God's Timing

We are on vacation in Florida this week, visiting my parents. We used to live here for ten years, and we really loved it. At that time, I was in the insurance business, and due to some extreme tightening of the insurance markets here in Florida, we decided to move back to New York.

However, even at that time, I was feeling God’s call into ministry. I even had a number of lunches with my Pastor at the time, Bill Hopkins, who served at the Spring Hill Baptist Church. But I never got around to telling him of my call.

I’ve been wondering about that. What would have happened had I told Pastor Bill? What if I had heeded God’s call then? God was calling, but I wasn’t listening. And as it was, when I finally did listen, it was difficult. Seminary was a struggle with two young children and a full time job. I did well, and God saw me through, but the timing in my life wasn’t the best. God had the timing in place, but I didn’t see it at the time.

If you sense God is calling you to something, heed that call. I may not be to pastoral ministry, it might be a child’s ministry, it might be a singing ministry, or a teaching ministry. Whatever it is, listen to God. His plans will prevail, the question is timing. God’s timing is always best. I waited and answered in my time – and now, years later, I see that His timing would have been best.

Peace and Quiet

I think that something that is missing in most people is the opportunity to spend time alone. To find and enjoy peace and quiet.

There is no denying that we live in a fast paced world. But as people of God, can we find time to back off the fast pace from time to time, to find some peace and quiet, and just be with God?

Moses had perhaps two million Jewish people he was responsible for. He served as their judge, hearing their disputes. Yet, he went up to Mount Sinai to be alone with God.

Jesus often had crowds pressing in from every side, at times impossible to even move. Yet He would regularly go into the wilderness or up on a mountain, or just out of the house, to be alone with God.

We too need time alone with God. We are wired that way. And we are stressed when we don’t get it. So I encourage you to find a way to build some quiet time into each day. Use that time for prayer and Scripture reading, but also to be with God. Don’t forget to just be with Him.

Time off to hike

Easter time is an incredibly busy time for a pastor. And I have to admit that I am tired!

It seems that we have been going non-stop for a couple of weeks now, but we saw it coming. So we are taking a vacation. For the next two weeks I am off (watch the wisecracks!). The posts might be a little sporadic, but I will share some reflections on the way.

We are going to Florida to visit my parents. This is a great time of year to leave Western New York for a couple of weeks and head to Florida. Today we spent in Asheville, North Carolina visiting my niece Crystal. We did some hiking in the Mount Pisgah Forest – what a great place! Afterward we went to a wonderful restaurant in the downtown section. A very enjoyable day!

It was a day that God was clearly seen in the little things. Sitting by a reservoir after a three mile hike in was so peaceful. I was thinking about what the Garden of Eden might have looked like, and I bet it wasn’t terribly different – without the fruit trees (but they caused a lot of trouble in the Garden of Eden anyway.).

It struck me how many people have seen this sight before, and I wondered how many have seen God so clearly there. Some don’t see Him. But I know that as we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us, and we will be able to see evidence of His presence! We experienced peace today in His presence. It was a good day!

Sacred Saturday? Or life as usual...

Today is the Saturday between Good Friday, the day Jesus was crucified, and Easter, when He was raised, the empty tomb discovered.

Ideally, this should be a day of reflection. The entire season from Ash Wednesday, really is a time of reflection. But none so much as today.

I say ideally because this year more than any other, the world has encroached on our Sacred Saturday. Because of our Passover Seder Service Thursday, and the plans for the Easter Sunrise Service (both of which are new this year), the Easter morning message is not yet done. In fact, I’m struggling with it. There is some pressure knowing that we will have a chance to reach visitors we don’t normally see. And I want to make our service as welcoming and meaningful for them as I can.

Yet, of all days, this happens to be the day selected for a ministry we are hoping to work with to hold their mandatory training program. My wife will take my place (what a blessing she is!). My daughter has a dance class and will need to be delivered. And we are leaving Monday morning for a vacation. Today is the day that we should be packing and getting all ready to go. Tomorrow (after services) will be spent with family, which means some additional preparation on some dishes we are taking for dinner.

So much to do on this day, yet I feel sad. Almost mournful. Is it Jesus? Am I mourning the death of my Savior, remembering the suffering he endured on my behalf? Or am I mourning the loss of a very special day – a Holy day in it’s own right? On this day that I should be very quiet, the world goes on, and I am very busy, and because of that, I feel that I am missing something very special.

