Into the Light

 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”’ ~ John 18:36

     We often sing the familiar doxology “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. World without end. Amen. Amen.” It is a succinct statement of faith in the Kingdom of God yet, it often seems we are woefully unaware of the implications. If we were aware, then we would see more clearly with a Kingdom worldview. The Kingdom had not come yet when Jesus said, if it had, his servants would fight for him. The LORD restrained Heaven’s angelic army for a time so that God’s magnificent grace could run its course. For the moment, Jesus bore the immeasurable weight of sin alone. 
     The coming Kingdom of Christ was the central theme of His preaching and teaching while he walked among us. Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled” “and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the gospel!” (Mark 1:14) Heaven’s gates opened wide and the unseen Kingdom of God became a present reality to all who would be its citizens after Christ’s death and resurrection. “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.” (Colossians 1:13)
     The Father rewarded the Son for His faithfulness with Kingship and we who repent and believe are Christ the Son’s subjects. Many Kingdom citizens choose to live in its frontier zones. Christ sees them in houses of worship each week, or occasionally. They often behave as if the light of Christ’s glorious throne is too much to bear.
     Frontier Christians and those near the Kingdom realm prefer to think of the King as distant and ineffectual. They wear masks, like welder’s shields, when compelled to enter His presence. Fear causes them to believe they cannot see our LORD’s glory and live. Their fear is justified in a way, because one’s eyes adjust and permanently change after lingering in His presence. The transformation is so profound that the old world of the frontier goes dark and one simply cannot return to it. In effect, death to the old way occurs. 
     Average Christians are familiar with this concept and most will declare their death to sin and celebrate the assurance of Heaven when their flesh expires. However, confronting the reality of the Christ’s Kingdom on Earth as in Heaven requires acknowledgement that we all fall short of Christ’s glory - in fact, we unconsciously try to avoid it. Many of us deeply desire a more complete relationship with Christ, but remain inert for fear of the light of His glory. One wonders if, like Icarus, we fly too close to the Sun we will surely die. 
     It takes faith to walk toward His glory. It takes courage to leave the oddly comfortable dimly lit, grey world of the flesh behind. Ironically, many American Christians push further from the heart of Christ’s Kingdom because of innate pride in their rugged independence, bold frontier explorations, and dedication to freedom at all costs. “We rebelled against kings and kingdoms,” they declare. Such persons audaciously rewrite the gospel with a uniquely American twist, combining patriotic legends with superficial biblical concepts. Others prefer the dark frontier periphery of the Kingdom because they fancy themselves as sources of light, aligning themselves with the lesser gods of the flesh. Moving closer to His glory diminishes them and their assumed status. 
     Right now, you may wonder what sort of encouragement is coming, if any. So far, it sounds like a put-down or just an overly hard message to accept. “Here he goes again, saying I’m not good enough!” I’m speaking to myself too and, believe me, I get it. Beloved, the LORD compels me to speak truth in love so that we might strive for the heart of His Kingdom together. The long, dark winter nights of our land remind us that, if not for the gentle rising of the sun, we would emerge into the brief daylight only to be blind for a time as our eyes adjust. So it is with pressing on toward the King’s throne. What we once saw only dimly, we gradually see with greater clarity than we thought possible. 
     Consider the exceedingly grey times we are presently enduring. Everyone seems to move cautiously through the days as if constantly rounding a bend in the road, fearful of what lies just out of view immediately ahead. People are so risk-averse that they refuse to make commitments and choose to hoard their time and possessions. The old, grey faith of their predecessors no longer brings comfort and they distrust nearly all public figures, even religious leaders (Sadly, often for good reason). 
     Have you noticed that survival supplies are in high demand? Have you seen advertisements for powerful flashlights that will illuminate vast areas and far ahead on one’s path? People instinctively fear the dark unseen roads ahead, yet they distrust those who profess to possess the light. As stated above, distrust and the vanity of false sources of light have bred extreme caution. 
     Beloved of God, there is only ONE true light. It radiates from the throne of our King, Lord Jesus Christ. When we look to Him and move toward His glory, we leave fear and failure behind. We see the world the way it really is. Gradual illumination reveals false gods of the carnal and lights the path of righteousness. 
     How do you see the lighted Way of our King? Jesus said, 'It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. (John 6:45) The divine irony is that one must hear the Word of God in order to see the light of the Son’s glory. The eyes deceive, but the ears become more effective in the dark. Therefore, hear the Word of God spoken in truth and love. Close your eyes and listen, or in this case, read the words aloud and listen for the King’s voice. Do you hear Him calling you home? I hope and pray so. 


