Thursday, December 11, 2014

THY KINGDOM COME

Our Father who art in heaven, hollowed by Thy name.  Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  (Matthew 6:9b-10 NAS)


I have prayed this prayer hundreds, if not thousands of times, maybe you have too, without giving a lot of thought as to just how God will answer it.  Certainly there is a sense in which it needs to be fulfilled in me – God’s will being done in my life.  If I am a follower of Jesus, then He is my King, and I am in His kingdom.  God, help me to be obedient in all aspects of my life.  Establish Your kingdom in me.  In a broader sense I pray for Him to reign over my marriage and over the families of all my children and grandchildren. 

There is also a sense in which this prayer should be fulfilled in our churches.  If Jesus is truly the Head of our churches, then His will is being done in and through us as individuals and as a community.  We will be a kingdom community, representing Jesus to the world.  People will see in our communities the love, the unity, the healing, the health, and the life of Jesus. 

As I have recently meditated on Revelation chapters four and five. It’s the longer term piece of “Thy kingdom come” that has come into clearer focus.  Chapter four is a beautiful picture of heaven as John saw it in his Revelation vision.  He sees the Father, the One, sitting on His throne surrounded by a rainbow before a sea of glass.  Angels and majestic creatures hard to describe sing His praises, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, Who was and who is and who is to come.” (Revelation 4:8b NAS)  In this place of beauty, majesty, peace, and glory God’s will is done – before One so great how could it be otherwise?  When we pray “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” (Matthew 6:10) we are asking God to bring the earth into this same beauty, peace, and Godly order.  Given the turmoil, injustice, war, and death we see all round us, is that possible?  How could it be accomplished?

John’s vision gives us the answer.  Revelation chapter five pictures the Father on His throne with a scroll in His hand, which is sealed with seven seals.  Ancient wills, contracts, and other legal documents would be written on parchment and then sealed like this.  No one was found worthy to take the scroll and open its seals until the Lion of the tribe of Jacob (Jesus) steps forward.  When He takes the scroll John then sees Him as a Lamb, but a Lamb with seven horns and seven eyes, which could indicate that He carries absolute power, authority, and knowledge.  All heaven breaks forth in worship to the Father and the Lamb.  Jesus has conquered death and hell and sin, redeeming a people for God from every tribe, tongue, and nation.  His victory proves His worth.  He then opens the seals one by one, and things start to happen on earth.  Over the next sixteen chapters of Revelation God’s judgement is poured out on all unrighteousness; people, nations and kings are judged; God’s redeemed people are gathered to Him; and a new heaven and earth appear with their crown jewel, the New Jerusalem, where the Father and the Son will dwell with God’s people forever.  All tears will be wiped away, the tree of life will be in full bloom, and the river of life will run free through the city.

Wow!  That will be “Thy kingdom come".   God’s will will be done on earth as it is in heaven, because heaven has now come to earth.  Those of us who follow Jesus, who trust in His saving grace, have all this to look forward to.  What a hope!  What a future!  I for one am going to ratchet up my prayers for the kingdom to come.

Monday, November 10, 2014

THINK KINGDOM

Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst (or within your grasp).” (Luke 17:20-21 ASV, ESV)
The Pharisees in one respect were ahead of most of us - they knew that the kingdom of God was coming, and they were looking for it.  They knew well Old Testament passages like Isaiah 9:6-7
For a child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; and the government will be upon His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.  There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore.  The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.
And who wouldn't prefer David’s greater Son as King in place of the iron fist of Rome?  The Pharisees, however, were wrong about what the King would look like, and how His kingdom would come.  This humble, poor, simple man in front of them surely could not be He.  And where were the armies that would follow Him into battle as He pushed the Romans into the sea – this rag-tag group of fishermen following Jesus?  A kingdom that would not come with signs to be observed didn't sound like much of a kingdom.  Even if it was in their midst, they didn't seem to be too excited about finding it.
One Pharisees, however, Nicodemus, really wanted to know how to enter the kingdom of God, so Jesus told him, “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God… you must be born again.”  (John 3:5b, 7b)  So, if you are born again, you have the privilege of entering the kingdom of God, but what does that mean?  Most of us, I think, just throw around that term, kingdom of God, without giving it much thought.  Let’s take a closer look.
First of all it must mean that I have a King, and His name is Jesus.  He is rightful King in the kingdom of God, because, as the angel told Mary in Luke 2:32, “the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.”  Jesus was born the King of the kingdom of God, just like any earthly king is born into a family of kings.  Secondly if I am in His kingdom, I am expected to live under His authority, His rule, and His law. But as with all good kings, I am also under His protection, and His care.  I can trust Him to provide all that I need.  Bottom line: my life is not my own, nor is any of the stuff I call my own – it all belongs to King Jesus.  I trust myself fully to Him.

