Finding Joy

Last fall I shared a short message from Isaiah 35 during a Praise Night event. The words I shared touched at least one heart, and I was asked a few days ago to send this person a copy of what I said that evening. Maybe these words will be meaningful to others as well, so here is an edited version of that message.

Isn’t it good to be in God’s presence and to lift our voices to Him, to feel His love and return love to Him. We belong to a good God. He meets us in this place and walks with us everywhere we go. He is always near, and He always works to restore, renew and redeem.

We’re going to look at a beautiful passage in Isaiah this evening. It was written to people who were hurting, lost and afraid. They needed words of comfort and hope. These words speak to our hearts too. Whatever burdens you carry, whatever you need this evening, God is here, ready to renew and redeem.

I want us to focus just for a few minutes on 2 images from Isaiah 35. The first comes in v. 4a: “Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come.’” We all feel weak and afraid at times. Life is full of fearful things, full of things that threaten and sometime hurt us. Jesus made us many wonderful promises. Some of His promises, though, we would like to forget, like John 16:33: “In this world you will have trouble.” We all know that’s true.

But then Jesus said: “But take heart! I have overcome the world!” That just was God spoke through Isaiah, “Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come.’” How do those words impact your heart this evening? Let the Lord’s assurance fill your mind and soul.

The second image to focus on comes in v. 10c: “Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” Joy replaces sorrow. This is an image of entering Zion, coming into God’s kingdom. For us, it’s the promise of eternity and the joy we will feel in God’s glorious presence. It reminds us of God’s promise in Rev. 21:4: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

God knows our sorrow. He knows life isn’t the way it’s suppose to be. God created this world good and pure. He created a place to know and enjoy Him forever. But the world we know today is broken, and that brokenness fills us with sorrow. Now, we have live with broken promises, broken relationships and broken dreams.

Here’s the good news: God isn’t about to leave us in sorrow! He has better plans for us, plans that Jesus makes real in our lives. One day we will enter Zion. One day these words will be spoken of us: “Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” For now, we get a taste of God’s glory as we worship, as we open our hearts and step for a moment into that place of joy. That’s why we are here tonight!

Planting Seeds

The first Senior Drop-In of the fall is today. This wonderful ministry draws seniors from our church and from the community. Many are followers of Jesus, while others are not yet believers. It is a colorful, joyful group who loves one another's company and the good food provided by our talented and devoted volunteers.

Each Thursday I share a brief devotional before praying over the meal. Today I plan to share from Mark 4:26-29. Jesus said these words (from the NIV):

"This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."

We share God's word with people because we believe, based on God's own promise and the experience of our lives, that His word makes a different. When it is planted in our hearts, even into unbelieving or callous hearts, it does take root, grow and produce a good harvest. Reading, hearing and trying to live according to scripture is the most basic and effective spiritual discipline we can practice. I pray that each of you sets aside time to scatter the seeds of God's truth in your heart.

Politics and Religion

I studied international politics in college and now I'm a pastor, which means that if the old advice about not discussing politics or religion in polite company is to be heeded, I'm bound to have trouble in social gatherings. Luckily for me, politics is on everyone's mind these days and pretty often on the tips of our tongues. So, I thought a few words on the issues of the day might be appropriate.

Before going on, I should add that it would not, however, be appropriate for me, as a Christian pastor, to advocate for or against any particular political position or figure. So, I will try to avoid the language and landscape of politics, and rather focus on moral issues, about which I do feel free, and often compelled, to comment.

The issue of the day, of course, is health care. How much involvement should the federal government have in providing health care for the people of our nation?

Socrates often taught by leading his students through a series of questions, the answers to which directed the students' minds to the ultimate conclusion or truth he desired them to grasp. I like that method of teaching, so here are a few questions:

Should everyone in our nation be entitled to high-quality health care?

If so, is it the government's responsibility to provide that health care or the funding to pay for it?

Jesus called His followers to care for those in need (parable of the good Samaritan, Matt. 25:31-46, etc.). Is that the same as saying the government should care for those in need?

If so, what role should the church play? What role should other responsible citizens and businesses play?

Which is the more Biblical and moral approach: (1) to take resources from the wealthy to provide for the poor or (2) to provide equal opportunities for everyone to provide for their own needs? (This question is at the heart of the political divide in our nation, and we all have to acknowledge that good, honest people may differ on how they answer.)

If you do not support some sort of government-sponsored health care solution, what do you suggest to meet the needs of those who are under-served by our current system?

These are tough questions. Usually, politically divisive issues have to be solved through compromise, not bullying. My sense is that Congress will eventually settle on a plan that falls short of the President's wishes but does in some way provide health care coverage for those who have little ability to provide it for themselves (expanding Medicaid, for instance). Let's hope that along the way, we don't divide ourselves too severely or forget how to speak truth in love.