Praying And Doing

“Mark D. Stucky tells of the Kindergarten Sunday School class that was studying God’s care for us in times of trouble. The teacher had the youngsters draw pictures of things which made them afraid, then allowed them to explain what they’d drawn. Five-year-old Scott created a picture in vivid crayon showing a looming funnel cloud, a car and a man. He explained that the man could not get his car started, and the tornado was coming toward him. “The man really needs to pray, doesn’t he?” asked the teacher. Scott disagreed: “No, he needs to run!” The truth is, Stucky points out, that “we need balance in our lives. There is a time for prayerful piety and a time for deeds.””* Young Scott is right. There is a time to pray and a time to act. But the two things are not in competition with each other.

The Bible obviously encourages us to pray to God. The Scriptures are full of examples of faithful people doing just that, including the Son of God Himself. But the time also comes when our prayers need to grow arms and legs. Jesus spent time prior to His arrest fervently praying to God that the cup of suffering He would soon experience could pass from Him (Matthew 26:36-33). But He was careful to yield His own will to God’s will in the matter. When it was evident that the road to the cross still lay before Him, it was time to act upon His prayers. “Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. “Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”” (Matthew 26:45–46)

The difference between the first story and the story of Jesus is that He ran toward the tornado instead of away from it. He experienced and endured the storm so that I could escape it.

God loves you!

Mike

*preaching.com

Misfits

Imagine if Jesus hired a modern management company to evaluate His choices for apostles. Tim Hansel, in his book Eating Problems for Breakfast, does just that. Following is part of a letter that Hansel imagines Jesus receiving:

“Dear Sir:

“Thank you for submitting the resumes of the twelve men you have picked for managerial positions in your new organization…It is the staff opinion that most of your nominees are lacking in background, education and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking. They do not have the team concept. We would recommend that you continue your search for persons of experience in managerial ability and proven capability.

“Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and given to fits of temper. Andrew has absolutely no qualities of leadership. The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, place personal interest above company loyalty. Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale. We feel that it is our duty to tell you that Matthew had been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus definitely have radical leanings, and they both registered a high score on the manic-depressive scale.

“One of the candidates, however, shows great potential. He is a man of ability and resourcefulness, meets people well, has a keen business mind, and has contacts in high places. He is highly motivated, ambitious, and responsible. We recommend Judas Iscariot as your controller and right-hand man. All of the other profiles are self-explanatory.

“We wish you every success in your new venture. Sincerely, Jordan Management Consultants.”

While his choices didn’t make much human sense, Jesus knew exactly what He was doing. He took that rag-tag bunch of misfits and used them to change the world. Remember that the next time you think that the Lord could never use you to make a difference in the world around you. God specializes in using unlikely people to do uncommon things. Why would you be the exception?

God loves you!

Mike

*Tim Hansel, Eating Problems for Breakfast, Word Publishing, 1988, pp. 194-195.

My Mom Wouldn't Let Go

Davon Huss tells the story of a boy who came home one hot afternoon, anxious to take a cool swim in the pond behind his home. He lived in south Florida, so taking a quick dip was a common way to cool off. He was so anxious to get in the water, he didn’t even go inside to change clothes. He just raced for the pond, dropping his shoes, shirt, and socks along the way. His mother spotted him diving off the dock, and went outside to check on him.

As she watched her son swim toward the middle of the lake, she also spotted an alligator moving from the far shore, toward her son! She began screaming the warnings, and the boy stopped in mid-swim. He finally understood the danger, and began racing back toward the dock. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him. It was a tug-of-war from a mother’s worst nightmare. From the dock, she pulled his arms. From the water, the alligator held his legs. The water was quickly stained with blood.

A farmer driving by heard the screams, and ran to help. He shot the alligator and helped the mother call for help. The boy survived, and after several weeks of hospitalization, was ready to talk with a news reporter. The reporter asked the child if he could see where the alligator had bitten him. With the typical pride of a boy, he showed off his healing wounds to the interested reporter. “But wait,” said the boy, “look at these!” With that, he showed the reporter the scars on his arms. “I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Mom wouldn’t let go.”*

We give thanks today (and everyday) for every mom who refuses to let go, or give up, or cave in. We live in a world that makes your job so hard. Praise God for your faith and endurance when it would be easier to quit. You are a superhero!

God loves you!

Mike

*thepastorsworkshop.com

Seismic Significance

“That Jesus succeeded in changing a snuffling band of unreliable followers into fearless evangelists, that eleven men who had deserted him at death now went to martyr’s graves avowing their faith in a resurrected Christ, that these few witnesses managed to set loose a force that would overcome violent opposition first in Jerusalem and then in Rome – this remarkable sequence of transformation offers the most convincing evidence of the Resurrection. What else explains the whiplash change in men known for their cowardice and instability?…Something had happened, something beyond all precedent. Surely the disciples would not lay down their lives for the sake of a cobbled-together conspiracy theory. Surely it would have been easier, and more natural, to honour a dead Jesus as one of the martyr-prophets whose tombs were so venerated by the Jews. One need only read the Gospel’s descriptions of the disciples huddling behind locked doors and then proceed to the descriptions in Acts of the same men proclaiming Christ openly in the streets and in jail cells to perceive the seismic significance of what took place on Easter Sunday” (Philip Yancey).

The resurrection of Christ certainly is something of “seismic significance.” That is the point that the apostle Paul makes in 1 Corinthians 15. Without it, gospel preaching and faith are useless (15:14). Without it, the apostles were liars (15:15). Without it, we remain unforgiven (15:17). Without it, disciples who have died have eternally perished (15:19). Not only was the death of Christ necessary but also His resurrection. “The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the crowning proof of Christianity. If the resurrection did not take place, then Christianity is a false religion. If it did take place, then Christ is God and the Christian faith is absolute truth” (Henry Morris).

“The life of our Lord is marked by the virgin's womb, and the empty tomb. He came into the world through a door marked “No Entrance" and left through one marked "No Exit!” (source unknown).

God loves you!

Mike