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The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 100 – Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:16
Theme Verse: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” (Isaiah 1:18)
I went to three different schools during my seventh grade year. We moved to Newburg, Wisconsin, at the end of January. That’s where I went to the third of those schools. But this story takes place a few months earlier. It happened at my second school of that very strange year.
When the year started, we were living in New Berlin, Wisconsin. We had moved there in the fall of my first grade year, so I was able to attend the same elementary school for six years. But then, I had to make the transition to middle school.
At the time, the New Berlin school population was growing so rapidly that the one middle school building could not hold all of the seventh and eighth grade students. So until they could build another facility, they were making space for the middle school overflow at the new high school building. The middle schoolers from our neighborhood were assigned to the high school.
But there were all kinds of stories circulating about how the high school kids were hazing and bullying the middle schoolers. Many parents started looking at the parochial schools for their seventh and eighth grade students. My parents enrolled my older brother Bob at an area Lutheran school for seventh grade. The next year, I followed him there.
But as I started seventh grade, there was a controversy at that school. It was some kind of a scandal, but I didn’t really understand everything that was going on. That’s why I won’t name the school in this story. I just know that after one month, my brother and I were taken out of that school and enrolled in a different Lutheran school, St. Paul’s Lutheran School in Muskego, Wisconsin.
So I was starting at a new school, in a new town, one month into the school year. No one from my elementary school was there. And since it was a K-8 parochial school, most of the kids had known each other since kindergarten. They even went to Sunday school together. I was a complete outsider.
But I give thanks to God that I had an awesome teacher. His name was Mr. Just. Isn’t that a great name for a teacher? He saw right away that I was struggling to fit in, so he did all sorts of little things to make sure that I was included in class projects and school events. One thing that he did was to talk me into joining the soccer team.
I was a decent athlete. I had played a lot of baseball and basketball. But soccer was new to me. And I was reluctant to join a team mid-season, in a new school, playing a sport that I didn’t really understand. But Mr. Just was the soccer coach and he was pretty persuasive. So I finally agreed to join the team.
Since I was new to soccer, Mr. Just decided to teach me the basics of goalkeeping until I learned the rules and the general flow of the game. We had a good starting goalkeeper and I would become his backup. I was pretty quick on my feet and I could punt the ball a long way, so it seemed like a good spot for me.
In the very first game that I suited up for, I didn’t play at all. But before my second game, Mr. Just said that he was going to get me in at some point. It was a home game after school on a beautiful October afternoon. There were lots of parents there. There were cheerleaders on the sidelines. And we were playing against a good team from St. John’s Military Academy in Delafield.
I got into the game late in the first half and it went pretty well. I stopped a couple of weak shots and got off a couple of good kicks. At halftime, we had a 2-1 lead, and Mr. Just told me that he would get me into the game again during the second half. But then, about midway through the half, St. John’s scored another goal.
Now it was 2-2 and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to get into the game. I didn’t want to mess up and cause us to lose. I didn’t want all of my new classmates to hate me. Looking back now, as an adult, I realize that a junior high soccer game was not really a big deal. And I don’t think that anyone would have actually hated me for letting in the losing goal, but that’s the way my twelve year old mind was working at the time.
So when Mr. Just told me to go into the game with about ten minutes left, I was both surprised and nervous. I remember hearing one of the moms on the sideline say, “Why is he changing goalkeepers now? Why is he taking Ross out? It’s a tie game!” None of my teammates said anything to me, but I felt like they were all thinking the same thing as that sideline mom.
Those last ten minutes of the game seemed to last forever. Most of the action was in the middle of the field. I remember making one stop on a ball that was kicked from about ten yards away. Mostly, I remember that I just wanted the game to come to an end. There were no shootouts in that day, so it looked like the game might end in a tie. Our team was close to the top of the league standings, so the tie would help a little. A loss would really hurt.
And then, suddenly, a St. John’s player broke out of a group with the ball. He came in from my right and kicked the ball in the air toward the goal. It floated into the middle of the penalty box area. One of our guys went up to try to head the ball away, but he misjudged it a little. So he kind of nudged it with his shoulder instead. A whistle blew. It was a hand ball—in the penalty box. St. John’s would have a penalty kick. And I was the goalkeeper.
There wasn’t any big buildup to the kick. The referee just placed the ball on the penalty kick line, cleared everyone out of the box, and then blew his whistle and told the kicker to proceed. Mr. Just had only told me one thing about penalty kicks. He said, “You can’t cover the whole net. So as he kicks, just go one way or the other.”
I went right. And the ball came right toward me! I stretched out my arm as far as I could and I felt the ball hit my fingers. It dropped to the ground and, as I scrambled toward it, it rolled across the goal line, just inside the post. We had lost the game, and I felt like it was my fault.
I sat on the ground with my head in my hands. No one came up to me and patted me on the back. No one said, “That’s okay.” Not even Mr. Just. I wanted to leave that soccer field and never come back to that school.
But then I looked up and saw a huddle of coaches and referees and parents in the middle of the field. The players were all standing around the gathering, waiting for some kind of verdict. And then it came. One of the referees suddenly waived his arms and said the goal didn’t count. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I got up and walked over to the huddle.
Mr. Just saw me and said, “You did a good job today, Bill. And you almost stopped that penalty kick. Those are tough to stop!” I asked him what was going on. He said, “The official timekeeper got so caught up in the action that she forgot to keep an eye on her stopwatch. We think the game ended about five minutes before the penalty kick, so they waived it off. The game ends in a tie.”
When I heard those words, I went from complete dejection to complete joy. I’ve never been so happy about a tie in my entire life! And that single moment set the tone for the rest of my time at that school. I felt a surge of confidence from that day forward. I started to make friends and my time at that school ended up being a good experience. That’s probably why the details of that day are burned into my memory.
When I look back on that day, there are two things that stand out for me. First, a small setback can look like a devastating blow to a seventh grader. I’ve always remembered how I felt that day and I’ve always tried to listen to young people and take their concerns seriously.
Second, there is no greater feeling than when a failure is forgiven and the slate is wiped clean. I know that my sins are nothing like failing to stop a penalty kick. They are far more serious. But if I felt such joy when that soccer goal was waived off, shouldn’t I feel a thousand times more joyful when I think of how my sins have been waived off by the blood of Jesus? Shouldn’t I feel a million times more thankful?
There is someone that I know very well whose favorite Bible verse is Isaiah 1:18, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” I will never tell this person’s story, because it is intensely personal and very private. What I will tell you is that this person knows what it is like to feel the weight of their sins lifted off their shoulders in a single moment.
It was the moment when this person believed in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. It was the moment when this person suddenly experienced the grace of God in their life. And this verse, memorized years before in Sunday school, came to this person’s mind. The verse reminded them that the blood red stain of their sins could be transformed into the bright, white, clean landscape of a new snowfall. And the person who could make this transformation happen was Jesus.
Let me end The Pandemic Pulpit with this Bible verse which has been called “the entire gospel in a single sentence.” Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Believe in that statement and know the joy of having your sins forgiven by the amazing grace of a God who loves you more than you could ever imagine. Amen and Amen.
I’m going to end this series with one of my favorite hymns. It perfectly expresses my feelings about the one who has given his life for me—my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
https://youtu.be/fzsu1duEcF4
Day 100 – Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:16
Theme Verse: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” (Isaiah 1:18)
I went to three different schools during my seventh grade year. We moved to Newburg, Wisconsin, at the end of January. That’s where I went to the third of those schools. But this story takes place a few months earlier. It happened at my second school of that very strange year.
When the year started, we were living in New Berlin, Wisconsin. We had moved there in the fall of my first grade year, so I was able to attend the same elementary school for six years. But then, I had to make the transition to middle school.
At the time, the New Berlin school population was growing so rapidly that the one middle school building could not hold all of the seventh and eighth grade students. So until they could build another facility, they were making space for the middle school overflow at the new high school building. The middle schoolers from our neighborhood were assigned to the high school.
But there were all kinds of stories circulating about how the high school kids were hazing and bullying the middle schoolers. Many parents started looking at the parochial schools for their seventh and eighth grade students. My parents enrolled my older brother Bob at an area Lutheran school for seventh grade. The next year, I followed him there.
But as I started seventh grade, there was a controversy at that school. It was some kind of a scandal, but I didn’t really understand everything that was going on. That’s why I won’t name the school in this story. I just know that after one month, my brother and I were taken out of that school and enrolled in a different Lutheran school, St. Paul’s Lutheran School in Muskego, Wisconsin.
So I was starting at a new school, in a new town, one month into the school year. No one from my elementary school was there. And since it was a K-8 parochial school, most of the kids had known each other since kindergarten. They even went to Sunday school together. I was a complete outsider.
But I give thanks to God that I had an awesome teacher. His name was Mr. Just. Isn’t that a great name for a teacher? He saw right away that I was struggling to fit in, so he did all sorts of little things to make sure that I was included in class projects and school events. One thing that he did was to talk me into joining the soccer team.
I was a decent athlete. I had played a lot of baseball and basketball. But soccer was new to me. And I was reluctant to join a team mid-season, in a new school, playing a sport that I didn’t really understand. But Mr. Just was the soccer coach and he was pretty persuasive. So I finally agreed to join the team.
Since I was new to soccer, Mr. Just decided to teach me the basics of goalkeeping until I learned the rules and the general flow of the game. We had a good starting goalkeeper and I would become his backup. I was pretty quick on my feet and I could punt the ball a long way, so it seemed like a good spot for me.
In the very first game that I suited up for, I didn’t play at all. But before my second game, Mr. Just said that he was going to get me in at some point. It was a home game after school on a beautiful October afternoon. There were lots of parents there. There were cheerleaders on the sidelines. And we were playing against a good team from St. John’s Military Academy in Delafield.
I got into the game late in the first half and it went pretty well. I stopped a couple of weak shots and got off a couple of good kicks. At halftime, we had a 2-1 lead, and Mr. Just told me that he would get me into the game again during the second half. But then, about midway through the half, St. John’s scored another goal.
Now it was 2-2 and I wasn’t sure that I wanted to get into the game. I didn’t want to mess up and cause us to lose. I didn’t want all of my new classmates to hate me. Looking back now, as an adult, I realize that a junior high soccer game was not really a big deal. And I don’t think that anyone would have actually hated me for letting in the losing goal, but that’s the way my twelve year old mind was working at the time.
So when Mr. Just told me to go into the game with about ten minutes left, I was both surprised and nervous. I remember hearing one of the moms on the sideline say, “Why is he changing goalkeepers now? Why is he taking Ross out? It’s a tie game!” None of my teammates said anything to me, but I felt like they were all thinking the same thing as that sideline mom.
Those last ten minutes of the game seemed to last forever. Most of the action was in the middle of the field. I remember making one stop on a ball that was kicked from about ten yards away. Mostly, I remember that I just wanted the game to come to an end. There were no shootouts in that day, so it looked like the game might end in a tie. Our team was close to the top of the league standings, so the tie would help a little. A loss would really hurt.
And then, suddenly, a St. John’s player broke out of a group with the ball. He came in from my right and kicked the ball in the air toward the goal. It floated into the middle of the penalty box area. One of our guys went up to try to head the ball away, but he misjudged it a little. So he kind of nudged it with his shoulder instead. A whistle blew. It was a hand ball—in the penalty box. St. John’s would have a penalty kick. And I was the goalkeeper.
There wasn’t any big buildup to the kick. The referee just placed the ball on the penalty kick line, cleared everyone out of the box, and then blew his whistle and told the kicker to proceed. Mr. Just had only told me one thing about penalty kicks. He said, “You can’t cover the whole net. So as he kicks, just go one way or the other.”
I went right. And the ball came right toward me! I stretched out my arm as far as I could and I felt the ball hit my fingers. It dropped to the ground and, as I scrambled toward it, it rolled across the goal line, just inside the post. We had lost the game, and I felt like it was my fault.
I sat on the ground with my head in my hands. No one came up to me and patted me on the back. No one said, “That’s okay.” Not even Mr. Just. I wanted to leave that soccer field and never come back to that school.
But then I looked up and saw a huddle of coaches and referees and parents in the middle of the field. The players were all standing around the gathering, waiting for some kind of verdict. And then it came. One of the referees suddenly waived his arms and said the goal didn’t count. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I got up and walked over to the huddle.
Mr. Just saw me and said, “You did a good job today, Bill. And you almost stopped that penalty kick. Those are tough to stop!” I asked him what was going on. He said, “The official timekeeper got so caught up in the action that she forgot to keep an eye on her stopwatch. We think the game ended about five minutes before the penalty kick, so they waived it off. The game ends in a tie.”
When I heard those words, I went from complete dejection to complete joy. I’ve never been so happy about a tie in my entire life! And that single moment set the tone for the rest of my time at that school. I felt a surge of confidence from that day forward. I started to make friends and my time at that school ended up being a good experience. That’s probably why the details of that day are burned into my memory.
When I look back on that day, there are two things that stand out for me. First, a small setback can look like a devastating blow to a seventh grader. I’ve always remembered how I felt that day and I’ve always tried to listen to young people and take their concerns seriously.
Second, there is no greater feeling than when a failure is forgiven and the slate is wiped clean. I know that my sins are nothing like failing to stop a penalty kick. They are far more serious. But if I felt such joy when that soccer goal was waived off, shouldn’t I feel a thousand times more joyful when I think of how my sins have been waived off by the blood of Jesus? Shouldn’t I feel a million times more thankful?
There is someone that I know very well whose favorite Bible verse is Isaiah 1:18, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” I will never tell this person’s story, because it is intensely personal and very private. What I will tell you is that this person knows what it is like to feel the weight of their sins lifted off their shoulders in a single moment.
It was the moment when this person believed in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. It was the moment when this person suddenly experienced the grace of God in their life. And this verse, memorized years before in Sunday school, came to this person’s mind. The verse reminded them that the blood red stain of their sins could be transformed into the bright, white, clean landscape of a new snowfall. And the person who could make this transformation happen was Jesus.
Let me end The Pandemic Pulpit with this Bible verse which has been called “the entire gospel in a single sentence.” Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Believe in that statement and know the joy of having your sins forgiven by the amazing grace of a God who loves you more than you could ever imagine. Amen and Amen.
I’m going to end this series with one of my favorite hymns. It perfectly expresses my feelings about the one who has given his life for me—my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
https://youtu.be/fzsu1duEcF4
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 99 – Tuesday, June 23, 2020
Read John 10:27-30 and Proverbs 16:1-9
Theme Verse: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)
I recently celebrated the thirty-third anniversary of my ordination into the Lutheran ministry. On June 7, 1987, I was ordained into the ministry of the American Lutheran Church (ALC) at my home church, Newark Lutheran Church, in Newark, Illinois. Six months after my ordination, the ALC merged with two other church bodies to form the ELCA.
I was ordained by Pastor O. Trygve Holter, the same pastor who married Lisa and me and also baptized our three oldest children. The preacher that day was Pastor Steven Lombardo, the pastor who married my mom and stepdad. One of the pastors who laid hands on me was Pastor Vernon Tweedt, who was the pastor for many years at the church that my mom and Lisa’s dad both grew up in.
The bishop of the ALC Illinois District, who gave me my first call into the ministry, was Bishop Ehme Osterbur. Just a few years later, he would retire and buy a home with his wife Ella in the town of Royal, Illinois, not far from my first church. He would become a confidant and mentor to me when I was a young, inexperienced pastor.
On June 15, 1987, I started work at American Lutheran Church in Rantoul, Illinois. The Senior Pastor was Pastor Marvin Remmers. I learned so many things from Pastor Remmers, far more than I could express in a single paragraph. But more than anything, he taught me how to work hard to serve God’s church and God’s people.
I worked for six years as the Associate Pastor. One of my responsibilities was to lead the youth group. Those years of weekly Bible studies, church basketball and volleyball leagues, camping trips, synod and national conventions, and a hundred other things are some of my greatest memories of ministry.
Then Pastor Remmers retired and I became the Senior Pastor for the next four years. I enjoyed those years of ministry, but they were stressful and time consuming. We had three worship services and averaged over 600 in attendance each week. It took two years to call a new Associate Pastor, Todd Brown, but even then I was still extremely busy.
One evening, I shocked my family by coming home for dinner. They didn’t have a plate set out for me, because I routinely worked right through the dinner hour, not coming home until after my evening church activities. At that moment, I realized that my kids were growing up without me. So I decided that I needed to seek a new call, one where I could do the necessary work but also have some time with my family.
That second call was to First Lutheran Church in Pontiac, Illinois. I started there on August 15, 1997. I was really impressed at the interview, because they had a detailed list of theological questions. They really wanted to know what I believed and what I was planning to teach. That call was a perfect match. They were in a bit of a downward trend and I had lots of ideas about how to build up the church, ideas that I learned from working with Pastor Remmers in Rantoul.
Soon we were worshiping over 300 per week in the church, with three services. But I didn’t want to make the same mistake with my family that I had made in Rantoul. When we started in Pontiac, our oldest child, Becky, was just starting high school. So the kids were moving into a time in their lives when they would be involved in all sorts of activities. And I wanted to be there for them.
So we called a new Associate Pastor, Pastor Dieter Punt. Dieter was from Cape Town, South Africa. During his seminary training, he had come to the United States with his family to study for a semester at Wartburg Seminary. Then he did a year of internship at First Lutheran, before going back to South Africa. So the congregation already knew him.
After three years on my own, Dieter came to join me at First, and we had an awesome time doing ministry together. Just as in those early years in Rantoul, when I was working with the youth, the seven years that I spent working with Dieter were some of my best times in ministry.
But also, during that time, Lisa and I were having a blast with our kids. All of our kids went through high school in Pontiac. So we went to hundreds of ball games and concerts and debates and awards ceremonies. In the summer, I coached baseball and softball. Lisa and I got to know so many great people in Pontiac, both in the church and in the community, through the activities of our kids.
But then, suddenly, those crazy, glorious years with the kids were over. Isaac, our youngest, graduated from high school in the spring of 2007. During that time, two things were going through my head. One was that a season in our lives was coming to an end. The other was that Pastor Punt had been my Associate for seven years. He needed to have the opportunity to lead the church.
As I was thinking about those things, I got a call from a friend of mine, Pastor Terry Breum, who used to be at a church in southern Illinois. He and I had met at a number of pastors’ conferences and synod conventions, and we discovered that we had similar theological convictions and core values.
Terry was the lone pastor at a growing church, St. Mark Lutheran Church in Lindenhurst, Illinois. Lindenhurst is in the extreme northern suburbs of Chicago, only six miles from the Wisconsin border. It is also just twenty miles north of Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois.
Two of our kids, Rachel and Isaac, were students at Trinity College at the time. Our son Matt and his new wife Jacinda were also living on campus. Matt was working and Jacinda was taking classes at the graduate school. Our daughter Becky was living just forty miles away in Wheaton. Nate was living at home.
So we were starting to think that it might be time to move and then I suddenly got that call from Terry, asking if I might be willing to come to Lindenhurst and work with him. It seemed like God’s perfect timing. We could be near all of our kids during the next season of their lives. I ended up starting at St. Mark on November 1, 2007.
Again, we had some wonderful years of ministry at St. Mark. I was back in youth ministry, because that was one of the areas where they really needed some help. We did some pretty awesome things, including mission trips to Wyoming, Montana (twice), New York, West Virginia, and South Dakota. And we got to know a lot of amazing people.
St. Mark was also the place where I met Dr. Bob Yarbrough. At the time, Bob was the head of the New Testament department at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, part of the Trinity International University campus. Bob was living in Lindenhurst and attending St. Mark, along with several other faculty members at Trinity. It was through Bob that I became involved in the teaching ministry in Africa. So it was definitely God’s will for us to be there at that time.
Then, in the summer of 2016, I started to feel the call of God again. By then, all of our kids had gone out into the world. Only two were still in the Chicago area. And Lisa and I were starting to think about being near our parents. My mom was living in Morris, Illinois. Lisa’s parents were still on the farm, near Newark, Illinois.
We started praying to God about whether it was time to seek a new call. We said, “Lord, if it’s your will, show us a church near our parents where we can do ministry.” Just days after we started praying that prayer, we received a letter in the mail from First Lutheran Church in Princeton, Illinois.
That letter led to a phone conversation with Mary Dorsch. That phone conversation led to an interview in November. And then, on April 1, 2017, I became the new pastor at First Lutheran. And it’s a perfect fit. Lisa and I know that this is exactly where we are supposed to be during this season in our lives.
And that is the whole point of this story about our travels through pastoral ministry. All along the way, Lisa and I have simply put our faith in God. We have trusted him to place us exactly where he wanted us to be, for every season in our lives. The book of Proverbs says, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”
My first call into the ministry was in the hands of the church. And God put us in Rantoul. There, I learned how to do ministry by serving with Pastor Remmers, one of the best pastors that I have ever known.
When we left Rantoul, I actually started the call process myself, because I knew that I had to make a new commitment to my family. But God took it from there. Pontiac was the perfect place to be as our kids went through high school.
The call to Lindenhurst came out of the blue. But it was exactly where God wanted us to be. We were close to our kids when they were in college. We were in the right place when it came time to leave the ELCA. And Terry and I were very close, even though we had different personalities. I think we made a good team.
And then, again, the call to Princeton came unexpectedly. But it was exactly where we needed to be at this time. Lisa was able to spend a lot of time with her mother as she was dying of cancer. And now she is close to her dad and I am close to my mom.
And I love doing ministry at First Lutheran. What a fantastic congregation of faithful men and women of God! Many of you have thanked me for guiding the church through the COVID-19 crisis. But let me tell you something. All of you have brought Lisa and me through this difficult time as well.
You have encouraged us with phone calls and emails and cards. You have done all the work around the church that needed to be done. You have faithfully worshiped online and outdoors. You have sent us your offerings, so that we can keep paying the bills. You have been magnificent.
But I know that your faithfulness grows out of your relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” So let’s follow him together, out of this pandemic and into a bright future. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/rpYM6Et_hVY
Day 99 – Tuesday, June 23, 2020
Read John 10:27-30 and Proverbs 16:1-9
Theme Verse: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)
I recently celebrated the thirty-third anniversary of my ordination into the Lutheran ministry. On June 7, 1987, I was ordained into the ministry of the American Lutheran Church (ALC) at my home church, Newark Lutheran Church, in Newark, Illinois. Six months after my ordination, the ALC merged with two other church bodies to form the ELCA.
I was ordained by Pastor O. Trygve Holter, the same pastor who married Lisa and me and also baptized our three oldest children. The preacher that day was Pastor Steven Lombardo, the pastor who married my mom and stepdad. One of the pastors who laid hands on me was Pastor Vernon Tweedt, who was the pastor for many years at the church that my mom and Lisa’s dad both grew up in.
The bishop of the ALC Illinois District, who gave me my first call into the ministry, was Bishop Ehme Osterbur. Just a few years later, he would retire and buy a home with his wife Ella in the town of Royal, Illinois, not far from my first church. He would become a confidant and mentor to me when I was a young, inexperienced pastor.
