Prayer

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I Am The Lord’s Servant

This week, my writings will look at another attribute of being a Christian — God says I am His servant! 

What first comes to your mind when you hear the word, “servant”?  Is it a positive mental picture, or a negative one?  In the American culture that I live in and write from, being a servant is not a popular goal.  As children go around a group stating what they want to be when they grow up, you never hear someone say, “I want to be a servant.”  Unfortunately, in the average life, good role models in being a servant are hard to find.  Those that do serve well are filled with humility that makes them shy away from attention or being noticed.  Others serve with a motive of being noticed and it often comes across as fake and self-serving — because it is.  Yet many others simply don’t serve.  It’s beneath  them.  They are too good, too important, too busy, to have the time or desire to serve someone else.

Even in the church, many times it is hard to find every-day examples of servants for the same reasons.  A genuine servant is often un-noticed and un-recognized.  Others serve with an arrogance and pride that serves themselves much more than serving others.  Yet, many simply do not serve.  Church after church that I have visited reflect the same problem.  Not a necessarily a lack of members or attenders, but a lack of servants.  You’ve heard it and seen it — perhaps even said it — right?

  • “What, me shovel snow and spread salt?  I thought we paid someone to do that!” 
  • “You want me to work in the nursery or teach a children’s class?  I’m too old, young, busy, or already “served” my time!” 
  • “You want me to serve communion and take up the offering?  I come to church to sit with my family!” 
  • “Visit the nursing home on a Saturday morning?  I work hard all week and deserve to sleep in!” 
  • “Give items to the food pantry and help make sure hungry people have what they need?  I work hard for what I have, so can they!” 
  • “Call and visit shut-ins, the elderly, and the sick?  I don’t have the time and I have nothing in common with them!” 
  • “Work a week of church camp so young people can learn about Jesus in a incredibly intense environment?  My vacation time is too valuable to waste doing that!”
  • “Walk across the room and say hello to a visitor or stranger or someone who looks down and lonely?  I don’t know them and wouldn’t know what to say!”
  • “Give up my rights, desires, and preferences to benefit someone else — someone I may not even know or like?  What planet are you from?  Let them accommodate me!”

I could go on, but hopefully you get the point and have even seen yourself in some of this dialogue — I know I have.  Serving is not natural.  Serving says that the needs of someone else are more important than mine.  Serving is about honoring and caring for the one we serve.  Serving seeks to be invisible while at the same time accomplishing everything the “master” desires.  A servant would never detract from or subvert the will and direction of his master.

That is why Mary’s response to the news that she was to carry and give birth to the Messiah, is so remarable.  It is the genuine response of a servant; “I am the Lord’s servant.  May it be to me according to your word.”  Wow!  Mary understood that as a follower of God, she was His servant.  It didn’t matter if the task seemed difficult, demeaning, questionable, or even impossible — whatever God asked her to do, she would do it.

What would your life and mine be like if we sought God in everything?  What if when the youth leader, director, or minister asked you to serve in the church nursery, your response is to God — “Lord, I am your servant, what do you want me to do?”  Or when you see that lonely and hurting person, you said — “Lord, I am your servant, what do you want me to do?”  Or in any of the other situations listed above or the myriad of possibilities encountered in life you and I said — “Lord, I am your servant, what do you want me to do?”  What if we said it, and meant it, and acted as a servant in obedience.

A servant of God seeks to please only his master.  I pray that you and I continually grow in our obedience as servants.  God says that I am His servant!  I pray that I constantly remember that and live up to His view of me.

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National Missionary Convention

National Missionary Convention PosterI will be at the National Missionary Convention this weekend to represent Impact Ministries International and Impact Prayer Ministry.

I love the National Missionary Convention!  It is an incredible gathering of worship, encouragement, learning, connecting, and representation.  There will be missionaries and mission works represented from all over the world.

The National Missionary Convention is being held at the Duke Energy Center in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, November 15 – 18, 2007.  If you are in the area, or can be in Cincinnati this weekend, I highly recommend a visit to the National Missionary Convention.  If you are there, look up the Impact Ministries International booth and stop by and say hello. 

Please pray for the convention and the missions that will be represented.  Like us at Impact, most are looking to connect with current partners and supporters as well as make connections with potential staff, interns, and financial and prayer partners.  Pray that these connections are made and that the entire convention is conducted in a way that brings honor and glory to God.

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Mercy: What A Delight!

