House Cleaning

Last weekend I was sitting in front of our slider that looks out onto our deck where our birdhouse is located. Every year the house wrens return to start building their nest where they can hatch and raise their young. This year was no exception and they returned right on time. I was excited, anticipating the development of new life. However, a few weeks after the birds began to nest, I noticed I no longer heard their familiar song. I realized they had abandoned their endeavor. For some unknown reason they left their home. I suspect another, larger bird drove them off. So as I sat looking out at that empty bird house I became sad and depressed. Where there was once possibility and potential new life, where there was once singing and great joy, there was now only silence, emptiness, and desolation. I started to think about my own journey in seeking to find a new church home. The birds having been driven from their home felt like a metaphor for my life. It seemed like every church we visited held great possibility, new life and new joy. However, once again I am homeless, chased away by thoughts and attitudes of others that I could not be overcome. Like the birds, I did not feel strong enough to fight so I just gave up and moved on. I know the Lord will find those house wrens a new home and if He cares so much for those birds of the air, according to Matthew 6, I am more valuable to God. (Matthew 6:26) I found myself resonating with Jesus' statement in Matthew 8:20, "Foxes have their holes and birds of the air have their nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head." I asked the Lord, Where will I lay my head? When will I finally rest? I know the Lord has left a blessing through me wherever I have been but I was once again feeling exhausted. I prayed to the Lord to breathe new life back into that birdhouse so I could know there is hope and breathe new life back into me so that I may persevere. The Lord answered my prayer. The following day I looked out of my slider to see a house wren back at the birdhouse. New life had come! However, as I watched the little wren work, to my surprise it wasn't building a new nest but rather pulling material out of the house. I got the impression that the wren was house cleaning to prepare the house for a new purpose. While it worked it was singing which is typical when these wrens are engaged in activity. I felt the Lord impress upon my heart that life yet remains in that birdhouse and all that was needed was to clean out the remnants of what was to make way for what is yet to be. I was being called to learn from this bird's example. I needed to let go of the remnants of what was and be prepared for something new. The Lord was preparing a place for me. A place where new life will abide and like that bird I will sing a new song! What remnants need to be removed from your life? I encourage you to let the Spirit of God do some "house cleaning" so you can sing anew to the Lord."He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God!" (Psalm 40:3a)
Shalom,
Pastor Sheree

Limited Vision

As my husband and I move on in our journey finding a new church community, I have mixed feelings. I am sad at yet again saying good bye to folks we've come to love. I am angry that we find it necessary to leave a church community once again due to what appears to be insurmountable walls. I am also experiencing feelings of desperation in thinking we will never find a new faith community and will be forever wandering. I recently prayed to the Lord to grant me a dream or vision so I would know for sure where to find our new church home. During my devotional time I was drawn to look at John 6:1-14. It is the familiar story of Jesus' feeding of the five thousand. I have read this passsage many times and have even preached on this text. However, as is so true of God's word, we never exhaust the possibilities of meaning for a so-called "familiar" story. John mentions that the people were drawn to Jesus because they "saw" the miraculous signs he had performed which included healing the sick and multiplying the loaves and fish. (John 6:2,14) The people didn't see the deeper spiritual truths that Jesus was teaching but rather they focused on their physical, immediate needs. John goes on to tell us that when Jesus saw the crowd He recognized their physical needs but also knew there existed an unspoken spiritual hunger. How would His disciples see what was happening? In the larger context of the actual feeding are the reactions of His disciples, in particular Philip and Andrew. Jesus already knowing what He was going to do, tested His disciples to discover what kind of "eyesight" they possessed regarding this situation. (John 6:5-6) It appears both Philip and Andrew were right there with Jesus when He asked the question, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" (John 6:5) Philip's response was one of defensiveness flowing from fear of not knowing what to do, "Eight months wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" (John 6:7) Philip saw an overwhelming task. It is interesting that Philip like the other people who followed Jesus must have witnessed the same miracles that Jesus performed yet Philip did not move beyond his limited vision. He did not make that connection to who Jesus really was but focused on the immediate material needs. On the other hand, Andrew saw the possibilities and did not become defensive or dismissive of the situation but immediately spoke up to offer a solution. Although Andrew did not know how the limited amount of food would meet all the people's needs he was open to see what Jesus would do. (John 6:8) Jesus wasn't satisfied with multiplying just enough for the people to eat but rather went above and beyond with leftovers to spare!(John 6:10-13) I am reminded of one of my favorite doxologys from Ephesians 3:20-21, "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." After meditating on this passage I found myself asking the question which one of those disciples am I? Am I Philip who is overwhelmed by what I see as impossible odds? Have I forgotten God's faithfulness in the past and how He has worked in and through every situation and circumstance? Or am I Andrew, recognizing the seemingly impossible odds stacked against me yet knowing that in the Lord's hands nothing is impossible. God will do above and beyond all I can ask or imagine. I confess that at this present time I feel more like a Philip seeing with limited vision and like the crowds following Jesus, asking for a miraculous sign. However, the Lord already knows what He is going to do and is testing me to trust Him. I am challenged to see with unobscured vision what Jesus is going to do. What about you? Are you like Philip focused only on what's in front of you? Or are you like Andrew, daring to see beyond your immediate circumstances and trusting the Lord to take the small amount of faith that you have to offer and multiplying it beyond your imagination? May the Lord open the eyes of our hearts so we may clearly "see" Him move in our lives.
Peace & Blessings,
Pastor Sheree