Recommended Reading: 
Insurgence: Reclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom by Frank Viola
The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis
 

Understanding is Worth More than Sympathy

 For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows you're going through this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing.”’ ~ Deuteronomy 2:7

There’s no way to adequately express how much the heartfelt compassion I have received in many forms of get-well wishes and encouragement lately has lifted my spirits. One message insightfully stated, “Our Church was broken years ago through no fault of your own. The Methodist Church is broken, again through no fault of your own. You have helped the healing process in our Church. You are leading us through the transition within the Methodist Church as best you can.” I was grateful as I read that since it helps to know that someone realizes my weariness results from a cumulative effect. Each of my pastoral appointments was to broken churches. The brokenness is nearly always because of poor leadership. In my experience, clergy seldom possess the skills to turn things around. Seeing local churches through the storms and attacks of the Enemy over the last two decades was usually a solitary affair. As I strove to reorient systems and values, there were always persons who felt that I undermined their rank and values. Others who had hoped for such an unseating and the end of oppression privately cheered me on, but publicly sympathized with persons whom they feared. No one had the courage to stand with me to say I was doing the right things, yet all celebrated their victory when the battle ended. Some church people have been unbelievably cruel and incredibly insensitive. When discussing my home, my salary, and my time, they showed little regard for my family’s well-being and my basic need to protect and provide for them. I have often been treated as a soft target whose feelings and needs don’t matter because I am expected to be passive and devoted to everyone else’s needs because I am a pastor. I’ve always fought back so that change could lead to Christ’s glory. The cumulative toll eventually comes due.

Another sentiment expressed recently by a few kind encouragers. “We’re sorry for letting you down” deeply troubles me because I have no right to that role in their life. I do not intend to imply that the flock is accountable for the shepherd’s feelings and their physical manifestations. Here we see that Christ’s enemy is cunning and ruthless as he plays on our weaknesses to make us feel inadequate and ineffective as we strive to be a Christ-centered family. Fixing broken churches is part of my calling and I have no right to feel sorry for myself. Working with unhealthy souls and pushing others toward greater spiritual stamina goes with the territory. Still, making some things better is relatively easy for a person with the right skills. My primary aim, for which I earnestly hope and pray, is that our LORD will bring revival for His Name’s sake ... sometimes I just wonder if I’m not good enough for that part. My weather gauges are the countenances of the present worshipers, and the influx of new ones. The evangelist in me feels such urgency - the LORD is coming soon; He really is!

The Church history class on Wednesday nights reintroduced many significant players in the ongoing drama of the Christian era to me. I enjoyed recalling that I am a little like the great reformer Martin Luther in that we are both anti-establishment-religion and talk too much about it. Like him, I can be too passionate and crave “table-talk” wherein honest, unfiltered conversations generate fruitful critical thinking, but it unsettles people with comfortable traditions and ideologies.

History lauds the outgoing, gregarious people, with strong wills and Type-A personalities who often accomplish great things and also leave collateral damage in their wake. We’ve all benefited from their efforts but are left to deal with incomplete projects and walking wounded who stayed through it all when others became angry, bored, or unfulfilled and then quit. Two of my church appointments involved mitigation of, or cleanup after such hurricane ambition blew through. 

I am not an extroverted or autocratic leader and much of what I do seldom gets noticed, which suits me. I enjoy working unnoticed, behind-the-scenes doing strategic planning, motivating and training. Helping others to thrive and succeed in their mission fulfills me. There is often tiredness after I do my leadership in public. However, I am energized by teaching and preaching. It’s a pleasure to enlighten and inspire people. In my experience, charismatic leaders frequently pressure people into joining them in what they are doing and sometimes those people regret it later. I prefer to present intriguing knowledge and ideas and then pray people will respond. It is a harder way to get support but it tends to build stronger bonds.  