Being Americans in the kingdom of God requires some adjustment in our thinking.  We love our independence, our democracy, our freedoms, our life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  It is all about us.  In the kingdom of God, however, it is all about Jesus.  So, do we lose or gain upon entering the Kingdom of God?  We lose bondage to sin, and gain life and true freedom; we (hopefully) lose our stubborn self-will and independence, and gain simple faith and trust in good King Jesus; we lose control of our lives (control is an illusion anyway), and gain a Good Shepherd to lead us; and we avoid the eternal suffering and regret of all who remain outside the kingdom of God, and gain a place with King Jesus ruling and reigning with Him forever.  Sound good?  Think kingdom.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

DID JESUS REALLY SAY THAT?

Some of Jesus’ parables just don’t sound right the first time you read them.  Take for instance the parable of the unjust steward in Luke 16:1-9.  The manager of a rich man’s estate heard that he was going to be fired.  While he still had control of his master’s accounts, he went to several people who were in debt to his master, and reduced the amount of their debt.  His reasoning was that by doing so they would owe him favours, which he could cash in on after he was let go.  Now for the puzzling part – the steward’s master praised him for acting shrewdly!  At this point I’m expecting Jesus to condemn the steward for his dishonesty, but instead he says, “the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light.  And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” (Luke 16:8b-9).  Think on that for a minute…
Here is my take on it:  The point of the parable is not “the dishonest get ahead”, but be smart (shrewd) about how you handle money.  People in the world, the sons of this age as Jesus calls them, use money to their advantage to get ahead in this life.  All they have is this life, so they are acting wisely in that respect.  Of course from an eternal perspective they are acting foolishly, but that is addressed in some other parables. Jesus then shifts to us, the sons of light, and tells us to use money, the mammon of unrighteousness, wisely.  Handling money wisely is using it to make friends who will receive us into their eternal dwellings.  Those of us who are followers of Jesus have a place prepared for us by Jesus in the Father’s house.  I think that when we get to heaven we will recognize each other, and remember aspects of our life as it now is.  I plan to get together with those in the church I've known and loved, and celebrate all that we did together.  There are specific people that have invested in my life, who have helped me at a difficult point in my life, that I want to thank and bless for all that they did.  Our actions do matter, and that includes how we use resources (money and other resources) that we have at our disposal.  The more we give, the more we invest in others, the more we will have to celebrate with them in heaven.
We as Christians can invest our money in our churches, missionary work, and good local ministries like Youth For Christ.  We all have a certain amount of money at our disposal, the question is, how are we using it?  But let’s not stop there, we all have time, talents, and skills that can be used to bless others.  The men of Hope House, a local inner city ministry to those dealing with substance abuse, found out that I regularly go backpacking.  “Oh, we sure would like to do that some time.”  I then had a choice to make, would I take the time and make the effort to take them or just tell them, “well, maybe someday you will get the chance to go.”  So I pulled all the equipment down from the attic, set up five backpacks for them, and off we went for a three day hike on the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania.  They had a great time – so great that they want to hike the whole 2000 mile trail, and use it to help raise money for their ministry.  What can you do with what you have at your disposal?  What’s in your wallet?  What’s in your attic? 

