Looking Ahead
September 11
The irony is not lost on me… I am writing this article on the anniversary of the worst attack on our nation, in my lifetime. According to the George W. Bush Presidential Library, “On the morning of September 11, 2001, nineteen terrorists hijacked four airplanes perpetrating a series of attacks that killed 2,977 people.” If you are old enough to remember that day, you remember planes grounded, schools closed, ball games and concerts were cancelled, and churches opened. A nation rallied together, united in time of uncertainty.
A few weeks ago a young woman, a refugee from Ukraine, was on her way home from work in Charolette, North Carolina when she was stabbed to death by the man sitting behind her on a train. This unprovoked attack, caught on video, should have shocked a nation…
Yesterday, a sixteen year old boy died after turning the gun he used to shoot and injure two other students at Evergreen High School in Colorado. The continued violence in our schools should shake our nation.
A few hours before that shooting in Colorado, a single shot rang out on the campus of Utah Valley University striking political activist, Charlie Kirk, in the throat. This assassination left two young children without a father and a young mother without her husband. This kind of political violence should cause our nation to quake.
It is easy to agree with the prophet Habakkuk on a day like today.
O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” And you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice goes forth perverted.
Last night I received an email that asked simply, “Where is God in this, Pastor?” My friend was asking, O Lord, how long shall we cry for help? Why do you make us see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? These are honest, sincere questions that we ought to bring to God. We should also remember God’s response to Habakkuk in the first chapter of the book named for the prophet.
Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.
Never forget, God is on His throne! God is faithful! God is full of grace and mercy! God sent His son, Jesus, into the world to rescue us! Jesus raised on that third day and is sitting at the right hand of the Father, promising to return! He is doing a work in our day that is so BIG and so AMAZING that we often don’t truly believe it. Jesus is coming back! He is making all things new!
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
- Revelation 21:1-4
In the meantime let’s be about these four tasks:
- Pray! Follow the example of Habakkuk and cry out to God. Share with Him your fears, worries, anxieties, joys, praises, questions, cherish the promise that we can cast all our worries on Him, because He cares for you! Every Sunday morning a few of us gather at 8:00 am to pray for the Sunday morning activities and whatever else is on our hearts and minds in the fellowship hall classroom at Wallula. You are welcome to join us.
- Listen to God’s Word. Be encouraged by digging into his word. If it helps, you can check out the recent preaching series we did at Wallula called “In a Handbasket.” This series examined those passages and more we read above from the book of Habakkuk. Just click on the “on demand” button at wallula.org.
- Stop fighting with each other! Yesterday morning I saw this video of a preschool girl sending her big sister off to school with some words of wisdom. She said, “I love you!” “You are awesome!” “Don’t hit people!” All good advice. It breaks my heart to see and hear the finger pointing back and forth in our country after each of these tragedies. Stop fighting!
- Talk about Jesus. Our world is in desperate need of a savior! Peace that passes understanding, life to the full, love that sacrificially puts others first are only possible when we are made new from the inside out. The world needs to hear about Him! What might happen if our response this September was the same as our response in September of 2001? What would happen if our nation showed up in worship, if we turned completely to God? Invite someone to worship with you this Sunday!
Because of Him,
Lance
September 3
I have a picture sitting on my desk. It is a photograph of my son from when he was just a little guy. We were living in Yuma, AZ at the time & it must have been the winter. My guess is that I was preparing to head to winter camp in the mountains with the youth group. In the picture Klayton is dressed up in my gloves, hat and backpack. Little kids love to imitate their parents. If dad has a Chiefs hat, little Tommy wants a Chiefs hat, If mom wears high heeled shoes, little Sally wants uncomfortable shoes too! When Dad mows the yard, Billy is right beside him pushing his bubble mower, when Mom is paying the bills, Lisa is punching away on her device as well. Often somewhere along the way in childhood development kids turn into teenagers and hope they won’t turn into their parents only to get a little older and realize they’re still imitating their parents!
When Jesus called His first disciples, He called them by saying “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” When those folks answered His call, “they left everything and followed him.” And for around three years these twelve men did exactly that, they physically followed Jesus all around Israel. They listened to Jesus teach, they saw Him heal people, cast out demons and then they went and did the same!
Jesus’ call to us is not so different. He is calling us to be in relationship with Him. He desires for us to know Him and to follow, to obey Him, to imitate Him. The Apostle Paul accepted Jesus’ invitation to follow Him and to share His story with others. Paul shared Jesus with people in person and through his letters. This year we have been studying one of those letters he wrote to the church in Ephesus. In a couple of weeks we will get back into Ephesians and consider how we can construct a life that honors God, how we can imitate Him better.
Our series covering the last three chapters of Ephesians, At Work, will begin on September 21. This will be a great series to invite your friends and family to worship with you at Wallula. Pick up your personal invites from your chair in the worship center this Sunday and encourage others to construct a life that honors Him!
Lance
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.
- Ephesians 5:1