It must seem strange for a self described introvert and private person to put so much introspection on display. Well, writing is my favorite form of self expression. I like its exactness and permanence. If I change my opinions later, I can jot it down and add it to the body of my written thought, so that a process of critical thinking and growth is apparent (if only to me). The Lord challenged me to be vulnerable and humble when I’d rather be stoic and strong. It seems like sharing with you will help with understanding our shared calling as the Body of Christ in this time and place. I know too well of the detrimental effects rumors and assumptions have. Therefore, writing things down takes away speculation, at least among those who read it. If you want to know something, all you have to do is ask me.

Patrick O'Brien wrote dozens of books about seafarers of the 18th century. My favorites are from the series usually called the Aubrey-Manturin books from which the 2003 feature film “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” emerged. Technically, I’m a lubber, but in my imagination I am an explorer-adventurer captain of a sturdy warship like HMS Surprise - You can learn much about leadership from good fiction stories. Reading good literature informs everything in my life, even bible study. Try Stevenson’s “Treasure Island '' for example. Read or hear the unabridged version and don’t settle for one of the good movies. B90 veterans will recognize the biblical parallels throughout the tale. 

I’ve long believed that God created Israel for conquest. The people of God set out from captivity in Egypt to take possession of the Promised Land away from God’s enemies. Many weak and faithless people turned back, rebelled, and died along the way. An entire generation died in the wilderness while their successors matured in faith, trained, and prepared for conquering the land God prepared for them. The LORD would go before them and the victory would always be His, but they would faithfully stand in the breach. God made His people for Kingdom conquest; for warships, not cruise ships. The LORD made us for adventure and exploration; risk and reward, not for entertainment and excess; nor to be served, but to serve. Under Christ, we fight the status-quo by being set apart from the world, not like it. We serve the LORD first and then whatever needs be. We still stand in the breach, and the battle still belongs to the Captain of the LORD’s host. His manifesto is the Sermon on the Mount by which our war strategy is executed. 

The local church is also meant to be a warship - I like to think of an aircraft carrier, because it regularly launches parts of itself on risky missions. The captain and crew strive to keep her trim and shipshape while managing the crew and dealing with disorder, decay, and disease. Its captain and navigator plot the course toward a destination beyond the horizon. The ship’s conquests include adding to its manifest. It is stressful at the best of times and frustrating amid capricious currents and winds. Battles with the Enemy and foul weather leave the ship and crew wounded and scared, and fatigue accumulates. Increased responsibility naturally produces increased stress. It is both exhilarating and exhausting. 

Joshua led God’s people into the Promised Land. An encounter with the Captain of the LORD’s hosts preceded his first major battle. He understood that the battle belongs to the LORD, but God chose him to lead the people in the breach. Joshua was humble and bold. He was obedient and decisive; organized and flexible. Joshua encouraged other leaders and cast a clear vision for the people. He knew who the real enemy was and strove to keep the main thing, the main thing, at all costs. He said, “choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

The COVID-19 storm led to courageous action on deck and perseverance below as unsung heroes plugged holes, pumped bilges, and shifted loads. Shellshocked passengers and crew have grown weary and the captain’s call for “all hands on deck” goes unanswered. He collapses at the wheel, for a time, but does not give up the ship. 

OK. It’s a corny metaphor - thanks for indulging my imagination. The truth is, we are not plunging through a stormy sea on a warship, as much as I would wish it. We are actually a remnant people trapped in a wilderness of our own making waiting for the LORD to lead us into the Promised Land. Like Moses, I am a complicated, moody old man who has walked with Christ for a long time and still needs large daily doses of sanctification. I speak recklessly about the powers above me like Martin Luther, and I am a temporary burnout like Elijah. You can help me most by accepting me as I am and staying with me all the way to the Promise.   

“Heart Attack”

See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; ~ Hebrews 12:15

I awakened with discomfort in my chest and gut Sunday morning. I didn’t dwell on it since I hadn’t been sleeping well for some time and the dark mornings of autumn only make it harder to get moving. Aches and pains in the morning are a matter of course for most of us over a certain age anyway. The unusual thing about my chest pain and knotted gut was that I instinctively felt a correlation between them and my emotional and intellectual weariness. It had been a particularly hard week with heartbreaking disappointments and no-win scenarios that followed a general dismay over the future of the work I’ve loved for decades. 

