of us must learn. Our God is not a God of surprise, he is a God of plan and implementation of plans. We may be surprised, worried, shocked or full of anxiety, HE is not.
A dear blogging friend of mine, Kate Kresse, recently posted a question for her readers “What kind of year are you having? (http://believeanyway.wordpress.com/2012/11/15/what-kind-of-year-are-you-having-changes-or-staying-the-course/). That entry became the impetus for my own thinking over the past year.
Were I to be forced to summarize the past year with a view to the future my response would be something like the announcer at an amusement park ride. “Please keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times and remain seated until the ride comes to a complete stop.”
January 2012 was difficult for myself and my family, or so I thought. The position I held at a local Retreat Center was on the ropes. Budget cuts and financial concerns put all of us staff on edge. While I didn’t lose my job, my hours were drastically cut to the point that made it financially impossible to stay, but the small income was better than nothing so I stayed on as I looked for something better.
The latter part of January and early February I began to notice a definite downturn in my Father’s health. Nothing any of us could put our finger on. Increased fatigue, poor eyesight, weakness. At 84 Dad was just getting tired…or so we thought. February 11, 2012 Dad suffered a stroke. Further testing revealed cancer had spread throughout his body. For the next six weeks I was either at his side in the hospital, the nursing home or, eventually, hospice.
Dad joined my mom, two brothers and a nephew in heaven just 13 days after his 85th birthday. Dad was my best friend, my ministry consultant and my walking, talking Bible Scholar. Even after his stroke, while he was still strong enough, our discussions were over ministry, people, prayer and God’s amazing grace. Dad’s life verse was Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Anyone who knew Pastor Max knew his life verse. Period.
While I stood by my Dad’s deathbed, the rest of life went on. Looking back I was tremendously blessed to have the job I had as my hours at work could be done on a laptop in a hospital room during Dad’s naps, which grew longer every day.
I took a job at a Department store. Great company, good people, hated the job. Even there I saw God’s handiwork. When they offered me the job and I explained my situation, they held off my start date until after the funeral.
I digress a bit. February 16, just days after Dad’s stroke, I was asked to do pulpit supply at a tiny little Lutheran Church. I’m divorced. I have a criminal background (not a long story…a book) and had all but given up on ministry. This little church offered a call to my family in July, 2012.
This wonderful Zion church family walked me through Dad’s death, accepted my flaws and encouraged me to press on. Every week I walk into that sanctuary and say thank you. Thank you Jesus for showing me that your angel did indeed go before me.
Since July I have not only had the opportunity to teach God’s word (no better job) but have had an increase in my bookings as a motivational/inspirational speaker. I have no idea what lay ahead. I only know that as long as I follow after my God, the plan is already laid, the path is hewn. All I need to do is stay seated until the ride comes to a complete stop.
Thanks Kate for inspiring me to write this. Although we’ve never met on earth, we will someday on the other side. God Bless.
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:18
A dear friend of mine passed away suddenly a few weeks ago. While she was in her mid-seventies, she was more active than some half her age. She left behind three adult children, several grandchildren, many, many special friends and Suzie (not her real name).
Suzie was a young, special needs child that my friend adopted at a young age. She’d come from a very bad home life and had been bounced from one family member to another and several foster homes. That changed when she was adopted. My friend raised her as her own, helped her to excel to the best of her ability and watched her mature into a beautiful young lady.
Suzie wrote a letter to ‘her mom’ which was read at the funeral by someone else. It started something like this: “Dear mom, I remember the first time I met you. I asked you if you wanted me. You said yes.”
If there had been a dry eye in the house up to this point, it was gone! ‘Do you want me?’
The words still linger in my mind. We all ask that question. Not in so many words, not in such dire times, although for some we do. We all want to be wanted. We all NEED to be wanted. It’s an intrinsic part of our human nature. That’s why we seek relationships; why we work so hard for status, power and riches. The need to be wanted is at the heart of our social networking sites or our favorite night spots.
The need to be wanted also has a negative effect. When we can’t find fulfillment for the hole in our souls that screams for acceptance we try other relationships that may harm us, harm other people or destroy our bodies with drugs, alcohol or other things.
“Do you want me?”
It’s a question Jesus answers on a daily basis. “I will not leave you as orphans.” Get it? He wants you. Orphans have nothing to give. Orphans have an unknown past, and may bring emotional, physical or intellectual baggage that you aren’t ready to deal with. But Jesus says, I don’t care about all that. I want you.
Each of us is an orphan in a spiritual sense. Each of us have nothing to give, no hope for the future and carry enough luggage to fill an airliner. Our need to feel wanted is fulfilled through Jesus Christ. He makes no requirements other than that we accept his gift of adoption into his family.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, there are so many times I feel alone, rejected or unable to meet the demands of today that others put on me or I put on myself. Thank you for adopting me. Thank you for wanting me, baggage and all. Amen.
Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21 (NIV1984)
“It seemed like such a good idea at the time.”
How many times have you heard yourself or someone else mumble those words?
A couple sits across the courtroom from one another. Eight years ago they pledged their love to each other ‘until death do us part’. Now, the pieces of a family torn by doubt and infidelity and emotional abandonment are all that is left. As she looks at him she thinks back. He was a good Christian man. He was kind, generous, forgiving. Someone she could trust. Now, all she felt was hurt, all she saw in his eyes was anger. What happened?
The story is the same throughout mankind. We have plans. We have visions of what life should look like. Sometimes we make half-hearted prayers to God for wisdom, prayers which are really nothing more than asking his approval for our ideas.
Our plans can be for a successful career, a healthy family, or a large, burgeoning church. But things don’t go as we expected and we revert to our own strength and wisdom rather than look to God. We begin to compare, criticize, covet and complain about each other and about God.