A Passover Seder

Easter is almost upon us. Today is Maundy-Thursday. On this day we remember four separate events that happened to Jesus: the washing of the disciples feet, the institution of the Last Supper, the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the betrayal by Judas. This was certainly an important day, yet much of the Christian Church doesn’t remember it.

We had a Passover Seder here at the church last year. I had a friend from a previous church (raised Jewish) who came in and led us, and he did a great job. During that service he said something that I will probably never forget. When we celebrate communion in our churches, we look to Jesus and we remember the words, “as often as you do this, do this in remembrance of me.” We recite it as if He was talking about just the bread and the cup. But remembering the context of his doing this – the Passover Seder – could He be indicating that as often as we celebrate the Passover, celebrate it in remembrance of Him? Could it be He was directing us to continue the Passover?

The Christian Church, for the most part, doesn’t celebrate the Passover. I wonder if we should be? We are having a Passover Seder at our church again this year – this evening. We aren’t doing the entire meal - we’re having a dish-to-pass (we’re very good at dish-to-pass dinners) – but we are remembering the Seder meal.

There is a point in the Seder when there is some ritualistic washing – could this be when he washed His disciples feet?

There is a point in the Seder just before they drink of the final cup – the Cup of Praise – that they sing a song called the Hallel. Could it be that the song that they sang in Mark 14:26, just before leaving to go to the Mount of Olives, was the Hallel? Could it be that they skipped the fourth cup, the cup of praise? We know that He wrestled in prayer about the cup of suffering He was about to drink from – the arrest, the torture, the crucifixion. Could it be he skipped the Cup of Praise?

We know how the story ends! We know of His victory over death. We can praise. But we can also remember. If you an opportunity to join in on a Passover Seder, I encourage you to do so. There is so much symbolism in the Seder that points to Jesus as the Messiah it is remarkable. What better way can we remember Jesus than honoring this …

Why "do" Church?

This week I have naturally been reflecting a lot about Easter and it’s meaning for us as Christians. Easter Sunday is one of those very rare Sundays when you know you will have visitors in your church, and you want everything to be just right. Because it would be really great if these visitors would return the following week, and become regulars.

We will make sure that things are clean, attractive, and welcoming. We hope and pray our people will be clean, attractive and welcoming. But in the end, we’re all just people. We’re all somewhat dirty, somewhat foul, and somewhat . I know, it seems a little hard to believe. But if we weren’t, we wouldn’t be coming to church on Sunday either. We need church. We need God’s Holy Spirit to be alive in us and to work in us. We need it, as much as anybody else needs it.

We think about those outside the church, but all the while, we are reminded that what we do in church is motivated out of our need for a Savior, and our love for our Savior. Yes, people who don’t attend church every Sunday need a Savior – but not more than we.

When all is said and done, we don’t come to church Easter Sunday because “they” need it, because of the visitors we know will be there. We come to church because we need it.

Bright Sunday

The week after Easter is recognized in some churches as Bright Sunday. It is a Sunday when people are moved to the point of hilarity at the good news of the resurrection. Often, it recognizes Satan’s efforts to thwart God’s plan, and Jesus’ ultimate victory over the grave.

As I understand it, many churches have services with lots of jokes and laughter. In a sense, we had a kind of Bright Sunday this last Sunday – on April Fools day! There was a lighthearted spirit in church Sunday. And the message was one you might hear on Bright Sunday.

We spoke of several tricks, from famous April Fools pranks (do you remember the left-handed Whopper from Burger King, or the Taco Liberty Bell?) to some memorable pranks played on us over the years. We shared some jokes and riddles. Then, with the joking and tricks in mind, we took a new look at the familiar Easter Story – concentrating on Satan’s role in the events.

We saw the jealousy on Palm Sunday, when people lined the streets shouting Hosanna – save us now! We saw the plotting to stop Jesus, the evil trickery of trying to capture Him, the scheme to put him to death. We saw how Satan entered Judas so that he would betray Christ. We saw Satan’s working through the Chief Priests and Pharisees during the mock trail – not even close to legal according to Jewish Law. Finally the crucifixion. Satan worked hard to defeat Jesus, but never realized he was playing right into God’s hands. God foresaw everything Satan would try. And Jesus was the victor!

Holy Week is a solemn time when we remember the betrayal, the arrest, and the ultimate crucifixion, horrible death and quick burial of Jesus. But it is capped off with a final victory! The tomb is empty. Christ is risen. A victory that each of us, as part of the Body of Christ, has a share in.