Team Strategy

Before the summer season winds down and the anticipation of beautiful colored leaves, crisp apples and the resultant apple edibles, and a cooler weather pattern come into being, a quintessential American activity begins. By August, many people engage in supporting their favorite teams that compete in the rough and tumble sport of football. Expectations are high as fans from cities and areas all over the country believe that it will be their team that will make it to the ultimate competition, The Super Bowl.

The pre-season is designed for coaches to assemble their teams from prior players and new draftees to compete for the final fifty-three-man roster. Something that really caught my attention this year is how the coaches play their tried-and-true players compared to those with whom they are not yet familiar. It is quite common for the veteran players to sit on the sidelines while the newbies take the field for the majority of these pre-season games. Along with evaluating the capabilities of the unfamiliar lot, keeping the vets off the field prevents a known valuable team member from risking injury in a game that will not count toward the team’s season record. In the regular season, the stars take the field often to ensure wins when they really count.

God’s team strategy can be a bit different. In God’s Word we find that many times it was the unknown draftee that God put in for a big win. Gideon comes to mind. While he threshed his wheat in a winepress to hide it from Israel’s oppressors, the Midianites, God had his angel greet him as if he were a prized warrior. “And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, ‘The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.’” (Judges 6:12, ESV). Gideon questioned why Israel was enduring such hardship if God’s presence was with them, but the angel of the LORD continued. “‘Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?’” (Judges 6:14b, ESV). Though Gideon still couldn’t believe the call God had placed on him, and he requested a sign to confirm the words spoken to him, Gideon did follow through with God’s plan, and victory was afforded Israel in a miraculous way, Gideon leading the charge with a very small number of men.

Another example is young David. After Saul proved to be a regrettable choice as king because of his disobedience to the LORD’s commands, Samuel, God’s prophet, was sent to Jesse the Bethlehemite to anoint Israel’s next king. All of Jesse’s sons came before Samuel beginning with the eldest, and they looked strong, handsome, and capable of excellent leadership. But God told Samuel his method of choosing members of his team. As Samuel looked on Jesse’s first son, Eliab, he thought that he must be God’s choice. “But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.’” (1 Samuel 16:7, ESV). It wasn’t until David, the youngest son, was brought from the fields where he was tending sheep that God said to Samuel, “‘Arise, anoint him, for this is he.’” (1 Samuel 16:12d, ESV).

And God does not spare his MVPs from injury and hardship. When God had a conversation with his disciple Ananias of Damascus regarding the Apostle Paul’s conversion to Christianity, Ananias was hesitant to include him in the rank and file of God’s chosen due to his ardent persecution of those in the Body. While the Lord assured Ananias that he was choosing Paul to be his witness to both Israel and to the Gentile nations, interestingly he included this statement: “‘For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.’” (Acts 9:16, ESV). Ananias obeyed God, laid hands on him, and prayed to expel the blindness Paul experienced in his encounter with Jesus, and Paul started his active participation on God’s team to become who some consider God’s greatest apostle. Indeed, he did suffer for the cause of Christ, and through his letters found in the New Testament, he has remained influential in the lives of believers throughout the ages.

Essentially, those of us who have a relationship with Jesus are on his team to do his will and further his kingdom. Whether our call is to be on the field for every big play, or we are put in for what seems like minor movement, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (Colossians 3:23, ESV). Even our small contribution can be much in his hands, and we can propel God’s team to victory in his Name!

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Wannabe

Once we hit July, this year’s summer schedule was fairly open for us, and as such we decided to go camping. True diehards that participate in this activity would be sure to say that we actually went glamping, being that we use our truck to pull a Fifth Wheel in which we sleep, cook, and even engage in electronic entertainment in the evenings. OK – you’ve got us. But we still did book ourselves into a somewhat rustic campground for a week in southwest Colorado to take in the sights, connect with nature, and relax and enjoy the creative and varied world God has given us.