Monday, September 8, 2014

LESSONS FROM GROWING BLUEBERRIES

      A few years back I bought three blueberry bushes. I did a little research and found out that blueberry bushes are acid-loving, so I got some Miracid fertilizer, and they responded well. I also gave them a good covering of mulch in the fall, and then again in the spring. In the hot, dry days of July and August I watered them, and by even the second year I had a few blueberries starting to ripen. However, a robin that frequents our backyard also noticed that the blueberries were ripening, and the next day some of them were gone. So, I got some netting to keep the birds off. A few weeks later the Japanese beetles found the blueberry bushes, and i had to head off to Home Depot to get some beetle traps. The bushes have grown, and we now get about two gallons of blueberries between late June and early August., but only because I have continued to be diligent with fertilizer, mulch, watering, netting, and beetle traps. I could just buy blueberries at the store, but these berries are special, because they are ours. We raise them, we eat them fresh, and we enjoy blueberry pancakes all winter long from the ones we freeze - but only because we nurture and protect our blueberry plants.
     Paul instructs husbands in Ephesians 5:28&29 to "love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it just as Christ also does the church." When I follow Christ's example, when I love my wife, I nourish and cherish her. She knows when I am loving her in a self-sacrificial manner, and it blesses her. Our relationship deepens, she responds in love back to me, and the fruit of this mutual love is sweet. But it doesn't just happen. I have to work at laying down my life for her as Christ did for the church. I have to work at nourishing the relationship if I want to enjoy the fruit. I also have to work at nourishing the relationship from the enemy's attacks. If I just leave a small opening in the netting around my blueberries, that pesky robin will find his way in. He comes back every day looking for a hole in my defenses. His is relentless, just like sexual temptation, but I am determined to win both battles, the one for my blueberries, and the one for my marriage.
     My relationship with Jesus is likewise a relationship that must be nourished and protected. I nourish my relationship with Jesus as I spend time with Him - unhurried time that communicates my love and devotion. Being with other believers in fellowship and worship also plays an important part. What I have to guard against is just going through the motions, both in my morning times with Him and my desires (and deserves) my whole heart. Do I cherish Him above that this world offers? Have I allowed the cares of this life to erode my faith in Him? Have I allowed the cares of this life to steal away my passion for Him? He is my life, my hope, my future, and my eternal inheritance. So much is at stake that I cannot afford to do anything less than all that I can to nurture and protect my relationship with Jesus.

Friday, August 15, 2014

GODLY SEXUALITY



Why am I, why are we as Christians so hesitant to talk about sex?  Maybe it’s because “godly sexuality” sounds like a contradiction in terms.  But sex is not ungodly, and it absolutely can be pleasing to God.   Jesus freely talked about it.  The Pharisees once came to Jesus looking for a way to trip Him up on the finer points of the law.  They asked about divorce – when it was permissible to divorce their wives (Matthew 19:3-9).  He avoided responding immediately to their question about divorce and instead went back to basics.  I find this approach in talking about sex helpful, because there is so much confusion about sex in our society, and brokenness in our sex lives.  When we lay out the basics first, it really helps to put questions about sex into perspective.  So what are the basics?
We need to start like Jesus did with the Genesis account of creation.  God created mankind male and female.  I see this as more than just a matter of necessity – the sexes being needed for the procreation of mankind as it was for animals.  Mankind was unique in creation, because God said, “Let Us make man in Our image,” and “in the image of God He created them male and female.”   When God was done making man He said that what He had made was very good.  I take this to mean that Adam and Eve were a very good reflection of His image. (Genesis 1:26-27, 31)  I have been taught that being made in the image of God means that like Him I have intellect and will, I am a moral being, and I am a spiritual being.  But beyond this I now think that something about being a male, and my wife being a female reflects the image of God.  Something of God’s nature and beauty is reflected in my maleness and her femaleness.  And our being together as one flesh, united in marriage “till death do us part” also reflects the image of God.  As Jesus told the Pharisees, “a man shall cleave to his wife and the two shall become one flesh,” and “what God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” (Matthew 19:5, 6)  The unity of a man and his wife reflects the unity of God.  Jesus said, “I and the Father are One,” and this is a oneness that has been unbroken in the Godhead from eternity past.  It is a beautiful relationship of love, harmony, and fellowship. (John 10:30)
So, these are the basics, the original design for mankind from creation.  A man and a woman are joined together as one flesh for life, reflecting the very nature of the Godhead.  Marriage between a man and a woman that includes healthy sexual intimacy, and endures “till death do us part” pleases God.  So, what offends God?  Sexual intimacy in any other shape or form, including sexual activity before marriage, adultery, homosexuality, pornography, sexual addictions, prostitution…  I’m hesitant to speak so plainly and be so pointed, but I believe that this is Biblical.  God is not cruel.  He has our best interests at heart.  His best is always His design.  Our ways are not only offensive to God, they are destructive to us and to others.  Paul told the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 6:18 that when we commit immorality (and I would take that to mean all sexual intimacy outside of marriage between a man and a woman) we actually sin against ourselves.  Sexual sin is destructive.  Specifically in this passage Paul was talking about prostitution.  He stated in verse sixteen that when a man sleeps with a prostitute he is one flesh with her.  What happens when he goes his own way?  That oneness is torn, and his heart grows scar tissue - it becomes hardened.  And what about the prostitute?  He sins against her because in using her he is helping to ruin her life, and more broadly, he is financing human trafficking.
Again, God really does have our best interests at heart.  The best life we can live as a married partner is to keep our heart and body only for our spouse, “drinking water from our own well” (Proverbs 5:15-20 ).  The best life we can live as a single is to keep ourselves from immorality, keeping ourselves pure for our Lord.  This is pleasing to God, and it is the best we can do for ourselves and for others.  It is certainly not a popular stand to take, but just maybe by doing so we will be salt and light in this dark and confused world. 