My Sunday morning partner in worship ministry and I stood before the altar again intending to pray for our efforts to please the LORD. I whispered “I’ve got nothing left in my tank this morning, Sunshine.” So, we prayed that the LORD would make Himself known anyway. The LORD showed up. Music was rich and inspiring and our prayers about the saints in Heaven evoked strong emotions. Then, with tempered wit and restrained frustration I preached a brief message based on Howe's “For All the Saints.” Ironically, I told my wife and daughter that I thought it would be a good epitaph should I die that day, and that before I suspected I was seriously ill. . 

My bride and I met with a lovely couple whose genuine faith and hunger for Christ inspires me amid so much apathy. They sought counsel in preparation for their upcoming wedding. It was a lovely conversation that gave me joy though I felt myself deteriorating as the chat went on. I was sweating profusely and my skin was clammy. My gut felt like a tightening rubber band on a balsa wood airplane.My chest hurt and my mind was blurry. My bride and I went home after parting with our young friends and we sat down to watch the remainder of a football game. I left the room several times trying not to alarm anyone since I wasn’t sure about my next steps yet. Finally, I quietly called my bride out of the room and said, “I think I’m having a heart attack.” 

I came home from the hospital approximately 20 hours later after constant tests and brief, uncomfortable naps. It had not been a heart attack, which was good news, but “what the heck happened!” I wondered. Stress was generally, but not officially credited with causing my symptoms. While not surprised, I was a little angry that I could be undone by something like that at this point in my life. I’d been in many stressful situations and seasons over the years and had managed to cope admirably by my estimation. It turns out that the Enemy is no fool. Attacking on multiple fronts simultaneously and employing diversions to weaken an objective before the final assault are common tactics for good generals, no matter how diabolical. 

My bride went back to her job the next day and came home within hours as she was suffering with similar, but milder symptoms in her gut. While the hospital care I received was excellent, it was laser focused on my heart. The fact that a stomach virus was passing through the community and likely afflicting me came from the best network in town, the local school. So, I was the victim of an intestinal disorder that was profoundly exacerbated by weeks of stress, months of constant adaptation, and general burnout. 

While it may seem sanctimonious to some, my constant ministry goal is described in the verse above, See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; Over the years, I’ve seen bitterness, in this case “poison” would be a better word, lead many pastors and church members to focus their energies on self-fulfillment and aggrandizement. Consequently, the idea that a local church could be a farm for the development of serious Christian discipleship became an obsession for me. I felt that a systematic approach to the business of the institution and its leadership could relieve worldly stressors and enable faith development in attenders, worshipers, and members of the local church. A small, Spirit-led leadership team could join me in this while and effective, unified staff took care of business. Preaching from the Bible and letting its natural authority speak truth in love from God seemed like a certain way of generating revival and authentic Christianity in the local church. 

My fiscal leadership routinely improved the general health of the institutions I’ve served but my preaching and teaching always seemed to have a limited impact. What’s more, there are always persons whose commitment to their particular role in the local church caused them to resent me for preaching against them. I wasn’t trying to hurt them with preaching since that would be reprehensible in my mind, but I admit that I used other opportunities to call out toxic persons and reject their negative impact on the vision and mission of the Church-Universal. Those battles have a cumulative effect. Grief, self-doubt, and fear all linger in me and combine with less than desirable Spiritual growth in the congregation to bring me down, especially self-doubt. 

A simple majority of 51% seems attainable and yet elusive. If slightly more than half the people attending the local church would worship God because they just can’t help it, then spiritual growth would be irresistible. We see Local churches dying across the land, especially during the pandemic, mainly because they have nothing to offer new generations who see them as social organizations of morally superior hypocrites. I genuinely believe we can do better. My hope is that sleeping saints will awaken and demonstrate the power, life and vitality of the Kingdom of Christ. But, I fear that I have failed to awaken enough for a simple majority. Especially after the pandemic dulled their senses and deepened their lethargy. My grief and sense of failure, and perhaps unrealistic expectations, combined over the years to bring me to this point. 