On June 15, 1987, I started work at American Lutheran Church in Rantoul, Illinois. The Senior Pastor was Pastor Marvin Remmers. I learned so many things from Pastor Remmers, far more than I could express in a single paragraph. But more than anything, he taught me how to work hard to serve God’s church and God’s people.
I worked for six years as the Associate Pastor. One of my responsibilities was to lead the youth group. Those years of weekly Bible studies, church basketball and volleyball leagues, camping trips, synod and national conventions, and a hundred other things are some of my greatest memories of ministry.
Then Pastor Remmers retired and I became the Senior Pastor for the next four years. I enjoyed those years of ministry, but they were stressful and time consuming. We had three worship services and averaged over 600 in attendance each week. It took two years to call a new Associate Pastor, Todd Brown, but even then I was still extremely busy.
One evening, I shocked my family by coming home for dinner. They didn’t have a plate set out for me, because I routinely worked right through the dinner hour, not coming home until after my evening church activities. At that moment, I realized that my kids were growing up without me. So I decided that I needed to seek a new call, one where I could do the necessary work but also have some time with my family.
That second call was to First Lutheran Church in Pontiac, Illinois. I started there on August 15, 1997. I was really impressed at the interview, because they had a detailed list of theological questions. They really wanted to know what I believed and what I was planning to teach. That call was a perfect match. They were in a bit of a downward trend and I had lots of ideas about how to build up the church, ideas that I learned from working with Pastor Remmers in Rantoul.
Soon we were worshiping over 300 per week in the church, with three services. But I didn’t want to make the same mistake with my family that I had made in Rantoul. When we started in Pontiac, our oldest child, Becky, was just starting high school. So the kids were moving into a time in their lives when they would be involved in all sorts of activities. And I wanted to be there for them.
So we called a new Associate Pastor, Pastor Dieter Punt. Dieter was from Cape Town, South Africa. During his seminary training, he had come to the United States with his family to study for a semester at Wartburg Seminary. Then he did a year of internship at First Lutheran, before going back to South Africa. So the congregation already knew him.
After three years on my own, Dieter came to join me at First, and we had an awesome time doing ministry together. Just as in those early years in Rantoul, when I was working with the youth, the seven years that I spent working with Dieter were some of my best times in ministry.
But also, during that time, Lisa and I were having a blast with our kids. All of our kids went through high school in Pontiac. So we went to hundreds of ball games and concerts and debates and awards ceremonies. In the summer, I coached baseball and softball. Lisa and I got to know so many great people in Pontiac, both in the church and in the community, through the activities of our kids.
But then, suddenly, those crazy, glorious years with the kids were over. Isaac, our youngest, graduated from high school in the spring of 2007. During that time, two things were going through my head. One was that a season in our lives was coming to an end. The other was that Pastor Punt had been my Associate for seven years. He needed to have the opportunity to lead the church.
As I was thinking about those things, I got a call from a friend of mine, Pastor Terry Breum, who used to be at a church in southern Illinois. He and I had met at a number of pastors’ conferences and synod conventions, and we discovered that we had similar theological convictions and core values.
Terry was the lone pastor at a growing church, St. Mark Lutheran Church in Lindenhurst, Illinois. Lindenhurst is in the extreme northern suburbs of Chicago, only six miles from the Wisconsin border. It is also just twenty miles north of Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois.
Two of our kids, Rachel and Isaac, were students at Trinity College at the time. Our son Matt and his new wife Jacinda were also living on campus. Matt was working and Jacinda was taking classes at the graduate school. Our daughter Becky was living just forty miles away in Wheaton. Nate was living at home.
So we were starting to think that it might be time to move and then I suddenly got that call from Terry, asking if I might be willing to come to Lindenhurst and work with him. It seemed like God’s perfect timing. We could be near all of our kids during the next season of their lives. I ended up starting at St. Mark on November 1, 2007.
Again, we had some wonderful years of ministry at St. Mark. I was back in youth ministry, because that was one of the areas where they really needed some help. We did some pretty awesome things, including mission trips to Wyoming, Montana (twice), New York, West Virginia, and South Dakota. And we got to know a lot of amazing people.
St. Mark was also the place where I met Dr. Bob Yarbrough. At the time, Bob was the head of the New Testament department at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, part of the Trinity International University campus. Bob was living in Lindenhurst and attending St. Mark, along with several other faculty members at Trinity. It was through Bob that I became involved in the teaching ministry in Africa. So it was definitely God’s will for us to be there at that time.
Then, in the summer of 2016, I started to feel the call of God again. By then, all of our kids had gone out into the world. Only two were still in the Chicago area. And Lisa and I were starting to think about being near our parents. My mom was living in Morris, Illinois. Lisa’s parents were still on the farm, near Newark, Illinois.
We started praying to God about whether it was time to seek a new call. We said, “Lord, if it’s your will, show us a church near our parents where we can do ministry.” Just days after we started praying that prayer, we received a letter in the mail from First Lutheran Church in Princeton, Illinois.
That letter led to a phone conversation with Mary Dorsch. That phone conversation led to an interview in November. And then, on April 1, 2017, I became the new pastor at First Lutheran. And it’s a perfect fit. Lisa and I know that this is exactly where we are supposed to be during this season in our lives.
And that is the whole point of this story about our travels through pastoral ministry. All along the way, Lisa and I have simply put our faith in God. We have trusted him to place us exactly where he wanted us to be, for every season in our lives. The book of Proverbs says, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”
My first call into the ministry was in the hands of the church. And God put us in Rantoul. There, I learned how to do ministry by serving with Pastor Remmers, one of the best pastors that I have ever known.
When we left Rantoul, I actually started the call process myself, because I knew that I had to make a new commitment to my family. But God took it from there. Pontiac was the perfect place to be as our kids went through high school.
The call to Lindenhurst came out of the blue. But it was exactly where God wanted us to be. We were close to our kids when they were in college. We were in the right place when it came time to leave the ELCA. And Terry and I were very close, even though we had different personalities. I think we made a good team.
And then, again, the call to Princeton came unexpectedly. But it was exactly where we needed to be at this time. Lisa was able to spend a lot of time with her mother as she was dying of cancer. And now she is close to her dad and I am close to my mom.
And I love doing ministry at First Lutheran. What a fantastic congregation of faithful men and women of God! Many of you have thanked me for guiding the church through the COVID-19 crisis. But let me tell you something. All of you have brought Lisa and me through this difficult time as well.
You have encouraged us with phone calls and emails and cards. You have done all the work around the church that needed to be done. You have faithfully worshiped online and outdoors. You have sent us your offerings, so that we can keep paying the bills. You have been magnificent.
But I know that your faithfulness grows out of your relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” So let’s follow him together, out of this pandemic and into a bright future. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/rpYM6Et_hVY
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)*
Day 98 – Monday, June 22, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read Psalm 121
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
In my mind I can see them walking along the path winding through the pine forest. The girl bounces along the track from wildflower to butterfly to resting spot in the shade. She chatters, excited by all she sees. The pine forest forms a dark green cathedral ceiling above. In the grandeur of the Creator’s sanctuary, she delights in a deer crossing their path and in glimpses of a snow capped mountain range in the distance. But most of her 7 years of energy are laser focused on spotting the mountain lake her Grandpa has promised. She darts ahead to a rise or a hilltop, then returns to his side from time to time asking about how far, and how many fish, and a hundred other major questions in her seven year old mind. Occasionally, the man pauses in a shady spot for some water. He looks at her and promises, “It’s not far. There’s a bunch of trout waiting. Stay with me, I’ll get you there.” But after two hours on the trail, she’s gone from bouncing yards ahead, to holding his hand as they walk together, to finally needing to ride piggyback. He carries the tired child in love, and hears her lament with patience. “Grandpa, you never said the lake would be this far! Take me home!” What do you do when a grandchild rebels – and she’s right?
We have been (and still are) on a long journey. We’ve seen pandemic, economic crisis, social unrest, and cultural shifts not imagined four months ago. As Christ followers, our sacred routines were disrupted – and new challenges to live out the love of Christ placed before us. Even the mundane activity of grocery shopping has become something new. So like the young girl promised a fishing trip with Grandpa, we have gone through a bunch of emotions. We’ve been excited – but scared of what might be ahead. We’ve slowed down, gotten creative, and thanked God for kindnesses found along the way. With each phase of opening, we think of arriving – until the next look ahead tells us that the journey through Covid-19 continues. I keep wondering about when we will get there and how this journey is just too far, too perilous, and not what I was promised. At this point, like that seven year old walking through a pine forest, I’ve gotten tired and a bit rebellious.
And so I turn to the song of another group of travelers – Psalm 121. The band is journeying toward Jerusalem. It is an exciting place to worship and celebrate God’s goodness – but the route goes through some lonely and potentially dangerous areas. When they get weary, or uncertain, or anxious, they sing, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”
Safety and hope are always found in the One who travels with us. The little girl discovered that about her Grandpa. Just around noon, they’d stopped at a small clearing for a sandwich, some Oreo cookies, and a root beer. Rested, they carefully packed up their gear and started toward the trail. He stopped for a minute and asked the girl, “Hey, why not run up to that rock up ahead and tell me what you see.” Just to humor him, she did. And around that bend in the trail was the lake – a big beautiful lake – blue waves lapping the shore – and her parents standing by their van, waiting for the travelers. It was just as he had promised.
That’s what Psalm 121 says. We travel with the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He holds us, guides us, protects us, and gets us to our destination. Even while tired, scared, or rebellious, God has been there for us. I’ve seen Him working in the first responders who’ve put themselves on the line for us. I’ve seen Him in neighbor caring for neighbor. Many of the protests in our area were covered in peace. I’ve seen the Spirit at work in new ways of doing worship (who says a parking lot is just for car shows!). The passion for telling and showing the love of God in Jesus is alive and well. As Pastor Bill brings us to this point in the pandemic journey, it is time to celebrate the help that God has been to us. And it is time to look around that bend in the trail and see one more thing: the promise is real.
We are putting our lives together into a new pattern of normal. I am confident that we are being given the opportunity to rebuild life – and do it acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God. We have a hope and a future thanks to the One who journeys with us. It’s all there, just as His Word promises.
Thank you, Pastor Bill and people of First, Princeton, for having me tag along on this trek. Pastor Norm
Let’s keep singing as the journey unfolds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lv8etGuapK8
Day 98 – Monday, June 22, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read Psalm 121
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
In my mind I can see them walking along the path winding through the pine forest. The girl bounces along the track from wildflower to butterfly to resting spot in the shade. She chatters, excited by all she sees. The pine forest forms a dark green cathedral ceiling above. In the grandeur of the Creator’s sanctuary, she delights in a deer crossing their path and in glimpses of a snow capped mountain range in the distance. But most of her 7 years of energy are laser focused on spotting the mountain lake her Grandpa has promised. She darts ahead to a rise or a hilltop, then returns to his side from time to time asking about how far, and how many fish, and a hundred other major questions in her seven year old mind. Occasionally, the man pauses in a shady spot for some water. He looks at her and promises, “It’s not far. There’s a bunch of trout waiting. Stay with me, I’ll get you there.” But after two hours on the trail, she’s gone from bouncing yards ahead, to holding his hand as they walk together, to finally needing to ride piggyback. He carries the tired child in love, and hears her lament with patience. “Grandpa, you never said the lake would be this far! Take me home!” What do you do when a grandchild rebels – and she’s right?
We have been (and still are) on a long journey. We’ve seen pandemic, economic crisis, social unrest, and cultural shifts not imagined four months ago. As Christ followers, our sacred routines were disrupted – and new challenges to live out the love of Christ placed before us. Even the mundane activity of grocery shopping has become something new. So like the young girl promised a fishing trip with Grandpa, we have gone through a bunch of emotions. We’ve been excited – but scared of what might be ahead. We’ve slowed down, gotten creative, and thanked God for kindnesses found along the way. With each phase of opening, we think of arriving – until the next look ahead tells us that the journey through Covid-19 continues. I keep wondering about when we will get there and how this journey is just too far, too perilous, and not what I was promised. At this point, like that seven year old walking through a pine forest, I’ve gotten tired and a bit rebellious.
And so I turn to the song of another group of travelers – Psalm 121. The band is journeying toward Jerusalem. It is an exciting place to worship and celebrate God’s goodness – but the route goes through some lonely and potentially dangerous areas. When they get weary, or uncertain, or anxious, they sing, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”
Safety and hope are always found in the One who travels with us. The little girl discovered that about her Grandpa. Just around noon, they’d stopped at a small clearing for a sandwich, some Oreo cookies, and a root beer. Rested, they carefully packed up their gear and started toward the trail. He stopped for a minute and asked the girl, “Hey, why not run up to that rock up ahead and tell me what you see.” Just to humor him, she did. And around that bend in the trail was the lake – a big beautiful lake – blue waves lapping the shore – and her parents standing by their van, waiting for the travelers. It was just as he had promised.
That’s what Psalm 121 says. We travel with the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He holds us, guides us, protects us, and gets us to our destination. Even while tired, scared, or rebellious, God has been there for us. I’ve seen Him working in the first responders who’ve put themselves on the line for us. I’ve seen Him in neighbor caring for neighbor. Many of the protests in our area were covered in peace. I’ve seen the Spirit at work in new ways of doing worship (who says a parking lot is just for car shows!). The passion for telling and showing the love of God in Jesus is alive and well. As Pastor Bill brings us to this point in the pandemic journey, it is time to celebrate the help that God has been to us. And it is time to look around that bend in the trail and see one more thing: the promise is real.
We are putting our lives together into a new pattern of normal. I am confident that we are being given the opportunity to rebuild life – and do it acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God. We have a hope and a future thanks to the One who journeys with us. It’s all there, just as His Word promises.
Thank you, Pastor Bill and people of First, Princeton, for having me tag along on this trek. Pastor Norm
Let’s keep singing as the journey unfolds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lv8etGuapK8
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 97 – Sunday, June 21, 2020
Read Joshua 24:14-15 and Isaiah 39:1-8
Theme Verse: “Choose this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)
Yesterday, on the Saturday before Father’s Day, I talked at length about the five children that Lisa and I were blessed with. Raising them was an honor and a privilege. It was also a responsibility and a challenge. I told some nice stories about all of them. But I didn’t tell you about the whining, or the backtalk, or the sibling fights, or the car accidents. And I didn’t tell you about the time that Nathan accidentally started a big cottonwood tree on fire. To this day, I don’t know exactly how that happened.
Yes, there were some bumps in the road. But in general, our family life was happy and exciting and interesting and fun. We enjoyed spending time together and traveling together. We enjoyed going to church as a family and talking about Jesus in our home. Those years, when the kids were still at home, were years that I sometimes wish I could go back to. But I know that’s impossible.
That’s why it’s such a blast to be able to do it all over again with our grandchildren! And this time, we don’t have to change the poopy diapers! I love being a grandpa. And the best part is that I don’t really have to be a disciplinarian. I can just play with them and spoil them and then send them home with their parents. Is that a good deal, or what?
Our son Matt and his wife Jacinda have three of our six grandchildren, all daughters. The oldest is Stella, who was born in August of 2013, while Matt was doing his pastoral internship in Lodi, California. When they came back from Lodi, they were home for just a short time. Then they went to live for the next year in South Africa.
Matt & Jacinda had spent a year in South Africa when they were first married. They worked through a Lutheran mission organization to help out several churches in the Port Elizabeth area. They had always thought about going back. So when they were offered an opportunity to spend another year, this time in the Mokopane area, they jumped at the chance. So we had to follow Stella’s first year by photos and facetime.
When they came back from South Africa, Matt took a position at an LCMC church in Wisconsin. About a year after they moved there, in September of 2015, their daughter Nora was born. We were in Lindenhurst at the time, which was about an hour and a half away from them, so we tried to visit as often as possible. I dubbed the two girls “Tornado 1” and “Tornado 2” because they were always so active when we visited.
While they were still in Wisconsin, their third little girl, Isla, was born in December of 2017. By then, Lisa and I had already moved to Princeton, so we were much farther away from them. But then Matt accepted a new call to St. John’s Lutheran Church in Flanagan, Illinois. So we are now only about an hour apart. We get to see the girls much more often. What a blessing that has been. We’ve watched Stella mature into an intelligent, funny, creative young girl. She’s almost seven now and is growing up fast.
Nora is still a tornado. She has bright red hair and a fiery personality to go with it. She is also very intelligent and creative. She likes to tell “knock knock” jokes that make no sense. But we laugh at them anyway. Isla is two and a half years old now, and she is getting more and more comfortable at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. She likes to say, “Look, Grandpa.” When I turn to look, she does some goofy thing, like sliding down the stairs head first.
One of my favorite things to do with the girls is to watch PBS shows with them. They don’t watch a lot of television at home. Jacinda homeschools them and keeps them pretty busy. So it’s a treat for them to sit down with Grandpa and watch a TV show. Our favorite is “Nature Cat.” The best part about watching TV with them is that they all climb up and sit in my lap. The tornadoes stop spinning for Nature Cat.
Meanwhile, between the births of Nora and Isla, our daughter Rachel and her husband Jeff had their first child, a little girl named Abigail. Abby was born in December of 2016. She’s three and a half years old now and she’s very bright. But she doesn’t always understand me when I’m trying to be goofy. She just looks at Lisa and says, “Grandma, why is Grandpa doing that?”
Abby loves to sing. Once, when she was at our church in Princeton, we sang the hymn “Borning Cry.” Now it’s one of her favorites. Abby loves to get together with the cousins at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. That’s four little girls, just four and a half years apart in age. It’s enough to drive a grandpa crazy. But it’s a good kind of crazy.
Our first grandson, Elijah, was born in December of 2018. So he’s a year and a half old now. Eli is an exploding bundle of energy. He’s on the run all the time. When he’s getting into something and you tell him “No,” he doesn’t really whine or complain. He just smiles. And then, when you’re not looking, he runs right for the same thing and tries to get into it again. And he never forgets. You can keep him away from it for an hour and, as soon as you let your guard down, he’s back in it.
One day, Eli was coming up to me and patting me on the leg. Each time, I would go “Woo,” and do a little shimmy. We played that game for an hour or so. Now, whenever he sees me, he goes, “Woo.” When Rachel tries to get him to say Grandpa, he just says, “Woo.” So I guess I have a new nickname.
Lisa and I love our grandchildren so much. That’s why we were heartbroken when Isaac and Sarah lost their first child, a little boy named Cam. Cam was born on February 19, 2019. But he had a serious heart defect that could not be corrected. He passed away four days later, on February 23rd. That was such a tough year for Isaac and Sarah in particular, but also for the whole family, on both sides. Those of you who have lost a child know how devastating that is.
Whenever we take group pictures of the grandchildren at family gatherings, we include a little teddy bear with Cam’s name on it. We’ve also done a number of other things to keep Cam on our minds and in the memories of his cousins. Isaac and Sarah are now expecting their second child, sometime in early August. The doctors say that the baby is healthy and growing well.
Rachel is also expecting, sometime in September. This will be their third child. Their baby is also healthy and growing normally. So by the end of the summer, we will welcome grandchildren seven and eight. We are greatly blessed!
When I think about our grandchildren, I am reminded again of the need to pass down the faith to the generations that follow us. In my Father’s Day sermon today, I talked about “Hezekiah’s One Big Failure.” Hezekiah was a great king, the greatest in the 340 year history of the southern kingdom of Judah. He had a powerful personal relationship with the Lord.
But somehow, Hezekiah neglected to pass on the faith to his children. His son Manasseh, who would take the throne after him, was a horrible king, who brought pagan worship to the temple in Jerusalem and entered into an ill-advised alliance with the dying empire of Assyria. The prophet Isaiah warned Hezekiah that his successors would turn away from the Lord, which would lead to the destruction of Jerusalem by the new power on the block—Babylon.
But Hezekiah didn’t really care. When Isaiah told him the prophecy, he said, in Isaiah 39:8, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” How could a prophecy of doom and destruction sound “good” to Hezekiah? The answer is in the second part of verse 8. “For he thought, ‘There will be peace and security in my days.’” As long as the bad stuff was going to happen after he was dead and gone, Hezekiah wasn’t worried about it.
But people, we should be worried about the future. We should be concerned about the world that we will leave behind for our children, our grandchildren, and our great-grandchildren. We should be doing everything in our power, right now, to secure a peaceful and happy future for our descendants.
How do we do that? We do it by sharing our faith with our little ones right now. By the time my grandchildren are my age, I’ll be in heaven. But I want them all to be people of faith in that day. I want them all to love Jesus. If they are followers of Jesus Christ in that day, then they will be working to make the world a better place. And maybe if enough people share their faith with their children today, America will be a faithful nation in the next generation. That is my prayer for the little tornadoes who run around the parsonage whenever they come to visit.
I leave you with these words from Joshua, the man of faith who led Israel after Moses. Joshua was the opposite of Hezekiah. He did everything in his power to pass on the faith to the next generation. Shortly before he died, he called the elders of the nation together and said to them, “Choose this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” May that be the motto of every Christian family in our church and in our nation. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/-ak0OoFBw3c
Day 97 – Sunday, June 21, 2020
Read Joshua 24:14-15 and Isaiah 39:1-8
Theme Verse: “Choose this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)
Yesterday, on the Saturday before Father’s Day, I talked at length about the five children that Lisa and I were blessed with. Raising them was an honor and a privilege. It was also a responsibility and a challenge. I told some nice stories about all of them. But I didn’t tell you about the whining, or the backtalk, or the sibling fights, or the car accidents. And I didn’t tell you about the time that Nathan accidentally started a big cottonwood tree on fire. To this day, I don’t know exactly how that happened.
Yes, there were some bumps in the road. But in general, our family life was happy and exciting and interesting and fun. We enjoyed spending time together and traveling together. We enjoyed going to church as a family and talking about Jesus in our home. Those years, when the kids were still at home, were years that I sometimes wish I could go back to. But I know that’s impossible.
That’s why it’s such a blast to be able to do it all over again with our grandchildren! And this time, we don’t have to change the poopy diapers! I love being a grandpa. And the best part is that I don’t really have to be a disciplinarian. I can just play with them and spoil them and then send them home with their parents. Is that a good deal, or what?
Our son Matt and his wife Jacinda have three of our six grandchildren, all daughters. The oldest is Stella, who was born in August of 2013, while Matt was doing his pastoral internship in Lodi, California. When they came back from Lodi, they were home for just a short time. Then they went to live for the next year in South Africa.
Matt & Jacinda had spent a year in South Africa when they were first married. They worked through a Lutheran mission organization to help out several churches in the Port Elizabeth area. They had always thought about going back. So when they were offered an opportunity to spend another year, this time in the Mokopane area, they jumped at the chance. So we had to follow Stella’s first year by photos and facetime.
When they came back from South Africa, Matt took a position at an LCMC church in Wisconsin. About a year after they moved there, in September of 2015, their daughter Nora was born. We were in Lindenhurst at the time, which was about an hour and a half away from them, so we tried to visit as often as possible. I dubbed the two girls “Tornado 1” and “Tornado 2” because they were always so active when we visited.
