Praise the Lord that He is alive and at work in the world today. He is on the move. Praise the Lord for the way He has answered in His time to some of the needs we have had as we have been waiting on Him. He surprises us with His answers and provides according to His perfect timing and His grace. We will be in and out of Boston (and other places) for the next two weeks. Thank you all for your faithful and prayerful support.
America the Beautiful, the home of the free and the brave has been dealing with some of the debilitating natural disasters. Damage and destruction have been unprecedented. In the midst of chaos and crisis, Jesus is the Christ. We often, with our limited understanding and capacity, do not understand the sufferings and sorrows, and even utter destruction, which occur. In the midst of all this we turn to the one who is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. His assurance comes to those who know Him as their Good Shepherd.
"But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.'" Isaiah 43:1-2
We will continue to join the countless who are praying for those who have been affected by the catastrophic storms in Texas and the neighboring states. The Good News is that the Lord of life brings out the best in people. In the midst of the cataclysmic deluge and devastation, the Lord has raised countless servants who love Him who have risen to the occasion. They are fearless and zealous in rescuing, serving, and ministering. People of all ages are engaged in rescuing and extending hands and hearts of mercy to people. The Lord of the earth and of the church anoints His people to become instruments of caring and mercy. The Love of Christ compels us. His love is greater than darkness and stronger than the enemy.
Christian ministry and Mission organizations such as World Vision, Samaritan's Purse, along with Churches of all denominations have their missions agencies that are instrumental in reaching out during the times of disaster. Our United Methodist Church has the "United Methodist Committee on Relief". Let us all plan to give generously and sacrificially. We believe and trust that the Lord of the Rainbow and the rain will restore all that the floods have damaged and destroyed. He makes all things glorious and beautiful in His time. "Weeping may tarry for the night but joy comes in the morning". This is the Lord's promise. As we prepare to celebrate Labor Day weekend, may the Lord bless our labor and refresh us in our leisure. The Lord is going to visit the land again, and the valley shall blossom once again. The hills shall sing for joy.
We are getting ready for our "Back to Church Sunday" on September 17, with worship at 10:30 AM with special music,and a special dinner to follow at about noon.
Praise the Lord for that in all situations on this good earth we get to be the salt and light. At times we find ourselves in some of the most surprising places. In the annals of salvation History we see that the witness and the lives of His servants are intertwined with some messy places and situations. Elijah served in a very dark time in the history of God's people when King Ahab and his wife Jezebel were in charge. Joseph was placed at the right hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt: not an easy place to be for a believer, but God used him to supply food for the Jewish people during a time of great famine. Esther was placed in the court of King Ahasuerus, king of Persia, but through her God's people would be delivered from a holocaust. Daniel was placed in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon - imagine how hard that was, but God used Daniel to introduce that king to the Living God.
In the New Testament we meet a woman named Joanna, who was King Herod's household manager (Luke 8:3). Joanna was one of the women who went to Jesus' tomb on Easter morning. Imagine working in Herod's palace, the very place John the Baptist was beheaded! In his letter to the Philippians, Paul greeted those who were of Caesar's household (Phil. 4:22). There were believers at the highest levels of the Roman Empire, a very dark place indeed. How did they get into these positions? They were gifted and trustworthy, and somehow, in the midst of it, they were godly.
I have been reflecting on the witness and the life of Obadiah. Obadiah wasn't the first devout believer God put in a dark place. We see different believers have different callings. Elijah was called to overtly confront evil from the outside, while Obadiah was called to subversively work to overcome it from within. We live in a fallen world with fallen people. Obadiah's career as Ahab's chief of staff is of huge significance to every follower of Christ who struggles with these questions. He shows us God places his servants in surprising places, dark places, to make a difference for him. Wherever we are, we are not there by accident. God can use us to make a difference.
In some ways Obadiah reminds me of Corrie ten Boom. Many of you know her story. She was an unmarried Christian woman who lived with her sister and father. In 1924 she became the first licensed female watchmaker in the Netherlands. In 1942, a well-dressed Jewish woman came to her home with a suitcase in hand to say that German authorities had visited her. She was afraid to go back. The ten Booms believed God was calling them to help. They invited her to stay with them. The family began hiding Jewish refugees in their home and saved many lives. Eventually, Corrie and her family were arrested and placed in a concentration camp. Her father and sister died there, but Corrie was finally released after 10 months. She later found out her release was the result of a clerical error. She said, "God doesn't have problems—only plans."
In Christ the Anchor,
Brown
https://youtu.be/yPB9ENSd1Xc