I do not plan to quit, my King makes it very clear that is not an option. I truly want to stay with my current local church until I’m done. I do not plan to aim for lesser things and accommodate toxicity in the Church. I will not stop preaching truth in love from the Bible or seeking the 51%. Still, for the moment, I will rest. I will pray the LORD reveals a way forward that humbles me and makes me more dependent upon His grace. I will pray that the roots of the growing simple majority will become more fruitful. I hope the local church I serve will realize that this, like a marriage, is a relationship that prospers and fulfills by mutual consent and commitment. This season of burnout will pass but I cannot do it alone. 

There’s another passage from the same chapter of Hebrews that says, “It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” (Hebrews 12:7) I have no doubt that our LORD is using these circumstances to direct me and refine my discipleship since my journey toward personal holiness means more than my success as a pastor. Likewise, the LORD using your current state of affairs, maybe even our shared journey through this week, to grow your devotion to discipleship. Will you join me in becoming a simple majority for His Name’s sake? 

Burnout

Elijah walked a whole day into the wilderness. He stopped and sat down in the shade of a tree and wished he would die. “It's too much, Lord,” he prayed. “Take away my life; I might as well be dead!” ~ 1 Kings 19:4
    
     The LORD instructed Elijah to request an audience with King Ahab so the prophet could correct the king and usher in the end of a three-year drought. Under Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, the people devoted themselves to worshiping and serving Baal. Baal is a powerful enemy of the LORD. Elijah condemned the king and his wife and the priests of Baal and demanded a showdown with them. 1 Kings 18-19 tell the sometimes humorous and sometimes terrifying story of the encounter. Ultimately, the LORD validated Elijah by destroying the cult of Baal and bringing rain to the parched land. Why then did Elijah end up isolated, discouraged, and ready to give up? 
     I think Elijah was burned out. Elijah enthusiastically embraced his role. His unconditional allegiance to the LORD is clear throughout his ministry years. His love for God showed in the way he cared for widows and orphans, the poor and oppressed, foreigners, and marginalized people. Elijah passionately preached truth in love and willingly rebuked authorities at the risk of suffering condemnation and retribution.
     Elijah’s long career seems to have taken a toll, especially during the season of drought. His fidelity, innovation, and perspicacity held the faithful together while a majority of their neighbors embraced the worldly cult of Baal. When the LORD brought Elijah before the king and the priests of Baal, Elijah was short-tempered, cynical, and crude with them. God vindicated him anyway. I think it only added to his burnout, because Elijah knew the victory belonged to God, which only made him feel inadequate and ineffective.       
     Listen to what Elijah told the LORD when asked, “What are you doing here?” - “Lord God Almighty, I have always served you—you alone. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed all your prophets. I am the only one left—and they are trying to kill me!” (1 Kings 19:10) God asked a second time, “What are you doing here?” and Elijah answered with the same words again. Elijah was worn out!
     Eventually, the LORD whittled down Elijah’s congregation so that only the faithful remained. Then, the LORD sent Elijah to his successor so that he could pass the mantle on to him. God honored Elijah and gave him a unique end to his service, but Elijah’s burnout was unrecoverable. 
     Burnout is a common problem for the LORD’s servants. It follows predictable patterns. Cynicism, feelings of inadequacy, joyless, hopeless efforts, hypersensitivity, indifference, lethargy, headaches, and irregular sleep are all signs of burnout. 
     If you’re suffering through it, especially during the drought caused by the pandemic, you are not alone. In fact, I won’t be trying to tell you what to do about it, because I don’t know right now. I just know that it is unlikely that we will be led to our successor and then into a glorious retirement in Heaven. We will need support and determination to get through burnout and it probably won’t happen overnight. Pray that people who really care will grant you grace and come alongside while you recover from a debilitating illness. 

Be Courageous

 . . . he [she] is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.  ~ Romans 13:4 

    Biblical wisdom informs us of our LORD’s resolve to bring order where there is chaos, justice where there is oppression, and peace where there is discord. Likewise, we can see the Enemy’s fierce resistance. To be sure, where there is chaos, oppression, and discord, the Enemy cheerfully cackles with pleasure. 

    Imagine a season in which the LORD’s partners in peacemaking, justice, and order are among the most derided in a culture. A broad view of those divine partnerships includes many honorable men and women who serve their community in a variety of capacities. I’ve singled out a few unsung heroes in my weekly attempts to encourage lately. Today, I desire to uplift our protectors. 