While they were still in Wisconsin, their third little girl, Isla, was born in December of 2017. By then, Lisa and I had already moved to Princeton, so we were much farther away from them. But then Matt accepted a new call to St. John’s Lutheran Church in Flanagan, Illinois. So we are now only about an hour apart. We get to see the girls much more often. What a blessing that has been. We’ve watched Stella mature into an intelligent, funny, creative young girl. She’s almost seven now and is growing up fast.
Nora is still a tornado. She has bright red hair and a fiery personality to go with it. She is also very intelligent and creative. She likes to tell “knock knock” jokes that make no sense. But we laugh at them anyway. Isla is two and a half years old now, and she is getting more and more comfortable at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. She likes to say, “Look, Grandpa.” When I turn to look, she does some goofy thing, like sliding down the stairs head first.
One of my favorite things to do with the girls is to watch PBS shows with them. They don’t watch a lot of television at home. Jacinda homeschools them and keeps them pretty busy. So it’s a treat for them to sit down with Grandpa and watch a TV show. Our favorite is “Nature Cat.” The best part about watching TV with them is that they all climb up and sit in my lap. The tornadoes stop spinning for Nature Cat.
Meanwhile, between the births of Nora and Isla, our daughter Rachel and her husband Jeff had their first child, a little girl named Abigail. Abby was born in December of 2016. She’s three and a half years old now and she’s very bright. But she doesn’t always understand me when I’m trying to be goofy. She just looks at Lisa and says, “Grandma, why is Grandpa doing that?”
Abby loves to sing. Once, when she was at our church in Princeton, we sang the hymn “Borning Cry.” Now it’s one of her favorites. Abby loves to get together with the cousins at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. That’s four little girls, just four and a half years apart in age. It’s enough to drive a grandpa crazy. But it’s a good kind of crazy.
Our first grandson, Elijah, was born in December of 2018. So he’s a year and a half old now. Eli is an exploding bundle of energy. He’s on the run all the time. When he’s getting into something and you tell him “No,” he doesn’t really whine or complain. He just smiles. And then, when you’re not looking, he runs right for the same thing and tries to get into it again. And he never forgets. You can keep him away from it for an hour and, as soon as you let your guard down, he’s back in it.
One day, Eli was coming up to me and patting me on the leg. Each time, I would go “Woo,” and do a little shimmy. We played that game for an hour or so. Now, whenever he sees me, he goes, “Woo.” When Rachel tries to get him to say Grandpa, he just says, “Woo.” So I guess I have a new nickname.
Lisa and I love our grandchildren so much. That’s why we were heartbroken when Isaac and Sarah lost their first child, a little boy named Cam. Cam was born on February 19, 2019. But he had a serious heart defect that could not be corrected. He passed away four days later, on February 23rd. That was such a tough year for Isaac and Sarah in particular, but also for the whole family, on both sides. Those of you who have lost a child know how devastating that is.
Whenever we take group pictures of the grandchildren at family gatherings, we include a little teddy bear with Cam’s name on it. We’ve also done a number of other things to keep Cam on our minds and in the memories of his cousins. Isaac and Sarah are now expecting their second child, sometime in early August. The doctors say that the baby is healthy and growing well.
Rachel is also expecting, sometime in September. This will be their third child. Their baby is also healthy and growing normally. So by the end of the summer, we will welcome grandchildren seven and eight. We are greatly blessed!
When I think about our grandchildren, I am reminded again of the need to pass down the faith to the generations that follow us. In my Father’s Day sermon today, I talked about “Hezekiah’s One Big Failure.” Hezekiah was a great king, the greatest in the 340 year history of the southern kingdom of Judah. He had a powerful personal relationship with the Lord.
But somehow, Hezekiah neglected to pass on the faith to his children. His son Manasseh, who would take the throne after him, was a horrible king, who brought pagan worship to the temple in Jerusalem and entered into an ill-advised alliance with the dying empire of Assyria. The prophet Isaiah warned Hezekiah that his successors would turn away from the Lord, which would lead to the destruction of Jerusalem by the new power on the block—Babylon.
But Hezekiah didn’t really care. When Isaiah told him the prophecy, he said, in Isaiah 39:8, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” How could a prophecy of doom and destruction sound “good” to Hezekiah? The answer is in the second part of verse 8. “For he thought, ‘There will be peace and security in my days.’” As long as the bad stuff was going to happen after he was dead and gone, Hezekiah wasn’t worried about it.
But people, we should be worried about the future. We should be concerned about the world that we will leave behind for our children, our grandchildren, and our great-grandchildren. We should be doing everything in our power, right now, to secure a peaceful and happy future for our descendants.
How do we do that? We do it by sharing our faith with our little ones right now. By the time my grandchildren are my age, I’ll be in heaven. But I want them all to be people of faith in that day. I want them all to love Jesus. If they are followers of Jesus Christ in that day, then they will be working to make the world a better place. And maybe if enough people share their faith with their children today, America will be a faithful nation in the next generation. That is my prayer for the little tornadoes who run around the parsonage whenever they come to visit.
I leave you with these words from Joshua, the man of faith who led Israel after Moses. Joshua was the opposite of Hezekiah. He did everything in his power to pass on the faith to the next generation. Shortly before he died, he called the elders of the nation together and said to them, “Choose this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” May that be the motto of every Christian family in our church and in our nation. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/-ak0OoFBw3c
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 96 – Saturday, June 20, 2020
Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and Ephesians 6:1-4
Theme Verse: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)
Since this is Father’s Day weekend, I thought I would indulge myself a little by talking about my own children. Tomorrow I will continue the theme by talking about my grandchildren. It is so important to pass on the Christian faith to the generations that follow us, and that task begins with passing on the faith in our own families.
Lisa and I have been blessed with five children who have all grown up to be amazing, faithful adults. Becky was our firstborn. We were married on August 14, 1982. We knew that we wanted to have kids early in our marriage, but we were surprised when Lisa got pregnant almost immediately. Becky was born on June 15, 1983, just ten months after our wedding. And she was the joy of our lives.
Becky was with us when we headed off to seminary, then to internship, then back to seminary, and then to my first church. She was always very social. She made friends easily and she talked to strangers all the time. One of my favorite stories about Becky was when we were living in Rantoul, Illinois. Becky was five years old at the time.
One day, some workmen were repairing a sidewalk that ran between the church and the parsonage. Becky sat in the grass and watched them, talking with them the whole time. Finally, when they were finished smoothing out the new cement, Becky said to them, “You do good work. God will pay you.” The guys got a kick out of that. But they also wanted a check from the church.
Becky is now living in Oak Park, Illinois, and working at the Oak Park Library. She visits us often on the weekends. For about three months, while her library was shut down, she stayed with us in Princeton. Many of the folks at First Lutheran have gotten to know her. She is intelligent and sweet and thoughtful. And she loves the Lord. That’s the most important thing of all.
Matthew is our second child. He was born on March 20, 1985, and he gave us a little bit of a scare. He was blue at birth, because he had swallowed some amniotic fluid. But after six days in the hospital, he was able to come home. What we didn’t know was that he had a lung abnormality, which would cause him to have pneumonia several times as he was growing up. It wasn’t diagnosed until he was a freshman in college. He had a major surgery to remove part of his lung and he has been fine ever since.
Matt was our fearless adventurer. When he was five years old, he climbed to the top of the church bell tower. Someone had forgotten to close the door and, of course, Matt discovered that fact. Matt also planned on being a pastor at an early age. He used to turn a box on its side and use it as a pulpit. Then he made his siblings sit in chairs and play “church,” which meant listening to one of his “sermons.”
Matt did indeed become a pastor. He serves at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Flanagan, Illinois. He and his wife Jacinda have been married for thirteen years and they have three little girls—Stella, Nora, and Isla. They all love Jesus. One of the highlights of the COVID-19 lockdown has been watching Matt do family devotions live on the internet each night.
Rachel is our third child. She was born on July 26, 1986, when I was serving as an intern at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Peru, Illinois. She was born at IVCH in Peru. Lisa started having contractions while we were playing cards with Jerry and Pam Zibert. She wasn’t too worried, because she had gone through several hours of labor with both Becky and Matt. But after the Ziberts left, Lisa said, “I think we need to go to the hospital now.” Rachel was born about an hour after we walked through the hospital doors.
Rachel was always an inquisitive little girl. And for some reason she loved maps. One of my favorite memories of her was when she came to me with the atlas and put it in my lap. It was open to the map of the United States and she said, “Can you show me where we can go to see Jesus?” We had talked about Jesus so often around the house, that she decided she wanted to meet him!
I told her that Jesus didn’t live in this world. He lived in heaven. So she started turning the pages and saying, “Show me the map for heaven. I want to go and see Jesus.” It took me a few minutes to convince her that we had to live on this earth for many years before we could go to heaven and see Jesus. But even though we couldn’t see him, he was still with us, wherever we were. For a while after that she would ask me from time to time, “Is Jesus here right now?” And I would say, “Yes, he’s always here.”
Rachel has worked as an accountant, but she is currently a stay at home mom. She and her husband Jeff have two children, Abigail and Elijah. And they are expecting their third in September! They go to a Lutheran church near their home in Tinley Park, Illinois. But I had the privilege of baptizing both Abby and Eli here at First Lutheran. They are wonderful Christian parents who are teaching the faith to their children.
Nathan is our fourth child. He was born on March 7, 1988. He was almost a leap baby. Lisa went into labor on the evening of February 28th, when I was right in the middle of a church youth event. If we had gone straight to the hospital, he could very well have been born after midnight on the 29th. But by the time I had wrapped up the event and locked up the church, Lisa had fallen asleep on the bed and the contractions had stopped.
Nathan was always very artistic and musical. He has a wonderful, creative mind. I remember walking into the kids’ playroom once and he had just completed the base for a Lego structure that he was building. When I asked him what it was, he said it was a castle. And then he proceeded to describe it for me in great detail. It was all up there in his little head. To this day, he loves to draw, play music, and write songs.
Nathan and his wife Camille were recently married on May 1, 2020. They are living in Santa Monica, California. Because of the COVID-19 restrictions, we had to cancel the big April wedding that we had planned back here in Illinois. So they ended up getting married by a justice of the peace in the parking lot of the Honda Center arena in Anaheim. But they took it all in stride and are enjoying married life.
Nathan works in sound recording and editing for a film production company in Santa Monica. He has worked on a number of television shows and films and he has met many interesting celebrities. Nate and Camille attend a great church in Santa Monica and are both very strong in their faith.
Isaac is our fifth child. He was born on May 29, 1989. It’s hard to believe that our youngest is now thirty-one years old! In a previous Pandemic Pulpit, I told you about the circumstances of his birth. Isaac was born with a heart defect that required major surgery when he was just four days old. But he recovered from that and has led a full and healthy life.
Isaac was usually a quiet little guy. Video games were a new thing when he was young, and he loved to play them, especially the sports games. And he was very competitive. He would play very quietly. But we could always tell when he lost a game to the computer, because we would hear him shout from the next room, “No way!” If he was really frustrated, he would sometimes throw the controller!
One of my favorite memories of Isaac was when I would pitch batting practice to him before a Little League game. His eyes would light up and he would have a big grin on his face, as he sprayed line drives in every direction. He reminded me of myself at that age. Isaac has grown to be the tallest of our kids, at about 6 feet, 5 inches. And he is a calm, intelligent man of God. He is our gentle giant.
Isaac and his wife Sarah live in Bloomington, Illinois. They have been married for seven years. Isaac teaches biology and other science classes at Fisher High School in Fisher, Illinois. In that previous devotion about Isaac, I also talked about their son Cam, who was born with a heart defect on February 19, 2019. He passed away on February 23rd. It was a devastating loss and the pain will never fully go away. But they are excited about the new baby that they are expecting in August. Everything is going fine and we look forward to meeting our next grandchild soon!
All of our kids enjoyed sports when they were young. Four of them played in high school (Becky chose the debate team), and Matt played baseball in college. All five were also in high school band. So as you can imagine, we went to a lot of ball games and concerts when the kids were growing up.
But the one thing that was always at the center of our home was Jesus Christ. We went to church every Sunday. The kids were all in the youth choirs and they always attended the youth group events. And they never rebelled against going to church. They really enjoyed it. It was just the way our family rolled.
And that started at home. Moses says, in Deuteronomy 6, “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
My favorite memories of our kids when they were young is of our devotional times. We learned Bible verses together and the parts of the catechism. We sang songs and we prayed. And I wish I could have those days back once in a while. But the world moves on. So teach your children well today. Teach them to love Jesus. You will never regret it. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/ffBG7JAvBiw
Day 96 – Saturday, June 20, 2020
Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and Ephesians 6:1-4
Theme Verse: “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)
Since this is Father’s Day weekend, I thought I would indulge myself a little by talking about my own children. Tomorrow I will continue the theme by talking about my grandchildren. It is so important to pass on the Christian faith to the generations that follow us, and that task begins with passing on the faith in our own families.
Lisa and I have been blessed with five children who have all grown up to be amazing, faithful adults. Becky was our firstborn. We were married on August 14, 1982. We knew that we wanted to have kids early in our marriage, but we were surprised when Lisa got pregnant almost immediately. Becky was born on June 15, 1983, just ten months after our wedding. And she was the joy of our lives.
Becky was with us when we headed off to seminary, then to internship, then back to seminary, and then to my first church. She was always very social. She made friends easily and she talked to strangers all the time. One of my favorite stories about Becky was when we were living in Rantoul, Illinois. Becky was five years old at the time.
One day, some workmen were repairing a sidewalk that ran between the church and the parsonage. Becky sat in the grass and watched them, talking with them the whole time. Finally, when they were finished smoothing out the new cement, Becky said to them, “You do good work. God will pay you.” The guys got a kick out of that. But they also wanted a check from the church.
Becky is now living in Oak Park, Illinois, and working at the Oak Park Library. She visits us often on the weekends. For about three months, while her library was shut down, she stayed with us in Princeton. Many of the folks at First Lutheran have gotten to know her. She is intelligent and sweet and thoughtful. And she loves the Lord. That’s the most important thing of all.
Matthew is our second child. He was born on March 20, 1985, and he gave us a little bit of a scare. He was blue at birth, because he had swallowed some amniotic fluid. But after six days in the hospital, he was able to come home. What we didn’t know was that he had a lung abnormality, which would cause him to have pneumonia several times as he was growing up. It wasn’t diagnosed until he was a freshman in college. He had a major surgery to remove part of his lung and he has been fine ever since.
Matt was our fearless adventurer. When he was five years old, he climbed to the top of the church bell tower. Someone had forgotten to close the door and, of course, Matt discovered that fact. Matt also planned on being a pastor at an early age. He used to turn a box on its side and use it as a pulpit. Then he made his siblings sit in chairs and play “church,” which meant listening to one of his “sermons.”
Matt did indeed become a pastor. He serves at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Flanagan, Illinois. He and his wife Jacinda have been married for thirteen years and they have three little girls—Stella, Nora, and Isla. They all love Jesus. One of the highlights of the COVID-19 lockdown has been watching Matt do family devotions live on the internet each night.
Rachel is our third child. She was born on July 26, 1986, when I was serving as an intern at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Peru, Illinois. She was born at IVCH in Peru. Lisa started having contractions while we were playing cards with Jerry and Pam Zibert. She wasn’t too worried, because she had gone through several hours of labor with both Becky and Matt. But after the Ziberts left, Lisa said, “I think we need to go to the hospital now.” Rachel was born about an hour after we walked through the hospital doors.
Rachel was always an inquisitive little girl. And for some reason she loved maps. One of my favorite memories of her was when she came to me with the atlas and put it in my lap. It was open to the map of the United States and she said, “Can you show me where we can go to see Jesus?” We had talked about Jesus so often around the house, that she decided she wanted to meet him!
I told her that Jesus didn’t live in this world. He lived in heaven. So she started turning the pages and saying, “Show me the map for heaven. I want to go and see Jesus.” It took me a few minutes to convince her that we had to live on this earth for many years before we could go to heaven and see Jesus. But even though we couldn’t see him, he was still with us, wherever we were. For a while after that she would ask me from time to time, “Is Jesus here right now?” And I would say, “Yes, he’s always here.”
Rachel has worked as an accountant, but she is currently a stay at home mom. She and her husband Jeff have two children, Abigail and Elijah. And they are expecting their third in September! They go to a Lutheran church near their home in Tinley Park, Illinois. But I had the privilege of baptizing both Abby and Eli here at First Lutheran. They are wonderful Christian parents who are teaching the faith to their children.
Nathan is our fourth child. He was born on March 7, 1988. He was almost a leap baby. Lisa went into labor on the evening of February 28th, when I was right in the middle of a church youth event. If we had gone straight to the hospital, he could very well have been born after midnight on the 29th. But by the time I had wrapped up the event and locked up the church, Lisa had fallen asleep on the bed and the contractions had stopped.
Nathan was always very artistic and musical. He has a wonderful, creative mind. I remember walking into the kids’ playroom once and he had just completed the base for a Lego structure that he was building. When I asked him what it was, he said it was a castle. And then he proceeded to describe it for me in great detail. It was all up there in his little head. To this day, he loves to draw, play music, and write songs.
Nathan and his wife Camille were recently married on May 1, 2020. They are living in Santa Monica, California. Because of the COVID-19 restrictions, we had to cancel the big April wedding that we had planned back here in Illinois. So they ended up getting married by a justice of the peace in the parking lot of the Honda Center arena in Anaheim. But they took it all in stride and are enjoying married life.
Nathan works in sound recording and editing for a film production company in Santa Monica. He has worked on a number of television shows and films and he has met many interesting celebrities. Nate and Camille attend a great church in Santa Monica and are both very strong in their faith.
Isaac is our fifth child. He was born on May 29, 1989. It’s hard to believe that our youngest is now thirty-one years old! In a previous Pandemic Pulpit, I told you about the circumstances of his birth. Isaac was born with a heart defect that required major surgery when he was just four days old. But he recovered from that and has led a full and healthy life.
Isaac was usually a quiet little guy. Video games were a new thing when he was young, and he loved to play them, especially the sports games. And he was very competitive. He would play very quietly. But we could always tell when he lost a game to the computer, because we would hear him shout from the next room, “No way!” If he was really frustrated, he would sometimes throw the controller!
One of my favorite memories of Isaac was when I would pitch batting practice to him before a Little League game. His eyes would light up and he would have a big grin on his face, as he sprayed line drives in every direction. He reminded me of myself at that age. Isaac has grown to be the tallest of our kids, at about 6 feet, 5 inches. And he is a calm, intelligent man of God. He is our gentle giant.
Isaac and his wife Sarah live in Bloomington, Illinois. They have been married for seven years. Isaac teaches biology and other science classes at Fisher High School in Fisher, Illinois. In that previous devotion about Isaac, I also talked about their son Cam, who was born with a heart defect on February 19, 2019. He passed away on February 23rd. It was a devastating loss and the pain will never fully go away. But they are excited about the new baby that they are expecting in August. Everything is going fine and we look forward to meeting our next grandchild soon!
All of our kids enjoyed sports when they were young. Four of them played in high school (Becky chose the debate team), and Matt played baseball in college. All five were also in high school band. So as you can imagine, we went to a lot of ball games and concerts when the kids were growing up.
But the one thing that was always at the center of our home was Jesus Christ. We went to church every Sunday. The kids were all in the youth choirs and they always attended the youth group events. And they never rebelled against going to church. They really enjoyed it. It was just the way our family rolled.
And that started at home. Moses says, in Deuteronomy 6, “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
My favorite memories of our kids when they were young is of our devotional times. We learned Bible verses together and the parts of the catechism. We sang songs and we prayed. And I wish I could have those days back once in a while. But the world moves on. So teach your children well today. Teach them to love Jesus. You will never regret it. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/ffBG7JAvBiw
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 95 – Friday, June 19, 2020
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 and Psalm 136:1-9
Theme Verse: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Most of the times when I have traveled overseas, God has blessed me with very good health. In an earlier devotion I mentioned that I had some gut issues during one of my trips to Sudan. But those issues did not affect my ability to lecture at the conference and they didn’t get really bad until a few weeks after I returned home.
The one exception to my good traveling health was during one of my early trips to South Africa. When I left Chicago on a Friday afternoon, my sinuses were a little stuffy. When I changed planes in Amsterdam, it was a little worse. By the time I landed in Cape Town on Saturday night, I had a sore throat and I was pretty sure that I was heading into a full-blown cold.
And I was right. My voice held up pretty well on Sunday morning, when I preached in one of the local churches. But when the conference began that evening, I was really struggling. After lecturing that night and then several times on Monday, my voice was shot by Monday night and I was feeling miserable.
That particular conference was being held in a Methodist conference center in the town of Paarl. It was comparable to a Christian camp building here in the United States. The housing area was a two story wing off the main building. Each floor had a large community bathroom with showers.
Since most of the conference participants were men who were there without their wives, they were housed on the first floor. The bathroom on that floor was designated for the men. All of the married couples were placed on the second floor. The bathroom on that floor was designated for the women. Since the couples didn’t fill all of the rooms on the second floor, Bob and I were given rooms at the very end of that floor.
The housing wing was quite long. The only stairway was on the far south end of the hall. Bob and I were on the far north end. So in order to get to the men’s bathroom, we had to walk the entire length of the second floor hallway, then go down the stairs, and then walk halfway down the first floor hallway.
It was not a big deal, except that I had a nasty cold going on. I was taking medication to fight the cold and that medication was making my mouth and throat very dry. So I was drinking a lot of water. Of course, that meant frequent trips to the bathroom during the night.
I had brought along a set of flip-flops that didn’t fit me very well. So when I walked in them, they hurt my feet. And I walked in them a lot. About once per hour, throughout the night, I had to make a trip to the bathroom. I was feverish, and achy, and my feet hurt from the flip-flops. And I had to make that long trudge down the second floor hallway, then down the stairs, and then halfway back down the first floor hallway. And somewhere around the third or fourth trip, I was feeling pretty sorry for myself.
The grumbling in my heart would have rivaled the people of Israel during the wilderness wanderings. So God had to give me an attitude adjustment. The adjustment began at breakfast, when a couple sat down next to me. I had not met them before, so they introduced themselves. Then they thanked me for coming and they said that they would pray for my cold to get better.
I asked them where they were from. They said that they were from one of the townships in the Cape Flats. In the townships, some of the people live in small homes and some live in apartments. But most people live in hand-built shacks, with no power or indoor plumbing.
This couple lived in an area like that. They had to walk down the street to get fresh water and to use a port-a-potty for their toilet. They were thrilled with the accommodations for the conference. They were especially thrilled about the bathrooms. The man said, “We feel like we are staying in a luxury hotel!” Suddenly, I started feeling guilty about my inner whining and complaining. But the lesson wasn’t over yet.
At lunch, I sat across from a pastor who had the most joyful disposition that you could imagine. He was bubbling over with enthusiasm for the conference and excitement about the setting. One of the other conference attendees, a woman who was a missionary from Korea, came around with a box of apples that she had brought with her. She was handing them out to all of the folks who were eating lunch.
After a few minutes, the man across from me noticed that many were not eating their apples. So he went and got the empty box and started asking people if they were going to eat theirs. Those who weren’t gave them to him. When he came back to his seat with a couple of dozen apples, he explained to me what he was doing.
