He Seeks Us 2

Mark 1:16-18

Comedian Bill Cosby has observed in his routine that children need to be bombarded with requests from their parents so that the message will eventually sink in. He claims that if you want your child to come to you, you must go beyond saying “come here” and instead say “come here come here come here come here come here come here come here.”

There seems to be some truth to this, and it also applies to most adults. There are few people who will respond immediately to any request you might have. But Jesus seemed to have the ability to get others to respond to him.

Most of us are familiar with Jesus’ call to his disciples. Who did Jesus see? What did he request? What did he promise? What was their response?

Whether or not Jesus addressed total strangers or people he had known for some time we cannot be certain. Were Simon and Andrew simply two men at the seashore or were they two people he had met with on previous occasions? And was their response as immediate as what is presented, or has this been edited for impact?

We can easily imagine any of these scenarios. Jesus has the ability to turn a person’s heart with a single word, and his presence is enough to make people change their lives completely.

What is important here is that Jesus was the one who sought out his disciples. He did not wait for them to come to him. He went out and gathered them, summoning them from their mundane lives and giving them the promise of an incredible ministry fishing for men.

As we consider the many ways in which we can encounter Jesus and enter into a relationship with our God, we must know that we are being sought by God. Jesus is not only waiting for us to come to him, but he is also seeking us with his love. He calls us into a relationship with him that he might change our lives and make all things new for us.

We can seek Jesus. We can realize we need him. And we can be attentive to his call in our hearts, a call into a bright and energizing relationship with the Lord.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you be ready to hear the Master’s call in your life?

Pray for God's Help 4

James 5:16

When the clergy are ordained in our conference they are to create a banner which reflects their personal creed for ministry. A few years back at annual conference one of the candidates had as his banner the statement – “God said it. I believe it. That settles it.”

It was a declaration of complete faith in what God has said, the laws and instruction He has offered to His children through the Bible. I was not as impressed with the look of the banner as I was with the confidence of the sentiment. As believers we need to have complete faith in our God.

This passage from James is the conclusion of a brief comment on prayer. In the previous verses the author has presented the various situations we might encounter in life – sickness, happiness, sin – and come to one instruction to deal with each. Pray.

What is his final instruction? What is his endorsement of prayer?

Too often in life we see prayer as a last resort to our situations. I am reminded of the George Bailey character in the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” He prays with the words, “I’m at the end of my rope.” Prayer was his last ditch effort to resolve his problems.

We as believers should pick up prayer at the beginning of all our efforts. We should pray to God for guidance. We should pray to God for the strength and blessings to accomplish service for the kingdom. But most importantly, we should pray with an attitude of complete confidence.

Prayer should not always be the desperate act of a hopeless person. It should be the confident act of a determined person. We need to approach our ministry, our service, our outreach, our plans with complete assurance that God will bless us indeed in what we will attempt. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Pray with that in mind.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What is your attitude in prayer?

Place Yourself Where God Can Use You - 4

1 Samuel 25:23-27

A successful play in football requires that everyone involved be where they are supposed to be and do what they are supposed to do. If the quarterback throws the ball but the receiver is not where he is supposed to be, the play fails. Even if the player had every good intention to be where he is supposed to be, unless he gets there things won’t work out.

As we continue with the story of Abigail, David and Nabal we see Abigail placing herself where she needs to be. What are all the steps that Abigail carries out? How do you think David will respond?.

Abigail’s ministry did not end with preparing the food David wanted. It also did not end when she found David as he was approaching her home. She had to put herself in his path and humble herself before the angry warrior, accepting the responsibility, and pleading with David.

Placing yourself at God’s disposal in ministry means more than simply having the best ideas and the best intentions. It requires that you put yourself completely into that ministry. When you are called into a ministry you must prepare for it, act on it, and carry through with it. This is all part of placing yourself in ministry.

It is not always easy discerning what God wants us to do in ministry. And when we feel we know what God wants, it is not always easy getting the ministry organized. These two steps are necessary for good ministry, but ministry can’t move forward unless we put ourselves in that place where God can use us.

There are times when we must be persistent in our work for the kingdom of God. We must take our ideas and our materials and then work with them. We must keep our feet firmly planted in the ministry, allowing ourselves to remain in that place where God can use us.

DAILY CHALLENGE: Are you in place for ministry?

Place Yourself Where God Can Use You - 3

1 Samuel 25:18-22

This past summer at our community VBS I lost my temper with one of the volunteers. It was an embarrassing time for me. I had committed a terrible sin and had to seek forgiveness. To do that I had to find the person I offended and apologize. It was all resolved in the end, but the offended person did not want to speak with me at first, and I did not look forward to that necessary confrontation.

