Reflections

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” Romans 10:1

I believe there were many factors that kept Paul faithful.  We could speak of His calling, His salvation experience, even the persecutions kept Him depending upon God.  The point of this meditation isn’t to focus on Paul, but to reflect on our own selves . . . . Have we lost our burden?  Again, not a question to be answered out loud  or publicly perhaps but one to cause us to examine ourselves.  A burden comes from many factors, but a heart of love is what comes to my mind.  I am reminded of I Corinthians 13.  You know the chapter!  It gives so many instances of spirituality, kindness, etc., but says if we don’t have charity (love), we are nothing.  I want our church to be a church that has love, not only for the faithful members, but also for our visitors that grace us with their presence.   But, our love must go beyond the walls of our church building.  We are to love our neighbors.  We are to have a special love for the ones we see at the grocery store—the bank—the post office.  So, back to the original question . . . Have we lost our burden?  I pray that our burden  be renewed.  We live is such strange times!  You wonder how to reach people, how to get the gospel out.   Let us present our concerns to the Lord and ask His direction.  And, let us pray and ask God to send more laborers into the harvest, and let each one us us determine to do our part, to be what God wants us to be!

 The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. Neh.  1:3.

What a question!  On one hand, we would say YES, as we contemplate churches without pastors and churches closing their doors!  It is heart-breaking!   Faithfulness is almost a forgotten description in the lives of many.  We consider Nehemiah 1 and the condition of God’s city.  Nehemiah was so moved.  I attempt to compare that to our days and times and our church.  We know that we don’t have the power to give someone a new heart; a zeal for Christ, though we wish we could!    However, what I see from Nehemiah is his burden and his prayer.  He proved his burden by his prayer and fasting.   God doesn’t call upon us to build His church;  He said He would do that in Matthew 16.  I do believe, however, He calls us to have a burden; to have a heart for His work.  So, the question, “Do I have a sincere heart for the Lord’s Church here?”   “Do you have a sincere heart for the Lord’s church here?”  How much do we pray?  How much have we wept and sought God?  We truly know the results are in His hand, but let us make sure we are doing our part.  Nehemiah could have reacted fatalistically and shrugged His shoulders, but He did what He could do.  May we follow His example,  Get involved, be faithful and pray, and DO ALL WE CAN DO, trusting our God does the results.

“… we spend our years as a tale that is told.” Psalms 90:9   “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Psalms 90:12 

Using human expression we would say, “Isn’t that the truth!”  Most of us reading this can certainly agree, because we are experiencing the very truth of what is stated above.  Younger people often feel that they have the world by the tail.  All is well, and they will never get old and feeble.  This amazing truth is here for us, I believe, that we might keep our eyes on heaven, and on eternal things!  Perhaps one of the greatest challenges as we do our pilgrimage here in earth is to remember we are just that:  Pilgrims.  We are not home yet, so let us not get so enamored with the things down here that we forget our heavenly home.  In our heads, we know the verses like, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness .  . .” .  We would nod in agreement.   We know that we are pilgrims etc., but how easily we seem to misplace our priorities.   So, may the Lord help us to be heavenly minded, while we make our journey down here.  Truly, nothing down here can satisfy.  Our real reason and purpose is to seek God, to live for Him and to be faithful to HIm.  Let us resolve to be more faithful to our Lord and Savior in the days ahead.