He began by telling me about the large number of orphans that there were in South Africa, especially in the townships. South Africa was devastated by the AIDS virus more than any other country in the world. Combine that with the many other diseases and social problems and you’ve got a lot of kids who have lost both of their parents.
The country tries to find homes for all of the orphans, either in orphanages or in foster homes, but the system is incredibly overburdened. One day, a social service worker had shown up at their door with a young child, a little girl. Her mother had just died and they didn’t know where her father was. The social worker said, “I know that you are a Christian pastor, so I know that you and your wife will take her in.”
The pastor said to me, “How could we refuse to take in that beautiful child of God?” So they took her in, and that was just the beginning. Whenever that social worker had a child that she couldn’t find a home for, she would come to them. They had raised dozens of foster children, along with their own four children who were now adults.
I asked him how many children were living with them at that time. He said, “Right now, God has blessed us with thirteen children. That’s why I’m collecting the leftover apples. The government only subsidizes us for the first two children. After that, we are on our own. So we look for food wherever we can find it!” He said that last line with a big grin on his face.
Normally, when Bob and I travel to Africa, we take a large amount of cash with us. A large portion of that money goes to pay for the expenses of the conference. Whatever we have left over, we give to the pastor who organizes the conference. He is a man of impeccable integrity and we trust him to use it wisely. He always sends us a nice report, detailing all of the ways that those funds were used to help out families and churches.
That year, I took out a couple of hundred dollars, before giving the rest to our friend. I told him that I had someone in particular I wanted to give it to. When I told him who I was talking about, he said, “That’s a very good decision. They can surely use it.” Before I left the conference, I handed the money to that pastor with all of the foster children. He looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, “I think we can feed them for a month with this.”
My cold was still lingering, but my attitude adjustment was complete. I wasn’t whining or complaining anymore. I was lifted up by the joyful heart that I saw in my South African friend. In the fifth chapter of his first letter to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul gives some final words to the church of Thessalonica.
He tells the people to support their leaders and to build up their fellow church members. Then he talks to them about having the right attitude. He says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” This is a message that I try to remember whenever I start to feel sorry for myself.
God has greatly blessed me and my family. So I will give thanks to him with my life and my attitude. And I will share his blessings with others. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about when I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/KMTmZKotTYw
Day 95 – Friday, June 19, 2020
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 and Psalm 136:1-9
Theme Verse: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Most of the times when I have traveled overseas, God has blessed me with very good health. In an earlier devotion I mentioned that I had some gut issues during one of my trips to Sudan. But those issues did not affect my ability to lecture at the conference and they didn’t get really bad until a few weeks after I returned home.
The one exception to my good traveling health was during one of my early trips to South Africa. When I left Chicago on a Friday afternoon, my sinuses were a little stuffy. When I changed planes in Amsterdam, it was a little worse. By the time I landed in Cape Town on Saturday night, I had a sore throat and I was pretty sure that I was heading into a full-blown cold.
And I was right. My voice held up pretty well on Sunday morning, when I preached in one of the local churches. But when the conference began that evening, I was really struggling. After lecturing that night and then several times on Monday, my voice was shot by Monday night and I was feeling miserable.
That particular conference was being held in a Methodist conference center in the town of Paarl. It was comparable to a Christian camp building here in the United States. The housing area was a two story wing off the main building. Each floor had a large community bathroom with showers.
Since most of the conference participants were men who were there without their wives, they were housed on the first floor. The bathroom on that floor was designated for the men. All of the married couples were placed on the second floor. The bathroom on that floor was designated for the women. Since the couples didn’t fill all of the rooms on the second floor, Bob and I were given rooms at the very end of that floor.
The housing wing was quite long. The only stairway was on the far south end of the hall. Bob and I were on the far north end. So in order to get to the men’s bathroom, we had to walk the entire length of the second floor hallway, then go down the stairs, and then walk halfway down the first floor hallway.
It was not a big deal, except that I had a nasty cold going on. I was taking medication to fight the cold and that medication was making my mouth and throat very dry. So I was drinking a lot of water. Of course, that meant frequent trips to the bathroom during the night.
I had brought along a set of flip-flops that didn’t fit me very well. So when I walked in them, they hurt my feet. And I walked in them a lot. About once per hour, throughout the night, I had to make a trip to the bathroom. I was feverish, and achy, and my feet hurt from the flip-flops. And I had to make that long trudge down the second floor hallway, then down the stairs, and then halfway back down the first floor hallway. And somewhere around the third or fourth trip, I was feeling pretty sorry for myself.
The grumbling in my heart would have rivaled the people of Israel during the wilderness wanderings. So God had to give me an attitude adjustment. The adjustment began at breakfast, when a couple sat down next to me. I had not met them before, so they introduced themselves. Then they thanked me for coming and they said that they would pray for my cold to get better.
I asked them where they were from. They said that they were from one of the townships in the Cape Flats. In the townships, some of the people live in small homes and some live in apartments. But most people live in hand-built shacks, with no power or indoor plumbing.
This couple lived in an area like that. They had to walk down the street to get fresh water and to use a port-a-potty for their toilet. They were thrilled with the accommodations for the conference. They were especially thrilled about the bathrooms. The man said, “We feel like we are staying in a luxury hotel!” Suddenly, I started feeling guilty about my inner whining and complaining. But the lesson wasn’t over yet.
At lunch, I sat across from a pastor who had the most joyful disposition that you could imagine. He was bubbling over with enthusiasm for the conference and excitement about the setting. One of the other conference attendees, a woman who was a missionary from Korea, came around with a box of apples that she had brought with her. She was handing them out to all of the folks who were eating lunch.
After a few minutes, the man across from me noticed that many were not eating their apples. So he went and got the empty box and started asking people if they were going to eat theirs. Those who weren’t gave them to him. When he came back to his seat with a couple of dozen apples, he explained to me what he was doing.
He began by telling me about the large number of orphans that there were in South Africa, especially in the townships. South Africa was devastated by the AIDS virus more than any other country in the world. Combine that with the many other diseases and social problems and you’ve got a lot of kids who have lost both of their parents.
The country tries to find homes for all of the orphans, either in orphanages or in foster homes, but the system is incredibly overburdened. One day, a social service worker had shown up at their door with a young child, a little girl. Her mother had just died and they didn’t know where her father was. The social worker said, “I know that you are a Christian pastor, so I know that you and your wife will take her in.”
The pastor said to me, “How could we refuse to take in that beautiful child of God?” So they took her in, and that was just the beginning. Whenever that social worker had a child that she couldn’t find a home for, she would come to them. They had raised dozens of foster children, along with their own four children who were now adults.
I asked him how many children were living with them at that time. He said, “Right now, God has blessed us with thirteen children. That’s why I’m collecting the leftover apples. The government only subsidizes us for the first two children. After that, we are on our own. So we look for food wherever we can find it!” He said that last line with a big grin on his face.
Normally, when Bob and I travel to Africa, we take a large amount of cash with us. A large portion of that money goes to pay for the expenses of the conference. Whatever we have left over, we give to the pastor who organizes the conference. He is a man of impeccable integrity and we trust him to use it wisely. He always sends us a nice report, detailing all of the ways that those funds were used to help out families and churches.
That year, I took out a couple of hundred dollars, before giving the rest to our friend. I told him that I had someone in particular I wanted to give it to. When I told him who I was talking about, he said, “That’s a very good decision. They can surely use it.” Before I left the conference, I handed the money to that pastor with all of the foster children. He looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, “I think we can feed them for a month with this.”
My cold was still lingering, but my attitude adjustment was complete. I wasn’t whining or complaining anymore. I was lifted up by the joyful heart that I saw in my South African friend. In the fifth chapter of his first letter to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul gives some final words to the church of Thessalonica.
He tells the people to support their leaders and to build up their fellow church members. Then he talks to them about having the right attitude. He says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” This is a message that I try to remember whenever I start to feel sorry for myself.
God has greatly blessed me and my family. So I will give thanks to him with my life and my attitude. And I will share his blessings with others. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about when I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/KMTmZKotTYw
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 94 – Thursday, June 18, 2020
Read Luke 15:11-32
Theme Verse: “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20)
Many years ago, in one of my previous churches, I met a young man named Gary (not his real name). His grandparents brought him to church and confirmation class when he was in seventh grade. But his attendance was very infrequent. You see, Gary was living with his mom. His mom had grown up in the church, but then she fell away. So her parents, Gary’s grandparents, were doing their best to share Jesus with Gary and connect him to the church. But without their daughter’s cooperation, it was difficult.
But then, in the summer between Gary’s seventh and eighth grade years, the whole situation changed. Gary’s mom was arrested. She had been dealing drugs out of their mobile home and had been caught in a sting. She would end up serving three years in prison. Gary’s dad was already in prison on drug and assault charges. He still had several years to serve on his sentence.
Fortunately, the court allowed Gary’s grandparents to take legal custody of him. So he moved into their home. They were a wonderful Christian couple. They loved their daughter and they had raised her in the faith. Their one regret was that they had not intervened when she started hanging out with some friends that they thought were a bad influence on her. That circle of friends led to a bad relationship with a guy. That guy introduced her to drugs. And the drugs led to her life spinning out of control.
So they were determined to do better with Gary. Now that they were in control, they brought him to church every Sunday and to confirmation classes every Wednesday. They also brought him to the junior high youth group events, so that he would develop friendships with the other church kids. So I started seeing Gary several times a week. At first, he was a little sullen and rebellious. But over the course of his eighth grade year, he really opened up and became part of the group.
When he got into high school, his involvement in the church continued. He attended my high school Sunday school class every Sunday morning and my high school Bible study every Sunday night. He was a very bright kid and people really liked him. He regularly talked about his relationship with Christ. He became one of the most active kids in our youth group.
In his sophomore year, Gary got involved in Synod activities. In our denomination, a “synod” was a regional district. Our district covered all of central and southern Illinois—most of the state, south of I-80. Gary volunteered for the Synod youth committee and started attending meetings. I was one of the adult leaders on that committee, so he would travel with me.
When we had our Synod youth gathering during his sophomore year, Gary was elected to be one of our Synod youth representatives to the denomination’s national youth convention. The convention took place during the national youth gathering that was held every three years.
We took a large group to the gathering that year and Gary had a great time. He attended all of the large group events with our church group. But then, while we were enjoying our free time, Gary was attending the national convention sessions, representing our synod. And he loved it! He came home filled with confidence and ready to be a leader.
But then his life changed again. Shortly after we got back from the national youth gathering, Gary’s mom was released from prison. She moved into a mobile home park and immediately petitioned the court for custody of Gary, who had just turned 16. Custody was granted and Gary left his grandparents’ home and moved back in with his mom. And it was like he dropped off the face of the earth.
His mom had no phone at first, so I couldn’t call him. I went over to the mobile home several times. Usually, no one would answer the door when I knocked. Sometimes his mom would answer and tell me that he wasn’t home. A few times, Gary answered the door and we would have an awkward conversation.
The kids in our youth group tried to reach out to Gary at school, but he brushed them off. They said that he was starting to hang out with a new group of friends. He came to church with his grandparents at Christmas, but he would barely talk to me. I could feel him falling away, but I didn’t know how to stop it.
Then, in the summer after Gary’s junior year, I got a call from his grandparents. Gary had been arrested. He and some of his new “friends” had decided to break into a business and steal some things. The police caught Gary as he came out the back door with his arms full of stuff. His friends managed to escape out another entrance and run away. But Gary was put in a squad car, booked at the county jail, and then sent to the juvenile detention center.
The county sheriff at the time happened to be a member of my church, so he made a call to the detention center and I was able to see Gary. He just hung his head in shame. He couldn’t look at me. But I told him that God loved him and I loved him. And I told him that I would be there for him. I prayed for him before I left and I told him that I would be back.
The authorities held him for a while. They were trying to get him to name the other guys who were with him that night, but he never did. So I kept going back to see him. On about my third visit, he said to me, “You know, the funny thing is, none of my friends has called me or even written me a note.” I knew that he was talking about the new friends that he had made in the last year, the friends that he was protecting. But his comment gave me an idea.
Our youth Bible study group had already been praying for Gary. But at the next meeting, I asked them to do something else. I brought blank cards, envelopes, colored markers, and stamps with me. I also had the address to the juvenile detention center. I asked everyone in the group, even the younger ones who didn’t know Gary, to write him a note of encouragement.
The kids wrote some fantastic note, with Bible verses and drawings and promises to keep praying for Gary. They all addressed and stamped their envelopes and I mailed them the next day. Then a few days later, I went to see Gary. He was like a changed person! His new friends had turned their backs on him. But his Christian friends were still there for him. When Gary was finally released from detention, he went back to living with his grandparents. He also came back to the church and to the youth group. His life was back on the right track.
The youth of the church had reminded Gary that, even if the world turns against you, God is always right there for you. Even if you walk away from him, he doesn’t walk away from you. He waits patiently for you to come home. That was the lesson that Jesus was teaching in the parable of the prodigal son.
The prodigal son had demanded his portion of the inheritance from his father. He had then left home, never planning to go back. But after the inheritance was gone, when he was at the lowest point of his life, he remembered the love of his father. But, of course, he had hurt his father deeply when he left. His father was probably very angry with him. So he decided to go back home and grovel before his father and plead with him for a job as a hired hand.
But in the most powerful sentence of the parable, we read that, “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” I get choked up every time I read that line.
And that’s what those cards from the youth group were for Gary. They were the embrace of God, welcoming him back home. And he’s always there for you, too. Even if you mess up. Even if you walk away. Whenever you come to your senses and come back home, God is waiting for you. He has always loved you and he always will. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking of as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/E3McBWuZiuE
Day 94 – Thursday, June 18, 2020
Read Luke 15:11-32
Theme Verse: “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20)
Many years ago, in one of my previous churches, I met a young man named Gary (not his real name). His grandparents brought him to church and confirmation class when he was in seventh grade. But his attendance was very infrequent. You see, Gary was living with his mom. His mom had grown up in the church, but then she fell away. So her parents, Gary’s grandparents, were doing their best to share Jesus with Gary and connect him to the church. But without their daughter’s cooperation, it was difficult.
But then, in the summer between Gary’s seventh and eighth grade years, the whole situation changed. Gary’s mom was arrested. She had been dealing drugs out of their mobile home and had been caught in a sting. She would end up serving three years in prison. Gary’s dad was already in prison on drug and assault charges. He still had several years to serve on his sentence.
Fortunately, the court allowed Gary’s grandparents to take legal custody of him. So he moved into their home. They were a wonderful Christian couple. They loved their daughter and they had raised her in the faith. Their one regret was that they had not intervened when she started hanging out with some friends that they thought were a bad influence on her. That circle of friends led to a bad relationship with a guy. That guy introduced her to drugs. And the drugs led to her life spinning out of control.
So they were determined to do better with Gary. Now that they were in control, they brought him to church every Sunday and to confirmation classes every Wednesday. They also brought him to the junior high youth group events, so that he would develop friendships with the other church kids. So I started seeing Gary several times a week. At first, he was a little sullen and rebellious. But over the course of his eighth grade year, he really opened up and became part of the group.
When he got into high school, his involvement in the church continued. He attended my high school Sunday school class every Sunday morning and my high school Bible study every Sunday night. He was a very bright kid and people really liked him. He regularly talked about his relationship with Christ. He became one of the most active kids in our youth group.
In his sophomore year, Gary got involved in Synod activities. In our denomination, a “synod” was a regional district. Our district covered all of central and southern Illinois—most of the state, south of I-80. Gary volunteered for the Synod youth committee and started attending meetings. I was one of the adult leaders on that committee, so he would travel with me.
When we had our Synod youth gathering during his sophomore year, Gary was elected to be one of our Synod youth representatives to the denomination’s national youth convention. The convention took place during the national youth gathering that was held every three years.
We took a large group to the gathering that year and Gary had a great time. He attended all of the large group events with our church group. But then, while we were enjoying our free time, Gary was attending the national convention sessions, representing our synod. And he loved it! He came home filled with confidence and ready to be a leader.
But then his life changed again. Shortly after we got back from the national youth gathering, Gary’s mom was released from prison. She moved into a mobile home park and immediately petitioned the court for custody of Gary, who had just turned 16. Custody was granted and Gary left his grandparents’ home and moved back in with his mom. And it was like he dropped off the face of the earth.
His mom had no phone at first, so I couldn’t call him. I went over to the mobile home several times. Usually, no one would answer the door when I knocked. Sometimes his mom would answer and tell me that he wasn’t home. A few times, Gary answered the door and we would have an awkward conversation.
The kids in our youth group tried to reach out to Gary at school, but he brushed them off. They said that he was starting to hang out with a new group of friends. He came to church with his grandparents at Christmas, but he would barely talk to me. I could feel him falling away, but I didn’t know how to stop it.
Then, in the summer after Gary’s junior year, I got a call from his grandparents. Gary had been arrested. He and some of his new “friends” had decided to break into a business and steal some things. The police caught Gary as he came out the back door with his arms full of stuff. His friends managed to escape out another entrance and run away. But Gary was put in a squad car, booked at the county jail, and then sent to the juvenile detention center.
The county sheriff at the time happened to be a member of my church, so he made a call to the detention center and I was able to see Gary. He just hung his head in shame. He couldn’t look at me. But I told him that God loved him and I loved him. And I told him that I would be there for him. I prayed for him before I left and I told him that I would be back.
The authorities held him for a while. They were trying to get him to name the other guys who were with him that night, but he never did. So I kept going back to see him. On about my third visit, he said to me, “You know, the funny thing is, none of my friends has called me or even written me a note.” I knew that he was talking about the new friends that he had made in the last year, the friends that he was protecting. But his comment gave me an idea.
Our youth Bible study group had already been praying for Gary. But at the next meeting, I asked them to do something else. I brought blank cards, envelopes, colored markers, and stamps with me. I also had the address to the juvenile detention center. I asked everyone in the group, even the younger ones who didn’t know Gary, to write him a note of encouragement.
The kids wrote some fantastic note, with Bible verses and drawings and promises to keep praying for Gary. They all addressed and stamped their envelopes and I mailed them the next day. Then a few days later, I went to see Gary. He was like a changed person! His new friends had turned their backs on him. But his Christian friends were still there for him. When Gary was finally released from detention, he went back to living with his grandparents. He also came back to the church and to the youth group. His life was back on the right track.
The youth of the church had reminded Gary that, even if the world turns against you, God is always right there for you. Even if you walk away from him, he doesn’t walk away from you. He waits patiently for you to come home. That was the lesson that Jesus was teaching in the parable of the prodigal son.
The prodigal son had demanded his portion of the inheritance from his father. He had then left home, never planning to go back. But after the inheritance was gone, when he was at the lowest point of his life, he remembered the love of his father. But, of course, he had hurt his father deeply when he left. His father was probably very angry with him. So he decided to go back home and grovel before his father and plead with him for a job as a hired hand.
But in the most powerful sentence of the parable, we read that, “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” I get choked up every time I read that line.
And that’s what those cards from the youth group were for Gary. They were the embrace of God, welcoming him back home. And he’s always there for you, too. Even if you mess up. Even if you walk away. Whenever you come to your senses and come back home, God is waiting for you. He has always loved you and he always will. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking of as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/E3McBWuZiuE
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 93 – Wednesday, June 17, 2020
Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 and Romans 8:37-39
Theme Verse: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Well, it feels like it’s about time to start winding down The Pandemic Pulpit. We’ve started doing outdoor worship services already. But we hope to begin worshiping in the sanctuary in the not too distant future. When we move indoors, we will have a number of safety protocols in place to make it less likely that people will spread the virus.
One of the safety measures that we will take is to offer two different worship opportunities, so that we can reduce the number of people in the sanctuary at any one time. Whenever we get back to indoor worship, we will invite people to come at one of two times. They can come on Saturday at 9:30 a.m., when we will be taping the service to post on our website, or they can come at the regular time of Sunday at 9:30 a.m.
Of course, the single most important protocol will be for people to stay home if they have any of the symptoms of COVID-19. Also, people who have underlying conditions that make them more susceptible will probably have to avoid large gatherings until there is a vaccine available. So those folks will not be able to physically attend church for a while. But we hope that most people will be worshiping in person, in the sanctuary, very soon.
So that’s one reason to stop doing The Pandemic Pulpit. We’re starting to take a few steps back toward normal activity. When I started writing the devotions in March, we were all pretty much stuck inside. Schools were closed, most businesses were closed, the weather was cold and rainy, and we didn’t know a lot about the virus. So I wrote every day as a way to stay in touch with the members of our church.
Now the weather is nicer, more and more businesses are open, and people who were on furlough have started to go back to work. So I’ve begun to see church members more often. Some folks are stopping by the church office. I’ve also seen members out in the community. And, of course, I saw many people at the drive-in worship service. If I stop writing the devotions, I’ll have more time for those interactions and I will have more time to connect by phone with those who are still shut in. So that’s one reason to end the daily devotions.
But a second reason to end The Pandemic Pulpit is simply that I’m running out of ideas! With a few exceptions, I’ve tried to write original devotions which draw on stories from my own life and experience. The trick is to find a story that I can turn into a biblical lesson. Then I choose some Bible passages that I can connect to the story and a hymn or song that adds a nice musical ending. By the time I’ve pulled it all together, I’ve spent several hours on each devotion.
And that time has gotten longer as I continue to search my memory for new devotional ideas. At first, the stories came easily. There are certain events in my life that were very powerful or important moments for me. God used those events to shape me into the person and the pastor that I am today. It was easy to write those stories. They sort poured out of me. But when those bigger stories were all told, I started looking for the smaller events in my life for inspiration.
Those events were sometimes difficult to turn into devotional material. Sometimes I would start writing a story and I would say to myself, “How in the world can I make a faith lesson out of this?” One time I started writing about when two of my friends and I went swimming in the town water tower, when we were in high school. I had fun writing the story, but then I couldn’t relate it to anything important. So I scrapped it and started over with a fresh idea. So you can see how the process would get slower and slower as the days and weeks went by.
And finally, a third reason why I wanted to end The Pandemic Pulpit is that I’m hoping to take a few days off this summer. The devotional writing has brought me into the office every day during the COVID-19 shutdown. I’m so thankful that Pastor Norm volunteered to do one of the devotions each week. Monday is my normal day off, so Pastor Norm has been writing every Monday. That has allowed me to have that day of rest each week.
But now it’s summer, when things should be getting a little bit slower. So I’m hoping to take a few vacation days and do some things that I’ve been wanting to do since this craziness began. And the only way to do that is to end the daily devotions, so that I don’t have that task hanging over my head every day.
Of course, I’ll still be writing a sermon every week, as I’ve been doing all along. But the six devotions have been like writing two or three extra sermons each week. That doesn’t leave much time for anything else. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve enjoyed writing these devotions. But the time has come to let it go.
So I’m going to end with Day 100, on Wednesday, June 24th. This means that, after today, there will be seven more editions of The Pandemic Pulpit, six written by me and one written by Pastor Norm. Throughout the rest of the summer, if I happen to think of something that would make a good devotion, I might write another entry here or there. But it won’t be a regular thing.