I had the opportunity to preach Sunday evening about the mercy of God.  Preparing for that made me think about the whole idea of mercy and what it is.  I looked up the word mercy in the dictionary and it gave the definition as “compassion: kindness or forgiveness shown especially to somebody a person has power over”.  While I would quickly agree that compassion, kindness, and forgiveness all have something to do with mercy, I felt that the definition given was just too weak . . . too inadequate for this characteristic of God that we call mercy. 

You see, I think the dictionary was missing a key element of mercy — at the heart of mercy is the fact that it is undeserved.  If we deserve the compassion, kindness, and forgiveness shown to us, then it is something we earned and not mercy at all.  No, real mercy comes when we know we deserve punishment, condemnation, consequences, or retaliation and it is not given out to us.  I used the following illustration Sunday night that I think many people can relate to.

A few years ago I was on my way to a graduation open house on a Sunday afternoon with my mind a million miles away.  I was in full time youth ministry at the time and Sundays were days that were jam-packed full of activities and responsibilities that kept my attention all day long if they were to be accomplished well.  Anyhow, this particular afternoon I was simply driving to my destination without paying much attention at all to my surroundings or where I was.  As we were nearing the house we were headed to, my wife tells me that the sheriff’s car that had just went by us just did a U-turn and was likely coming after me.  Sure enough, the flashing lights appeared in my rear view mirror and as I pulled over to let him by he simply pulled in behind me.  I was caught.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t really sure what I was caught at.  This section of road was actually a fairly notorious speed trap, so I assumed I was its latest victim.  However, I wasn’t paying any attention and didn’t even know for sure if I was speeding and if so how fast I had been going.  The officer soon approached my car window and asked the question, “Do you know why I stopped you?”  I don’t know if that is a normal question, but it seems like a strange question to me.  Especially at this moment because my answer was something like this, “I’m not real sure, but I would guess I was driving too fast.”  And so I told him the truth.  I was paying absolutely no attention to what I was doing and therefore had no idea how fast I was driving.  He took me back to his car to show me the radar reading and sure enough, I was doing 47 in a 35 mph zone.  I simply told him that if that is what it said, then I must have been doing that.  I apologized . . . I expressed my regret . . . I confessed my wrongs of driving too fast and not paying attention.  I acknowledged that I was caught and I was guilty.  And then the mercy came.  He calmly and mildly reprimands me and tells me to pay attention when I drive and watch my speed.  Thank you and have a good day!

Wow!  Individuals that know me and were also going to the open house, gave me a hard time about my little roadside visit.  When I told them the officer just wanted to chat about my driving habits and encouraged me to pay attention and do what I ought, they couldn’t believe it.  It seems that “everyone” who gets caught on that section of roadway gets a ticket.  For me, it was mercy in action.  I didn’t demand it, I didn’t really even request it.  I definitely didn’t deserve it.  I simply confessed my sin and humbly took responsibility for my actions that I knew were wrong.  Any other course of action would have made mercy unlikely at best. 

God is a lot like that.  Micah 7:18 says He is a God “who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance.  [He does] not stay angry forever but delight[s] to show mercy.”  God longs to show mercy if we would just come to him in humility.  A broken and contrite heart, He will not turn away.  His anger over our sin will melt away when he sees us come to Him in repentance.  God is always calling us to Himself, longing for us to recognize that we are guilty and in need of His mercy.  Mercy that is freely given to all who humble themselves and confess their sin as He is “faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 

May you and I bring delight to God by being honest with Him in our need for His mercy.

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It’s Almost Here

Tomorrow evening — Saturday, November 10 — is the Mitchel Jon concert here in South Bend, Indiana.  I am anticipating this being a great evening of Christian fellowship and joy, as well as a benefit to Impact Prayer Ministry.

 If you can make it, I’m confident that you will be both blessed and a blessing.

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Seventy Times Seven

Patience and forgiveness — how connected are they in your life?  As I consider these two qualities of God, I wonder if it is even possible to separate them. 

I think of the time Peter asks Jesus, “how many times should I forgive someone who sins against me?  Up to seven times?”  The response of Jesus seems to indicate that Peter missed the whole point of forgiveness.  True forgiveness — mercy — is undeserved each and every time it is given.  There is not a tally sheet that says I will forgive you this time because you are still within your limit and therefore deserve my forgiveness.  No, Jesus says to forgive seventy times seven — or some translations would say, seventy-seven times.  Either way, that principle is not setting up a score card, rather it is emphasizing the patience required in the act of forgiveness.