One of the things we did on the first morning of our arrival was to hike around the lake adjacent to the campground. Lest you are led to believe it was a huge effort, this lake was really just a large pond, but it still leant us thirty minutes plus of exercise and interesting flora surrounding the lake to examine. As we got to the path, I noticed the beautiful puffy white clouds overhead. I was enjoying the billowy shapes, in particular one towering directly in front of me. In the next moment, I observed something right in front of the cloud. I had to adjust my focus to discern exactly what it was, but I realized it was a bit of some kind of white fluff floating lazily by. I looked around to see if there were any plants that were growing something of that nature that would have blown into the air, but saw nothing else like it. I immediately had a crazy thought: “That’s a wannabe!” At least that’s what it looked like to me, that little old fluff competing with the grandeur of the huge puff in the sky.

It got me thinking about how we can be like that small fuzz drifting in the air. We strive to imitate something we view as impressive and put our effort and energy into possibly something we’re never meant to be. It may be that God has a different goal in mind for us, but we’re too busy looking way off into the clouds, and we miss the opportunities he is placing right before us.

It is important to recognize that there is nothing wrong with dreaming big dreams and reaching for what may be lofty goals. But, so often our eyes are on the wrong prize. If we truly search within and find that we are driven by the desire for a loaded pocketbook, recognition, some sort of power, or another worldly or temporal ambition, we will likely realize that we are definitely not on the path that the Lord would desire for us to follow. To put it in the words of The Preacher, the writer of the book of Ecclesiastes, “I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind” (Ecclesiastes 1:14, ESV).

A good biblical example to consider is found in the Book of Acts. Philip, a man chosen as one of seven who helped the apostles in ministry, was serving in Samaria. A man who practiced magic arts named Simon, had fooled many people with his enchantments, and they acclaimed him as great. As these same people witnessed the genuine power and godly work that Philip was doing there, they believed in Jesus, received his good news, and were baptized. Simon took note of the miraculous works, and the Bible says, “Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed” (Acts 8:13, ESV).

The apostles Peter and John were sent to Samaria from Jerusalem upon hearing about the new believers there. The Holy Spirit had not yet come to these recent converts, so Peter and John laid hands on them, and they did receive the Holy Spirit. It is at this point that Simon displayed the heart of a wannabe. He actually had such a desire to perform this same miraculous work that he offered to pay the apostles to be granted the same gift. This repugnant longing was quickly rebuked by Peter who said, “‘May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you” (Acts 8:20b-22, ESV).

Simon did request prayer, but it is not clear if he had a sincere change of heart that led him to trade his covetous attitude and his longing to be someone great in the eyes of the people for a true heart of a servant. While we may not have a Peter figure in our lives to tell us when we are puffing up beyond God’s call, it is my hope that each of us can take a good look inside and ask for the Lord’s position on the state of our ambitions. Whether they appear great or small, may they be in line with what God is desiring for each of us. Steer clear of being a wannabe, and glide on the wind of the Holy Spirit for his good purpose and glory.

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All the World

It can be so easy to think solely in the here and now and remain focused on only what is in front of us. After all, in our own families with young children, mom’s name must be uttered at least three hundred times a day, and multiplied needs are ever-present. “Where’s my shoe?” (not both, but one). “When are we going to the park?” “Can Tommy come over to play?” “Is lunch ready yet?” “My library book has paint all over it ‘cause Emma needed a cover on the table for her art project!” “Can I have… fill in the blank?” Or in more mannerly households, “May I have… still fill in the blank?” And so, it goes. And even if Mom and/or Dad don’t fulfill all the requests, the words still swim around relentlessly in the brain like sharks looking for a tasty meal. Then even as kids age, a whole new set of needs will inevitably take over – ball games, music lessons, assignment help, dentist and orthodontic appointments, etc. Add in parents’ own schedules with work, meetings, necessary car repairs and the like, and local church and ministry commitments, planning time to breathe seems to be the only necessary addition to an already overflowing family schedule.

The Lord absolutely knows our situation and the demands that are already in place, particularly in young families. But he also does ask us to look outside of ourselves and consider the needs and plight of others, even elsewhere in the world. Most of us are familiar with this passage of commissioning, spoken to Jesus’ disciples, but applicable to all believers: “’All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, (emphasis mine) baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you’” (Matthew 28:18b-20a, ESV). It can be tough to think about that “one more thing” that should occupy our time and require our attention, but this responsibility is set before us as a priority that deserves consideration.