So how do I turn this into a biblical lesson? That’s the question every day. And the Bible verse that was on my mind as I wrote this was Ecclesiastes 3:1, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”
Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon, the third king of Israel and the last to rule over a united kingdom. After his death, there would be a civil war which would divide the Israelites into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah.
Solomon wrote this book near the end of his life, somewhere around 930 B.C. We know this because it has the sound and feel of a man looking back on his life and evaluating his choices. Solomon was a man of great wisdom. He took the kingdom that his father David had built and turned it into one of the most powerful and prosperous nations on the earth at that time. But Solomon also frittered away much of his adult life on the temporary pleasures of the world.
One of the most frequently used words in the book is usually translated into English as “vanity.” But it literally means “breath” or “vapor.” Sometimes it is translated as “fleeting.” Solomon realized that everything in this world is temporary. Time on this earth is very short. And he had wasted much of his life on things that were not very important. So Ecclesiastes is a sad book. But it’s also a book filled with wisdom.
And one of the greatest insights of the book is the understanding that life is a series of “seasons.” There are times in our lives that come and go, never to return. Our children are only little once, so we’d better enjoy that season, even if we’re really busy at the time. And when they are teenagers, we’d better find a way to relate to them and stay involved in their lives, because they leave the nest far too soon.
Every good season should be enjoyed to the fullest, because it will soon become only a memory. And every difficult season should be endured with hope, because we know that it will not last forever. And through all the seasons of our lives, we should cling to the God who does not change and to the promises which do not fade. Our lives in this world are fleeting. But by God’s grace, our lives in the next world are eternal.
So the time of the strict COVID-19 lockdown is fading. It’s not gone yet, but it’s on the way out. For some who are more vulnerable, it will last until there is a vaccine. But that day will come. There will be a season for the vaccine.
In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy one of the summers that I have remaining in my earthly life. And so, next week, I will say goodbye to The Pandemic Pulpit. I’ll try to pull a few more stories out of my memory, but then its season will come to an end. And the next season is in God’s hands. Who knows, maybe that season will even include a little baseball. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking of when I wrote this devotion. It was written by Pete Seeger, based upon Ecclesiastes 3. But the most well-known version was by group called The Byrds.
https://youtu.be/pKP4cfU28vM
Day 93 – Wednesday, June 17, 2020
Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 and Romans 8:37-39
Theme Verse: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Well, it feels like it’s about time to start winding down The Pandemic Pulpit. We’ve started doing outdoor worship services already. But we hope to begin worshiping in the sanctuary in the not too distant future. When we move indoors, we will have a number of safety protocols in place to make it less likely that people will spread the virus.
One of the safety measures that we will take is to offer two different worship opportunities, so that we can reduce the number of people in the sanctuary at any one time. Whenever we get back to indoor worship, we will invite people to come at one of two times. They can come on Saturday at 9:30 a.m., when we will be taping the service to post on our website, or they can come at the regular time of Sunday at 9:30 a.m.
Of course, the single most important protocol will be for people to stay home if they have any of the symptoms of COVID-19. Also, people who have underlying conditions that make them more susceptible will probably have to avoid large gatherings until there is a vaccine available. So those folks will not be able to physically attend church for a while. But we hope that most people will be worshiping in person, in the sanctuary, very soon.
So that’s one reason to stop doing The Pandemic Pulpit. We’re starting to take a few steps back toward normal activity. When I started writing the devotions in March, we were all pretty much stuck inside. Schools were closed, most businesses were closed, the weather was cold and rainy, and we didn’t know a lot about the virus. So I wrote every day as a way to stay in touch with the members of our church.
Now the weather is nicer, more and more businesses are open, and people who were on furlough have started to go back to work. So I’ve begun to see church members more often. Some folks are stopping by the church office. I’ve also seen members out in the community. And, of course, I saw many people at the drive-in worship service. If I stop writing the devotions, I’ll have more time for those interactions and I will have more time to connect by phone with those who are still shut in. So that’s one reason to end the daily devotions.
But a second reason to end The Pandemic Pulpit is simply that I’m running out of ideas! With a few exceptions, I’ve tried to write original devotions which draw on stories from my own life and experience. The trick is to find a story that I can turn into a biblical lesson. Then I choose some Bible passages that I can connect to the story and a hymn or song that adds a nice musical ending. By the time I’ve pulled it all together, I’ve spent several hours on each devotion.
And that time has gotten longer as I continue to search my memory for new devotional ideas. At first, the stories came easily. There are certain events in my life that were very powerful or important moments for me. God used those events to shape me into the person and the pastor that I am today. It was easy to write those stories. They sort poured out of me. But when those bigger stories were all told, I started looking for the smaller events in my life for inspiration.
Those events were sometimes difficult to turn into devotional material. Sometimes I would start writing a story and I would say to myself, “How in the world can I make a faith lesson out of this?” One time I started writing about when two of my friends and I went swimming in the town water tower, when we were in high school. I had fun writing the story, but then I couldn’t relate it to anything important. So I scrapped it and started over with a fresh idea. So you can see how the process would get slower and slower as the days and weeks went by.
And finally, a third reason why I wanted to end The Pandemic Pulpit is that I’m hoping to take a few days off this summer. The devotional writing has brought me into the office every day during the COVID-19 shutdown. I’m so thankful that Pastor Norm volunteered to do one of the devotions each week. Monday is my normal day off, so Pastor Norm has been writing every Monday. That has allowed me to have that day of rest each week.
But now it’s summer, when things should be getting a little bit slower. So I’m hoping to take a few vacation days and do some things that I’ve been wanting to do since this craziness began. And the only way to do that is to end the daily devotions, so that I don’t have that task hanging over my head every day.
Of course, I’ll still be writing a sermon every week, as I’ve been doing all along. But the six devotions have been like writing two or three extra sermons each week. That doesn’t leave much time for anything else. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve enjoyed writing these devotions. But the time has come to let it go.
So I’m going to end with Day 100, on Wednesday, June 24th. This means that, after today, there will be seven more editions of The Pandemic Pulpit, six written by me and one written by Pastor Norm. Throughout the rest of the summer, if I happen to think of something that would make a good devotion, I might write another entry here or there. But it won’t be a regular thing.
So how do I turn this into a biblical lesson? That’s the question every day. And the Bible verse that was on my mind as I wrote this was Ecclesiastes 3:1, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”
Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon, the third king of Israel and the last to rule over a united kingdom. After his death, there would be a civil war which would divide the Israelites into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah.
Solomon wrote this book near the end of his life, somewhere around 930 B.C. We know this because it has the sound and feel of a man looking back on his life and evaluating his choices. Solomon was a man of great wisdom. He took the kingdom that his father David had built and turned it into one of the most powerful and prosperous nations on the earth at that time. But Solomon also frittered away much of his adult life on the temporary pleasures of the world.
One of the most frequently used words in the book is usually translated into English as “vanity.” But it literally means “breath” or “vapor.” Sometimes it is translated as “fleeting.” Solomon realized that everything in this world is temporary. Time on this earth is very short. And he had wasted much of his life on things that were not very important. So Ecclesiastes is a sad book. But it’s also a book filled with wisdom.
And one of the greatest insights of the book is the understanding that life is a series of “seasons.” There are times in our lives that come and go, never to return. Our children are only little once, so we’d better enjoy that season, even if we’re really busy at the time. And when they are teenagers, we’d better find a way to relate to them and stay involved in their lives, because they leave the nest far too soon.
Every good season should be enjoyed to the fullest, because it will soon become only a memory. And every difficult season should be endured with hope, because we know that it will not last forever. And through all the seasons of our lives, we should cling to the God who does not change and to the promises which do not fade. Our lives in this world are fleeting. But by God’s grace, our lives in the next world are eternal.
So the time of the strict COVID-19 lockdown is fading. It’s not gone yet, but it’s on the way out. For some who are more vulnerable, it will last until there is a vaccine. But that day will come. There will be a season for the vaccine.
In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy one of the summers that I have remaining in my earthly life. And so, next week, I will say goodbye to The Pandemic Pulpit. I’ll try to pull a few more stories out of my memory, but then its season will come to an end. And the next season is in God’s hands. Who knows, maybe that season will even include a little baseball. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking of when I wrote this devotion. It was written by Pete Seeger, based upon Ecclesiastes 3. But the most well-known version was by group called The Byrds.
https://youtu.be/pKP4cfU28vM
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 92 – Tuesday, June 16, 2020
Read Matthew 28:16-20 and Psalm 47
Theme Verse: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)
This past Sunday was an important milestone in our church’s return from COVID-19 isolation. We had our first drive-in, outdoor worship service. Woo Hoo! The weather was absolutely beautiful. Many people brought lawn chairs and sat on the front lawn of the church—socially distanced, of course. Others stayed in their cars and worshiped from the parking lot.
I was standing on a hay rack that was loaned to the church by Dale Fiste. It worked perfectly. I was positioned near the east entrance of the church parking lot, under the shade of one of the trees. From there, I could look to my right and see the folks in their cars. And I could look to my left and see the folks on the lawn.
After some prelude music, we did a brief opening liturgy, including the order of Confession and Absolution. Then I did the Scripture readings for the day. That was followed by a Children’s Sermon. It was a little odd speaking to the kids when I was standing so far away from them. But for the past three months, I’ve been speaking to a group of stuffed animals, who were filling in for the kids. So it was nice to see the real faces, even if it was from a distance.
After the Children’s Sermon, we played the hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” That was followed by the Sermon. Then we confessed our faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed. After that, we played another hymn, “Blessed Assurance.” Following the hymn, I did the prayers of the church, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Benediction. Then there was some postlude music as people gathered up their things and prepared to leave.
We used a short range FM transmitter, set to a frequency on the far left of the radio dial. People in their cars were able to tune in to their radios and hear the service. Most of those on the lawn brought their own radios. But we also had a large boom box set up, for those who did not have a radio. Everyone said that they could hear the service very well.
I enjoyed going around before the service, visiting with people, even though I had to stay several feet away. I also walked around after the service and waved goodbye to everyone. Next Sunday (June 21st), we’re going to do Holy Communion. We’ve purchased several hundred self-contained personal communion packets. Each packet contains a single communion wafer and a cup of grape juice with a peel-off top.
I will do the communion liturgy from the hay rack. Then, volunteers wearing masks and gloves will distribute the packets to those who want to partake. Those who are not comfortable taking communion at this time can simply refrain. We’ll ask people to hold their bread and juice until everyone has theirs, then we’ll all commune together. It’s not the normal way of doing communion, but it’s the best that we can do right now.
If it rains on Sunday (there is a possibility in the forecast), then I will stand under the awning on the north side of the church. You can then park your cars facing south. You won’t be in the parking lot lines (which run east to west), but I think you’ll be able to figure it out. If it doesn’t look like rain, I’ll be on the hay rack.
This is what we’ll do until we are able to come back together in the building. Even then, we’ll have lots of protocols in place to keep ourselves socially distant and to sanitize the things that we touch. And through it all, we’ll continue to tape our services for those who wish to remain at home. Right now, I am taping on Saturday morning, and the video is loaded onto our church website at flcprinceton.org
on Saturday night.
When I think about this unusual way of doing worship, I think back to my trip to Juba, South Sudan, in the fall of 2013. In a previous devotion, I talked about my seventh and final trip to Sudan in 2012. Bob Yarbrough and I had been doing pastor training events there for several years, in the capital city of Khartoum. It was one of the few opportunities for the Christian pastors, living in that Muslim nation, to gather together for fellowship and for continuing education.
But in 2012, the Sudanese government started to crack down on Christian activities. Bob and I were nearly arrested, as I talked about in that devotion. And even though we did manage to safely leave the country, it was clear that we were not going to be allowed to enter again. That door was closed. And to this day, we continue to think about and pray for the Christians living in Sudan.
But in 2013, we were contacted by a Christian medical doctor from the nation of South Sudan. South Sudan is still the newest country in the world. After years of civil war in Sudan, the southern quarter of the country was allowed to break away and form a new nation on July 9, 2011. They chose the city of Juba as their capital.
The doctor who contacted us had attended several of the conferences in Khartoum. He was eager for us to come to South Sudan, to do a training event for the Christian pastors there. Whereas the nation of Sudan is only about 5% Christian, South Sudan is about 60% Christian. Persecution by the government would not be the issue in Juba. The biggest problems would be extreme poverty and tribal warfare.
But we were able to make it happen! With help from our doctor friend, we found a venue and got the word out to the pastors. Donations from my previous church in Lindenhurst covered all of the expenses for all of the conference attendees. It was a rare chance for them to get together with other pastors, to build each other up, and to learn more about biblical theology and practical church concerns.
That trip also gave me some insight into the way that the South Sudanese churches worship. Very few of the churches have buildings. A few do, but they are in the minority. A number of churches worship in large tents or open pole buildings. But the vast majority of churches worship outdoors, under the shade of large trees. Those same trees are also used for school classrooms and community gathering places.
It never gets too cold to worship outside in South Sudan, although it can sometimes get pretty hot. Juba is only 335 miles from the equator, so the climate is tropical. Since they are north of the equator, their seasons are technically the same as ours. But in a strange twist, their winters are slightly warmer than their summers. Their coldest month is July, when the average low temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit and the average high is 88 degrees. Their warmest month is February, with the average low at 71 and the average high at 100.
The bigger problem is rain. In Juba, it can rain any time between March and November, but the heaviest rains are in the months of April and May. Their annual precipitation is about the same as ours. So in the rainy months, outdoor worship can be a challenge. But the pastors told us that they almost never cancel worship. Sometimes it’s very hot and sometimes it’s raining, but they just gather under the large trees and praise the Lord!
Every Sunday, Christians all over the world gather together, to worship Jesus Christ in many different settings. They worship in large cathedrals and in small house churches. They worship in cold climates and in tropical climates. They worship in countries with religious freedom and in countries where they face persecution. And in some places, they even worship outside, in the shade of the trees.
When Jesus sent the disciples out into the world, to share the gospel, he said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” But I don’t think they could have imagined what that would really mean.
We think that the Christian Church is in decline, because of falling worship attendance in the United States. But there are many places around the world where the Church is growing at an amazing rate. Christianity is not dying simply because America is losing interest. The Holy Spirit is at work around the world, growing churches wherever there are people of faith. And South Sudan is one of those places.
May God bless you this Sunday, as you worship your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Maybe you will be worshiping in your home, watching the church service online. Maybe you are a member of a church that is going back into the sanctuary this week, and you plan to be there. Maybe you haven’t been to church in a long time, and you’ve been thinking that it’s a good time to go back.
Whatever you do, I pray that you will make worship part of your weekly routine, from this point forward. And if you’re close to Princeton, and you would enjoy worshiping outdoors this Sunday, we would love to have you. You can stay in your car or you can join us under one of the trees. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking of as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/nx0rCabJ16c
Day 92 – Tuesday, June 16, 2020
Read Matthew 28:16-20 and Psalm 47
Theme Verse: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)
This past Sunday was an important milestone in our church’s return from COVID-19 isolation. We had our first drive-in, outdoor worship service. Woo Hoo! The weather was absolutely beautiful. Many people brought lawn chairs and sat on the front lawn of the church—socially distanced, of course. Others stayed in their cars and worshiped from the parking lot.
I was standing on a hay rack that was loaned to the church by Dale Fiste. It worked perfectly. I was positioned near the east entrance of the church parking lot, under the shade of one of the trees. From there, I could look to my right and see the folks in their cars. And I could look to my left and see the folks on the lawn.
After some prelude music, we did a brief opening liturgy, including the order of Confession and Absolution. Then I did the Scripture readings for the day. That was followed by a Children’s Sermon. It was a little odd speaking to the kids when I was standing so far away from them. But for the past three months, I’ve been speaking to a group of stuffed animals, who were filling in for the kids. So it was nice to see the real faces, even if it was from a distance.
After the Children’s Sermon, we played the hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” That was followed by the Sermon. Then we confessed our faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed. After that, we played another hymn, “Blessed Assurance.” Following the hymn, I did the prayers of the church, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Benediction. Then there was some postlude music as people gathered up their things and prepared to leave.
We used a short range FM transmitter, set to a frequency on the far left of the radio dial. People in their cars were able to tune in to their radios and hear the service. Most of those on the lawn brought their own radios. But we also had a large boom box set up, for those who did not have a radio. Everyone said that they could hear the service very well.
I enjoyed going around before the service, visiting with people, even though I had to stay several feet away. I also walked around after the service and waved goodbye to everyone. Next Sunday (June 21st), we’re going to do Holy Communion. We’ve purchased several hundred self-contained personal communion packets. Each packet contains a single communion wafer and a cup of grape juice with a peel-off top.
I will do the communion liturgy from the hay rack. Then, volunteers wearing masks and gloves will distribute the packets to those who want to partake. Those who are not comfortable taking communion at this time can simply refrain. We’ll ask people to hold their bread and juice until everyone has theirs, then we’ll all commune together. It’s not the normal way of doing communion, but it’s the best that we can do right now.
If it rains on Sunday (there is a possibility in the forecast), then I will stand under the awning on the north side of the church. You can then park your cars facing south. You won’t be in the parking lot lines (which run east to west), but I think you’ll be able to figure it out. If it doesn’t look like rain, I’ll be on the hay rack.
This is what we’ll do until we are able to come back together in the building. Even then, we’ll have lots of protocols in place to keep ourselves socially distant and to sanitize the things that we touch. And through it all, we’ll continue to tape our services for those who wish to remain at home. Right now, I am taping on Saturday morning, and the video is loaded onto our church website at flcprinceton.org
on Saturday night.
When I think about this unusual way of doing worship, I think back to my trip to Juba, South Sudan, in the fall of 2013. In a previous devotion, I talked about my seventh and final trip to Sudan in 2012. Bob Yarbrough and I had been doing pastor training events there for several years, in the capital city of Khartoum. It was one of the few opportunities for the Christian pastors, living in that Muslim nation, to gather together for fellowship and for continuing education.
But in 2012, the Sudanese government started to crack down on Christian activities. Bob and I were nearly arrested, as I talked about in that devotion. And even though we did manage to safely leave the country, it was clear that we were not going to be allowed to enter again. That door was closed. And to this day, we continue to think about and pray for the Christians living in Sudan.
But in 2013, we were contacted by a Christian medical doctor from the nation of South Sudan. South Sudan is still the newest country in the world. After years of civil war in Sudan, the southern quarter of the country was allowed to break away and form a new nation on July 9, 2011. They chose the city of Juba as their capital.
The doctor who contacted us had attended several of the conferences in Khartoum. He was eager for us to come to South Sudan, to do a training event for the Christian pastors there. Whereas the nation of Sudan is only about 5% Christian, South Sudan is about 60% Christian. Persecution by the government would not be the issue in Juba. The biggest problems would be extreme poverty and tribal warfare.
But we were able to make it happen! With help from our doctor friend, we found a venue and got the word out to the pastors. Donations from my previous church in Lindenhurst covered all of the expenses for all of the conference attendees. It was a rare chance for them to get together with other pastors, to build each other up, and to learn more about biblical theology and practical church concerns.
That trip also gave me some insight into the way that the South Sudanese churches worship. Very few of the churches have buildings. A few do, but they are in the minority. A number of churches worship in large tents or open pole buildings. But the vast majority of churches worship outdoors, under the shade of large trees. Those same trees are also used for school classrooms and community gathering places.
It never gets too cold to worship outside in South Sudan, although it can sometimes get pretty hot. Juba is only 335 miles from the equator, so the climate is tropical. Since they are north of the equator, their seasons are technically the same as ours. But in a strange twist, their winters are slightly warmer than their summers. Their coldest month is July, when the average low temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit and the average high is 88 degrees. Their warmest month is February, with the average low at 71 and the average high at 100.
The bigger problem is rain. In Juba, it can rain any time between March and November, but the heaviest rains are in the months of April and May. Their annual precipitation is about the same as ours. So in the rainy months, outdoor worship can be a challenge. But the pastors told us that they almost never cancel worship. Sometimes it’s very hot and sometimes it’s raining, but they just gather under the large trees and praise the Lord!
Every Sunday, Christians all over the world gather together, to worship Jesus Christ in many different settings. They worship in large cathedrals and in small house churches. They worship in cold climates and in tropical climates. They worship in countries with religious freedom and in countries where they face persecution. And in some places, they even worship outside, in the shade of the trees.
When Jesus sent the disciples out into the world, to share the gospel, he said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” But I don’t think they could have imagined what that would really mean.
We think that the Christian Church is in decline, because of falling worship attendance in the United States. But there are many places around the world where the Church is growing at an amazing rate. Christianity is not dying simply because America is losing interest. The Holy Spirit is at work around the world, growing churches wherever there are people of faith. And South Sudan is one of those places.
May God bless you this Sunday, as you worship your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Maybe you will be worshiping in your home, watching the church service online. Maybe you are a member of a church that is going back into the sanctuary this week, and you plan to be there. Maybe you haven’t been to church in a long time, and you’ve been thinking that it’s a good time to go back.
Whatever you do, I pray that you will make worship part of your weekly routine, from this point forward. And if you’re close to Princeton, and you would enjoy worshiping outdoors this Sunday, we would love to have you. You can stay in your car or you can join us under one of the trees. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking of as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/nx0rCabJ16c
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)*
Day 91 – Monday, June 15, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read Exodus 16:1-5
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
I want to begin with Exodus 16:1-5 (NIV). “The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. In the desert, the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.’ Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day, they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.’”
As summer approaches, I’ve been thinking back to some of our grand family vacations. For about 10 years, we had this motor home that we’d load up with clothes, food, kids, and tool box and venture off for two to three weeks. We went east to tour our nation’s capital (and the kids remember how I got lost on some narrow, colonial-era streets in Georgetown). There was the trip to Yellowstone (where the guys recall our rolling home being invaded by an aggressive chipmunk). We had that great journey to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas (but they’ll tell you about losing our air conditioning in the desert or burning out the front brakes descending a mountain outside of Santa Fe). I thought we showed resourcefulness by being able to change out a fuel pump in a parts store parking lot in Dearborn (although one son still recalls hearing gunfire and tersely saying, “Dad, hurry up!”). The boys love to recall how an unfortunate chain of events had said motor home backing over a drop-off, or the white knuckle trip over the mountains on “Oh My God Road” near Idaho Springs, CO, or how we lost 5 out of 8 lug nuts coming through West Virginia. They also tell a story (of disputed truth) claiming that I headed the RV out of a rest area with their mother standing on the sidewalk. Neither Karen nor I believe that really happened. If you listen to my children, Clark Griswold has nothing on me! As much as I loved all our grand travels, the younger two had many complaints and few kind words for our “beloved” RV adventures.
They would fit in well with the crew led by Moses and Aaron. The Lord had set them free from slavery, defeated Pharaoh’s army, led them through a sea, and headed them toward a promised land. But in the second month of hiking through desert heat, they saw the problems. Scarce food, limited water, lots of heat, and a difficult journey ahead. So they complained and told stories. They remembered the good old days back in Egypt. An endless supply of savory meats and plentiful food. They recalled just sitting around and feasting in the shade. They howled about being better off dropping dead in wonderful old Egypt rather than starving in this stinking desert. They saw the problems and had many complaints and few kind words. God’s mighty acts and gracious deliverance seemed forgotten by His children during their present difficulties.
