Shade Tree Wisdom 8/13/11

     It continues hot, hot, hot, and dry. Vegetation is showing the effect of lack of rain, and we wonder why this drought now? It is comforting to know, then, that “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my easy your ways, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 55,8.

     Admit it, we are often troubled by the way things are going, wonder how it will all come out, and puzzled by what happens, or pleased and delighted at the way the thing does come to pass finally.

     The Poet (William Cowper), expressed the thought this way:


“God moves in a mysterious way,
His wonders to perform.”

     Then he goes on,



“Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace,
Behind a frowning providence,
He hides a smiling face.”

     Now join the disciples after Jesus left them. He had given them this, “do not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father which ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water, and you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence,” Acts l,4.5.

     They asked when? And Jesus said, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has put in His own power, but You shall be witness to me both in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in all Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1,7.8.

     We don’t hear them say, ‘We’d better reserve the big arena, mount an ad campaign, and get the word out. Let’s set up teams and hit more places at once.” Jesus tells them just the opposite, “Wait for the promise of the father”.

     The world is dying. People need the message of the gospel. In our day we plan, we set up programs, we make sure everybody’s pencil is in place, but we often forget what Jesus said, “Ye shall receive power after that the holy Ghost is come upon you”. The world looks at the church to see whether the Gospel they speak of has made any changes.

     A missionary to the Indians managed to have them gather to hear what he had to say. They listened gravely as he spoke of the Gospel, that brought hope to life and made changes in lives. The listened gravely and then the Chief spoke, “We heard your story, now we will look to see if the white man whose religion this is will show these changes.”

     That is what the world looks for in the Church, and the message becomes clouded when the life does not muster up. That is the change the Holy Spirit brings to us, fellow believers. He changes the heart, and that shows in attitude, character, behavior, and life. Let us pray that this always happens to us also.

GPD 8/13/11