Somewhere along the line we’ve gotten the idea that God’s plan for each of us is to live a fairy tale existence. The frogs of the world turn to princes. The princesses swoon at our kiss. The ‘magic seeds’ of entrepreneurial efforts become beanstalks that lift us to the heavens.
Jesus spent more of his time encouraging those who were down and out than he did catering to the social elite. Why? Because he knew man’s plans would inevitably lead to failure, pain, discouragement and destruction.
As the Lord spoke through the prophet Jeremiah, he assures us “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) But that promise came to a people who were in exile at the time and far removed from Jehovah God.
God’s plan for us, as for the Israelites, was to prosper them AFTER they endured the trials of their own guilt.
God’s plan for each of us is first and foremost to have a healthy, vibrant relationship with him based on living a lifestyle according to his word. Anything that deviates from God’s word is man’s plan and destined to failure. Anything empowered by his Spirit and driven by his word will prosper; prosper by His standards, not the worlds.
Whether you are in ministry, a career or a blue-collar worker take a look at your plans. Make sure they are measured by relationship with God and not personal gain or tradition. God’s plans never go awry.
PRAYER: Father God. It’s so easy to superimpose my own desires and call them yours. Give me wisdom to earnestly seek your path and not the path more easily trodden. In Jesus name, Amen.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. Luke 2:25
So many times in the Bible we read of people who come on stage for one short scene and then are gone. Simeon was one of those people. Historians and theologians have speculated about who he might have been, the son of Hillel, a great teacher in Jerusalem, a member of the Sanhedrin, etc. But we really don’t know who he was and it’s probably not important we know. If it was, God would have revealed that to us.
Simeon reminds us that God works through the common people; through those who have just a few lines in the drama of life. We look for the big parts. We all want to be stars, but reality is, God’s best work is done through the ‘also ran’s’. It’s not the size of the part we play that is important, but our actions when we are on stage that count.
Just like us, Simeon lived in a very dark time in the life of the nation Israel. They lived under the control of a godless government. They were being taxed without hope of relief. Those that were paying attention saw the signs of something on the horizon, something good, the consolation of Israel.
Most of us don’t have any idea what it’s like to live as captives in your own land, but the Jews did. They sought freedom. They sought comfort. Those who were aware of the downward spiral of their society eagerly waited for the Messiah to relieve their pain.
When Mary and Joseph arrived at the temple with their new baby he was immediately recognized by Simeon. Simeon praised God for the arrival of the infant. His life was complete. He’d checked off the final item on his list. He could die in peace now because the Messiah had come.
What allowed Simeon to recognize the Messiah is available to each of us. First of all, he was continually watching the signs in anticipation of Messiah. It’s so easy for us to be distracted by world events and miss the main event. There wasn’t a day that didn’t go by that Simeon didn’t look for Jesus.
Secondly, Simeon didn’t allow himself to be affected by the godless society in which he lived. He focused on his relationship with God, not on the religious and political issues of the day. His lifestyle allowed him to live with integrity. He was esteemed my men and pleased God.
Lastly, Simeon lived in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit of the Living God. During his time on earth, the Holy Spirit came upon people for a time and would leave. Today we have the privilege of having the very Spirit of the living God indwell us from the moment we accept Christ. His Spirit gives us power to live in integrity, comfort in the midst of pain, and the ability to see Jesus when he comes to us.
As followers of Jesus Christ, our responsibility isn’t to be thrown about by every doctrine, every fear, every prognostication of ‘world experts.’ Ours is to wait, watch and worship.
PRAYER: Father God, empower me with your Spirit to walk as Simeon did. Give me patience to wait for your coming, wisdom to discern the signs and a passionate worship of Jesus. Amen.
“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth. Numbers 24:17
Every once in awhile you’ll see them at sporting events or on billboards on the commute into work. Signs bearing the words “JOHN 3:16” emblazoned on placards, bumpers and roadside signs remind those of us who are Christ-followers of God’s love for the world, others scoff and smirk. Just another weird ‘Jesus person’.
From time to time you’ll see other verses of scripture put up on display, but not very often do you see Numbers 24:17, “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the sons of Sheth.
Rather than curse Israel as he intended to do, the prophet Balaam spoke words of hope for the people. His words had both a ‘present’ message and an eternal one. This small fledgling nation would someday become a great nation under a powerful leader and it’s boundaries would be expanded and secure.
But more than that, the eternal implications were great. Beyond the golden era of King David, a messiah would arise. He would take away the sins of the world! His reign would be eternal, just, and full of love. His scepter would be one of grace, compassion, forgiveness and comfort for those who followed him.
This hope, this ‘seeing him, but not now; beholding him, but not near’ is like the first light of dawn on the horizon. Barely more than a faint glow, it grows brighter as dawn approaches. For the watchful eye, the heart the fears the dark, the approaching dawn brings hope. The night will soon be over; the hidden dangers will be exposed; the enemies of our souls that love the darkness because their deeds are evil will flee.
As the horizon lightens our sense of expectancy grows. As evil seems to triumph over good; as morality and the things of God seem to be threatened, we harbor in our hearts the promise that someday our king will triumph. Some day the expectancy of the dawn will be as bright as the noonday sun!
Later, this light, this star spoken of in prophecy would say to those who would hear him, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12).
Matthew tells us more when he quotes Jesus as saying, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. (Matthew 5:14).
This light rising in the darkness; that brings hope to a hope-less world is Jesus Christ. In him we not only have our hope, but we reflect that hope to those around us. The Christmas Star is much more than a reminder of a little baby in a manger. It’s a present promise of future hope, just as the dawn promises us a new day.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus I thank you for the hope you give us on a daily basis. Help me to reflect your hope to those in need around me today. Amen.