During these past three months, I’ve heard some words reminiscent of what I heard about those RV trips—or of what Moses heard in the desert. This has been (and continues to be) a hard time. There have been complaints of being locked down. Job and income losses have been painful—while needing to work on the front lines in health care or during protests has been highly challenging. Working from home and home schooling can be rewarding—or exasperating. People lament over the loss of eating out, sports, church, shopping, and travel. Businesses face daunting challenges. We have become painfully aware of inequities in our society. This is a tough stretch of our journey and I hear that old sigh, “I wish we could get back to normal.”
Wishing for normal is deeply related to the tales of the Femrite RV—and to the trip into the desert. All involve moving into a new place and activity. All require change and generate hardships. And all seem to trigger an amnesia about what used to be. The people following Moses had been slaves in Egypt—a bitter life of endless hardship and work. The guys in our back seat forgot that, in spite of Dad’s foibles, they had seen some of the greatest wonders in the country before High School. In our pandemic journey, we forget that working from home was rare, how much we spent on gas, how ill prepared with food and supplies we were, how doctor visits somehow had to be in person, and why we needed to be out purchasing things. We forgot that we were bound to a cluster of habits that we called normal.
So what does God do as people forget his grace and goodness, and proceed with many complaints and few kind words? First of all, God listens. God hears when His people suffer and He is highly aware of their need. Then God feeds them—not on endless pots of choice meat, but with manna, the bread from heaven. It wasn’t what they wanted, but it was what they needed. God fed His people.
During these months, Karen and I have been fed. First of all, God blessed us with a good home. We’ve been sheltered in safety. Second, I realized that managing my health would be an excellent defense against possible illness. So we started walking as much as we could. We designed a menu that was low carb, healthy, and portion controlled. We found reliable, low contact sources of food. I have been blessed with weight loss and well managed diabetes. We prayed for friends and family with Covid-19, and they returned to health. Not being able to eat at nice restaurants or go out for breakfast has altered our spending in a positive way. With church buildings closed, we’ve been worshiping in Valparaiso, Princeton, Joliet, and Dallas. My small group moved to Zoom. In all these times, God has been feeding me in new ways, on what I really need. What’s really normal is not the set of circumstances and activities we had grown used to. Normal is the God who hears us, cares for us, and feeds us in new ways. And I would never wish for anything more normal than that.
Please listen and think of the God who feeds you in new ways.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYrL9ea1XUg
Day 91 – Monday, June 15, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read Exodus 16:1-5
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
I want to begin with Exodus 16:1-5 (NIV). “The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. In the desert, the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.’ Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day, they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.’”
As summer approaches, I’ve been thinking back to some of our grand family vacations. For about 10 years, we had this motor home that we’d load up with clothes, food, kids, and tool box and venture off for two to three weeks. We went east to tour our nation’s capital (and the kids remember how I got lost on some narrow, colonial-era streets in Georgetown). There was the trip to Yellowstone (where the guys recall our rolling home being invaded by an aggressive chipmunk). We had that great journey to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas (but they’ll tell you about losing our air conditioning in the desert or burning out the front brakes descending a mountain outside of Santa Fe). I thought we showed resourcefulness by being able to change out a fuel pump in a parts store parking lot in Dearborn (although one son still recalls hearing gunfire and tersely saying, “Dad, hurry up!”). The boys love to recall how an unfortunate chain of events had said motor home backing over a drop-off, or the white knuckle trip over the mountains on “Oh My God Road” near Idaho Springs, CO, or how we lost 5 out of 8 lug nuts coming through West Virginia. They also tell a story (of disputed truth) claiming that I headed the RV out of a rest area with their mother standing on the sidewalk. Neither Karen nor I believe that really happened. If you listen to my children, Clark Griswold has nothing on me! As much as I loved all our grand travels, the younger two had many complaints and few kind words for our “beloved” RV adventures.
They would fit in well with the crew led by Moses and Aaron. The Lord had set them free from slavery, defeated Pharaoh’s army, led them through a sea, and headed them toward a promised land. But in the second month of hiking through desert heat, they saw the problems. Scarce food, limited water, lots of heat, and a difficult journey ahead. So they complained and told stories. They remembered the good old days back in Egypt. An endless supply of savory meats and plentiful food. They recalled just sitting around and feasting in the shade. They howled about being better off dropping dead in wonderful old Egypt rather than starving in this stinking desert. They saw the problems and had many complaints and few kind words. God’s mighty acts and gracious deliverance seemed forgotten by His children during their present difficulties.
During these past three months, I’ve heard some words reminiscent of what I heard about those RV trips—or of what Moses heard in the desert. This has been (and continues to be) a hard time. There have been complaints of being locked down. Job and income losses have been painful—while needing to work on the front lines in health care or during protests has been highly challenging. Working from home and home schooling can be rewarding—or exasperating. People lament over the loss of eating out, sports, church, shopping, and travel. Businesses face daunting challenges. We have become painfully aware of inequities in our society. This is a tough stretch of our journey and I hear that old sigh, “I wish we could get back to normal.”
Wishing for normal is deeply related to the tales of the Femrite RV—and to the trip into the desert. All involve moving into a new place and activity. All require change and generate hardships. And all seem to trigger an amnesia about what used to be. The people following Moses had been slaves in Egypt—a bitter life of endless hardship and work. The guys in our back seat forgot that, in spite of Dad’s foibles, they had seen some of the greatest wonders in the country before High School. In our pandemic journey, we forget that working from home was rare, how much we spent on gas, how ill prepared with food and supplies we were, how doctor visits somehow had to be in person, and why we needed to be out purchasing things. We forgot that we were bound to a cluster of habits that we called normal.
So what does God do as people forget his grace and goodness, and proceed with many complaints and few kind words? First of all, God listens. God hears when His people suffer and He is highly aware of their need. Then God feeds them—not on endless pots of choice meat, but with manna, the bread from heaven. It wasn’t what they wanted, but it was what they needed. God fed His people.
During these months, Karen and I have been fed. First of all, God blessed us with a good home. We’ve been sheltered in safety. Second, I realized that managing my health would be an excellent defense against possible illness. So we started walking as much as we could. We designed a menu that was low carb, healthy, and portion controlled. We found reliable, low contact sources of food. I have been blessed with weight loss and well managed diabetes. We prayed for friends and family with Covid-19, and they returned to health. Not being able to eat at nice restaurants or go out for breakfast has altered our spending in a positive way. With church buildings closed, we’ve been worshiping in Valparaiso, Princeton, Joliet, and Dallas. My small group moved to Zoom. In all these times, God has been feeding me in new ways, on what I really need. What’s really normal is not the set of circumstances and activities we had grown used to. Normal is the God who hears us, cares for us, and feeds us in new ways. And I would never wish for anything more normal than that.
Please listen and think of the God who feeds you in new ways.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYrL9ea1XUg
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 90 – Sunday, June 14, 2020
Read 2 Timothy 1:3-7 and Proverbs 4:20-27
Theme Verse: “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” (2 Timothy 1:6)
In yesterday’s devotion, I talked about the time that Lisa and I helped our son Matt and his family move back to Illinois from Lodi, California. We flew out there and helped them finish their packing. Then Lisa, Matt’s wife Jacinda, and their newborn baby, Stella, flew back to Illinois. Matt and I drove all the way back in their car, pulling a U-Haul trailer behind us—once we got the trailer on the hitch.
But I also once made a long distance drive with our second son, Nathan, in May of 2011. After Nate graduated from high school, he tried college for a while. He went to Trinity International University, in Deerfield, Illinois, where his older siblings, Matt and Rachel, were already students. But after one year, he was done.
What he really wanted to do was play music. Nate is a great guitar player and he plays several other instruments. He had been in several bands before, so he formed another one. He got an apartment with his bandmates in Bloomington, Illinois. They traveled around the Midwest, playing gigs wherever they could find them. When he wasn’t playing music, he was delivering pizzas. But it wasn’t really working out.
So Nate came to live with us in Lindenhurst and started looking for a job. But jobs were scarce at the time. He was working here and there, playing his guitar in a few places. Finally, he got a call from one of his friends. His friend was going back to school and he wanted Nate to go with him. But it wasn’t a traditional college. It was a technical training school.
When he played in bands, Nate had often worked the sound board. So he decided to go back to school and study recording arts. It was a decision that would change the course of his life. When he finished the program, he was living with us again. But now he had some training. He knew what he was looking for.
But again, the job market was tight, especially in Chicago. One of his friends from school called him and said, “Come on out to Los Angeles. This is where all the jobs are for sound recording. And we could use another roommate to help with the rent.”
So in May of 2011, Nate was ready to move to California. I decided to take a few days off work and drive out with him. Then I would catch a flight back. So we took off early on a sunny Monday morning. The first day, we drove to my brother’s house in Kearney, Nebraska. We got there around dinner time and had a nice evening with him and his wife.
On Tuesday morning, we were on the road again. We drove about 700 miles that day and stopped at a motel in Green River, Utah. Along the way, we had a great time listening to music, talking about life and faith, and just enjoying the scenery. When we drove through the Rocky Mountains, we stopped at a spot where there was an incredible view. It was so beautiful that we just stood there for a while and soaked it all in.
When we got up on Wednesday morning, we headed south. We wanted to stop at Arches National Park and the Grand Canyon, and then make it to Las Vegas by nightfall. Arches was amazing. We had been there when the kids were little, so Nate had some vague memories of it. That’s why he wanted to stop there. After a couple of hours, we headed south again, toward Arizona.
We took a little detour over to the Four Corners Monument, where you can stand in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, all at the same time. Then we headed straight west, across northern Arizona. Our plan was to see the Grand Canyon late in the afternoon, just before sunset, and then head on to Vegas, where we would stay for the night.
But along the way, we had a blowout in one of the tires. We got the car off the road. But now came the fun part. The car was packed from front to back, all the way to the roof. In order to get to the jack, we had to take a bunch of Nate’s stuff out of the car and stack it up on the side of the road. We managed to get the tire changed, but the spare was not full-size. It was one of those mini spares that you’re not supposed to drive too far on.
So we decided to head into Flagstaff and find a place to stay for the night. And God was shining on us. He led us to a Super 8 motel that was right next door to a Goodyear tire service center. It was closed for the night, but we could get the tire changed in the morning and be on our way. Unfortunately, we had to unload the contents of the car into our motel room, before we took it to the service center. Then, when the tire was fixed, we had to load the car back up again. And we managed to get it all done before the 11:00 a.m. checkout time!
When we got back on the road on Thursday, we were behind schedule, but we decided to see the Grand Canyon anyway. It was my second visit to the Canyon, but it’s so amazing that I’ll go there again if I ever get the chance. We got back on the road and headed for California. We got to Los Angeles late in the evening, but Nate’s new roommates were still awake. They helped us unload the car. I had already booked a motel room nearby, so Nate stayed there with me that night.
On Friday morning, we went out and bought a few things that Nate was going to need, and then we spent some time getting his stuff set up in his room in the apartment. There were six guys living in a three bedroom apartment, two to a room.
In the afternoon, we went and checked out an LCMC church that was near the apartment. The pastor was on vacation, but we talked to one of the other staff members. In the evening, I took Nate and his roommate out to dinner. Then Nate and I stayed in the motel for one more night.
On Saturday morning, Nate drove me to the airport. As I got out of the car, it suddenly hit me. I was about to leave my son in Los Angeles. He had a little bit of money, a junky old car, and no job. And I was leaving him. We stood on the curb. I put my hand on his shoulder and prayed for him. We both had tears in our eyes as we hugged and said goodbye. Then I went into the airport, found a bathroom, went into a stall, and wept. I said to God, “He’s in your hands now. Take care of him.”
The Apostle Paul had the same love and concern for a young man named Timothy. Paul had met Timothy when he was still a teenager. He ended up traveling with Paul on his missionary journeys and growing in his faith. When he was older, Paul installed him as the pastor of the Christian Church in Ephesus.
Later, Paul was arrested and spent time in a prison cell in Rome. While he was there, he wrote a letter to Timothy. He talked about how much he missed him. He missed their days of traveling together. During those years, Paul had come to love Timothy as a father loves his son. And then Paul said to him, “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”
That really was my prayer for Nate as well. It’s the prayer of every Christian parent for each one of their children. We want God to fan the flame of faith that is in them. God has given each one of them special gifts and talents. And we want the Holy Spirit to inspire them to develop those gifts and talents. We want the Spirit to show them how they can use those gifts to glorify God and to build up the Church.
In the nine years since I left Nate in Los Angeles, he has truly grown into a faithful man of God. He has been successful in his career, he has been active in his church, and now he has married a wonderful woman. When I left Nate, I didn’t leave him alone. I left him in God’s hands.
That’s about all a parent can do. We entrust them to God, and we pray for them every day. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/WXCejUpUhZY
Day 90 – Sunday, June 14, 2020
Read 2 Timothy 1:3-7 and Proverbs 4:20-27
Theme Verse: “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” (2 Timothy 1:6)
In yesterday’s devotion, I talked about the time that Lisa and I helped our son Matt and his family move back to Illinois from Lodi, California. We flew out there and helped them finish their packing. Then Lisa, Matt’s wife Jacinda, and their newborn baby, Stella, flew back to Illinois. Matt and I drove all the way back in their car, pulling a U-Haul trailer behind us—once we got the trailer on the hitch.
But I also once made a long distance drive with our second son, Nathan, in May of 2011. After Nate graduated from high school, he tried college for a while. He went to Trinity International University, in Deerfield, Illinois, where his older siblings, Matt and Rachel, were already students. But after one year, he was done.
What he really wanted to do was play music. Nate is a great guitar player and he plays several other instruments. He had been in several bands before, so he formed another one. He got an apartment with his bandmates in Bloomington, Illinois. They traveled around the Midwest, playing gigs wherever they could find them. When he wasn’t playing music, he was delivering pizzas. But it wasn’t really working out.
So Nate came to live with us in Lindenhurst and started looking for a job. But jobs were scarce at the time. He was working here and there, playing his guitar in a few places. Finally, he got a call from one of his friends. His friend was going back to school and he wanted Nate to go with him. But it wasn’t a traditional college. It was a technical training school.
When he played in bands, Nate had often worked the sound board. So he decided to go back to school and study recording arts. It was a decision that would change the course of his life. When he finished the program, he was living with us again. But now he had some training. He knew what he was looking for.
But again, the job market was tight, especially in Chicago. One of his friends from school called him and said, “Come on out to Los Angeles. This is where all the jobs are for sound recording. And we could use another roommate to help with the rent.”
So in May of 2011, Nate was ready to move to California. I decided to take a few days off work and drive out with him. Then I would catch a flight back. So we took off early on a sunny Monday morning. The first day, we drove to my brother’s house in Kearney, Nebraska. We got there around dinner time and had a nice evening with him and his wife.
On Tuesday morning, we were on the road again. We drove about 700 miles that day and stopped at a motel in Green River, Utah. Along the way, we had a great time listening to music, talking about life and faith, and just enjoying the scenery. When we drove through the Rocky Mountains, we stopped at a spot where there was an incredible view. It was so beautiful that we just stood there for a while and soaked it all in.
When we got up on Wednesday morning, we headed south. We wanted to stop at Arches National Park and the Grand Canyon, and then make it to Las Vegas by nightfall. Arches was amazing. We had been there when the kids were little, so Nate had some vague memories of it. That’s why he wanted to stop there. After a couple of hours, we headed south again, toward Arizona.
We took a little detour over to the Four Corners Monument, where you can stand in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, all at the same time. Then we headed straight west, across northern Arizona. Our plan was to see the Grand Canyon late in the afternoon, just before sunset, and then head on to Vegas, where we would stay for the night.
But along the way, we had a blowout in one of the tires. We got the car off the road. But now came the fun part. The car was packed from front to back, all the way to the roof. In order to get to the jack, we had to take a bunch of Nate’s stuff out of the car and stack it up on the side of the road. We managed to get the tire changed, but the spare was not full-size. It was one of those mini spares that you’re not supposed to drive too far on.
So we decided to head into Flagstaff and find a place to stay for the night. And God was shining on us. He led us to a Super 8 motel that was right next door to a Goodyear tire service center. It was closed for the night, but we could get the tire changed in the morning and be on our way. Unfortunately, we had to unload the contents of the car into our motel room, before we took it to the service center. Then, when the tire was fixed, we had to load the car back up again. And we managed to get it all done before the 11:00 a.m. checkout time!
When we got back on the road on Thursday, we were behind schedule, but we decided to see the Grand Canyon anyway. It was my second visit to the Canyon, but it’s so amazing that I’ll go there again if I ever get the chance. We got back on the road and headed for California. We got to Los Angeles late in the evening, but Nate’s new roommates were still awake. They helped us unload the car. I had already booked a motel room nearby, so Nate stayed there with me that night.
On Friday morning, we went out and bought a few things that Nate was going to need, and then we spent some time getting his stuff set up in his room in the apartment. There were six guys living in a three bedroom apartment, two to a room.
In the afternoon, we went and checked out an LCMC church that was near the apartment. The pastor was on vacation, but we talked to one of the other staff members. In the evening, I took Nate and his roommate out to dinner. Then Nate and I stayed in the motel for one more night.
On Saturday morning, Nate drove me to the airport. As I got out of the car, it suddenly hit me. I was about to leave my son in Los Angeles. He had a little bit of money, a junky old car, and no job. And I was leaving him. We stood on the curb. I put my hand on his shoulder and prayed for him. We both had tears in our eyes as we hugged and said goodbye. Then I went into the airport, found a bathroom, went into a stall, and wept. I said to God, “He’s in your hands now. Take care of him.”
The Apostle Paul had the same love and concern for a young man named Timothy. Paul had met Timothy when he was still a teenager. He ended up traveling with Paul on his missionary journeys and growing in his faith. When he was older, Paul installed him as the pastor of the Christian Church in Ephesus.
Later, Paul was arrested and spent time in a prison cell in Rome. While he was there, he wrote a letter to Timothy. He talked about how much he missed him. He missed their days of traveling together. During those years, Paul had come to love Timothy as a father loves his son. And then Paul said to him, “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”
That really was my prayer for Nate as well. It’s the prayer of every Christian parent for each one of their children. We want God to fan the flame of faith that is in them. God has given each one of them special gifts and talents. And we want the Holy Spirit to inspire them to develop those gifts and talents. We want the Spirit to show them how they can use those gifts to glorify God and to build up the Church.
In the nine years since I left Nate in Los Angeles, he has truly grown into a faithful man of God. He has been successful in his career, he has been active in his church, and now he has married a wonderful woman. When I left Nate, I didn’t leave him alone. I left him in God’s hands.
That’s about all a parent can do. We entrust them to God, and we pray for them every day. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/WXCejUpUhZY
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 89 – Saturday, June 13, 2020
Read John 14:1-6 and Matthew 11:25-30
Theme Verse: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
Most of you know that my son Matt is a Lutheran pastor. He’s in the same denomination as I am, Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC). He serves at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Flanagan, Illinois.
The LCMC, like most Lutheran denominations, requires its pastors to have a Master of Divinity degree in order to receive a call to a congregation. The MDiv, as it’s called, consists of three academic years and one internship year, usually done between the second and third academic years. Matt did his internship at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Lodi, California, about 85 miles northeast of San Francisco.
Matt and his wife Jacinda drove out to Lodi in August of 2012, pulling a U-Haul trailer behind their 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander. Lisa and I went out to visit them for a week, right after Christmas. We had a great time. We saw some of the sights in San Francisco, visited a forest of giant sequoia trees, and sampled some of the local wines.
But the highlight of the trip was when Matt and Jacinda told us that we were going to be grandparents for the first time! Jacinda was about two months pregnant when we were there, which meant that the baby would likely be born in early August, just before they had to return to Illinois. And that’s exactly what happened. Their little girl Stella was born on August 9, 2013, and they were planning to head home about two weeks later.
So Lisa and I made a second trip to Lodi in August. Matt and Jacinda didn’t want to take their newborn baby on a cross country drive, so Lisa and I flew out there. The plan was that we would help them finish packing and then Lisa and Jacinda and the baby would fly home. Matt and I would drive back the same way that they had originally gone out, pulling a U-Haul behind their car.
On moving day, Matt and I drove Lisa, Jacinda, and Stella to the airport in Sacramento. Then we came back and started to load the U-Haul and the car. They didn’t have a lot of stuff, but the U-Haul wasn’t very big. As we were loading, we started to realize that it was going to be a tight fit.
We literally used every square foot of space in both the car and the trailer. In the car, we had stuff packed to the ceiling, from the back window all the way up to our seats. We even put some stuff on the floor by the front passenger seat. And the trailer was a masterpiece of space utilization. We were sliding the last few boxes in like a couple of Egyptian engineers building the Great Pyramid of Giza.
In order to close the trailer doors, I had to push on them, while Matt slid the bolt into place. But everything was in! We didn’t leave one thing behind. We were high-fiving and congratulating ourselves. We did one last walk around the house and the yard, then we locked everything up and dropped the key through the mail slot.
We walked toward the car, to start the long journey home. But as we passed the front end of the trailer, we both stopped. We saw it at the same time. When we came back from the airport, we had forgotten to put the tongue of the trailer onto the trailer hitch of the car. We were stunned.
At first, we thought we might be able to lift up the tongue and get it on the hitch. But we couldn’t move it at all. I don’t think even Hans and Franz could have gotten it off the ground. So we were faced with two possible solutions. We could start unloading the trailer until it was light enough to lift, or we could unload the car and get out the jack, and use it to lift the trailer. We didn’t like either option.
Matt looked down the street and saw that one of his neighbors was doing something in his front yard. We decided to walk down there and ask if we could use his jack. The guy was really nice. He said, “No problem!” He went into his garage and then he came back out, rolling a huge, heavy duty jack. It looked like the kind of jack that a NASCAR pit crew would use! In about five minutes, the trailer was on the hitch and we were on the road.
When I think back on that day, I’m reminded of two incontrovertible facts. First, if that loaded trailer was not hitched up to the car, it was not going anywhere. And second, Matt and I did not have the strength to lift that loaded trailer onto that hitch. We were either going to have to unload the trailer or we were going to have to get some mechanical help.
And when it comes to our spiritual salvation, the same two things are true. First, if we are not connected to Jesus Christ, then we are not going to follow him to heaven. It’s that simple. In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” And in John 15:5, he says, “Apart from me you can do nothing.”
And second, we are not able to connect ourselves to Jesus Christ by our own strength. At least Matt and I could have unloaded the trailer and lifted it up, or unloaded the car and got out the jack. But in our spiritual lives, we carry such a load of sin that we could never unpack it by ourselves. In Romans 3:20, Paul says, “By works of the law, no human being will be justified in his sight.” We don’t have the power to unload our sins. Only someone who is perfect can do that.
