Archives for April 2020

I have on the desk before me a collection of short biographies “Every Christian Should Know,” by the late Warren W. Wiersbe. I attended the Moody Church in Chicago when Wiersbe was the pastor there.

I have beside me under the window a collection of short biographies by Faith Cook and a biography of an ordinary pastor by Don Carson. Also under window is a biography by Steve Saint, whose father was among the five young missionaries spears by the Waodani tribe in January of 1956.

Outside the room where I am writing is one of my favorite rooms in the house. It is actually not a room, it is a landing that includes the staircase and I have turned into a personal library. Most of my favorite books are shelved there. I could putter among them for hours and here is why: Most of them are biographies or autobiographies. They are stories, faith-inspiring, faith-building stories, and they make good reading because in every case God helped men and women, often common men and women overcome death, disease, enemies, war, hunger, misunderstanding, abuse, hardship or opposition of some kind. The books make good reading because they have very hard chapters in the middle.

We are in a “hard chapter” right now. Your story and the story of our beloved Bethel Church is passing through a hard chapter or two right now. Some of us may not live through these chapters. Most of us will suffer some kind of loss. All of us will experience a measure of anxiety or fear in the “hard chapters” that are being written right now.

In the book of Hebrews and chapter eleven there are a series of stories given in a staccato manner of people who passed through great hardship, but their lives made good reading because of their faith. The Bible says; “They obtained a good report.” In other words, their lives made good reading. They won a record of commendation in the end because of their faith.

I wonder, when we have passed through these “hard chapters” will our story make good reading? It will if we continue to trust the Lord and open our hearts to ways to obey the voice of the Spirit.

Stories are being written right now. We are passing through the hard chapters. By God grace and with his help may they make inspiring reading one day.

Sunday was an Easter Sunday we will talk about for the rest of our lives. Because it is not safe to meet in large groups I delivered my Easter message from the roof of Bethel Church. The people came in their cars and listened to the message on FM radio from the safety and comfort of their own car.

Just before the service began an elderly lady walked across the field to attend the service. When she reached the parking lot she looked up reverently and crossed herself. She stood there leaning on a light pole. The parking lot was nearly full. Everyone else was in the warm comfort of their car. While we sang I watched the woman and wished there was a way she could have a seat. Just before I stepped forward to preach Allen Miracle, visiting Bethel for the drive-in service, got a lawn chair out of the back of his car and gave it to the woman. My heart was touched by the gesture. When this “storm” passes, I plan to find where the lady came from and thank her for attending our service.

This year the hardship the world is passing through has inspired many to unusual acts of warm humanity. One of the ladies in our church wrote that a man climbed into the tower of his church on Easter Sunday morning and played hymns on his trumpet. The beautiful sound rang out over the neighborhood proclaiming Christ is alive.

On my Twitter feed I watched a video of a couple playing Christ the Lord is Risen Today as a violin and cello duet out in the courtyard. Christ is Alive and it often bursts out into song.

I heard of a man who walked through the neighborhood playing the bagpipes–so you know sometimes hardship brings dark depravity to the surface, too. Sorry. Just kidding.

Christ is Risen. Jesus is alive. He is the one-and-only true and living King. Take what you have and do what you can to tell the world. Get out your bagpipes, share your lawn chair, play your trumpet, loan your lift-trucks to raise the pastor up to preach off the roof. Deliver food. Give blood. Make breakfast. Make a grocery-run for a neighbor. Do what you can, but let the whole world know Jesus is Alive. What he said is true. What he promised he will do. He was there at the beginning. He will be there in the end. He is with us even now.

Bittersweet Farm
April 14, 2020