    The Enemy is relentless in pursuit of his ultimate aim, the defeat of our LORD, Jesus Christ. Therefore, he orchestrates chaos, oppression, and discord within the human family, especially among those who would be the Bride of Christ. He generates fear and faithlessness, grief and sorrow, suspicion and hatred. He suppresses the good news by creating conditions wherein the weaker members of the evangel throng cower in angst. 

    Therefore, we are obliged to those who stand against incredible pressures to protect and defend the rest of us. Our protectors serve the LORD by enforcing just laws designed to enable intercourse and information for the sake of a greater good. They are partakers in the divine nature, if only in the execution of their righteous duties.   

    When protectors and helpers in our community stand in the breach between order and chaos, freedom and oppression, peace and discord, they are like Christ, who perfectly did so for humanity. His sacrificial death saved the divine creation. Similarly, the honorable dead among protectors gave all for the sake of others. 

    The protected should hold protectors accountable, just as we entrust our own accountability to the community, to humanity, to them. We must come alongside our protectors and helpers and their loved ones. We must think of them as we would our own family members, supporting, encouraging, and correcting as needed.

    While most of them go on, unheralded and misunderstood, they are the glue that binds our community together. The unbeliever will say there is no God, while pointing out the chaos, oppression, and discord. He will address the few protectors whose inner corruption causes the things we charge them with preventing, while ignoring the vast majority who honorably serve lest total anarchy reign. The Christian Believer must join the protectors in running toward the things that frighten us, because the cause is entirely justifiable. 

    Christian Believer, especially you, who choose to protect others, go about your daily tasks imitating Christ. Where He is courageous and unconventional, do likewise. Where He is gentle and resolute, be likewise. 

    Law enforcers always consider the spirit of the law. When the law is just and reasonable, enforce it in good faith. Where it and its authors serve the Enemy, delivering chaos, oppression, and discord, be courageous. 

    Evangel throng, do not grow weary in doing the LORD’s will. Proclaim His good news and serve at all costs for its sake. Consider your life and times from the Father’s eternal perspective and be courageous. 

The Lord of the Harvest

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.” ~ Matthew 9:37-38

    There is a familiar sight across the land around this time of year. Dust clouds boil around giant farm machines operated by neighbors and friends as they harvest the crops of corn, beans, and other vital nutrients. Each year, the farmers we see cultivating, planting, spraying, and harvesting risk their lives and livelihoods to provide for their families and countless others. Each planted seed carries hope and expectation with it into the soil. 
 Jesus accurately described the farmer’s plight, saying, “some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings. Still other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.” (Matthew 13:5-8)
    When the farm equipment, loaded grain trailers, and heavily laden pickup trucks stir our impatience while we race here and there, annoyed by every minor inconvenience, let it be a reminder of our shared calling. The Lord of the Harvest called us into the fields because millions of souls are ripe for the picking. The Lord sees them like we see the vast, rolling fields across our native Midwest. He asks only that we step out of our routines and see the fruit right before our eyes. Discouraged, hopeless, broken people; vain, vapid, consumers who self medicate to placate their inner fears and longings; pursuits of the flesh define purposeless wanderers whose minds rarely consider eternal things. 
    Few of us realize the impact our farming neighbors have on so many lives. Their risky, hard work helps to fuel people, and industries far and wide. We literally eat the food they raise and harvest, and we all use an endless array of products created from their labor. Jesus would have us know His Kingdom is the same. The Kingdom of Christ encompasses the entire people of God, saved by God’s grace. Even while we mourn the passage of an imagined golden age in our society, we must not forget the profound influence of Christians and Jews. If it were possible to extract Judeo-Christian values from society, it would be like abandoning fields across the nation’s heartland. Weeds, vermin, wildfires, and other natural disasters would quickly replace the once fruitful lands. 
    Of course, there should be a place for wildflowers and other natural vegetation to grow. Environments suited to the needs of wild animals and other creatures are always necessary. But, the Lord of the harvest created all the natural resources we take for granted so that we could join Him in what is doing, so that God’s we will fulfil divine purposes. When you see the farmers at work, it is an image of God’s divine purpose. They witness miracles every day as they sow a small seed that yields so much more in just a little while. So, consider the joys that await the one who enters the Lord’s harvest with such faith? 
    Now, as you witness the ripened fields, the farming families at work through the day and into the night, and the freshly cut stalks ask the Lord of the Harvest to show you the fruit that He desires you to recover. Ask Him now to let you join Him in all that He does. Plead with the Lord to show you the folly that preoccupied you before, so that you can put it aside for a little while. May the Lord give you the faith and courage of the farmers.     
 

