There Is No Hurry

A Sort-Of Made-Up Story

Scene: Satan and several of his esteemed advisors are meeting secretly

Satan is worried. 

He is behind schedule. By this time he had planned to have God and His influence completely erased from American culture. But he has met far more résistance than he had anticipated. He calls an emergency conference with his top advisors.

"What can we do to speed up our work?" he begins. "We must get rid of all acknowledgment of our Enemy! We must erase him. We cannot let him win. We are too close to victory!"

One advisor speaks up. "We just keep telling them their god is a myth, that there is no god like that. There is no god at all. We are making progress on the campuses. It just takes longer than we thought."

Satan becomes angry. "That hasn't worked! We have been trying that for decades. The Enemy's followers just come up with more ridiculous propaganda. We need a new plan!"

Another suggests: "Let's discredit the Enemy. Tell people he really doesn't care about them. He does not love them! They are believing in a fairy tale."

"No," Satan booms. "Our Enemy does love them - those ridiculous bi-peds! I don't know why but he does and they know it!"

The last advisor hesitates and then speaks up quietly, "I have an idea. Let's keep them on the fence. Tell  them not to worry about it -- there is no hurry...Just take their time and consider all possibilities. Don't be in a hurry to throw their lives away!"

Satan beams! "That's perfect! Don't make a decision yet. Wait. There is time. There is no hurry! I love it! That is now our official strategy! There is no hurry!"

(2 Corinthians 6:2 -- "Now is the acceptable time. Now is the day of salvation.")

Remember Linus and His Blanket?

                                         Remembering Linus

Remember Linus and his blue blanket?  

Probably Linus, from Peanuts, is best known for that blanket. He carries it everywhere. He doesn't even seem to be embarrassed that he needs it for security and comfort. To calm his fears.

His sister, Lucy, is embarrassed and especially dislikes it. She buries it, makes it into a kite, and tries to get rid of it on various occasions. Even Linus himself, on various occasions, seems to think he is too dependent on it and lets it go from  from time to time, but he always retrieves it.

But then we come to that wonderful movie, A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Remember when a frustrated Charlie Brown asks, "Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?"

Linus, with his security blanket, steps center stage and quotes the angel's message to the shepherds that holy night outside Bethlehem.

              Fear not. I bring you good news of great joy...

Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you;

 He is Christ the Lord.

You will find Him in a manger....

When he comes to "Fear not," Linus drops his blanket...permanently!

I like to remember that those words were spoken to the shepherds...A Savior has been born to you...not to mankind in general, but to you...and you can find Him.

Individuals, like the shepherds, like Linus, and like you and me.

And He is our Savior and we need never be afraid again! 

I have some security blankets  I need to get rid of. Maybe I should make today Christmas!

What Jesus Didn't Say

 "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, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After He said this, He showed them His hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord" (John20:19-20).

   It was too good to be true! He was there - and gave them a loving greeting. What had He said? Did they hear the words correctly?

   What He didn't say was the surprise. Not "What a bunch of cowards you are!" "I  told you so!" "You couldn't even stay awake and pray with Me in the Garden." 
"I called you My friends. Where were you when I needed you? I must have chosen the wrong men for My Kingdom." 

   No. He brought peace. The one thing they needed most. Into their darkness, their shattered dreams, their hopelessness and fears and guilt, He brought peace. 

   He gave everything. They gave nothing.

   Isn't that the way it is for all of us today? Into our messed up lives, our brokenness and desperation, He brings us peace. Even if we have locked the door -- He still enters in.

   He gives everything, We give nothing.

   They call it 'grace.' Its first name is 'amazing'!

How to be Salt and Light

 Jesus tells us to be 'salt' and 'light' in this dark world that has lost its thirst for God.

The more evil this world becomes, the more righteous and holy we should become. (Yes, sometimes it's hard to keep up!)

Paul tells his friends at Philippi that they should "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" (2:12).

"Work out" is a Greek term used in farming. It describes how a successful farmer works his soil to produce the best crop possible. He plows it, removes the rocks and weeds, provides nutrients and irrigation -- everything he can do to produce a bountiful, healthy harvest!

We don't work to secure salvation -- that is a gift of God's grace. But we are to live godly lives, producing farm land that provides an abundant harvest for God's kingdom.

Then in verse 13 he says, "For it is God who works in you, both to will and to do what pleases Him."

That's the secret -- God is already at work inside us -- giving us what we need to produce that wonderful harvest of goodness that changes and nourishes our society. God is quietly working inside making us into His image and we demonstrate that -- work that out -- by choices we make, the lives we live, partnering with God to yield the best results possible!

We pray, "Father, I want to live in Your Word today -- be obedient -- to  produce fruit that glorifies You. When people see me at work in Your garden, I want them to praise You!"

It takes effort to live a godly life. We are responsible to set the alarm clock earlier every day; to put down the phone; to turn off the TV; to focus His Word and listen to His voice. 

That's how we work out what He is working in us!

Are you an ordinary person? - C S Lewis

Remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw him now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption that you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare.

All day long, we are, in some degree, helping each other toward one of these destinations.

It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealing with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics.

There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations -- these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat.

But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit--immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.

   -- The Weight of Glory, by C S Lewis