We need a savior. We need someone to come down the road with a big, giant NASCAR jack. And we have someone like that. The savior is Jesus Christ and the giant jack is the cross. When Jesus died on the cross, he lifted the heavy load of our sins from our weary souls. And he put those heavy sins on himself. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
If you have faith in Jesus Christ, if you believe that he died on the cross for your sins, then you are connected to him with a spiritual bond that cannot be broken. You are on a journey that will lead you home to heaven. And you don’t have to do any of the work yourself. Jesus has done everything for you.
And if you ever need some help loading a U-Haul, give Matt and me a call. We’re pretty good at it. But you’ll have to make sure that the hitch is connected. They didn’t teach us how to do that in seminary. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/3euY2aAus2Q
Day 89 – Saturday, June 13, 2020
Read John 14:1-6 and Matthew 11:25-30
Theme Verse: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
Most of you know that my son Matt is a Lutheran pastor. He’s in the same denomination as I am, Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC). He serves at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Flanagan, Illinois.
The LCMC, like most Lutheran denominations, requires its pastors to have a Master of Divinity degree in order to receive a call to a congregation. The MDiv, as it’s called, consists of three academic years and one internship year, usually done between the second and third academic years. Matt did his internship at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Lodi, California, about 85 miles northeast of San Francisco.
Matt and his wife Jacinda drove out to Lodi in August of 2012, pulling a U-Haul trailer behind their 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander. Lisa and I went out to visit them for a week, right after Christmas. We had a great time. We saw some of the sights in San Francisco, visited a forest of giant sequoia trees, and sampled some of the local wines.
But the highlight of the trip was when Matt and Jacinda told us that we were going to be grandparents for the first time! Jacinda was about two months pregnant when we were there, which meant that the baby would likely be born in early August, just before they had to return to Illinois. And that’s exactly what happened. Their little girl Stella was born on August 9, 2013, and they were planning to head home about two weeks later.
So Lisa and I made a second trip to Lodi in August. Matt and Jacinda didn’t want to take their newborn baby on a cross country drive, so Lisa and I flew out there. The plan was that we would help them finish packing and then Lisa and Jacinda and the baby would fly home. Matt and I would drive back the same way that they had originally gone out, pulling a U-Haul behind their car.
On moving day, Matt and I drove Lisa, Jacinda, and Stella to the airport in Sacramento. Then we came back and started to load the U-Haul and the car. They didn’t have a lot of stuff, but the U-Haul wasn’t very big. As we were loading, we started to realize that it was going to be a tight fit.
We literally used every square foot of space in both the car and the trailer. In the car, we had stuff packed to the ceiling, from the back window all the way up to our seats. We even put some stuff on the floor by the front passenger seat. And the trailer was a masterpiece of space utilization. We were sliding the last few boxes in like a couple of Egyptian engineers building the Great Pyramid of Giza.
In order to close the trailer doors, I had to push on them, while Matt slid the bolt into place. But everything was in! We didn’t leave one thing behind. We were high-fiving and congratulating ourselves. We did one last walk around the house and the yard, then we locked everything up and dropped the key through the mail slot.
We walked toward the car, to start the long journey home. But as we passed the front end of the trailer, we both stopped. We saw it at the same time. When we came back from the airport, we had forgotten to put the tongue of the trailer onto the trailer hitch of the car. We were stunned.
At first, we thought we might be able to lift up the tongue and get it on the hitch. But we couldn’t move it at all. I don’t think even Hans and Franz could have gotten it off the ground. So we were faced with two possible solutions. We could start unloading the trailer until it was light enough to lift, or we could unload the car and get out the jack, and use it to lift the trailer. We didn’t like either option.
Matt looked down the street and saw that one of his neighbors was doing something in his front yard. We decided to walk down there and ask if we could use his jack. The guy was really nice. He said, “No problem!” He went into his garage and then he came back out, rolling a huge, heavy duty jack. It looked like the kind of jack that a NASCAR pit crew would use! In about five minutes, the trailer was on the hitch and we were on the road.
When I think back on that day, I’m reminded of two incontrovertible facts. First, if that loaded trailer was not hitched up to the car, it was not going anywhere. And second, Matt and I did not have the strength to lift that loaded trailer onto that hitch. We were either going to have to unload the trailer or we were going to have to get some mechanical help.
And when it comes to our spiritual salvation, the same two things are true. First, if we are not connected to Jesus Christ, then we are not going to follow him to heaven. It’s that simple. In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” And in John 15:5, he says, “Apart from me you can do nothing.”
And second, we are not able to connect ourselves to Jesus Christ by our own strength. At least Matt and I could have unloaded the trailer and lifted it up, or unloaded the car and got out the jack. But in our spiritual lives, we carry such a load of sin that we could never unpack it by ourselves. In Romans 3:20, Paul says, “By works of the law, no human being will be justified in his sight.” We don’t have the power to unload our sins. Only someone who is perfect can do that.
We need a savior. We need someone to come down the road with a big, giant NASCAR jack. And we have someone like that. The savior is Jesus Christ and the giant jack is the cross. When Jesus died on the cross, he lifted the heavy load of our sins from our weary souls. And he put those heavy sins on himself. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
If you have faith in Jesus Christ, if you believe that he died on the cross for your sins, then you are connected to him with a spiritual bond that cannot be broken. You are on a journey that will lead you home to heaven. And you don’t have to do any of the work yourself. Jesus has done everything for you.
And if you ever need some help loading a U-Haul, give Matt and me a call. We’re pretty good at it. But you’ll have to make sure that the hitch is connected. They didn’t teach us how to do that in seminary. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/3euY2aAus2Q
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 88 – Friday, June 12, 2020
Read 2 Corinthians 11:1-6 and Isaiah 55:1-5
Theme Verse: “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!” (Isaiah 55:1)
When I was in college, I was part of a group that became the campus pranksters. In those days, all freshmen were housed in one dormitory, Fisher Hall. The men were in the east wing and the women were in the west. I was on Fisher 5 East, and everyone on that floor became good friends. We would often sit in the lounge on our floor, discussing science and philosophy and theology. And we would also plan pranks.
We started slow. Early in the year, we all smuggled knives out of the dining hall. Then we snuck into Edman Chapel and put them in the bindings of the hymnals. At chapel the next day, when we were told to open our hymnals for the first hymn, knives started falling on the tile floor, all around the auditorium.
Another time, our Resident Assistant (RA) left for class and forgot to lock his door. So we took his entire room, everything in it, and set it up in the lobby of the dorm. We recreated it with meticulous attention to detail. He was not amused.
In the spring, one of our guys found a bunch of fire extinguishers in a dumpster. They were old water sprayers that were being replaced with chemical extinguishers. So we rescued all of them. As the weather warmed up, we would prowl around campus wearing ski masks, looking for couples who were canoodling in the grassy areas. We would announce ourselves as “The Decency Police” and we would then cool down the hot lovers with our extinguishers. There were a few angry letters written about us in the campus newspaper, but none of us ever got caught by security.
This is just a sample of the pranks that we pulled our freshman year. There were many more, including the “Gelatin in the Fountain” debacle. And we became such good friends that most of us requested to be on the same floor of Traber Hall for our sophomore year. So, about three quarters of the guys from Fisher 5 East ended up together on Traber 4. And the pranks continued.
They also got more elaborate. Just before Halloween, we managed to stick about a hundred carved jack-o-lanterns on the lightning rods of all the campus buildings. And just before Easter, we created an Easter egg hunt in the campus library, much to the dismay of the library staff. But the prank that we were most proud of was “The Great Stubble Swap.”
The stubble swap was not a particularly difficult or detailed prank. The beauty was in the long setup. At the beginning of the fall semester, we put coffee cans in the community bathroom on our floor. Many of the guys used electric razors, and they were instructed to tap all of their stubble into the cans after they had shaved. This was in the days before guys started wearing beards. We were all clean shaven. So most of us shaved almost every day. And it became a morning ritual to add to the stubble collection.
Some guys started sharing their electric razors with the guys who didn’t have them, so that we could fill the cans faster. Some guys had friends on other floors, so they gave them cans and asked them to contribute. Many did, without ever knowing what the stubble would be used for. Other guys asked for and received electric razors for Christmas. They came back in January, ready to contribute to the effort.
The most amazing thing is that forty guys knew about the stubble swap, but not one of them breathed a word of it, not even to their girlfriends. Finally, on the night before April Fool’s Day, we were ready to execute the swap. I was a key player, because I was the cleanup crew chief at the dining hall that night. It was my job to be the last one out and to lock the doors.
But on that night, after my crew was gone, I ushered in all of the guys from Traber 4. We spent the next hour or so emptying all of the pepper shakers on the dining room tables and refilling them with razor stubble. The setup was complete.
The next morning, as we sat at breakfast, we watched all of the other students happily sprinkling our stubble onto their scrambled eggs. It was sublime. It became our private running joke for the rest of the year. Of course, those of us who liked pepper had to bring our own to every meal. But that was a small price to pay for a well-executed prank.
We kept the secret until the last week of the spring semester. Then an anonymous phone call was made to the campus radio station, letting everyone know that, for the past six weeks, they had been seasoning their food with the whiskers of their classmates. Let’s just say that it created a bit of a buzz on campus.
When I think back on all of our college pranks, I think about someone else whose pranks are not simply funny, or annoying, or a little gross. His pranks are serious and they are deadly. I’m talking, of course, about Satan. Satan isn’t just looking to have a little fun at your expense. He’s looking to destroy you. And the most subtle and dangerous way that he will try to do that is by swapping the cross of Christ with some worldly philosophy.
Paul warns against this very thing in his second letter to the Corinthians. He says, “I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”
Paul had come to Corinth and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. He told the people that Jesus died on the cross for their sins. He told them that Jesus rose again from the dead. He said that if they would believe in what Jesus had done for them, then their sins would be forgiven and they would have the promise of eternal life in heaven. And they believed what Paul said. And they were saved.
But then some false teachers started to infiltrate the congregation. Paul calls them “super apostles” because that’s how they thought of themselves. Paul says that they were skilled in speaking and they were luring people away from the gospel with some false teaching. We don’t know what that teaching was. Paul doesn’t describe it. He just says that it was not the cross of Christ. It seems to be some kind of philosophy that promised worldly wealth and success. They were swapping out the true gospel for some false, unsatisfying replacement.
I’ve often wondered why the students who put our razor stubble on their food didn’t realize that it wasn’t pepper. But I guess if it looks like pepper, and it’s in a pepper shaker, the mind can be fooled. But surely someone must have noticed that the pepper tasted kind of bland. They must have noticed that it wasn’t satisfying their taste buds. But they had no way to test it, to see if it was authentic.
Fortunately, God has given us a way to test the philosophies of the world. He has given us a standard for judging what is right and wrong. That standard is the Holy Bible. The Bible perfectly describes the human condition. It tells us that we are sinners who can never save ourselves. It tells us that the only way we can be saved is to surrender our hearts and our lives to Jesus Christ.
Satan will try to fool us. He will try to swap out the truth of the Bible with false religions and political philosophies and worldly pleasures. But Isaiah says, “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?” Instead, he says, “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!” He invites us to come and dine on the promises of God’s Word.
And the best thing about God’s promises is that they are free. Just believe what God says and you will have forgiveness of sins, new life, and eternal salvation. You will be filled with joy and peace and hope and love. You will feel a sense of satisfaction that you never thought possible. And Satan’s deadly pranks will have no power over you.
And don’t worry. I would never replace the pepper in the church kitchen with my razor stubble. Or would I? Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/wS4JQi4dgvg
Day 88 – Friday, June 12, 2020
Read 2 Corinthians 11:1-6 and Isaiah 55:1-5
Theme Verse: “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!” (Isaiah 55:1)
When I was in college, I was part of a group that became the campus pranksters. In those days, all freshmen were housed in one dormitory, Fisher Hall. The men were in the east wing and the women were in the west. I was on Fisher 5 East, and everyone on that floor became good friends. We would often sit in the lounge on our floor, discussing science and philosophy and theology. And we would also plan pranks.
We started slow. Early in the year, we all smuggled knives out of the dining hall. Then we snuck into Edman Chapel and put them in the bindings of the hymnals. At chapel the next day, when we were told to open our hymnals for the first hymn, knives started falling on the tile floor, all around the auditorium.
Another time, our Resident Assistant (RA) left for class and forgot to lock his door. So we took his entire room, everything in it, and set it up in the lobby of the dorm. We recreated it with meticulous attention to detail. He was not amused.
In the spring, one of our guys found a bunch of fire extinguishers in a dumpster. They were old water sprayers that were being replaced with chemical extinguishers. So we rescued all of them. As the weather warmed up, we would prowl around campus wearing ski masks, looking for couples who were canoodling in the grassy areas. We would announce ourselves as “The Decency Police” and we would then cool down the hot lovers with our extinguishers. There were a few angry letters written about us in the campus newspaper, but none of us ever got caught by security.
This is just a sample of the pranks that we pulled our freshman year. There were many more, including the “Gelatin in the Fountain” debacle. And we became such good friends that most of us requested to be on the same floor of Traber Hall for our sophomore year. So, about three quarters of the guys from Fisher 5 East ended up together on Traber 4. And the pranks continued.
They also got more elaborate. Just before Halloween, we managed to stick about a hundred carved jack-o-lanterns on the lightning rods of all the campus buildings. And just before Easter, we created an Easter egg hunt in the campus library, much to the dismay of the library staff. But the prank that we were most proud of was “The Great Stubble Swap.”
The stubble swap was not a particularly difficult or detailed prank. The beauty was in the long setup. At the beginning of the fall semester, we put coffee cans in the community bathroom on our floor. Many of the guys used electric razors, and they were instructed to tap all of their stubble into the cans after they had shaved. This was in the days before guys started wearing beards. We were all clean shaven. So most of us shaved almost every day. And it became a morning ritual to add to the stubble collection.
Some guys started sharing their electric razors with the guys who didn’t have them, so that we could fill the cans faster. Some guys had friends on other floors, so they gave them cans and asked them to contribute. Many did, without ever knowing what the stubble would be used for. Other guys asked for and received electric razors for Christmas. They came back in January, ready to contribute to the effort.
The most amazing thing is that forty guys knew about the stubble swap, but not one of them breathed a word of it, not even to their girlfriends. Finally, on the night before April Fool’s Day, we were ready to execute the swap. I was a key player, because I was the cleanup crew chief at the dining hall that night. It was my job to be the last one out and to lock the doors.
But on that night, after my crew was gone, I ushered in all of the guys from Traber 4. We spent the next hour or so emptying all of the pepper shakers on the dining room tables and refilling them with razor stubble. The setup was complete.
The next morning, as we sat at breakfast, we watched all of the other students happily sprinkling our stubble onto their scrambled eggs. It was sublime. It became our private running joke for the rest of the year. Of course, those of us who liked pepper had to bring our own to every meal. But that was a small price to pay for a well-executed prank.
We kept the secret until the last week of the spring semester. Then an anonymous phone call was made to the campus radio station, letting everyone know that, for the past six weeks, they had been seasoning their food with the whiskers of their classmates. Let’s just say that it created a bit of a buzz on campus.
When I think back on all of our college pranks, I think about someone else whose pranks are not simply funny, or annoying, or a little gross. His pranks are serious and they are deadly. I’m talking, of course, about Satan. Satan isn’t just looking to have a little fun at your expense. He’s looking to destroy you. And the most subtle and dangerous way that he will try to do that is by swapping the cross of Christ with some worldly philosophy.
Paul warns against this very thing in his second letter to the Corinthians. He says, “I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”
Paul had come to Corinth and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. He told the people that Jesus died on the cross for their sins. He told them that Jesus rose again from the dead. He said that if they would believe in what Jesus had done for them, then their sins would be forgiven and they would have the promise of eternal life in heaven. And they believed what Paul said. And they were saved.
But then some false teachers started to infiltrate the congregation. Paul calls them “super apostles” because that’s how they thought of themselves. Paul says that they were skilled in speaking and they were luring people away from the gospel with some false teaching. We don’t know what that teaching was. Paul doesn’t describe it. He just says that it was not the cross of Christ. It seems to be some kind of philosophy that promised worldly wealth and success. They were swapping out the true gospel for some false, unsatisfying replacement.
I’ve often wondered why the students who put our razor stubble on their food didn’t realize that it wasn’t pepper. But I guess if it looks like pepper, and it’s in a pepper shaker, the mind can be fooled. But surely someone must have noticed that the pepper tasted kind of bland. They must have noticed that it wasn’t satisfying their taste buds. But they had no way to test it, to see if it was authentic.
Fortunately, God has given us a way to test the philosophies of the world. He has given us a standard for judging what is right and wrong. That standard is the Holy Bible. The Bible perfectly describes the human condition. It tells us that we are sinners who can never save ourselves. It tells us that the only way we can be saved is to surrender our hearts and our lives to Jesus Christ.
Satan will try to fool us. He will try to swap out the truth of the Bible with false religions and political philosophies and worldly pleasures. But Isaiah says, “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?” Instead, he says, “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!” He invites us to come and dine on the promises of God’s Word.
And the best thing about God’s promises is that they are free. Just believe what God says and you will have forgiveness of sins, new life, and eternal salvation. You will be filled with joy and peace and hope and love. You will feel a sense of satisfaction that you never thought possible. And Satan’s deadly pranks will have no power over you.
And don’t worry. I would never replace the pepper in the church kitchen with my razor stubble. Or would I? Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/wS4JQi4dgvg
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 87 – Thursday, June 11, 2020
Read Romans 3:21-26 and Isaiah 1:4-6, 18-20
Theme Verse: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by [God’s] grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-24)
I’ve only had to stay overnight in a hospital twice in my life. The first time was when I was six years old. I had my tonsils and adenoids removed, and I stayed for one night. The most memorable part of that stay was that my nurse told me I could have as much ice cream as I wanted. So I had a lot. And when there was a shift change and I got a new nurse, I had a lot more. Then I threw up.
My second hospital stay was much longer—six nights—and much more serious. It followed a major surgery in August of 2010, a surgery that was the culmination of a long and exhausting search for a diagnosis.
My problems began in January of 2010, when I was having intense abdominal pain. I could usually get some relief by drinking a little Pepto Bismol. So I did that for a while. But the pain kept coming back. At the time, I was busy writing lectures for my upcoming trip to Sudan, so I didn’t really have time to go to the doctor. I figured I could do that when I got home.
As my departure date drew near, the painful episodes were coming closer and closer together. I packed a lot of Pepto Bismol and somehow I made it through that week in Africa. When I got home, Holy Week was right around the corner. So I decided to put off the doctor visit until after Easter. But my gut did not cooperate.
I was sitting in my office one night, finishing up some work, when I suddenly felt flushed all over with fever. A little while later, I started shivering uncontrollably. I got in my car and headed home. I spent the night in a chair, wrapped up in a blanket. The next day I went to the doctor.
My doctor was a general practitioner who worked in a clinic with two other doctors. I walked in without an appointment and I was eventually seen by a nurse. She questioned me about my symptoms and then consulted with my doctor. The doctor was concerned because my symptoms seemed consistent with a urinary tract infection. But men don’t usually get UTI’s. He prescribed an antibiotic and sent me on my way.
While I was on the antibiotic, the symptoms subsided and the pain started to go away. But as soon as the antibiotic course was ended, it all came back. So I went back to the doctor and he gave me a different antibiotic. But the same thing happened. As soon as the course ended, the symptoms came back.
At the time, Lisa was working as a receptionist for a different doctor (also a GP) in a nearby town. She was describing my ordeal to him and he suggested that I see an Internal Medicine Doctor. He recommended one from Gurnee who was a friend of his. So I went to see him and his conclusion was pretty much the same as my GP. He prescribed a third kind of antibiotic. But once again, as soon as the course ended, the symptoms returned. So he suggested that I see a urologist. He made the appointment for me.
Now it was early June. I had been dealing with this problem for about six months and had been dealing with doctors for more than two months. Over the next couple of weeks, the urologist ran several tests. I had a colonoscopy, an endoscopy, a PET scan, and another test that I don’t even want to mention.
To prepare for the colonoscopy, I had to drink about a gallon of the most vile orange liquid that I have ever tasted. Then I tried to watch parts of a Cubs game between the explosions. Those of you who have had a colonoscopy know exactly what I’m talking about. But the doctor finally started to zero in on a diagnosis. He asked me if I could come back the next week, so that we could discuss a solution. But I told him that would not be possible.
The next week was the last full week of June. And that week I was planning to take a group of young people on a mission trip to the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana. He said, “Can’t you get someone to go in your place?” I said, “Not really. I’m the only person who knows every detail about the trip. It would be almost impossible to get one of the other adults up to speed in just two days.”
The doctor said, “I’ll tell you what. I’ll give you two different antibiotics. While you’re on the trip, take one with breakfast and the other with dinner, every day.” Then he said, “How close will you be to a hospital?” I said, “A little over a hundred miles.” He said, “If you start to spike a fever, have someone take you to the emergency room right away.” I said, “Yes, sir.”
I was miserable the entire week in Montana. But when I got back, the doctor finally had a diagnosis. I had diverticulitis in my bowel, right where it was laying against my bladder. So both the bowel and the bladder were infected. I asked him if that was common. He said that he had only seen it twice before. I was his third case.
He also said that surgery was the only solution. And the surgery would require two different surgeons. He could repair the bladder, but another surgeon would have to repair the bowel. When the two surgeons compared their schedules, the first available date for my surgery was August 12th.
So I spent five more weeks on antibiotics, then had the surgery, and then spent six wonderful nights at Condell Hospital in Libertyville. But it was over. The surgery did the trick. I was back in church on August 29th. In October, I went back to Sudan. And I haven’t had any problems since.
Now, I don’t tell you this story in order to opine about my terrible medical experiences. I know that many of you have gone through a lot more than I have ever endured. But I tell you this story in order to make a point. The point is that, once the problem was properly diagnosed, and the repair was done, I was healthy again. And the same thing is true about the problems that we are facing in our country.
We have a lot of serious issues that we need to deal with in America. Racism is at the forefront right now. But we also have a big problem with violence—domestic abuse, child abuse, sexual abuse, gang violence, and all kinds of other violent interactions. It’s like we don’t know how to get along with each other anymore. And we also have family breakdown, substance abuse, greed, dishonesty, pornography, property crime, homelessness, poverty, and on and on and on.
Every one of these problems is a symptom of a greater problem that we are struggling to diagnose. And we’re trying to treat the symptoms with the cultural equivalent of antibiotics. Some people look to politics for the solution. Some people look to science. Others look to education, or community action, or tougher laws. But the problems persist. The symptoms keep coming back.
I’ve said it before and I’m going to say it again and again and again. The problems that we are facing in America right now can all be traced to a sickness of the soul. The problem is sin. And the answer is Jesus Christ. Paul says in the book of Romans, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by [God’s] grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
When we admit that we are sinners, and we put our faith in Jesus Christ to save us, God then does surgery on our hearts. He cuts out our sin and throws it away. It is gone. And then it’s time to get healthy. The Holy Spirit moves into our hearts and becomes our personal soul trainer. He inspires us to live lives of holiness and integrity. And he helps us learn how to love our neighbor.