Think about the connection.  Consider yourself.  Would people say that you are a forgiving person?  Yes or no, does that answer not also fit the question, “are you a patient person”?  Patient people forgive.  Forgiving people must be patient.  Does forgiving in the manner and frequency taught by Jesus require patience?  Absolutely!  Does living out the fruit of the Spirit in practicing patience (long-suffering) with one another require forgiveness?  Without a doubt!

Look at your life a little closer and more deeply and you begin to see the patience of God at work.  Paul put it this way in 1 Timothy 1:15-17:

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance:  Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.  Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever.  Amen.”

How patient must God be with mankind — with you and me?  Do we want God to quit forgiving after the seventh time we ask?  Or even after the 490th time (70 x 7)?  I don’t think so!  I know I don’t want Him to.  God’s patience is defined by His mercy, both undeserved so that we know without a doubt it is all Him and none of our doing when we are saved.  God suffers long with us, not willing that any should perish but that all would come to repentance.  It is God’s patience that can take a man like Paul, or me, and show mercy to him in order that the purpose of Jesus coming into the world might be accomplished — to save sinners.

Paul wants you and I to know that no one need be without hope.  Yes, the justice of God with His wrath and judgement will come but His very nature of patience and mercy says that He is willing to forgive and forgive, longing for each person to believe in Him and accept His mercy. 

I am thankful that God is patient.  As he works in my life — in this jar of clay that I’ve made available to Him — He is patient and works with loving care bringing the hard and brittle surfaces of my life to a point of softness and flexibility.  His patience allows Him to form me more and more into the image of His Son, Jesus, while not breaking or destroying me.  I pray daily and thank God for His patience with me.  He has not given up, though there have been many times — okay, daily times that he probably should have by man’s evaluation.  But God is not man and man is not God so His patience forms me, carries me, equips me, prods me, challenges me, and changes me into what He desires this lump of clay to be.

May you and I appreciate the patience of God on a daily basis.  May we seek to live obediently and not “try the patience” of God by the things we do and say.

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A Hidden Warrior

What might God call you that would be completely unexpected?  Perhaps He calls you a teacher, a friend, a giver, a speaker, a missionary, an encourager, a helper, a servant, a preacher, a politician, a unifier, a difference-maker, or some other thing that would make you say, “You’ve got to be kidding me!  That’s not what I am.  There is no way I could do that!”

I love the story of Gideon found in Judges chapter 6 and following.  He can relate to God having a different view of you than you have of yourself.  In the context, the nation of Israel has been experiencing severe oppression for seven years as judgment from God for their evil ways.  Finally, the nation cries out to God for relief and help because the desolation and destruction caused by the Midianites is so severe.  God hears their cries and His initial response is to send a prophet who speaks the Word of God to them and tells them that they have brought the judgment upon themselves because they have refused to listen to God.

I have to believe that there was some kind of repentant spirit or action that is not written because the next step of God’s response is an angel of the Lord appearing to Gideon.  Gideon is found in a winepress but he is not pressing out grapes, he is hiding his wheat crop and threshing out grain hoping the Midianites will not find him or his crop and destroy it.  Then God shows up with the unexpected greeting, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”  Gideon’s response is classic.  Does it sound familiar to you? — What! . . . Mighty warrior? . . . The Lord is with me? . . . I don’t think so!  Gideon not only could not see himself as a mighty warrior, he definitely didn’t see God as “with him”.  He challenges this messenger of God, believing that the nation could not be in the condition it is in if God were truly close by.  No, God had evidently abandoned them and given them over to the Midianites.

Yet, even in his doubt and fear, Gideon wants to believe.  When God tells Gideon that he is to go and save Israel out of Midian’s hand, Gideon wants it to happen but doubts his ability to get it done.  After all, he is not only of the weakest clan in all of Israel, he sees himself as the weakest person in his entire family.  His thoughts seem to go along the line, “Okay, maybe You do want to finally rescue us, but I cannot be the person that accomplishes that.”  God’s response is, “Of course not!  I will be with you!  I’ve called you ‘mighty warrior’ because I am close at hand.  Go in the strength you have — the strength you have is Me!”