Today’s passage is a portion of a long story involving David, a man named Nabal and Nabal’s wife, Abigail. David and his men have been protecting the shepherds in a certain region and David sent messengers asking for some food, an expression of gratitude for what they have been doing. But Nabal rejects David, which angers him.

What did Abigail do when she learned of the offense? Where does Abigail find David? What were David and his men doing?

The intelligent wife of the foolish Nabal must correct the mistake her husband has made. Nabal has failed to show proper appreciation for the protection and security his servants and property have received. David is so angry he is planning to attack Nabal and his servants, killing every one of them.

Abigail sets out to avert catastrophe. She has prepared the food that David was looking for earlier, but that is not enough. She must go out and find David, literally placing herself in his way so that good may be done.

We can imagine that she was not looking forward to this task. She was putting herself at considerable risk, standing in the way of an angry warrior and his soldiers. But to accomplish what needed to be done she had to place herself in a position that would guarantee the deed was accomplished.

When we answer God’s call to ministry we may feel reluctant to do the work. The ministry may require some sacrifice on our part. Or it may seem too much. We may hesitate putting ourselves on the line to do the work of God’s kingdom.

But that is what we need to do. When we answer God’s call we must place ourselves into the thick of the situation, putting our own confidence and comfort on the line for God. We are often called not to simply provide for a ministry, but actually be part of it. We should step out in faith and place ourselves where we can be used for God’s good.

DAILY CHALLENGE: Where do you need to place yourself to do ministry?

Place Yourself Where God Can Use You - 2

Jeremiah 1:4-9

A few years ago we were planning to leave on vacation and I asked a church member to conduct the children’s message during the services. She was hesitant and said that she had no idea what to say or do with the children. I went through some resources and found two simple lessons, printed them out, and instructed her on what materials were needed and how to go through the lessons. And the services were fine.

One major obstacle to placing ourselves where God can use us is the belief that we do not have what it takes to do God’s work. We feel inadequate, unqualified and ill-equipped. Such an attitude is even seen in one of the Bible’s great prophets, Jeremiah.

Jeremiah is described as a messenger of God in about the Sixth and Seventh Centuries B.C. He is believed to have been instrumental in urging Judah to obey God in times of great political and military upheaval.

What is God’s first comment to Jeremiah? How does the prophet answer? What does God say and do?

The first thing God says to Jeremiah is a declaration of His incredible power. God knows who Jeremiah is. God made him, created him, and set him apart to be used for the kingdom. Yet Jeremiah has his doubts.

So, again God straightens out this prophet, explaining what he is to do and then giving him some reassurance. God will be with the prophet, and the words Jeremiah will speak will be God’s words.

How can we claim to be unworthy to be in the service of God when it is God who has made us and God who has called us? Do we doubt the ability of God? That is what we are actually doing when we respond to a call with claims that we are not worthy and not able.

Rather than try to wheedle our way out of serving God we must have complete confidence in the mighty works of our Lord. If God has called us, and we answer the call, then it is God doing the work and providing us with what we need. With such confidence how can we shrink away from placing ourselves in God’s path?

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you learn to trust God in what He has called you to do?

Answer the Call - Ministry 5

Mark 5:41-43

When I was younger and got sick with the flu, a cold or a fever, I only wanted two things – lemonade and pear halves. This may not strike you as anything special (or desirable!) but to me those two foods offered great comfort at times when I didn’t feel good. Many people have “comfort foods,” certain meals or dishes that help to fend off the blues or feelings of sickness.

Even when our problems are not physical ailments, but emotional ones, addressing our physical needs can work wonders.

This passage is the end of a much larger story. Jesus has been summoned by a synagogue ruler to offer healing to his daughter. Upon his arrival at the house Jesus is informed that the ruler’s daughter is no longer sick, but deceased.

What does Jesus do? What two things does he instruct?

A few things strike me in this story. First, Jesus is not swayed from his ministry by the comments of others. Even when told that it is too late to do anything Jesus persists with what he will do.

Second, Jesus takes action. His ministry does not involve teaching a lesson by talking. He doesn’t go off into seclusion to pray. He acts. He goes directly to the place where he is needed and raises the girl from the dead.

Finally, Jesus takes care of the girl’s physical needs. Not only does he cure her of illness and raise her from the dead, he has the family feed her. It’s important. The Bible mentions it specifically.

Jesus addressed the needs of a person in his ministry, and in that example we see the type of ministry we need to adopt for ourselves. We need to go to where the problems are and deal with the physical needs of others.

As James pointed out, “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” Our faith should compel us into some ministry, and that ministry is likely to require our getting involved. If we will show the love of God we will probably need to act in some way, to deal with others, and to lend a hand.

DAILY CHALLENGE: Who needs your help?