Obviously not every person or family is called to become full-time missionaries who sell much of their belongings, pack up what’s left, and head to a far-away place to devote their lives to full-time service. Perhaps you have or you will come to realize this is your calling – may God’s blessings and care be abundant if that is so. But there are so many ways to make an impact for Christ on the lives of people that live elsewhere on the earth. I have recently become aware that our songs from the Sing God’s Word CD Series are being listened to around the world. Places as diverse as the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Mexico, Hongkong, Iceland, Australia, Latvia, Malaysia, Uruguay, and more have taken advantage of various streaming platforms to listen to the Scripture songs we share. It is so humbling to realize that God has taken imperfect vessels to impact people globally with what he has inspired us to create. Amazing! I have two family members, a son and a son-in-law, who within the last couple months have taken short-term mission trips to two very different countries, the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East, and Brazil in South America. Each left, but even more so left with blessings, having willingly giving his time, talent, and attention to others from a foreign land filled with people who need Jesus. Likely you are aware of, and perhaps have participated in giving to, organizations such as Samaritan’s Purse who sponsor the yearly collection of gift boxes to give to impoverished children in various parts of the world. There really are so many ways to follow this command that Jesus has given us. We are all very different, and the way we answer will be unique and personal for each person and family, taking into account what God has given each of us and put on our hearts.

Pray and ask the Lord to reveal to you how you can be a part of his great commission. Prayer alone for a missionary or a people group that is unreached or barely reached for God is in itself an effective way to be used by the Lord to further his kingdom and is a great family endeavor. Seek God’s will in regard to this all-important task. Remember that he could put something on your heart for the future, but it is essential to find something now that you can do to fulfill his commission. Whatever his answer for you will be, remember that the Scripture in Matthew 28 ends on this encouraging note: “’And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age’” (Matthew 28:20b, ESV).

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Never Miss a Beat

I know that in the past I’ve shared that physical coordination is not my strong suit. I recall that I took tap lessons for about half a year when I was about six. I think all I came away with was a maneuver called “shuffle-ball-change,” a move that could easily look like the beginnings of a stumble. So, I was thrilled when my granddaughters in Virginia were signed up for ballet lessons with a Christian company that uses their church for rehearsals and performances. Due to the studio’s benevolence, all four girls are able to participate. I feel especially blessed when I get to see them perform, but even when I cannot be there, it is a great use of present-day technology to view the performance live on a screen or by video a short time later.

During last year’s recital, my then eight-year-old granddaughter, Bekah, was doing a lovely dance to “Today Is the Savior’s Day (by Rend Collective).” All was going beautifully when the group began taking side-steps toward stage left. Bekah was the farthest dancer on that side, and all of a sudden, she swung her arms and flopped right on the floor. Her recovery was immediate. To Bekah’s credit and proficient demeanor, she picked herself up, got right back in the dance, and never missed another beat! The routine was finished to perfection, and it is now a sweet and special memory to treasure.

I’m writing this message in the midst of Holy Week; we’ve just celebrated Palm Sunday. This year as I listened to the sermon at our church, I started to let my mind wander a bit to contemplate the distinct contrast between the hailing crowd that sang the Lord’s praises on his triumphal entry into Jerusalem with the rabid and angry crowd calling for his crucifixion a few days later. The most interesting thing is, it was predominantly the same people participating in these diverse events. How could those who were seemingly following Jesus get so out of step with him? To contemplate that rapid change can be quite unnerving! Of course, we know from the gospels that while they were not a part of the bitter throng save for Judas, each of the twelve disciples struggled with his own blunder in regard to Jesus. Judas betrayed him, but Peter denied him, Thomas doubted him, and most deserted him. How could recovery occur? Fortunately, the Bible records instances of reconciliation with the Lord, the most notable being Peter.