Gideon is known for a variety of things and mighty warrior is not often one of them.  He is known for his “testing” of God.  The original “putting out the fleece” idea seems to be his.  I think Gideon knew himself and his ability but still wanted God to act and rescue the nation.  Gideon knew that if God wasn’t really with him, it would be a very short rescue effort.  Somewhere in the process, Gideon learned to trust God.  He doesn’t seem to balk when God reduces his army to a mere 300 men.  He goes along with God’s plan for the battle and arms each of his men with a trumpet and a torch covered by a clay jar.  I have to tell you, that this battle plan sounds even crazier than the Jericho battle plan, yet Gideon and his men faithfully carry it out.  As Gideon and his men surround the enemy camp, they blow their trumpets, smash the clay jars exposing the torches, and shout, “For the Lord and for Gideon!”  Then God does His work.  The Midianites turn on one another with their swords and take off in full retreat pursued by the Israelites.  God’s “mighty warrior” lived up to his name, not by his power, might or wisdom, but by obediently following the God that was with him.

So, what about you and me?  When God calls you to teach a group of junior high students about him and you feel you can’t, do you hear Him saying, “I am with you”?  Or when your neighbor or coworker needs an encouraging word and a representative of Jesus to speak truth to them, do you hear Him saying, “I am with you”?  Years ago, when I was in my early twenties, I dropped out of college because they were requiring me to take a speech class.  I was so terrified of people that the thought of speaking in front of the class was too much to consider.  Out of that context, a number of years later God clearly stated within my life that I was to be a spokesman for Him.  My reaction was similar to Gideon’s.  “You’ve got to be kidding!  There is no way that I can speak to people publicly or individually.  People scare me.  It’s impossible, I can’t do it.”  That is when God spoke to me, “I know you can’t do it, but I am with you.  Go in the strength that you have — Me!”  And so I’ve gone.  Hesitantly at first, “testing” God and affirming that He is indeed close at hand.  Slowly learning that life must be lived in complete obedience, even when I don’t understand the plan.  I was a “hidden spokesman”.  I can’t do it, but God continues to do it through me.

May you hear God’s words to you that seem so unexpected and impossible and realize that He is with you.  His closeness allows Him to see you in ways that you cannot see yourself.  As you trust Him to be the strength that you have, He will do what He calls you to.  May you know the closeness of God that both sees and equips you to be what He has created you to be.

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Preaching/Teaching Trip

Meramec Springs Cross

The above picture was taken from a scenic overlook at the Meramec Springs Park near St. James, Missouri.  I was able to spend a few days in Missouri with my family this past weekend as I was the mission speaker at the Waynesville First Christian Church in Waynesville, MO.  On Sunday morning, I was able to introduce the mission of Impact Prayer Ministry to the congregation and answer a few questions they had.  I also taught during their Sunday School hour on “A Foundation For Life” and preached a message, “Active Faith”, during the worship service.  They are a gracious congregation seeking to make Christ known in their area and around the world.

As I mentioned, my family was able to join me on this trip so we took a couple of days to enjoy some of the scenery of the Ozark mountains.  On Saturday, we visited Ha Ha Tonka State Park.  The name itself made me want to go check it out and when I read the description of the park, I knew it was a “must see”.  The park contains the shell of a “castle” built on an incredible bluff overlooking the rolling hills of the area.  While that was impressive, the real beauty was the natural features found in the trails and roads through the park.

On Sunday evening, after I had rested from the morning’s work, we went to Meramec Springs Park in nearby St. James.  We were able to enjoy a beautiful evening walk along the waterway flowing from the spring to the river.  A waterway filled with trout and trout fishermen.  There was also an interesting “historic drive” that took us to an incredible overlook of the park and surrounding area.  This park is owned and operated by a private foundation and was a great find.

On the way home, we stopped at the St. Louis Zoo.  Not only was this zoo impressive with its layout and variety of animals, it is free!  We had our membership pass from the Potawatomi Zoo and anticipated a reciprocal agreement that would get us in with the pass, but found out that wasn’t even necessary — it is free admission to everyone.  The main parking lot does cost $10, but there is some limited on street parking that is free if you don’t mind parking a little ways away.

All in all, it was a great trip.  I thoroughly enjoyed our family time together and the walks, hikes, and drives we were able to take.  I loved being able to teach, preach, and meet some of the folks from the Waynesville church.  I pray that my time with them was an encouragement and help to them as it was to me.

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Tornado Damage Cleanup

Wow!  I was privileged to participate in a massive cleanup effort today.  I grew up near the Nappanee, Indiana area that was hard hit by a tornado on Thursday evening.  When I saw the notice in the South Bend paper on Saturday that volunteers were needed to help with cleanup on Sunday, I knew I had to go. 

