Time To Live a Little

Today was a tough day for many Americans, or at least it was around here. The day after this historic election found me very somber. I would not go so far as to say depressed, but downcast, for sure. A kind of short-tempered feeling, with a dash of irritation, and a boatload of exasperation. I walked by faculty who I know supported the man who today is our President, and did not move out of the cordial greeting phase with them at all. I heard things that tempted my blood to boil. And I knew the day would get harder.

For those who do not know I am a pastor and a junior high History and Civics teacher, and between talking to a few teachers and fielding questions from students (which I did all day), I am exhausted. I had to do my very best to live Romans 13:1-7 and Titus 3:1. It was difficult. However, I was encouraged by a few things I read at The Founders Blog, and some other sites I frequent. I began to remember that I am commanded to pray for my leaders, to honor them, and to keep in mind that God is in control as the One who orders all things to the pleasure of His good will.

However, I did not come straight home after work. During my planning period I decided to do something that I pray will bear fruit and glorify my Savior.

I made a few appointments.

At 3:30 today I met with the mayor of the little town I live in. We spoke a little about the new town council. She related that they always prayed before conducting any town business. She shared some of her concerns: the homeless, veterans, the hungry and poor. I really do not think there is a truly homeless person in the little town limits. But she told me about a group living under a bridge in a bigger city, not 30 miles from here. She spoke about a woman's self-defense program that she found out about from some volunteers at the annual Founders Day who were not even living within the town limits. And about how she wrote some letters of appreciation to the persons responsible for the program. These letters really encouraged a few people. (Maybe enough to continue the program..) I then confessed to her that I did not pray for my elected officials as I should. I read her the opening verses of Romans 13. With her permission, I prayed with her and for her, then I left.with an invitation to open a future Founders Day in prayer.

I am not going to pretend that I am not cringing when I hear about all the things that naturally follow an election, But I do believe that this is a really good chance to live the love that I preach about, to give the respect that I should offer to those who God says deserves it, to not render myself unapproachable to those who voted differently than I did , and to trust the sovereignty of God.

I plan to try to pray with (and for) as many of my elected officials as I can. I do not pretend to be reconciled to all of what has happened in my country. I just do not want to miss such an opportunity to obey God, and maybe to even grow a little spiritually (Lord willing). Please join me in praying for our country and its elected officials.

The Bed was Already Made

2 Corinthians 2:16

“to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?”

He had been in hospice care for months, his liver destroyed, his life slipping from him. I saw him once with many people around, stopped by once and was told he was resting, visited and prayed with him twice when he was in such pain that, through the fog of medication, I do not know if he could understand much of what was happening. In prayer with him, I preached the gospel twice (with his wife in the room) both at the hospital and at his home. But I had been praying for a conscious moment for him, to look in his eyes and share Jesus.

Saturday night I rode the elevator up to the fourth floor and walked into a still and dark room. The bed was made, and he was gone. I found out later that he had died the day before.

I helped the widow find the phone number of the pastor that the family wanted to conduct the funeral, formally the pastor of the little church I serve now.

At the visitation, all I could do way pray that they were weeping for the right reasons, and make sure they knew I was really there if they needed me.

I could spend years listing things that I should have done differently in trying to reach him and the family. But nothing prepared me for that dark hospital room, and no one called me to let me know he was gone. They were understandably busy.

PM

Oh, For Grace to Trust Him More

Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.

Hebrews 13: 13-14

By way of introduction: I am a brand new pastor, not even two years into serving in my first pastorate. I am married with two kids, three cats, too many dogs, and the laptop I am writing this on is partially held together with duct tape. I have not been to Seminary, but am looking at ways to get headed in that direction. I am a school teacher by trade, and a child of God's by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. His call on my life to preach and to pastor was really one of those "I was the last to know" sort of things. Really, my heart is just to love and obey my God, to share the unimaginable grace and mercy of God in Christ Jesus, to cling to His unchanging word, and to follow Him wherever He leads. So far it has lead to places that I never thought I would find myself. One of those places is on my face before Him in fear and love and praise and wonder over and over. Another of those places was through what I believe was some chastisement. Yet another was to surrender to a call to preach. I am leaving a lot out , but there will be, I pray, time for all that later.

I wanted to begin with a post about one more place that God is leading: India and Nepal. I'll be going there, Lord willing, soon. Its only for a few weeks, but I have never even been out of the country, and this is only my second mission trip. My first was to Michigan for six days. Needless to say, I ask that you pray for me and for my family as well as the church I serve and the young man who, Lord, willing will be filling the pulpit.

The plan is to help the Body in Nepal and to minister to my brothers and sisters in whatever way I can. There is a bit more to it, but right now that is enough to pray on. There are literally hundreds of people who are more "qualified". People who have given up everything and trained long and hard to get the chance to do what has simply opened to me by God's providence. I have a family that is worried, kids who are trying to get their brain around all of this, and the best wife on earth, who is trusting in God through everything, but still not completely o.k with the trip. In other words, she is trusting God, but I have yet to see any cartwheels in the yard in celebration of the event. (Let's keep in mind, she thought she was marring a teacher. It is amazing to watch God grow both her and us.)

Violence and murder against Christians and the destruction of churches in India had been in the news lately. These and other dangers could be waiting in Nepal. There are those who do not want me to go on this mission, that has been made clear. Still, I look at all the doors that have been opened, the clear commands in scripture, and see that this is not up to me. I have to follow.

I have been taught that a good question to ask at this point, as I prepare to go, is: What is my Heavenly Father revealing about my own sinful heart as I walk this? Here is the short answer: The disconnect between my head knowledge and my faith is not longer acceptable. I cannot just know that I am to cast my care upon Him because he cares for me, I have to live that. To step out on it, is far removed from chasing the verbs around or cross-referencing .

See, if Hebrews 13: 13-14 is a real part of my life in Christ, and not just one of the scripture references in John Piper's sermon at Together for the Gospel 08, then I have to live it and walk it and trust my God.

I have to live the truth of the First century Christians leaving Judaism forever and going out to where Jesus suffered, outside Jerusalem, because we have a High Priest that it sympathetic, tempted in all ways and yet without sin, in Jesus Christ who suffered for our sins and took the wrath we deserve. And I have to live going to Him, outside of all I recognize and find "safe". Leave my "zone", leave my air conditioning and all the safety of food I trust, water I trust, and leave threats to my life and faith that I am learning (to my shame) that I trusted and allowed for far too long. Threats like apathy and self-righteousness and lust and greed.

I have to pray for grace to face a physical body that is not able to go ten miles with a loaded pack. A body that I ignored and abused until seized with panic that it is broken and is failing. I have to live the truth of His reproach, then the truth of sharing it. My Savior was rejected and a man of sorrows. He was scorned by those He came to save. I have to pray for the grace to share in that and to rejoice .

And the truth that I have no lasting city here. This place cannot be my home. A sojourner, a soldier, a slave, and a pastor and a teacher, yes - but, I am not here to colonize within the enemies kingdom. I am here to preach the gospel of grace, to run the race before me, and to battle the sin in my flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit. But most of all to glorify God, and , yes, to enjoy Him forever. Having no lasting city for me right now means falling out of love with what I have turned my "world" into. And praying that Jesus would be more and more my world.

India, Nepal, America. No lasting city here, only the amazing chance to go, at a time of danger, to a place half a world away, and wash the feet of the saints. I ask that you pray for me, that I may have grace to trust Him more, to bear up and follow in obedience.

PM