Yokemates

Did you know that the old English proverb, “Children should be seen and not heard,” was actually an expression aimed at women? Scholars believe the saying dates back to the 15 th century. It was later adapted to mean young maiden - and eventually to all those who were young. Perhaps we’ve all experienced situations where someone, old or young, was not ‘allowed’ to speak. They were looked down upon as inferior, uneducated or simply not worth hearing from. The devaluing of human beings for any reason is a challenge in our world at large and, sadly, even in the Christian church of America. In corporate worship settings, there remains a controversy in some churches as to whether or not children should be ‘seen or heard.’ I’ve heard of churches that didn’t allow children in the sanctuary, but only in the children’s wing. I’ve also heard of churches where families with children were only allowed to sit in the back rows of the church – marked off specifically for families. The thought ...

Have you ever heard this question - “How do you eat an elephant?”  Know the answer? “One bite at a time!” The principle is this: A project that is put off often seems to grow larger and more intimidating over time. Procrastination is never helpful. It may make you feel good for one brief moment, but when you get your head out of the sand, that elephant is still there – and may be getting bigger and bigger! So, the goal is to just take the first step (or first bite!), and start working through the process that will get you closer to your goal! About 15 years ago there was a fun show called “Clean Sweep.” (I enjoyed watching it, but I can’t say that I ever did a Clean Sweep at my house.) The premise was this: An individual or household wanted to do some renovations in their house, but to get the expert designer’s assistance they had to do a clean sweep. Everything was taken out of the room and sorted – usually placed on top of tarps in the yard! The homeowner...

A.W. Tozer, pastor and author, was said to have made this statement – “If God took His Holy Spirit out of the world, what the church is doing would go right on and nobody would know the difference.” Wow! That’s worth a double take. Could that really be true? If so, that is mind-boggling.  I have to wonder if what Tozer was getting at is that there are churches in our world that are not being influenced or led by the Holy Spirit. His power and presence has either been squelched by independent-thinking believers or the church is filled with those who are ‘Christian’ in name only but have no personal relationship with Christ. In either case, one would think that the church would be ineffective in reaching the lost or in making much of an impact in their community. Is it possible for a church to go right on doing what they're doing (without the influence of the Holy Spirit), and no one would notice? “If God took His Holy Spirit out of the world,” I believe the world would...

God said “sacrifice him” and Abraham obeyed. The next day, Abraham saddled up his donkey and chopped enough wood to use for a sacrifice. He then set out with his son and two servants toward the region of Moriah just as God instructed. In Genesis 22, the Bible tells us that eventually Abraham and Isaac parted ways with the servants so that they could worship. It also says that Isaac carried the wood for the sacrifice on his back. (This young man is no weakling!) Abraham carried the fire and the knife. Eventually, a specific question had to be asked… “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” (verse 7) Abraham was honest with Isaac and told him that God would “provide the lamb for the burnt offering.” (verse 8) Soon they arrived at the specific location that God had directed them, and Abraham got busy building an altar and then started arranging the wood. You have to wonder what Abraham was thinking. Was he praying? Was he ...

We all know that it takes many volunteers to carry on the work of ministry each Sunday morning and throughout the week. Depending on the size of your church that number might be in the double digits, the hundreds or beyond. Each person is valuable to the process. When someone is missing, it is usually pretty noticeable – at least to someone. That someone is the one that has to fill in the gap.  Sometimes I fill gaps gladly. At other times, my reaction is almost an auto-pilot response. Either way is pretty stress free. A minute or two of juggling, and I can jump in and help out. (We won't focus on the times when my initial reaction is less than stellar...at least not now.)  This past Sunday, I got an SOS call about 20 minutes before I would normally head to church. However, I didn't have to panic! On this particular morning, I was planning to get to church early so that I wouldn’t have to scramble to get a few extra things done for Sunday School. Thankfully, God p...

Anytime we receive news that is unexpected or larger than life, be it good news or bad, we can quickly feel overwhelmed! An unexpected pregnancy, a letter from the IRS, a bad report card or even an IRA that has multiplied like the parable of the fish and loaves. Wow, God! What do we do now? How can I process this information? I’m feeling more than a little overwhelmed. Step one : Breathe, jump, dance, cry or run! Find a safe place to let the emotions out. From a sigh, to a tear, to a wail. Whatever it takes to unlock your release valve so you can let some pressure off - in a healthy way, of course! Step two : Remember that You’re not alone! You’re not alone in your miracles – even when beyond comprehension. You’re not alone in your misery –  because God promises to be with you in the valleys. You’re not alone in your surprise – and soon life won’t seem so out of control. Step three : Go to God’s Word! “For this great God is our God forever and ev...

Apparently, I giggle when I'm nervous, when I'm scared and when I'm happy. I've been doing a lot of giggling lately, and it's all because God keeps opening doors that I wasn't totally expecting. Now in each of those circumstances, I was praying for the door to open, and I was hoping the door would open. But, when the door did open wide for one of my prayers, my nervous giggle came bubbling to the surface. I have to wonder if God is grinning a little extra too as He watches me walk in faith – or at least try to. Here's a little glimpse into what I've been talking to God about lately and how He has responded. Prayer #1 - Lord, I'd love to have a meaningful connection with someone this week. Guide me to who I can encourage or befriend. Show me who You want me to connect with. (Oh, and, I know you know that in my heart I'd love to sit down and catch up with ___, but I want your will, Lord, not my selfish desires.) Amazingly, within 15-2...