Like a Flower in Spring

I have been reading through the book of Isaiah over the past few weeks. Much of the first 39 chapters is pretty depressing. There are warnings after warnings of God's judgement on the people. It makes you want to skip those chapters entirely. Because of sin and rebellion against God, some detail is given about how one nation will be destroyed, anther devastated, and the people of Israel will be looted and dragged into captivity.

At one point King Hezekiah is a hero for turning to God in a time of national crisis and the nation is spared for a time. Then he shows his true colours when he is told that after he is gone the land will be looted and even his family will be ravaged, and he glad. Why? Because there will be peace in his life time.

Finally after all that darkness we come to Isa. 40. What at turn in focus and feeling. Suddenly we hear the words "comfort," "He gathers his lambs," "The Lord is the everlasting God," and "those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength." It feels like spring has arrived after an Alberta winter. Flowers start to bloom and there is the healing warmth of the sun (without the threat of spring storms).

I am reminded that God is a God of justice and a God of Grace. When we turn against God, we will be held accountable. But when we turn to God, God extends his grace and bring forgiveness and refreshing into our lives. There are times when we experience pain - even excruciating pain, and he brings us to a place of healing and wholeness. And we have the promise of perfect wholeness in eternity.

So, as the writer to the Hebrews wrote, "Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Heb. 12:3)

Listening before we speak

As a pastor, I preach and teach, but who are people really hearing? Mark Buchanan put it so well when he wrote in his book "The Rest Of God,"

All our authority is derived. Either God gives us words, or we are only giving opinions. Either God vouches for us, or our credentials are forged. If anyone ever stops to listen to you or me, this had better be solidly in place: Our speaking comes out of our listening. What we say comes out of what we hear. We have to be people who listen, day and night, to God. Our utterances ought to be as Jesus' were: an echoing of the Father, an imitation of him. They ought to be a holy ventriloquism, a sacred pantomime. Peter puts it this way: "If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God" (1 Pet. 4:11). That verse should be paired with Jesus' statement: "He who has ears, let him hear."*

This "advice" is so timely for me because I am taking some time to prepare for preaching and teaching as I read this. May my preaching and teaching be what God desires to say, not simply what I think people should hear.

Service of Worship

Quoting from "Times of Refreshing", Gerrit Gustafson reflects on a conversation with Mother Theresa... he asked what worship meant to her...

"If you really want to bless the Lord and pour out your love on Him, He has told us how to do it." And then she quoted Jesus' words in Matthew 25: "Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me" (NKJV).... She challenged me with these words: "If you really want to lavish your love on God, pour out your life on the needy."

... On my flight home, somewhere between Delhi and Frankfurt, I came across these words in Hebrews 13: "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise -- the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifice4s God is pleased" (Hebrews 13:15-16).

Worship is about bowing down before God and serving him with all of our lives.