Monday, July 28, 2014

GRACE AND PEACE

I’m a backpacker.  I took my first backpacking trip with my sons, then ages eight and ten, and have not missed taking at least one trip every year since.  My sons loved our yearly adventures, which continued into their college years.  Now they have children of their own to pass on a love for the outdoors.  For several years I went out alone, and more recently I started taking out my grandchildren.  This year I will take my oldest daughter and her oldest son on the Appalachian Trail (AT) to Mount Rogers in southwest Virginia.  Early in the fall I will take out five men from Hope House, an inner city ministry, to southern Pennsylvania on a “beginners” section of the AT.
            I love the solitude that I experience while backpacking solo.  Although I camp at shelters on the AT, and millions of people use the trail each year, most of my days are spent alone - just me and Jesus.  We’ve shared the beauty of seeing Mount Washington blue on the horizon from the top of a mountain in southern Vermont; of waking up in the middle of a moon-lit night to hear the hauntingly beautiful call of the loon; of watching shafts of sunlight stream down through the forest in the early morning after a night of rain…  And there have been my encounters with God’s little creatures like beavers, raccoons, deer, wild ponies, and that bear that just stood on the trail looking at me.  He moved… after we had a little talk.  I’m sure he was hoping for a Snickers bar out of my pack, but I don’t give up my Snickers bars without a fight, or at least a good scolding.
            Three years ago Barb’s mother came up to visit us for a few weeks, so I took the opportunity to take a longer solo trip (not to avoid her, she was a great mother-in-law, but because Barb would not be alone).  I met a taxi driver in northern Massachusetts, and he dropped me off in mid-Vermont.  I was ready for a glorious trip of 11 days down through the Green Mountains.  Hikers told me the first day out that it had rained 19 of the previous 21 days, and after hiking a few miles, I believed them.  The AT was a series of peat bogs separated by rocks and a few hilly sections.  I was carrying all of my food for the 11 days, which was more weight than I am used to packing.  By the end of the first day I was wet, I was sore, I was beat.  Seventeen miles of slogging my way through the peat bogs had taken their toll.  “God, I can’t do this.  I’m over 100 miles from my car.  I just can’t keep up this pace.”  I was up at first light, I made my coffee, and I sat down to read my little backpacking Bible.  I must have read it 100 times, but that morning the little phrase used by both Paul and Peter in their letters to the New Testament Christians jumped out at me, “grace and peace to you.”  If Jesus were standing there He could not have said it more clearly, “Gary, I will give you the grace each day to do the miles, and you will know My peace.”  I had calculated that the next day would be another long 17 miles, but when I stopped mid-day to take a look at the map, I realized that I had calculated incorrectly, and it was only a moderate 13 miles.  I slowed down, ignored my watch, stopped often to meditate and enjoy the beauty around me – such peace flooded my soul.  I was still hurting – sore feet, that pain in my side that kept coming back, the aching shoulders - but each day I made it to my designated shelter in plenty of time for a relaxing dinner.  Each day the mountains, the beaver dams, the sunlight, looked more beautiful, but what sticks with me from that trip, as glorious as it was, was not the scenery, it was the words of Jesus to me, “My grace will give you strength each day to keep going, and My peace will be with you.”  May grace and peace be yours in Christ Jesus.