God's Rescue

April has been a difficult month of ups and downs. My mother experienced some significant health difficulties as a result of a fall in the nursing home facility where she currently resides. One of the unfortunate circumstances that came out of the fall were some spinal fractures which made her so uncomfortable her health was seriously compromised. She is a dialysis patient and the pain in her back was not allowing her to fully complete her dialysis treatments. Unfortunately the lack of dialysis treatments were taking their toll and she was slowly fading. It came down to the final day that she would have had the possibility of receiving treatment and if she could not do so, it was likely that she would die shortly thereafter. It was a desperate time for me as I am her primary health care proxy. I did not want to make the decision that determined whether she lived or died. I implored the Lord as time grew short. During that very long week, the Lord ministered to me through one of the devotionals I read with the words, "Trust Me and do not be afraid." The day before my mother was to have her final chance to go to dialysis, I remember praying to the Lord, "This is your final hour, Lord. Please help me." Again the Lord reminded me, "Trust Me and do not be afraid." The next day when the last possibility of my mother receiving dialysis arrived, the doctor made a pain medication change that allowed her to undergo her treatment. At the same time my mother's health issues were taking place I was also experiencing struggles with ministry issues that once again led to my making a shift in church communities. After situations and circumstances had calmed down, I was sitting with the Lord and reading a familiar Gospel passage from Matthew 8:23-27. It is the story of the storm on the lake where Jesus was fast asleep in the boat while the disciples were in fear for their lives. This passage happened to be the chosen meditation from one of my devotionals. The devotional noted that both Jesus and the disciples got into the same boat. Yet their reactions to the storm were very different. I began to meditate on the fact that many folks will ask the question, How could Jesus remain asleep or at rest with the chaos swirling around Him? I began to see that the Lord knew He had ultimate control over the chaos so no harm would come to Him or His disciples. His response reminded me of the Scripture, "Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10) The disciples failed to recognize the peace of God in their midst as well as His Presence with them. All they could focus on was what was going on around them. Thus they were distracted by many things. This reminded me of Martha who was distracted by many things when Jesus came to the home she shared with her sister Mary and brother Lazarus. (Luke 10:38-42) Mary's focus was on the Lord and being in His Presence. On the other hand, Martha, like the disciples, was focused on the chaos around her in food preparation as she experienced growing fear and anxiety. However, just like Jesus responded to Martha's dilemma, He responds to the disciples. Matthew tells us, "He got up." Jesus could have continued to sleep or tell the disciples to calm down and everything would be alright. But "He got up" and brought the peace physically (calming of the wind and the waves) that they missed spiritually (His Presence as the Prince of Peace.) This drew my attention again to the words of one of my devotionals, "I will go with you as you go, so that you can handle whatever comes your way. Trust Me to supply what you need when you need it." The Lord supplied the disciples with what they needed when they needed it which was the calming of the storm. Why does the Lord come to our rescue? "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed. For His compassions never fail." (Lamentations 3:22) The Lord came to my rescue and my mother's in time of need and in the midst of the chaos swirling all around us. I echo the prayer of my devotional's meditation, "Heavenly Father, this life is full of uncertainty. But You have promised us your unfailing Presence. May we see you today---especially when we are tempted to panic or do things in our own strength." Amen. May you call on His name in time of need and see Him come to your rescue.

Peace & Blessings,

Pastor Sheree