Answer the Call - Ministry 4

James 2:15-17

One of the key elements of our denomination, United Methodists, was the early societies who gathered for prayer and study. It was important to these groups that they would do more than pray for a person in need – they would do something about that need. Unfortunately many have lost sight of our heritage and forgotten this attitude of action that was so essential to the early church. Many have become quite complacent in their faith.

In this letter from James – possibly the brother of Jesus – such an attitude is addressed. What scenario is presented? What comment is made about good intentions? What must our faith have?

Too often we can get caught up in only part of our faith. We can become very good at attending church and studying the Bible. We can become well versed in Scripture and be quite comfortable in our prayer life. But something is missing.

Faith involves more than just the head and heart. True faith involves the hands and feet. Faith in Jesus must be lived out, put into action.

This passage is in no way meant to discount the power of prayer or to take away the need for compassion and strong faith. But our beliefs and our compassion must be accompanied by action. If we will believe in Jesus Christ then we must live out Christ in the world. We need to be Jesus to other people.

This involves doing acts of mercy not just having mercy. This involves acts of compassion not just the feeling of compassion. This involves the sacrificial giving of love not just embracing a loving spirit.

We are to put our faith to work by giving to the needy, spending time with the lonely, visiting the sick, and sharing the good news with the broken. Some ministries are in the church – volunteering to help teach, to help with the worship services, or to help in church functions. Other ministries are outside the church – visiting shut-ins, taking food to the hungry, or participating in mission trips.

While attending worship, praying, and studying the Bible are important, you may need to honestly evaluate who you are helping in what you do.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What work needs to be done?

Answer the Call - Ministry 3

2 Corinthians 3:2-3

Not long ago there were several “messages from God” on billboards around some of our cities. They had clever ways of attracting your attention and urging people to attend church. Some messages were things like “We need to talk. – God.” Or “Don’t make me come down there! – God.”

Most people would love to hear a direct message from God. Most people would probably change their ways and their way of thinking if they could simply hear the voice of God speaking directly to them.

Today’s passage is from Paul’s letter to the believers in the church at Corinth. To what does he compare the believers? How are they a letter?

Paul creates a wonderful image to describe those who follow the teachings of Jesus and do the work of God. They have become like letters or messages from God. No, it isn’t the very voice of God others might hear or want to hear, but in their actions of kindness and compassion, in the example they set by their way of life, these believers are living messages from God.

Through their behavior the people of the church of Corinth were showing non-believers what God is like. The people themselves were living messages.

We live in a hurting world and a world that so often seems confused as to which is the right direction to go spiritually. How do we teach them the ways of God? How do we show them what God is all about?

We do that by becoming living letters of God. We can be the voice of God to the lost and the marginalized, to those who need guidance and support. We can offer hope and direction through our own words of kindness and caring. We can express God’s love by sharing ourselves and our own love, by helping those in need and living a life of confidence in God’s kingdom.

Your ministry may not be one of preaching and teaching. Your ministry may not be to serve at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen. But all ministries should be seen as God being lived out in our attitudes and behaviors.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What does your “letter” say?

Answer the Call - Ministry 2

Isaiah 6:5-8

Sometimes it’s fun to dig out old photographs and see what my family and I looked like so many years ago. It can be fun to let our children get a good laugh at the old clothing styles or the picture of their conservative Dad with hair to his shoulders (Yep. I was “groovy.”). Times like that can be fun, but they are also a reminder that I am not who I was. I have changed.

This passage is a classic Scripture reading that describes the call of the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah has a vision of God seated on His throne. About the Lord are billows of smoke as angels fly around and heaven shakes with thunder.

What is the prophet’s initial response? What does the seraph (angel) do? What does God ask? How does Isaiah respond?

“I am a man of unclean lips!” Isaiah realizes that he is not worthy to be in the presence of God. He is not good enough to serve the Lord.

But God remedies that. An angel purifies Isaiah and makes him worthy because God wants someone to be his messenger. And that is where we have the stirring response from Isaiah, “Here am I. Send me.”

Am I worthy to be a pastor? No. I’m the dorky guy in the weird clothes with the long hair. I have a past that I’m not completely proud of. And so many other people in churches use the same excuse – “I’m not good enough.”

No, we aren’t good enough; but fortunately God has set his coal on our lips and purified us. Like Isaiah we are made worthy by God to be in the service of God. So the excuses just don’t cut it any more.

We can take our old selves and our past and toss them out along with the old photos. And while we’re at it, let’s pitch those tired old excuses too. It is time to stop saying “I don’t think we can,” “I don’t think we should,” and “We’ve never done it that way before.” Let’s remember that our unclean lips have been made clean and our response to ministry opportunities should be “Here am I. Send me.”

DAILY CHALLENGE: How will you help?