Let’s Pass the Test

Though neither of us enjoys the process, God tests us. Deuteronomy
8:2 says:  Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the
desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. (NIV) Will we praise him in spite
of the wilderness, or are we full of self-pity? Will we accept what he allows
without grumbling or will we let anger grow? Will we seek wisdom from others or
stubbornly stick to our own wisdom?

Before the nation of Israel’s
wilderness years, Joseph, the son of Israel,
was tested. First sold into slavery, then falsely accused of rape, Joseph spent
twelve years in prison. Then, through a series of God-ordained events, Joseph was
not only restored but promoted. Whereas he had been head of the palace guard’s
household, now he was second in command over all Egypt subject only to Pharaoh himself,. (See Genesis, beginning in chapter 37) After twelve
years in prison, Joseph had learned to keep his bragging mouth shut. When his
brothers actually did bow before him like Joseph had bragged they would, he did
not say “I told you so.” Joseph passed God’s test. There is no record of
self-pity or grumbling during his prison years. Joseph, like Jesus, had learned
obedience by the things he suffered.

The choice is ours. Let’s determine to learn obedience by
the things we suffer. Let’s guard our hearts against anger. When our wisdom
runs out, let’s submit to other’s wisdom. 

Father, we do not like your tests, nor do you enjoy giving
them. May we, by your power, pass them quickly and be not only restored but
promoted.

Deceptive Reality

Communion looks like nothing. In non-liturgical services
it’s often crackers and juice, served on utility tables. The glitter and
glamour of the world, however, looks like the kingdom come. The world’s silk
and linen, finely-sanded walnut, and winter cruises to warm places can seem to
be the epitome of a good life. A brochure of a Bermuda cruise makes it feel like heaven.

Looking more closely at the elements of communion, though,
exposes Kingdom treasure. “This is my body,” Jesus said, on the night Judas
kissed him. “This is my blood, poured out for all,” Jesus said, knowing the
bloody encounter the kiss would set in motion. By that bloody body, Jesus opened
a door that Adam and Eve had slammed shut. Now Jesus stands at that door, a
golden light glowing behind him. He welcomes all who approach: “Come, my
friend, the Kingdom awaits.” Jesus presides over a Kingdom that begins in pain
but will end in peace and joy.

 
My husband and I went on a  Bermuda cruise
in 1993. The image on the front of the brochure showed a woman in a flowing
gown with a tuxedoed man, embracing at the rail as the moon’s golden light
shone on the water. Truly, it looked like heaven. But, when Jerry and I,
dressed in our elegant clothing, gazed at the moonshine on the water one night,
I thought, “This is pleasant, but it’s not heaven.”

And yet, God displayed his power in the midst of that trip.
One day, I was ascending the stairs at the English linen shop. Inhaling the
lavender scent, I thought, “I am completely relaxed. I am fully present to this
one golden moment that God has given me.” I returned from that trip determined
to seek his Kingdom peace more earnestly. The Kingdom wasn’t in the glamour of
the Dreamward, Norwegian’s new boat, nor was it in the opals that sparkled in Bermuda’s
jewelry stores. The real Kingdom, procured by Jesus’ blood, brings God’s peace.
May we all seek that peace in the midst of the world’s glittery deceptions.

Mission Match Initiative

This week, I’m inviting you to join my husband and me in a national missions initiative. John and Sylvia Ronsvalle, whom we’ve known since we were
young, are bold. For more than thirty years, they have headed empty tomb
(intentionally uncapitalized), a source for free clothes, home maintenance, and
food, among other services, for the poor of Champaign-Urbana.

In the last few years, they have begun a nationwide
initiative, called Mission Match, to
increase American Christian involvement with the poor. They offer matching
monies to any congregation who will raise finances for a specific, usually
international, project. They have proved the concept:  if others will
match the funds, pastors can engage their people to participate in projects
that share Jesus while meeting basic needs.

These are a few of their accomplishments, taken from
their website:
A non-denominational church in Minnesota sent a missions team to build a church in the Dominican Republic and to minister to orphans and the elderly.
   

A Church of Christ congregation in Minnesota funded a pharmacy, an ophthalmology clinic, and medical care for the needy in Nicaragua

A Baptist church in New York helped to build a primary school building in Kenya and supported teacher training for teachers in the school.

A church in  Kentucky sent a mission outreach team to Kenya


John and Sylvia possess the solid quirkiness of true disciples of Jesus. They
dream big. And they have the research and credentials to back up their dreams.
They’ve published books on American church finances, including a continuing
series of reports on giving. And they live what they preach:  the poor are
their neighbors and their friends, as well as their clients.

Recently, we listened to their audacious plan to finance
Mission Match. They want to wake the sleeping giant that is the American
church, by getting us to give $48 a year. That’s the easy part. The hard part
is what I’m doing right now. They also want each giver of $48 to ask three of
their friends to give and ask three of their friends, who will ask three of
their friends, and so on, until hundreds, thousands, even millions are
involved. They call this a Discipleship Tree.

In their brochure, they point out that many Christians
around the world are regularly forced out of their comfort zones, into prison,
kidnappings, and beatings for their faith. I’m not being beaten, but I am out
of my comfort zone to ask you to consider this request. And I’m asking you to
push out of yours, too.

If you want to join Jerry and me, send me an email. On the right
side of this page, you’ll see a link to my email. Check out their website
first. http://www.wakethesleepinggiant.info/cgi-bin/tree.cgi 
 

The giving is done online, or you can send a check. But
first, I need to know you want to participate, so I can enter your name and
email into the tree. Then, you can go online to register and pay. They have a
cool graphic that shows how the tree is growing, so we can see God at work!