First Baptist Church of Minonk IL

I found this prayer by Thomas Merton.  I hope you find it as helpful as I did.

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

I received the following:

“Loving God our Father, I bring before You a small Baptist church in Sabden, Blackburn, Lancs., England, UK. It has about 20 members but over the last few years new members have come, but it has had no full-time minister for 12 years. The deacons have gathered together in prayer to focus on the future and it is their desire that they get a minister this September. We ask that Your will be done.  Amen”

I found the church’s website (http://sabdenbaptistchurch.co.uk/).  I also exchanged emails with the current, part-time lay-pastor (Tim Peagam).  As you can see by the website, the church is small, but it has a vibrant ministry.  Check out the youth club!

However, the Sabden Baptist church is facing a change in pastors since Pastor Peagam is feeling God’s leading to the mission field in Thailand.  So please pray for the Sabden Baptist Church.

I read this verse as part of my devotions this morning:

“The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3, NIV)

That last phrase especially caught my eye: “I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”  I was curious about that phrase so I did a study on it.

That word, “drawn” usually means “draw up, drag, pull, take away, i.e., cause an object to make linear or vertical movement, implying no help from the inert object, and so needing considerable force ^[1]”  It is most often used in conjunction with pulling an animal, pulling someone out of a pit, catching a fish, or even drawing a bow.

“Unfailing kindness” is an unfailing love, loyalty or mercy based on a prior relationship.

In the context of the verse the people of Judah have been taken into captivity into Babylon.  They are complaining that God has forgotten them.  This is part of God’s response.  He has continually loved them with a love that goes on and on forever.  In fact, he is continually drawing them back because of his love.

Thank you Lord for not letting go.  Thank you that you draw me, sometimes even drag me, back to you.

I was reading from John 3 this morning.  Here’s part of it:

“Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”” (John 3:1–4, NIV)

Normally we hurriedly read over this section, scoffing at Nicodemus’ stupidity, anxious to get into all the good stuff, like “For God so loved the world he gave his one and only begotten son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

But this morning I saw something different in Nicodemus.  I didn’t see hard headedness, I saw a person who was seeking but having a hard time understanding.  He could see that Jesus was a teacher come from God.  Not all the Jewish ruling council saw that.  We read elsewhere many accusing him of being a deceiver, a sinner, being possessed by a demon, or even the devil himself.  Nicodemus could see something more – a teacher sent from God.  Perhaps he didn’t completely understand what he saw, which is why he came to Jesus.

Nicodemus didn’t understand what Jesus was talking about.  We can see that Nicodemus knew he didn’t understand, and he kept asking and seeking in order to understand.  We can also see Jesus welcoming Nicodemus and (attempting) to explain deep spiritual truths on a level the Nicodemus might understand.

This comforts me.  Often times I don’t understand.  I see partially.  I see that I don’t see completely.  I ask “stupid” questions about what I do see but don’t understand.  I’m so embarrassed by my own stupidity that I, like Nicodemus, have to come to God with them “at night”, when no one else knows. God welcomes me and my stupid questions, just like he welcomed Nicodemus.

Thank you, Paul (and the Holy Spirit) for telling me, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12, NRSV)

Easter is over.  All the eggs have been found.  The real eggs returned to the refrigerator if not already made into egg salad.  The plastic eggs returned to the Easter box to be packed away.  The chocolate eggs were consumed faster than the regular eggs.  New Easter outfits have been returned to the closet, to be worn periodically over the summer.  Life is back to normal.

The Easter decorations aren’t the only things that are packed away.  Sometimes we pack away the Easter message.  The good news of a living savior who is present with us also gets packed away – or more likely simply forgotten like that one lonely egg the children couldn’t find.  We go back to our former thought patterns and pursuits.

I find it comforting that the disciples were no different, even on that first Easter.  “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders …” (John 20:19a, NIV)

Peter & John have seen the empty tomb.  We know that at least John “saw and believed” (John 20:8).  Mary Magdalene has seen the risen savior, and she came back and joyfully told the disciples (John 20:18).  We know she was joined by several other women, who all confirmed they had seen Jesus risen from the dead as well (Luke 24:10, Mark 16:1, Matthew 26:1).  Two men had traveled with Jesus quite some distance before realizing who he was, and they also told the disciples (Luke 24:35).  The disciples heard all this testimony, but the words “seemed to them like nonsense” (Luke 24:11).

The good news of Jesus’ resurrection was packed away and they lived behind locked doors in fear.  And, “Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”” (John 20:19b, NIV)   Jesus came in their doubt and confusion and by showing them his wounds, repeating his blessing of peace, and breathing on them the Holy Spirit, he is able to encourage them and commission them to spread the good news.

We may have packed away the Easter decorations.  Let us keep the Easter message firmly before us so that we can share the good news that our savior lives, and let us live in light of that.