Keeper of the Door

Is there really no nighttime in heaven? I think I would miss that. There is something so calming and restoring about twilight and evenings. Cool breezes, the stars twinkling overhead, the sound of crickets, the rumble of far away thunder, the sound of wind through the pine trees, the hooting of an owl. Is there not a place for this in the new earth? Perhaps the reference in Revelation (“There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”) of heaven being continuous light is a statement of the lack of evil and not a scientific observation. I can see the throne of God resplendent with the sun’s rays in the morning – light so brilliant that it hurts the eyes! God’s presence is even brighter. But I can also imagine the throne of God at night, with so many candles that you can’t count them. Incense wafting in the night breezes. Angels and cherubim flying through the temple quietly. There is a hush. And everyone bows in worship of the King. Everyone present is filled with awe and wonder and contentment. For the moment, there is no other place I’d rather be. Father, in years past, I was concerned with how big a “mansion” you would prepare for me. Now, I realize that I would be happy with the smallest of rooms – just for sleeping actually – for I would spend my days in the temple worshiping you and loving those around me. My “mansion” would only serve to give me a place to rest my head at night. We really “need” so very little when our hearts are focused on you! Just let me be a “keeper of the door”.

Oh, let me be a servant

A Keeper of the door

My heart is only longing

To see forever more

The glory of Your presence

The dwelling of the Lord

Oh, let me be a servant

A Keeper of the door

- Twila Paris (Sanctuary)

Keeper of the Door

Is there really no nighttime in heaven? I think I would miss that. There is something so calming and restoring about twilight and evenings. Cool breezes, the stars twinkling overhead, the sound of crickets, the rumble of far away thunder, the sound of wind through the pine trees, the hooting of an owl. Is there not a place for this in the new earth? Perhaps the reference in Revelation (“There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”) of heaven being continuous light is a statement of the lack of evil and not a scientific observation. I can see the throne of God resplendent with the sun’s rays in the morning – light so brilliant that it hurts the eyes! God’s presence is even brighter. But I can also imagine the throne of God at night, with so many candles that you can’t count them. Incense wafting in the night breezes. Angels and cherubim flying through the temple quietly. There is a hush. And everyone bows in worship of the King. Everyone present is filled with awe and wonder and contentment. For the moment, there is no other place I’d rather be. Father, in years past, I was concerned with how big a “mansion” you would prepare for me. Now, I realize that I would be happy with the smallest of rooms – just for sleeping actually – for I would spend my days in the temple worshiping you and loving those around me. My “mansion” would only serve to give me a place to rest my head at night. We really “need” so very little when our hearts are focused on you! Just let me be a “keeper of the door”.

Oh, let me be a servant

A Keeper of the door

My heart is only longing

To see forever more

The glory of Your presence

The dwelling of the Lord

Oh, let me be a servant

A Keeper of the door

- Twila Paris (Sanctuary)

Disconnect

I had a thought yesterday concerning Evangelicals (of which I suppose "I am one") or those who attend "bible-teaching churches". We don't have much of a heritage to draw upon. Other denominations - Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Orthodox - have centuries of saints, leaders, and liturgy to draw upon and connect them with generations past. Because evangelicals formed in an attempt to create a church that "didn't do" certain things - responsive readings, incense, infant baptism, communion every Sunday, clerical robes, acolytes, organ music, kneeling - they have ended up with very little to remind them of those whose faith we stand upon. These rituals, these things we have held in common with generations who have worshiped before us, create a sense of community and strength. If we remove them, we stand alone in our faith. It is similar to the individual who estranges himself from the rest of the family and relatives because he doesn't agree with them on an issue. Eventually, he finds that he has created his own loneliness and has no support when he goes through trials and sufferings. I believe the evangelical community is in a dangerous position right now. They face a multitude of issues in he workplace, our country and in the world, and they are not even connected to each other for strength. Evangelicalism is individualism gone bad. We long for a sense of community in our churches but end up engaging in futile "worship wars", thinking that the type of music or service will bring about this elusive connectedness. How our bickering must grieve the Holy Spirit! We have lost our compass and need to regain the link with our brothers and sisters over the centuries - the "great cloud of witnesses" that stand in the presence of God. O, how much we could learn from them!