Do Not Grow Weary of Doing Good ~ A Tribute to My Local Hospital

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. ~ Galatians 6:9

     I recently took part in a meeting with members of the local hospital staff. They represented all aspects of care and management. It has honored me to join them regularly over the past few years as they describe the challenges they face, especially since the onset of COVID-19. To say these dedicated professionals are weary would be an understatement. As always, they hope to heal the sick, restore the broken, and comfort the dying. They must also comfort frightened, grieving, and confused loved ones whose care is often more demanding, yet not technically appointed to them. Moral and spiritual dilemmas routinely afflict compassionate caregivers who often relate to patients and loved ones as if they were family. Sadly, they seldom receive a return of the favor. 
     Medical professionals understand that end-user engagement is the main purpose of the hospital’s existence, but the outcome involves multiple layers of support from many disciplines. Hospitals function like small cities. They require most of the same governance, utilities, and quality of life resources. Persons who rarely experience direct contact with patients fulfil many vital roles. In fact, patient care and the quality of institutional life would crumble without them. Therefore, when anyone in the hospital community suffers, everyone suffers. Everyone is a caregiver. Doctors, nurses, chaplains, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nursing assistants, food services providers, housekeeping workers, maintenance workers, administration providers, security personnel, and gift shop workers all provide care for patients, loved ones, visitors, community leaders, and each other. 
     So, it’s no wonder that, during a global pandemic, this little community within the community is feeling like the Gulf Coast during hurricane season. The pandemic, like a storm, afflicts indiscriminately. Imagine being both victims and relief workers when you visit the hospital amid the storm and its aftermath. When you feel aggravation about priorities and provisions for the greater good and you want to give someone an earful, remember their weariness; remember their deep empathy and authentic compassion. 
     Consumer-driven societies often define institutional employees by what they deliver to the customer - or, more bluntly stated, they don’t care so much about you as they care about what you do for them. It is hard to find kindness and gratitude in a nation of rugged individualists and social elites. Such people treat others as competition. They resist compromise, grace, and mercy because of what it might cost them. Yet, in the hospital, they look like everyone else when lying in a bed dressed in an immodest gown. 
     Hospital gowns and uniforms help to define roles and responsibilities. The gown reduces patients to our lowest common denominator, naked flesh, tissues and organs that need care and healing. Physicians, nurses, and technicians sometimes act as if that’s all they see, a science project. More often than not, it is a professional detachment that protects them from becoming part of the problem they mean to fix. Healing living creatures is not like repairing machines. Hospitals cannot guarantee customer satisfaction, despite the vast collective knowledge, new treatments, technologies, and drugs. The hospital cannot always give desired outcomes, but they can comfort, encourage, and care. 
     Awe and admiration stirred this departure from my typical blog post. The hospital in my hometown exemplifies the heart of Christianity. Christ gave water to the thirsty, washed dirty feet, treated rich and poor equally, spoke truth in love, was angry with sickness and death. He compassionately healed some and did not save others. He felt pity, grief, and joy with his clients and companions. Jesus encouraged and embraced critical thinking and new ideas. He openly condemned outdated and distorted ideologies. He saw the humanity and sacred soul in everyone he encountered and then gave all he could to save them. 
     This homage to hospital workers is justified not only by the civil services provided by under-recognized neighbors and friends who could earn their living in less demanding ways, but also by the essential Christian nature of their service. They don’t have to proclaim their Christian faith in order to live it. Instead, they identify with Christ on a level that few regular church-attenders experience. Christianity is a lifestyle more than it is a belief system endorsed by its adherents. Hospital workers, first responders, dispatchers, clinics, and a host of other support personnel do not always act like pious churchmen, but they do what Christ does.