A meditation for all
I have been praying and praying about what to share. The scripture that came to me is one that has guided me across many years. I ignored it and decided to select something else. I picked up my bible and opened it. To my surprise the same scripture was in front of me. Wow… so here it is. By the way, there were no book marks on this page in my Bible.
Matthew 28:16-20
NIV “The Great Commission”
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Since I was called to be a missionary in 1958 this scripture had guided me. I realize that not everyone is going to go to a foreign country, start language studies and readjust to cultural adaptations.
First, did you notice, that the disciples were obedient?
They went to the mountain where Jesus told them to go.
Stop and think about our church. Do we quiet our hearts and seek God? Sometimes it is difficult to be quiet and pray for over ten minutes. Do we understand what it means to “go into a closet and pray?”
That means withdrawal from everything going on around us. Clear our minds and go before the Lord. Sit quietly, no TV, no newspaper, no phone….. just you and God. Don’t enter with an agenda to quickly work through. Wait, hear yourself breathe …. quietly wait. Then utter, “My God I need you to guide me this moment.” Wait… then like the Lord’s Prayer, praise God.
On the mountain when they saw Jesus they praised him. Immediately after the praise, Jesus gave his authority and direction.
In our lives, in our church Jesus has all authority. He gives us wisdom, direction and power. We must submit constantly to God’s will. There is renewal and change in the way God wants us to go.
I was in Salvador, Brazil in a “profit’s chamber” an Aunt and Great Aunt of João Artur de Souza, who played guitar and preached at our church had a simple, small room above a garage. I was staying there while working in Bahia for a few days. When I laid on my bed one night God kept me awake all night. I kept hearing over and over, “It is time to return to the United States.” I wept, I said NO…. the struggle continued all night long. As the sun rose, I was so weary and I finally said, “If that is what you want for us then I will follow you!” That was the hardest prayer I have ever surrendered to! I wanted to stay in Brazil. I had found a house and everything needed that we move to and make home in Salvador, Bahia. But it was not to be. The following month was the worst time I ever faced as we prepared to take on a new assignment and return back to the U.S.A.
God was still saying, “Go make disciples!” We transitioned from a city of twenty million to High Springs, FL a city of 3,000 (maybe) in 1990. We made friends with some wonderful people. Leadership supported us and we all slowly readapted to our new surroundings. The quietness would wake us up in the night. We had lived in a 27 story high rise on the 18th floor where you could hear the busses and cars all night long into to a house across from the elementary school in High Springs. What a change! I put myself into Christian Counseling because I took God’s direction but I did not ACCEPT it. This was one of the best things I ever did. The frustration subsided.
With time my broken heart healed. We were loved and we learned to laugh again. We made very dear friends in High Springs. We watched the church grow as new families came to Christ. Four years into the assignment we had our home in Gainesville built. I continued to pastor the church in High Springs for four more years.
In 1998 I got a call to become a staff member at First United Methodist Church. I was given permission to accept the assignment in a different denomination. I thought I would go for a couple of years. My wife, Shirley, had a good job at Alachua General Hospital and we were becoming financially secure. Our children did not want to move again!!! Well…. God granted me thirteen years at the First United Methodist Church. Then my denomination asked me to consider The First Church of the Nazarene, Gainesville. I accepted the call and served four years. I was sixty-eight and we were caring for Shirley’s father. I retired to help care for him. On March 27, 2016 I retired from official pastoral ministry, so I thought.
NOW THE REAT OF THE STORY: in 2017 I got a call from Dr. Ron Marks wondering if I could fill in once in a while….. so here we are in 2020 at Covenant.
You could be Brazilians because Brazil is a melting pot of people. But when you open your mouth, Portuguese does not come out. But you are part of the Family of God.
The last time we were in Indiana Shirley and I said to each other. “Well, Indiana does not feel like home anymore.” North Central Florida has been our home for thirty years now. IT IS OUR HOME, having spent more time here than anywhere else.
Why did I share all of this? Because God speaks to us. He gives direction. Oh yes, God still calls us to:
1. Worship him
2. Recognize God’s authority
3. Go make disciples
4. Baptize
5. Teach them to obey God
Surprisingly the cycle starts all over with new disciples. Now don’t forget, we are not beyond spiritual renewal. The GO does not always mean to a different land, language and culture. It can mean GO up the street or even next door. It may mean GO to a relative, a friend or co-worker and share the Good News. It may even have a loving conversation with your spouse or child.
If we were to rate how well we are doing at Covenant in bringing people to the Lord what would our over-all score be? We are greatly concerned with mission but what about evangelizing close to us? ARE we bringing new people to the Lord? Guess what, most of the time we are not sure as what we should do. This is 2020 and not everything we did in 1942 applies today. Much does, much more does not!
Hopefully this becomes our greatest concern. Please take time to listen:
Prayer: “Oh God, Please speak to us and help us to obey as we reach out to others who need Christ. Amen”