Disconnect

I had a thought yesterday concerning Evangelicals (of which I suppose "I am one") or those who attend "bible-teaching churches". We don't have much of a heritage to draw upon. Other denominations - Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Orthodox - have centuries of saints, leaders, and liturgy to draw upon and connect them with generations past. Because evangelicals formed in an attempt to create a church that "didn't do" certain things - responsive readings, incense, infant baptism, communion every Sunday, clerical robes, acolytes, organ music, kneeling - they have ended up with very little to remind them of those whose faith we stand upon. These rituals, these things we have held in common with generations who have worshiped before us, create a sense of community and strength. If we remove them, we stand alone in our faith. It is similar to the individual who estranges himself from the rest of the family and relatives because he doesn't agree with them on an issue. Eventually, he finds that he has created his own loneliness and has no support when he goes through trials and sufferings. I believe the evangelical community is in a dangerous position right now. They face a multitude of issues in he workplace, our country and in the world, and they are not even connected to each other for strength. Evangelicalism is individualism gone bad. We long for a sense of community in our churches but end up engaging in futile "worship wars", thinking that the type of music or service will bring about this elusive connectedness. How our bickering must grieve the Holy Spirit! We have lost our compass and need to regain the link with our brothers and sisters over the centuries - the "great cloud of witnesses" that stand in the presence of God. O, how much we could learn from them!

What Kind of Fruit is This?

"...a Christian must be consistent in his relationship to the life of the Son of God in him, not consistent to strict, unyielding doctrines. People pour themselves into their own doctrines, and God has to blast them out of their preconceived ideas before they can become devoted to Jesus Christ." - Oswald Chambers

-- No author assigned in CUT

Our natural bent is to lean toward rules and doctrine and belief systems and away from the Person of Christ. It’s as if we are saying, “Thanks, Lord, for saving me and giving me eternal life, but I can take it from here.”

What a mess we make – worship wars, looking for the best Sunday school curriculum, recruiting people who don’t always have a deep walk with God, trying to build a sense of “community” with programs or service changes. Why do we look to human methods and thinking to solve our church problems? We are trying so hard to produce our own fruit. No fruit? Well, don’t throw the vine out! Better make sure you’re still attached to the vine, because it’s the vine that produces the fruit – not us. In our Type A culture, we can’t imagine that being still, praying, and pursuing our relationship with Jesus Christ will ever accomplish anything. What fun is that? We couldn’t claim any of the praise for it. Lord, have mercy upon us! We are such dumb animals. Remind us today of our spiritual limitations and the need to know you more. You don’t ask a lot of us – just obedience, trust and a willingness to follow. These, however, strike at the heart of our egos. Am I willing to set aside my own agenda in order to follow yours? With mine, there are no surprises. With yours, I must be open to anything. Almighty God, make me willing and ready. Shepherd, help me to hear your voice. Counselor, may I hear your soft whispers. Amen.

What Kind of Fruit is This?

"...a Christian must be consistent in his relationship to the life of the Son of God in him, not consistent to strict, unyielding doctrines. People pour themselves into their own doctrines, and God has to blast them out of their preconceived ideas before they can become devoted to Jesus Christ." - Oswald Chambers

-- No author assigned in CUT

Our natural bent is to lean toward rules and doctrine and belief systems and away from the Person of Christ. It’s as if we are saying, “Thanks, Lord, for saving me and giving me eternal life, but I can take it from here.”

What a mess we make – worship wars, looking for the best Sunday school curriculum, recruiting people who don’t always have a deep walk with God, trying to build a sense of “community” with programs or service changes. Why do we look to human methods and thinking to solve our church problems? We are trying so hard to produce our own fruit. No fruit? Well, don’t throw the vine out! Better make sure you’re still attached to the vine, because it’s the vine that produces the fruit – not us. In our Type A culture, we can’t imagine that being still, praying, and pursuing our relationship with Jesus Christ will ever accomplish anything. What fun is that? We couldn’t claim any of the praise for it. Lord, have mercy upon us! We are such dumb animals. Remind us today of our spiritual limitations and the need to know you more. You don’t ask a lot of us – just obedience, trust and a willingness to follow. These, however, strike at the heart of our egos. Am I willing to set aside my own agenda in order to follow yours? With mine, there are no surprises. With yours, I must be open to anything. Almighty God, make me willing and ready. Shepherd, help me to hear your voice. Counselor, may I hear your soft whispers. Amen.

Whose Time is It?

“Living is what we do with God’s time, what we do with God’s world.” – Rabbi Abraham Heschel.

We think of time as “ours” to do with what we want. Books are written on how to more efficiently use your time, how to make more time, and how to redeem the time. All these are based on the assumption that time is ours to use and change. We are deceived. Creation is the Lord’s and, likewise, so is the time given to us. If time were ours, then we would be in control of when it begins and ends. The Almighty One is the only One who knows these things. So, as I begin a new day today, You have reminded me that I must look to You to know how to spend your time. Think of an ambassador in a foreign country. His native country sets aside a segment of time (months, years) for the ambassador to accomplish the tasks given him. The ambassador is not free to do whatever he wants. Likewise, the time I am given each day is not mine to claim; I must look to the “Time Giver” for instructions and guidance. Does this sound like slavery? We are slaves, but our service to our Master will bring tremendous joy and freedom. Just one of many paradoxes in the Christian life!