Archive for March, 2011

The Will of God

Saturday, March 26th, 2011

 

In the Amelia Plantation Chapel Lenten Meditations for 2011, Iris Jacobsen wrote, “Sometimes bad things happen to good people, sometimes things that should be so simple are not. Sometimes we plan and we hope about how things will go, but they simply do not turn out that way…. All of my life I have heard and respected spiritual people who have talked about events being the will of God. This poem has helped me to understand the things that have happened and given me hope; perhaps it will help you as well.

The will of God will never take you

Where the grace of God cannot keep you,

Where the arms of God cannot support you,

Where the riches of God cannot supply your needs,

Where the power of God cannot endow you.

 

The will of God can never take you

Where the Spirit of God cannot work through you,

Where the wisdom of God cannot teach you,

Where the army of God cannot protect you,

Where the hands of God cannot mold you.

 

The will of God will never take you

Where the love of God cannot enfold you,

Where the mercies of God cannot sustain you,

Where the peace of God cannot calm your fears,

Where the authority of God cannot overrule for you.

 

The will of God will never take you

Where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears,

Where the Word of God cannot feed you,

Where the miracles of God cannot be done for you,

Where the omnipresence of God cannot find you.

…God will help us endure, grow and win the victory over the things that happen in our lives. That is the will of God.”

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Response to Suffering

Sunday, March 20th, 2011

 

W.E. Sangster (1900-1960), Methodist preacher and scholar was for sixteen years minister of Westminster Central Hall, London, where his passionate preaching drew large crowds. His thoughts on responding to suffering are profound.

 

“There can be little doubt that many people hesitate to take the initial step of faith in religion because of the tragedies of life: floods, earthquakes, cancers and a host of other things put the possibility for them of a Loving God beyond the reach of rational thought. Some of them wish they could believe but wishing doesn’t make it so. They have said in their heart: ‘There is no God.’

 

Tolstoy in his Confessions has a four-fold classification of how people stand up to tragedy. Some are just scared and mentally fly from it. They may soak in drink… to forget. Some despair and commit suicide (or want to). Some are grimly stoical: their heads are ‘bloody but unbowed’. Finally, there are those who meet it bravely; not with fully understanding but with courage; not claiming to know but refusing to strangle the deep conviction of their soul that there is some sense in it somewhere…..

 

I wonder! Isn’t there a further category or, at least, an enlargement of the fourth? Christianity teaches that suffering can be used; that even while a full understanding of origins and purposes eludes our mind, the brave and the bold (by the help of God) can turn disaster into triumph and force the loss to yield a gain….. Tragedy is often fruitful of good. Lighthouses are built by drowned sailors. Roads are widened by mangled corpses. Frustration and testing have had a major part in the higher triumphs of our race.

 

And if anybody enquires how Christians came to believe that tragedy can be used, the short answer is that they learned it at Calvary. In Christ upon the Cross they see God meeting sin with love; wresting earth’s worst to heaven’s best.”

The Little Book of Sermons, pp 32,33

 

I would add to Sangster’s remarks the observation that this world is built upon suffering. Science has taught us that the world continues to be created and continues to evolve. Nothing is static. The planet is a living organism that groans as if in childbirth. There is a truth in the Darwinian adage of the ‘survival of the fittest.’ It seems that we can only learn and improve ourselves through suffering. Perhaps the latest tragedy in Japan will cause us to improve our nuclear safety measures, and the seawalls we build against tsunamis. We can leave this earth a safer place for our descendants. God works through suffering. The book of Job and the passion narrative in the Gospels should be required reading for us all.

 

This does not mitigate the terrible cost of suffering: the pain and grief of those affected. The book of Revelation tells us about those who have come out of the great tribulation. God will take care of them. Never again will they suffer. God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. (Revelation 7:17) Such is our hope in Christ.

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Wars, Tsunamis and Earthquakes

Sunday, March 13th, 2011

 

The earthquakes in Chile, Japan and New Zealand, combined with the wars in the Middle East and North Africa, and the economic turmoil of the recession, cause you to wonder whether something extraordinary is going on. Life is so unpredictable. Anything can happen at any time. What does Jesus have to say about these events?

 

In Matthew 24:4-8 he answers the questions of the disciples about history making events such as the destruction of the Temple – which would occur nearly forty years later, but which at the time was unthinkable. He warns them that they must not be taken in by scaremongerers.

 

“Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will arise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of the birth pangs.”

 

What is he saying? “See to it you are not alarmed.” Don’t get upset and anxious about world events. “Such things must happen.” They are part of the warp and woof of creation. History will always be the story of human conflict and natural disasters. That is the way of the world. There is a necessity about it. Why? They are “the beginning of the birth pangs.” This world is pregnant with God’s. History is also HIS story. God has a plan and purpose he is fulfilling.

 

Paul explains it this way. “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” (Romans 8:22) The earth is groaning as it creates itself through tectonic plates moving, and nations strive for freedom and power. Something greater is being born – the kingdom of heaven. In the mean time we ourselves, who have been born of the Spirit into that kingdom, “groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved.” (Romans 8:23,24)

 

So whatever the circumstances of our day – war, earthquakes, tsunamis, economic and nuclear meltdowns – we know that God is working out his purposes as year succeeds to year. We are part of something that is being born that is greater than this earth. We will not be alarmed by whatever happens but will trust in Jesus to bring us through. Praise the Lord.