Monday, July 14, 2014

GOD STILL SPEAKS


While I was an associate pastor on staff at North Coast Church, I was active in helping to start and build a local chapter of Love INC (that is love In the Name of Christ – it is not a dating service).  Love INC is great ministry to families and individuals who needed help with housing, food, utilities, and other basic needs.  Love INC was part of World Vision at that time, and they were a very supportive parent organization.
A couple came to minister at North Coast Church one weekend whom I had never met, but they were well spoken of.  The pastors and a large group of leaders, over 50 of us, met with them one evening for prophetic ministry.  I was hesitant about attending, and not particularly interested in being an active part, so I sat in the back, hidden behind a gentleman who was well over six feet tall.  After a time of worship the couple began to call out people in the crowd and speak prophetic words over them.  If you have never seen this kind of ministry, it is fascinating, but also a bit intimidating.  Thoughts go through your mind like, “Is this for real?  Are they just making up general words that could apply to anyone, or do people like them really hear from God?”  There is also the fear that if God does speak He might expose some hidden sin.  Is that why I was hiding?
The husband spoke the first word to someone near the front, but while he was speaking his wife kept looking toward the back of the room, trying to get a better look at me - as I slid lower in my seat.  She then said something to the effect, “You there in the back, are you involved in ministry to the needy?”  “Yes,” I said, but thought, “Maybe one of the other pastors told them that I work with Love INC.”  She then said, “I believe that God is giving you a blank check, and whatever you need to do this ministry, God will give it to you.”  “Great,” I thought, “another God-is-going-to-bless-you prophecy.  But I’m sure she means well, so God bless her.”  She finished with, “I’ll go further,  and I see millions of dollars passing through your hands to the poor.”  This was too much.  I was polite and smiled, but millions of dollars?  Really!!
About two weeks later World Vision contacted all the local Love INC chapters, and said that they were starting a new program to help us multiply ministry in our cities.  They were being given donated goods from major manufacturers, and they would make them available in semi-load quantities to chapters like ours if we had suitable warehouse space.  I just happened to know a businessman who had a warehouse, and he gave us about ½ of his space.  We found a tow motor and shelving for next to nothing.  Semis started to arrive full of women’s clothing, jackets, shoes, toys, medical supplies, house hold goods, and office supplies.  We contacted ministries to the poor and the homeless, as well as inner city churches who could use our goods, and passed them out by the van and pickup load.  They held neighbourhood fairs in their church parking lots, passed out clothing to the homeless, and helped immigrant families arriving in our city.  It was simply amazing.  I stopped counting after the total value of goods donated topped 3 million dollars.
So you decide.  Does God still speak?  And when He does, why does He do it – not to tickle our fancy or make us rich, but to accomplish His purposes, to answer the prayer He taught us, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done.”

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

A DYING WISH


Barb and I were leading a small but growing church here in Berea in the late 1980’s.  We were especially happy when Kevin started to attend.  He was creative, musically gifted, and a magnet for teens and young adults.  At six feet, seven inches tall Kevin was also our gentle giant.
Kevin invited me out for coffee a few months after he joined us.  He told me that before coming to our church he had left a long term relationship with an older man.  He told me that he knew that this was not pleasing to God, that he had repented, and that he was leading a celibate life.  I never saw myself as being judgemental towards homosexuals, but Kevin was the first gay person that I had come to know personally.  I was out of my comfort zone.  So I prayed, “God, how do I relate to him?”  The answer was clear, simply love and accept Kevin as I would anyone else that walked into our church.  God loved and accepted Kevin as much as any other sinner (me included) who looked to Him for forgiveness and life in Christ.  But Kevin was a special member of our church, he was a gift to me.  God had used him to set me free from a hidden fear and judgemental attitude towards people who have lived, or are living a gay lifestyle.  I’ll always be grateful for our friendship.
Kevin and I went out for coffee again about a year later.  He had visited a gay bar in a moment of weakness, and he had contracted AIDS.  This was early in the AIDS epidemic.  No medications to fight the disease were yet available, and life expectancy was frighteningly short.  Within a few months he was in the AIDS ward of St. Augustine hospital, and he was rapidly losing ground.  One day while I was visiting him Kevin pleaded with me, “Gary, there are so many in this AIDS ward who need to hear about Jesus’ love.  Promise me you will come back after I am gone and start a ministry here.”  Kevin died within a few weeks.
I struggled with the idea of regularly visiting the AIDS ward.  Little was known about the disease, and how it was contracted.  What if I got AIDS?  I had a wife and four young children to think about.  But I felt that this was an invitation from God.  Was I going to cower in fear, or take action and simply trust Him?  I went.  I befriended many patients.  I laid hands on them and prayed with them.  I fully expect to see some of them in heaven.  It became a very rewarding ministry, possibly the most important that I have ever served in.
Jesus was speaking to me through Kevin.  He was inviting me to do what He would do if He was here on earth – to do what Jesus did while He was here on earth – reach out to the hurting and lonely with God’s love.  Is God inviting you to reach out to someone?  Is He nudging you to move outside of your comfort zone?  Will you go?  Will you cower in fear, or be obedient and trust God?

