A Gentle Prod.....Be Thankful

 

"And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord: 

For He is good, for His mercy endures forever toward Israel. 

Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid"

(Ezra 3:11).

The Lord gave me an important reminder through one of the children at church. I had just handed him a snack and he turned to run off, he got a few steps when his mom stopped him and explained that he needed to say thank you. The little guy acknowledged his mom, started running again, and gave a quick and less than heartfelt thank you.

I wasn't bothered at all by his response, his mom did the right thing and he was just being a child, but the incident was like a mirror of how we too often thank the Lord.  I think when it comes to thanking the Lord we regularly act like this little guy. We have to be reminded to give thanks, and when we do, too often it's a quick and less than heartfelt thanks while running through our busy lives.

The above verse describes a day somewhat like our Thanksgiving, it was a day that all the people were called together to celebrate and give corporate thanks to God. The foundation of the second temple had been laid and the people knew it was accomplished only by God's power and grace.

The whole passage tells us that the people put a good deal of effort into giving thanks to the Lord. We are told that the Levites brought out trumpets and cymbals and the people were singing and shouting, giving thanks to the Lord. They were in the midst of an important work that was being accomplished by God's hand and they were thankful, so they let God and everyone else hear it! 

God has blessed us all so very abundantly, let's stop and reflect and be specific in our blessing the Lord. Let's put more effort into thanks than cooking and eating! It's not turkey day, it's Thanksgiving day, so let's give our hearts in thanking our wonderful gracious God loudly and boldly that all may hear.     

Fearing God

"....I am a Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land" (Jonah 1:9).

These are the words of Jonah. In my Bible I added a few question marks by this verse because what he says strikes me as odd. You see, Jonah was fleeing from God, he did not obey the Lord, he was resisting God, and was actually going the complete opposite direction from where God had commanded him to go. What strikes me as odd is that in the midst of running from God he says, "and I fear the LORD". My question marks are my way of saying, are you kidding me! How can Jonah be saying that he fears the Lord when he is absolutely running from Him?

To fear the Lord is to reverence, respect, and obey Him. To fear the Lord is to seek to obey Him in all things at all times. We are not to pick and choose to obey when we agree with Him, or when it's convenient.

One Sunday a young couple that was visiting our church came up to talk to me. They said they loved our church, the worship and teaching were a blessing, and the people were warm and welcoming. I was pleased to hear that, and of course thanked them. The couple then began to ask me a variety of questions including salvation by Jesus alone, and the issues of abortion and gay marriage. I opened the Bible and answered them. I was curious as to why so many questions, and asked them. They told me they were Christians who love Jesus and they were looking for a church that taught the Bible in a way that agreed with their personal and progressive beliefs. I then understood what the personal beliefs were, so I again tried to gently show them what the Bible had to say. They were not rude or argumentative, but they haven't come back.

The couple was basically saying, we want God and we want Jesus, but on our terms, in a way that is comfortable with us, and what we want. That couple is not alone, in fact their attitude is very prevalent in these days. There are many who pull a Jonah who said....I know I'm a Hebrew, I believe in God, in fact I'm a prophet, I just don't like what He wants me to do, I'll be going another direction.

God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and always right. It is best for us to learn humble maturity and realize that our will many times may not line up with God's will. If we love and fear Him, we admit He is right and we set our feelings aside and obey.

No Camouflaged Christians

 "But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing form whom you have learned them" 

(2 Timothy 3:14).

I was walking on a trail in the hills and came across a rattle snake. I heard the snake before I saw it, and I was very grateful that the rattler started rattling or else I would have stepped way too close to my poisonous friend. The snake who was sharing the trail with me was about two feet in front of me.  The colors of this reptile blended perfectly with the dirt of the trail, and as I mentioned, I wouldn't even have seen it except for the rattle warning. The snake's camouflage worked ideally as he blended in with his surroundings.

The context of the above verse is Paul describing the world in the last days, and the prophetic picture he paints is not pretty at all. As Paul details the kind of things that will be going on, he three times says to Timothy, "but you". By the "but you", Paul is laying forth a contrast that should exist between Christians and the world. Followers of Jesus should look very different than the world especially in the days we are in.

Our tendency is to want to blend in, to fit in, and to not stick out. We like to be part of the crowd and not stand out too much. Like so many creatures of the animal kingdom we find security in camouflage, so we might mix in with our surroundings.

I like to fit in, I know this about myself, yet I also know Paul's "but you" applies to me. To walk in loving obedience to Christ provides a huge contrast to this world, and that can be a little scary and uncomfortable. We must realize there is no such thing as camouflaged Christians, by nature we stick out like sore thumbs, even as Jesus did. So let's give up on trying to fit in, and follow His calling to shine His light in this dark world!