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Pastor

Sunday, March 6th, 2011

 

Eugene Peterson, the author of the popular paraphrase of the Bible, The Message, has written a memoir entitled, Pastor. In it he addresses the crisis of describing the calling of pastor and why it matters. One of his definitions of pastor is “the person placed in the community to pay attention to ‘what is going on right now’ between men and women, with each other and God – this kingdom of God that is primarily local, relentlessly personal, and prayerful ‘without ceasing.’”

 

Peterson’s writing has been so influential that this book is sure to impact the lives of many pastors. I talked to a visitor after worship this morning who told me she was reading one of his books. I am looking forward to reading Peterson’s memoir and comparing it with my own journey. His life and personality have traveled different roads from mine. Each of us has to live into the vocation in the unique circumstances of our personal history.

 

Peterson is a contemplative who is suspicious of strategies for getting things done and models for church growth. He rejects the business model for the church and the pastor. Yet, all pastors have to work with budgets, building projects, and advocates for numerous programs, and the boards and committees that invariably make decisions for the congregation. Juggling all the demands and priorities of others creates tensions and challenges the personal gifts of the pastor. Being a pastor and being also the CEO of the congregation requires special skills.

 

Recently I have been wrestling with my own priorities in the light of the needs of the congregation. I developed a list of my responsibilities and gave them to members of the Chapel Board to see how they would order them in terms of priority. Here is the list. 

 

  1. Weekly preaching and worship preparation
  2. Hospital visitation
  3. Prayer
  4. Osprey Village Assisted Living Holy Communion
  5. Administration: Board meetings and committees
  6. Being available for individual appointments
  7. Communication: writing, blogging, advertising, telephone calls
  8. Recruiting prospects, following up visitors and new members
  9. Bereavement and funeral ministry
  10. Wedding ministry
  11. Supervising staff
  12. Teaching: leading bible studies and other classes
  13. Finding speakers for men’s breakfasts, renewal weekends, winter conferences etc.
  14. Mentoring/coaching, peer networking
  15. Continuing education, conferences, courses

 

In terms of my own time management I find that my personal priorities are those things that only I can do and no one else, only I must do, for my own soul’s sake, in order to fulfill my calling. Acts 6:1-4 describes a situation in the early church in which the Apostles found that their responsibilities were overwhelming them. They appointed others to take care of the church business so that they could give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word.

 

Prayer and the ministry of the Word take priority. Every day I spend an hour in Bible meditation, other devotional, theological and inspirational reading, and then another hour in prayer as I walk on the beach. It is only after I have laid that foundation for the day that I can go to the office. I pray for myself, for my family, for the flock of God that God has given to my care. I pray for the events of the day ahead: known and unknown. I pray through problems. I pray for discernment, for wisdom, for the filling of the Spirit.

 

When I get to the office I have to take care of messages, emails, telephone calls, questions from the staff. I have to provide all the information needed for the coming Sunday bulletin. I prepare for a men’s Bible study, and then lead it. I may have meetings in the afternoons, visits have to be made if members are in hospitals. I confer with the Chapel nurse about people with needs.

 

On Wednesday mornings I devote myself to sermon preparation. I need to research the scripture passage I am expounding. It takes some time to review the commentaries, to take notes, and to marshal my thoughts to see what direction I should take. I am aware of the needs of the congregations and seek to vary my subjects accordingly. I begin my first draft, and try to complete it before the end of the day. My goal is to stay two or three weeks ahead so that I can ruminate upon each message and refine it before it is preached. Subject matter for sermons has to be enriched by illustrations and applications that come through wider reading and personal experience. That requires reviewing newspapers and magazines, as well as a wide reading program (see my reading list).

 

There is also other writing to be done. Homilies for funerals and memorial services, articles for the newsletter, my weekly blog, queries from members, the Prayer Manual, the Lenten Meditations, copy for advertising, etc. All of these require thoughtful and prayerful consideration, and cannot be whipped off randomly. Fortunately I was prepared for this kind of life early. My first job after college, before I went to graduate school, was to teach high school. I would prepare my lessons, teach all day, return home and write an editorial for the local daily newspaper in my home town. I had a deadline every day. I still have those clippings! In addition, I helped my parents in their hotel business, and was the interim pastor of the local Presbyterian Church, so I had to come up with a new sermon for each Sunday. On Saturday’s I played for a local rugby team. Many a time I limped into the pulpit on Sunday morning. I guess it gave me street credibility!

 

As you can see from the other responsibilities I have plenty to do to fill up any spare time that I might have. There is no end to what can be done. Everyone has some idea of what I ought to do. After doing it for forty-three years I have some rhythm and peace in my life about what is important for me to do with my time.

 

Pastors also have a normal, ordinary life like anyone else. All work and no play makes me a very dull boy, so I play tennis, do yard work, take care of business, and enjoy every moment I can spend with my wonderful wife, Antoinette. There is constant communication with our two daughters and three grandchildren in Texas. Then there is our extended family and friends to keep in touch with. All this takes all the time we have.

 

I have been blessed with good health, and will continue to fulfill my calling until the Lord directs me otherwise. Being a pastor is both a privilege and a joy. I have never had any doubts about my calling since I received it at age sixteen. I am thankful to all the congregations I have served, and now the Chapel, for giving me the opportunity to fulfill my calling. Please pray for me that I will be faithful and effective in being a pastor.

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