WATCHWORD:
21 By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. 22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. Exodus 13:21-22
Meditation:
God’s Church – Part 1
How often have you heard someone saying they don’t understand. Maybe you have said that yourself when grappling with a difficult or complex set of circumstances. I don’t understand what he’s saying, or I don’t understand differential equations, or I don’t understand how to program my computer. So, on and on it goes, each time revealing our lack of understanding of the complexities found in our physical world. The basis of your not understanding is lack of information, or hearing or whatever. Regardless, your ignorance of that situation or circumstance is correctable with motivation and/or information.
Ah, but how about your/my understanding of our faith and the spiritual world? This world that God has placed us in, has gifted us, has given us a Savior, sometimes confounds our understanding. Do we understand the source of that confusion? At the heart, do we have an understanding of the way in which our Creator God works? Or the direction of His Will, which seems to run counter to our wants and our wills. Where does our faith come in to help us move beyond our “I don’t understand”?
We don’t understand why our churches seem to be losing members and we wonder how we are failing? Is our will, our assessment, our plans, and our past, bleeding into our version of our future? What about that? Do we understand that? Whose plans are not succeeding?
“God works in Mysterious ways His wonders to achieve.” “God is in charge and God loves us.” Do we believe the subject of those two mantras that we sometimes recite by rote? Note that the subject is God actively involved.
Back to that question: Whose plans are not succeeding? Let’s say we are not failing, and God is not failing, and we are still experiencing church membership loss. What are we left with? Think about that. Let’s say that God’s plans are famously succeeding, according to His will. Now, what are we left with? We are left with our puzzlement, something we can’t quite understand. Maybe we have churches whose purpose is being changed, spiritually. Maybe, under God’s direction, we are being nudged to redefine what worship and service means. We are not that comfortable with change, but, whose church is it?
There will be more said about this in subsequent Watchwords, but for now, think about this, maybe as it applies to your church. Consider that the best response to “I don’t understand” is to surrender that confusion to the Lord, in prayer, and Trust Him. Amen.
(This discussion will continue in tomorrow’s Watchword.)
Bulletin Board:
The Church’s One Foundation
The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord; she is the new creation by water and the word. From heav’n he came and sought her to be his holy bride; with his own blood he bought her, and for her life he died.
Yet she on earth has union with God, the Three in One, and mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won. Oh, blessed heavenly chorus! Lord save us by your grace, that we, like saints before us, may see you face to face.
Francis of Assisi Prayer:
Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love; For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