As the disciples gathered together after Jesus had already made two post-resurrection appearances to them, Peter and six other disciples of Jesus made plans to go fishing. Having an unsuccessful night on the sea of Galilee, a voice called out to them from the shore at daybreak to cast their net on the right side of the boat. When their catch of fish was so large it could not be hauled in, John immediately recognized the mystery influencer as Jesus. Impetuous Peter jumped right into the water and swam to shore. Jesus made provisions for breakfast as they all returned, and then he took time to bring Peter back into a right relationship with him. “When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs’” (John 21:15, ESV). Three times Jesus asked him the question, matching the number of times Peter denied knowing Jesus. Though verse 17 states that Peter was grieved to have Jesus ask that third time, Jesus’ purpose was to restore Peter as his beloved disciple, servant, and friend. Essentially, Jesus invited Peter to pick himself up, dust himself off, and get back in the dance. Peter’s recovery was sure, as in the book of Acts Chapter 2, Peter preaches a heartfelt and significant sermon that confronted the Jewish leaders and compelled the people of Israel to turn to Jesus and be saved.

And so too, we are continually called to get back in step with the Lord because of his great compassion and love for us. Whether we make a misstep, a mistake, or even commit an outright sin, our recovery and ability to resume movement in the right direction is assured by this: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9, ESV). Or if we are simply feeling a little bit off balance and need some help to recover, the Lord is always there to guide our return onto the right path. We are brought back by grace into the perfect choreography he has ordained for our lives. It is always his desire that we continue on to fulfill the purpose that he has for us. “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6b, ESV).

I am so looking forward to being in the audience for the girls’ next recital that takes place in just a couple weeks in which Bekah is once again a part. I am also excited to share that Bekah can be heard on our newest CD #5, Sing God’s Word – Spirit Among Us, voicing the role of Bekah Belle. I am happy to report that she did a fantastic job, and she never missed a beat!

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Done in Love

My husband has a rock ministry. Oh, no, no, no – he does not have an electric guitar strapped to his neck using head-banging flare and flying fingers to attract perhaps a younger crowd with contemporary music. I am talking about literal mineral formations. Whenever my husband walks the sidewalks at our church, he intentionally uses his feet to move stones from the pavement to the adjacent gravel bed. He has always appreciated impeccable landscaping, and ensuring that the church walkways are free of those little rocks and debris is an important contribution. In fact, I would say that he does it out of love for the church, the staff, and our fellow congregants and that it brings him much joy as he completes his task.

The Bible considers love as a key component to valuable service. The most significant passage addressing this tenet is the well-known 1 Corinthians chapter 13, the love chapter. Chapter twelve speaks about being members of the Body of Christ and the gifts God appoints to individuals for selfless service. The chapter ends with a statement regarding an excellent way to use the gifts that are given, and then chapter thirteen begins: “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have all prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing”
(1 Corinthians 13:1-3, ESV). God is letting us in on his point of view regarding our participation in the church and the things we do for others. It doesn’t matter who, what, where, when, or how, if love is absent, so is true service, and essentially our ministry is an epic failure in God’s eyes, no matter how many others we may think we fool or impress.

And, oh how often I fail! If I evaluate myself honestly, I know that despite the time I may give or the effort I put forth, my heart can often be in the wrong place. There can be so many things that take the place of the love that accompanies true godly ministry. Pride, self-fulfillment, compulsion, a need for recognition, a reluctant attitude, and even guilt can be detrimental substitutes for the love that the Lord wants to see surrounding the work we do for him. No doubt there can be times when we are compromised by circumstances such as illness, a hectic schedule, exhaustion, and/or unforeseen problems that will cause us to feel burdened rather than benevolent. Those weak moments need to be turned over to the Lord – he will be strong in the midst of our weakness. But, in general we need to approach the things we do in his name with a selfless and loving attitude knowing that we “work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men” (from Colossians 3:23, ESV). In this, he is honored and we receive blessing and joy in our giving.

Thank you, dear husband, for your selfless and secret ministry that you provide to our church each time you walk to and from its doors. It is a great example of loving service, and while it may go unnoticed and could be seen as trivial, nothing done in love escapes the Lord’s view. Keep up the good work!

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