Shade Tree Wisdom 8/19/08

We are heading to the heavy part of the hurricane season, and one is sort of poised to hit the Florida coast this morning. People have fled Key West ahead of the storm, which was not a hurricane then. But brought wind and rain damage. By Florida law, over 740 gas stations have to have a generator ready in case of power outage, so they can keep pumping gas. Many of course get out of the way of a storm, others elect to remain, and some don’t survive. I guess people just get used to warnings and have survived a storm or two, so they sort of tend to ignore it, treat it casually.

Which reminds me of life in general, and especially the Christian life. I am speaking about that person who says He believes that Jesus Christ died for his sins, wants to serve Him alone, and glorify His name by his life. That person.

He knows and can quote Isaiah 55,11, “My Word shall accomplish that which I please, and prosper in the thing whereto I send it.” He does not seem to remember the second verse of this same chapter, where the prophet warns against being fed “that which is no bread”.

What I’m really distressed about is the decline in church-going, in worship attendance in so many churches. Our Church is working on a program called “Ablaze” which encourages mission activity. Here is a story of a Pastor who is looking for firewood, and sees a yard filled with cut oak wood. Something made him go to that door and ask about the wood, and the man, in his 30’s, told him he was going to get rid of it. So the Pastor ended up hauling 7 loads of wood from that yard. In the course of doing that work, they got into conversation about the basics, religion. Found out the man was an atheist, so the pastor told the story about Jesus, why He came, what He did, what it meant. Ended up giving a Lutheran Hour Lenten booklet for his reading, and they promised to keep on touch. Who knows what the Holy Spirit will do here. But the seed has been sown.

Jesus said one time, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” And that is what we need more of, people who will indeed encourage one another in the faith. And worship attendance is one of those gifts from God we often treat so casually. It is God’s precious gift to us, and we get used to it, and think it matters not. And in our life we tend to forget Jesus, when He spoke of the narrow way to eternity life, said, sadly, “And few there be that find it”.

Or the incident where He wept over the city of Jerusalem with the cry, “How often would I have gathered you , as a hen gathereth her chicks under her wings, and ye would not”, Matt. 23,37.
When the Olympics were held in Mexico City, Tansania sent a runner to the games to run in the marathon. John Steven Aquari was hurt near the start of that race, and limped the entire race, ending when all the rest had long gone home. A reporter asked why he didn’t simply drop out. John replied, and every Christian ought to take heed, “My country did not send me 7,000 miles to start, they sent me to end the race”.

My friend, Hebrews says we are to “Encourage one another, even more as we see the day come closer”. Heb.10,25. Let’s end this race together.

Ending of this word. Please give it prayer, and thought.

GPD 8/19/08