Saturday, June 7, 2014

JACKI

Both of our daughters got married in the summer of 1992.  Later that same year Barb and I left the Christian community which we had been a part of for many years, but our one daughter, Missy, stayed, and is still there today.  Our leaving created a strain in the relationship, and after a few years Missy and her husband, Bob, completely cut us off.  We have had no contact with members of the community, with Missy and Bob, or their 4 children – no cards, no calls, no visits, no birthday celebrations, and no holidays together.  The Amish might say that we were shunned.  For 13 years we have prayed.  It was all we could do.
            Two days before this last Christmas an old friend called and said, “Jacki is on Facebook”.  Jacki is now 20.  She is Missy and Bob’s daughter and our oldest grandchild.  Barb cautiously asked to be her friend, and Jacki enthusiastically responded.  She and her fiance, Lee, are now out of the community.  They are cut off from both of their families, but free to reconnect with us, her uncles and aunts, and her nine first cousins that she has not seen in 13 years.  Dozens of Facebook messages flew back and forth between us all in just the first few weeks of re-connecting.  Jacki is an RN, and Lee is working on his doctoral degree in nursing to become a nurse practitioner.  They came up to visit us early this spring, and it seemed like we talked for two solid days.  I was so pleased to see the fun they had with their aunts, uncles and cousins.  She and Lee were married May 2, and we were there, tears of joy running down our cheeks.  They are the cutest couple, and so full of life. 
I have barely been able to contain my joy.  The first few weeks it seemed that all I can do was cry and worship.  However, we still have more to pray for – reconciliation with Jacki’s 17 year old twin sisters, her 15 year old brother, and of course, her parents.

What are you praying for?  Is there a broken relationship in your life, a wayward son or daughter, an estranged family member?  Please don’t give up, keep praying.  Even it takes 13 years or longer it is worth every prayer and every year that has passed when at last in God’s perfect time our prayers are answered.

Sunday, June 1, 2014

THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR

That’s What Friends Are For

Matthew 25:14-30

When asked to preach on the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, I was happy to do it.  I like to teach.  Teaching brings me life, and our congregation seems to benefit.  If I was to try to fit my gift of teaching into the parable of the talents, I would say that it is a “two talent” gift that God has entrusted to me.
If you remember this parable, a wealthy Master went away, but not before He entrusted some of His wealth to three of His servants.  To the first He gave five talents, to the second two talents, and to the third one talent.  On His return there was an accounting.  The servant who had been given five talents had invested them and gained five more.  Likewise the servant who had been given two talents had invested them, and gained two more.  Both were commended for their faithfulness in how they handled the Master’s wealth.  The generous Master gave them even more – there was a joyous welcome home party.  The servant who had been given one talent, however, had buried it in the ground.  The Master was not pleased.
Here is where my friend comes in.  Last week over dinner he asked me, “So Gary, are you still writing your blog?”  I provided several good excuses, like “I’m not really a very good writer.  I don’t think it has made much of an impact.  I think I have said everything I really wanted to say.”  It all sounded valid to me at the time, but during my sermon preparation time those lame excuses came back to haunt me.  I realized that I was playing the part of the “one talent” servant.  So, here I am taking up blogging again, convicted by my own sermon before I’ve even preached it.

So, how about you?  Have you buried a talent that God has given you?  All God asks for is faithfulness on our part to invest what He has given us: be that talent a gift to speak or write, an ability in art or music, strength to serve others, or finances that can be given to help fund a ministry.  I’m praying that God will bring a friend along to remind you about your buried talent, and that you will dig it up, dust it off, and put it to work in God’s Kingdom.  That’s what friends are for.