I’m not sure anyone anticipated the response that was given by the surrounding communities.  I’ve read a report tonight that those in charge of the cleanup effort were expecting, or hoping for, about 1,000 people.  Estimates of those who helped, and those who tried to help far exceed that number.  I had a pretty good idea that the response was overwhelming when it took me an hour to drive the 5 or 6 miles between Wakarusa and Nappanee.  Traffic was inching along toward the Northwood High School parking lot where the volunteer work crews were to be sent out from.  Once I did arrive at the school parking lot, I joined a massive line of people waiting to board a bus for transportation to a work site.  Bus after bus arrived to be filled to capacity with people and then head off for an area of devastation needing cleaned up.  I finally moved forward enough that I would make the next series of arriving buses. 

That is when the announcement came.  There were no longer any safe areas left to transport people to.  The remaining crowd, which was still quite numerous, were told, “thank you for your willingness to help, but we don’t have work for any more people.”  Wow!  All of this devastation and more than enough people to meet the current need.  The crowd broke into applause; knowing that while they wouldn’t help today, it was a day to celebrate the outpouring of assistance being given.  And so, people quickly and quietly left.  They had come to work, to express their compassion, and to give of themselves.  For what some are estimating to be a couple thousand people, the thought and intention had to be enough.

As one of those being turned away, I wasn’t so sure it was enough for me.  While most of the multitude left quickly, I stood there — part in disbelief, part in wonder, and more in prayer and listening to God.  You see, I was confident on Saturday that it was His voice that was telling me I needed to be here today.  So, what’s with being sent home?  As I was reflecting and listening, I noticed a group of people getting on one of the empty buses that had returned from a cleanup area.  I quickly went over to see what was up and found out that the officials in the field had just radioed in that they could use another bus load of volunteers at the BP gas station site.  As I made my way to board the bus, the driver stopped the people in front of me and said we had to wait, the bus may be full.  Everyone in front of me had part of their group already on the bus, so they were allowed on.  Then it is the driver telling me that the bus is full.  I don’t know if it was a look of disappointment, or simply the hand of God, but she then stated that if I was by myself and didn’t mind sitting three to a seat with people already on the bus, I could get on.  I was on before she could change her mind.  As we pulled away, I thanked God for the hesitation I had that kept me at the right place to do the work He had for me.

Our work site was centered at what everyone called the BP station, although what signs were left seemed to indicate it had most recently been a Marathon station.  It isn’t either of them now, it is simply several piles of rubble waiting to be hauled off.  The canopy over the pumps was still partially there, but the building that used to house the convenience store was no longer in existence.  Our group picked up chunks of drywall and insulation that used to be part of the store from an adjoining property.  We would pile debris in huge mounds so that it could more easily be scooped up and loaded onto dump trucks for removal.  The remains of the building itself were gone through and piled into heaps of lumber and twisted metal framing.  It was satisfying to know that my day was useful and the path to recovery for this site had advanced at least another step.

While the devastation from this tornado was immense, the willingness of people to help was even greater.  It has often been said that a tragedy will show what a person, community, region, or even nation is made of.  From all appearances today, the destructiveness of this tornado was met with an even greater power in the response of people to care, share, and bear one another’s burdens.  How many came out to help?  My guess is that it is innumerable!  The bus driver on the way back to the school when we were done said that they had 22 buses running that each made 4 trips full of people out to work sites.  She stated that a full bus of adults would average about 50 people.  By my math, that would have had over 4,000 people who made it out to a cleanup site to work.  In addition to those who were able to help, there were hundreds, if not thousands, who waited in all of the lines only to be turned away.  Who knows how many others responded to the call for help but gave up when the wait appeared to be too long.  During my hour drive for those last 5 miles, many cars were doing u-turns and going somewhere else.  The wait was too much for them, or more likely, they decided the response was more than adequate to meet the need.  Either way, they made some effort but weren’t able to fully participate.

I think I had a point when I started to write this, but now I think it is more just chronicling my day.  It was so rewarding to give of myself and of my energy.  I was able to physically help and also had ample opportunity to pray on-site as I was cleaning up debris.  It was good to work together with people I had never met before and to talk with some of them about the prayer ministry God is doing through me.  All in all, it was a great day of serving God by helping others.

Pray for the community of Nappanee and the surrounding area as the rebuilding and recovery will take quite some time.  The National Weather Service states that this tornado was on the ground for 20 miles beginning just west of Bourbon and finally lifting a little south of Goshen with Nappanee right in the middle of that.  While the city of Nappanee will get the most publicity because of the amount of destruction there, the path of damage really stretches out over that entire 20 mile path.  Pray that people will not forget the “good neighbor” attitudes that were abundant this weekend.  Pray that you and I will always be attentive to what God would have us do and that we would be obedient to that direction.