Antibiotics have an important function. They can hold down the infection until the real problem is diagnosed. So let us apply politics and science and education to our problems. But in the end, we all need the surgery in order to live. And God is the only surgeon. By his grace he heals us. And then he sends us out with a real solution to the problems of the world. He sends us out with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/8fcMxI_6xsk
Day 87 – Thursday, June 11, 2020
Read Romans 3:21-26 and Isaiah 1:4-6, 18-20
Theme Verse: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by [God’s] grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-24)
I’ve only had to stay overnight in a hospital twice in my life. The first time was when I was six years old. I had my tonsils and adenoids removed, and I stayed for one night. The most memorable part of that stay was that my nurse told me I could have as much ice cream as I wanted. So I had a lot. And when there was a shift change and I got a new nurse, I had a lot more. Then I threw up.
My second hospital stay was much longer—six nights—and much more serious. It followed a major surgery in August of 2010, a surgery that was the culmination of a long and exhausting search for a diagnosis.
My problems began in January of 2010, when I was having intense abdominal pain. I could usually get some relief by drinking a little Pepto Bismol. So I did that for a while. But the pain kept coming back. At the time, I was busy writing lectures for my upcoming trip to Sudan, so I didn’t really have time to go to the doctor. I figured I could do that when I got home.
As my departure date drew near, the painful episodes were coming closer and closer together. I packed a lot of Pepto Bismol and somehow I made it through that week in Africa. When I got home, Holy Week was right around the corner. So I decided to put off the doctor visit until after Easter. But my gut did not cooperate.
I was sitting in my office one night, finishing up some work, when I suddenly felt flushed all over with fever. A little while later, I started shivering uncontrollably. I got in my car and headed home. I spent the night in a chair, wrapped up in a blanket. The next day I went to the doctor.
My doctor was a general practitioner who worked in a clinic with two other doctors. I walked in without an appointment and I was eventually seen by a nurse. She questioned me about my symptoms and then consulted with my doctor. The doctor was concerned because my symptoms seemed consistent with a urinary tract infection. But men don’t usually get UTI’s. He prescribed an antibiotic and sent me on my way.
While I was on the antibiotic, the symptoms subsided and the pain started to go away. But as soon as the antibiotic course was ended, it all came back. So I went back to the doctor and he gave me a different antibiotic. But the same thing happened. As soon as the course ended, the symptoms came back.
At the time, Lisa was working as a receptionist for a different doctor (also a GP) in a nearby town. She was describing my ordeal to him and he suggested that I see an Internal Medicine Doctor. He recommended one from Gurnee who was a friend of his. So I went to see him and his conclusion was pretty much the same as my GP. He prescribed a third kind of antibiotic. But once again, as soon as the course ended, the symptoms returned. So he suggested that I see a urologist. He made the appointment for me.
Now it was early June. I had been dealing with this problem for about six months and had been dealing with doctors for more than two months. Over the next couple of weeks, the urologist ran several tests. I had a colonoscopy, an endoscopy, a PET scan, and another test that I don’t even want to mention.
To prepare for the colonoscopy, I had to drink about a gallon of the most vile orange liquid that I have ever tasted. Then I tried to watch parts of a Cubs game between the explosions. Those of you who have had a colonoscopy know exactly what I’m talking about. But the doctor finally started to zero in on a diagnosis. He asked me if I could come back the next week, so that we could discuss a solution. But I told him that would not be possible.
The next week was the last full week of June. And that week I was planning to take a group of young people on a mission trip to the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana. He said, “Can’t you get someone to go in your place?” I said, “Not really. I’m the only person who knows every detail about the trip. It would be almost impossible to get one of the other adults up to speed in just two days.”
The doctor said, “I’ll tell you what. I’ll give you two different antibiotics. While you’re on the trip, take one with breakfast and the other with dinner, every day.” Then he said, “How close will you be to a hospital?” I said, “A little over a hundred miles.” He said, “If you start to spike a fever, have someone take you to the emergency room right away.” I said, “Yes, sir.”
I was miserable the entire week in Montana. But when I got back, the doctor finally had a diagnosis. I had diverticulitis in my bowel, right where it was laying against my bladder. So both the bowel and the bladder were infected. I asked him if that was common. He said that he had only seen it twice before. I was his third case.
He also said that surgery was the only solution. And the surgery would require two different surgeons. He could repair the bladder, but another surgeon would have to repair the bowel. When the two surgeons compared their schedules, the first available date for my surgery was August 12th.
So I spent five more weeks on antibiotics, then had the surgery, and then spent six wonderful nights at Condell Hospital in Libertyville. But it was over. The surgery did the trick. I was back in church on August 29th. In October, I went back to Sudan. And I haven’t had any problems since.
Now, I don’t tell you this story in order to opine about my terrible medical experiences. I know that many of you have gone through a lot more than I have ever endured. But I tell you this story in order to make a point. The point is that, once the problem was properly diagnosed, and the repair was done, I was healthy again. And the same thing is true about the problems that we are facing in our country.
We have a lot of serious issues that we need to deal with in America. Racism is at the forefront right now. But we also have a big problem with violence—domestic abuse, child abuse, sexual abuse, gang violence, and all kinds of other violent interactions. It’s like we don’t know how to get along with each other anymore. And we also have family breakdown, substance abuse, greed, dishonesty, pornography, property crime, homelessness, poverty, and on and on and on.
Every one of these problems is a symptom of a greater problem that we are struggling to diagnose. And we’re trying to treat the symptoms with the cultural equivalent of antibiotics. Some people look to politics for the solution. Some people look to science. Others look to education, or community action, or tougher laws. But the problems persist. The symptoms keep coming back.
I’ve said it before and I’m going to say it again and again and again. The problems that we are facing in America right now can all be traced to a sickness of the soul. The problem is sin. And the answer is Jesus Christ. Paul says in the book of Romans, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by [God’s] grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
When we admit that we are sinners, and we put our faith in Jesus Christ to save us, God then does surgery on our hearts. He cuts out our sin and throws it away. It is gone. And then it’s time to get healthy. The Holy Spirit moves into our hearts and becomes our personal soul trainer. He inspires us to live lives of holiness and integrity. And he helps us learn how to love our neighbor.
Antibiotics have an important function. They can hold down the infection until the real problem is diagnosed. So let us apply politics and science and education to our problems. But in the end, we all need the surgery in order to live. And God is the only surgeon. By his grace he heals us. And then he sends us out with a real solution to the problems of the world. He sends us out with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/8fcMxI_6xsk
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 86 – Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Read Hebrews 11:1-3 and Psalm 16
Theme Verse: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)
Several years ago, I took a group of about twenty-five young people and four adults on a mission trip to the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in southeastern Montana. We stayed in Lame Deer, which is the largest town on the reservation, with a population of about 2,000.
Our home base was the community center on the south end of town. We ate our meals and had our group gatherings there. The women and girls also slept there, on the floor of a large activity room. The guys slept on the floor of a different building, about a hundred yards up a slight rise from the main building.
During the day, about half of our group cleaned, repaired, and painted houses. The other half ran a Vacation Bible School for the young children and a summer sports program for the teenagers. In the evenings, we visited several cultural sites. On one of the nights, we went to the site of “Custer’s Last Stand,” about forty miles east of Lame Deer.
Another night, we went to a small community just outside of Lame Deer and saw an Indian dance demonstration. The dance leaders got us all involved in the dancing. Let’s just say, I’m glad that cell phones were not allowed. At one point, one of the leaders called me into the center of the ring and tried to teach me one of the dances. It was not pretty. One of the kids said that I looked like I was being chased by a swarm of bees.
But by far, the most beautiful place that they took us to was a place called “The Buffalo Jump.” After dinner, we loaded the vans and followed our guide down the main road heading south out of town. After driving for several miles, we turned off the paved road and started winding through the hills on a narrow dirt path. Sometimes the ruts were so deep that we had to slow to a crawl. But, finally, the lead vehicle came to a stop on the top of a hill.
We had all of the windows closed in the vans, because of the dust that we were creating on the dirt road. But as we came to a stop, I could smell a strong scent of lavender. When we stepped out of the vans and walked to the crest of the hill, we looked down on a gentle slope, covered in purple. It was breathtaking.
Our guide led us down the hill, through the lavender. The hill was sloping toward a beautiful green valley, stretching out as far as the eye could see. But after we had walked a couple of hundred yards, he told us to stop. He explained that what we were looking at was an optical illusion. As we walked further, we understood what he meant.
To the right and left of us, the hill continued to slope downward. But where we were walking, there was a section, about fifty yards wide, where the slope started to level off. Soon we were walking on flat ground. And then we came to a bluff. There was about a one hundred foot drop, straight down to the floor of the valley. Our leader encouraged us to explore for a while. So we all went and looked over the edge of the bluff. Then we went around the sides and walked the slopes down into the valley, where we could look at the bluff from the bottom.
After about an hour or so, our guide called us back together on the top of the bluff. Then he told us the story of The Buffalo Jump. What we often call a buffalo is actually an American Bison. White settlers hunted them almost to extinction in the late 1800’s. But before that time, tens of millions of them roamed the western part of North America.
The guide explained that, for hundreds of years, the buffalo was extremely valuable to the Indian tribes of the west. Not only were they a source of meat, but their hides were used to make tents and clothing, and their bones were used to make tools and weapons. Many Indian tribes hunted them on horseback, using bow and arrow. But the Northern Cheyenne had found a more efficient way to hunt.
Whenever a buffalo herd entered the area above the bluff, the Indians would surround them on horseback. They would then begin to drive them down the slope, toward the bluff. Because of the optical illusion, several hundred buffalo would run right off the bluff. They would die when they hit the ground below. It was a quick way to resupply the entire tribe with food and hides. And that was why the bluff was called The Buffalo Jump.
When I think back on our trip to The Buffalo Jump, I see a metaphor for our lives in this world. Sometimes we can fall under the illusion that our lives on earth are going to last forever. This illusion is particularly strong when we are young. But as we get older, we realize that we are being herded toward a sudden end.
Joints begin to creak, muscles begin to ache, and illnesses begin to creep into our lives. We look around us and we see other people, people our age, dying of cancer and heart disease. Just the other day I was thinking of someone who died at the age of seventy-eight. When I was young, that would have seemed like a very old person, who had lived a good long life. But now I’m fifty-eight, and it seems like that person died pretty young.
As we get closer to the bluff, the truth begins to sink in. None of us is going to get out of this world alive. We’re all going over the edge. And that’s where our faith becomes very important to us. Because we don’t have any control over what’s going to happen to us when we plunge into the valley. We have to trust that God is going to be there to catch us.
The writer of Hebrews says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The Bible tells us that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He took the plunge in our place. He crashed into the valley. He descended into hell. But he did something that we could not do. He rose from the dead.
Now, if we will put our trust in him, he will save us on the day that we go over the edge. He will catch us in his arms and he will gently carry us to the most beautiful valley that we have ever seen. And we will live there forever, in his presence, with all of the believers who have gone before us and all of those who will come after us. But it takes faith to believe this. It takes faith to believe that God is in control of our eternal destiny.
We can’t see the salvation of God with our physical eyes. But when we believe in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts. He gives us the spiritual eyes of faith. He turns our hope into assurance. He turns our fear into conviction. We live our lives knowing that the bluff is coming, but that fact does not paralyze us. It does not slow us down.
We live every day with joy and peace and love in our hearts, until our very last day on this earth. And then we jump. Jesus does the rest. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/PANiveIKVX0
Day 86 – Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Read Hebrews 11:1-3 and Psalm 16
Theme Verse: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)
Several years ago, I took a group of about twenty-five young people and four adults on a mission trip to the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in southeastern Montana. We stayed in Lame Deer, which is the largest town on the reservation, with a population of about 2,000.
Our home base was the community center on the south end of town. We ate our meals and had our group gatherings there. The women and girls also slept there, on the floor of a large activity room. The guys slept on the floor of a different building, about a hundred yards up a slight rise from the main building.
During the day, about half of our group cleaned, repaired, and painted houses. The other half ran a Vacation Bible School for the young children and a summer sports program for the teenagers. In the evenings, we visited several cultural sites. On one of the nights, we went to the site of “Custer’s Last Stand,” about forty miles east of Lame Deer.
Another night, we went to a small community just outside of Lame Deer and saw an Indian dance demonstration. The dance leaders got us all involved in the dancing. Let’s just say, I’m glad that cell phones were not allowed. At one point, one of the leaders called me into the center of the ring and tried to teach me one of the dances. It was not pretty. One of the kids said that I looked like I was being chased by a swarm of bees.
But by far, the most beautiful place that they took us to was a place called “The Buffalo Jump.” After dinner, we loaded the vans and followed our guide down the main road heading south out of town. After driving for several miles, we turned off the paved road and started winding through the hills on a narrow dirt path. Sometimes the ruts were so deep that we had to slow to a crawl. But, finally, the lead vehicle came to a stop on the top of a hill.
We had all of the windows closed in the vans, because of the dust that we were creating on the dirt road. But as we came to a stop, I could smell a strong scent of lavender. When we stepped out of the vans and walked to the crest of the hill, we looked down on a gentle slope, covered in purple. It was breathtaking.
Our guide led us down the hill, through the lavender. The hill was sloping toward a beautiful green valley, stretching out as far as the eye could see. But after we had walked a couple of hundred yards, he told us to stop. He explained that what we were looking at was an optical illusion. As we walked further, we understood what he meant.
To the right and left of us, the hill continued to slope downward. But where we were walking, there was a section, about fifty yards wide, where the slope started to level off. Soon we were walking on flat ground. And then we came to a bluff. There was about a one hundred foot drop, straight down to the floor of the valley. Our leader encouraged us to explore for a while. So we all went and looked over the edge of the bluff. Then we went around the sides and walked the slopes down into the valley, where we could look at the bluff from the bottom.
After about an hour or so, our guide called us back together on the top of the bluff. Then he told us the story of The Buffalo Jump. What we often call a buffalo is actually an American Bison. White settlers hunted them almost to extinction in the late 1800’s. But before that time, tens of millions of them roamed the western part of North America.
The guide explained that, for hundreds of years, the buffalo was extremely valuable to the Indian tribes of the west. Not only were they a source of meat, but their hides were used to make tents and clothing, and their bones were used to make tools and weapons. Many Indian tribes hunted them on horseback, using bow and arrow. But the Northern Cheyenne had found a more efficient way to hunt.
Whenever a buffalo herd entered the area above the bluff, the Indians would surround them on horseback. They would then begin to drive them down the slope, toward the bluff. Because of the optical illusion, several hundred buffalo would run right off the bluff. They would die when they hit the ground below. It was a quick way to resupply the entire tribe with food and hides. And that was why the bluff was called The Buffalo Jump.
When I think back on our trip to The Buffalo Jump, I see a metaphor for our lives in this world. Sometimes we can fall under the illusion that our lives on earth are going to last forever. This illusion is particularly strong when we are young. But as we get older, we realize that we are being herded toward a sudden end.
Joints begin to creak, muscles begin to ache, and illnesses begin to creep into our lives. We look around us and we see other people, people our age, dying of cancer and heart disease. Just the other day I was thinking of someone who died at the age of seventy-eight. When I was young, that would have seemed like a very old person, who had lived a good long life. But now I’m fifty-eight, and it seems like that person died pretty young.
As we get closer to the bluff, the truth begins to sink in. None of us is going to get out of this world alive. We’re all going over the edge. And that’s where our faith becomes very important to us. Because we don’t have any control over what’s going to happen to us when we plunge into the valley. We have to trust that God is going to be there to catch us.
The writer of Hebrews says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The Bible tells us that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. He took the plunge in our place. He crashed into the valley. He descended into hell. But he did something that we could not do. He rose from the dead.
Now, if we will put our trust in him, he will save us on the day that we go over the edge. He will catch us in his arms and he will gently carry us to the most beautiful valley that we have ever seen. And we will live there forever, in his presence, with all of the believers who have gone before us and all of those who will come after us. But it takes faith to believe this. It takes faith to believe that God is in control of our eternal destiny.
We can’t see the salvation of God with our physical eyes. But when we believe in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts. He gives us the spiritual eyes of faith. He turns our hope into assurance. He turns our fear into conviction. We live our lives knowing that the bluff is coming, but that fact does not paralyze us. It does not slow us down.
We live every day with joy and peace and love in our hearts, until our very last day on this earth. And then we jump. Jesus does the rest. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/PANiveIKVX0
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 85 – Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Read John 4:16-26 and 1 Chronicles 16:23-34
Theme Verse: “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” (John 4:23)
We are ready to start gathering together again for worship! For the time being, we are not going to worship inside of our church building. But this coming Sunday, June 14th, we encourage those who are able, to join us for a drive-in worship service at 9:30 a.m. The weather is supposed to be beautiful!
We are going to use an FM transmitter to send a signal that you will be able to pick up on any radio. We’re pretty sure that we are going to use 87.9 FM. This gives you two options. If you want to, you can sit in your car, in the north parking lot, and listen on your car radio. Or, you can bring a portable radio and a lawn chair and sit on the grass on the east side of the church.
We are also going to try to set up a couple of radios in the lawn area, for those who don’t have a portable radio. But I don’t know how well you will be able to hear the ones that we set up. So if you are going to sit outside, your best bet is to bring your own.
Also, we are trying to line up a hay rack for me to stand on. That way, I can be up a little bit higher, so that you’ll be able to see me better. And I’ll be able to see you better, as well. If you fall asleep in your car, I’ll know it. If you fall asleep on the steering wheel, and accidentally honk your horn, we’ll all know it.
We haven’t yet decided where we’re going to put the hay rack. I’m leaning toward putting it across the east entrance to the parking lot. That way, I can look to my right at the folks in their cars and look to my left at the folks on the lawn.
We are going to stay with our regular communion schedule, which is on the first and third Sundays. So we will not have communion this Sunday. But we will have communion on the following Sunday, June 21st. We’re still working out how we are going to do that. And, of course, if you are not comfortable taking communion right now, you can politely decline.
While we are doing the outdoor services, we will continue to tape a full service on Saturday morning. The recorded service will be available on our church website on Saturday night and throughout the next week. So if you are not ready to come to a drive-in service, the online option will still be available to you.
At some later date, we will begin to have services in the sanctuary again. I’m not sure when that will be. When it happens, we will have safety protocols in place, to minimize the chance of anyone spreading or catching the Covid-19 virus during worship.
We know that people who are in high risk groups will be reluctant to come to worship until there is a vaccine. So even if we do restart indoor worship, we will still continue to tape the service and post it on the website.
We’ve probably all been to an outdoor worship service before, but this is going to be something different. It makes me think of all the different ways that I have worshiped God in my life. When I was very young, we went to the Catholic Church. My dad grew up Catholic and my mom grew up Lutheran. But Mom wanted us all to worship together.
What I remember about those years was that I didn’t understand much of what was going on in the service. The liturgy was in Latin, so it was like a big mystery to me. But I enjoyed looking at all of the stained glass windows. They told the story of Jesus in pictures that are still vivid in my memory.
When my dad stopped going to church, Mom wanted to go back to what was familiar to her. So we started going to a Lutheran Church. The first Lutheran Church that I remember attending was not very traditional. It was a big contrast to the Catholic Church. This was in the late 60’s and early 70’s, so they were experimenting with modern liturgies and music. They were using some newer songs, accompanied by the guitar, along with traditional hymns, accompanied by the organ.
When we moved to a different town, we went to a much more formal Lutheran Church. At that point, I was old enough to follow the liturgy and sing the old German hymns. I came to appreciate and enjoy the traditional style of worship that connected me to the church down through the centuries.
After my dad died, we moved again. This time, we again attended a more informal Lutheran Church. But just a couple of years later, I went off to Wheaton College. While at Wheaton, I tried several different churches. I went to a Lutheran Church a couple of times, but it seemed like a funeral service. I don’t mind traditional, but I do like a little life.
I ended up settling on College Church as my regular place of worship. College Church is an independent congregation that would probably define itself as Reformed Evangelical. It is not formally affiliated with Wheaton College, but it is right across the street from the south end of the campus and the two have always had a close relationship.
At about the same time that I was starting at Wheaton, College Church welcomed a new pastor named R. Kent Hughes. He would stay there for the next 27 years. He was a great pastor and an awesome preacher. I learned a lot from listening to him every Sunday. And the music was always great, because many of the faculty and students from the college conservatory of music attended the church and shared their talents.
Since I graduated from Wheaton, I have always attended Lutheran churches. For the last 33 years, I have been the pastor of those churches. But I’ve also had the opportunity to worship occasionally in some pretty diverse settings. On mission trips, I’ve led worship services at parks in Wyoming, New York, and West Virginia, and at a beautiful rest area in South Dakota, overlooking the Missouri River. I’ve also done many campground services on youth retreat weekends.
And I’ve worshiped in countries around the world. During my summer in Israel, I went to several churches in Jerusalem. I also worshiped in Greece, Turkey, and Italy. And on my teaching missions to Africa, I’ve preached at churches in three different countries. The churches were Presbyterian, Baptist, Reformed, and even Pentecostal. The music was amazing. Sometimes there were instruments and sometimes we sang acapella.
When I think back on all of the different places where I’ve worshiped, and all of the different worship styles that I’ve encountered, it makes me think of the conversation that Jesus had with the woman at Jacob’s well in Sychar. The woman was a Samaritan, and she was surprised that Jesus, a Jewish teacher, would even speak to her.
By the end of their conversation, the woman knew that Jesus was a prophet, maybe even the Messiah himself. But her people believed that it was necessary to worship God on Mt. Gerizim. The Samaritan temple had stood on that mountain for hundreds of years. The Jews said that true worship could only occur on Mt. Zion, in Jerusalem. But Jesus had a new idea for the woman.
In John 4:23, Jesus said to the woman, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” I have experienced this spirit-filled and truth-filled worship in many places. I have some theological differences with other Christian denominations. And there are worship styles that I prefer. But that’s okay. The reason that we have so many different kinds of churches is because we have so many different kinds of people!
But I also know that in every denomination, and in every congregation, there are people who are worshiping Jesus Christ in spirit and in truth. And all of those true worshipers, all over the world, are part of what the Apostles’ Creed calls “The Holy Christian Church.”
So as we worship together this weekend, in the parking lot, and on the grass, and on the internet, may we always remember that we are part of a diverse, global Church. We are worshiping with Christians all over the world. We are all worshiping in our own ways. But we are all worshiping the same God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And we are all praising Jesus for what he did on the cross.
And we are all looking forward to heaven, where we will worship together in whatever style God wants to worship. Who knows, maybe heaven has a great big lawn and some really awesome lawn chairs. I can’t wait to find out! Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/JwuDSw-9cUQ
Day 85 – Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Read John 4:16-26 and 1 Chronicles 16:23-34
Theme Verse: “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” (John 4:23)
We are ready to start gathering together again for worship! For the time being, we are not going to worship inside of our church building. But this coming Sunday, June 14th, we encourage those who are able, to join us for a drive-in worship service at 9:30 a.m. The weather is supposed to be beautiful!
We are going to use an FM transmitter to send a signal that you will be able to pick up on any radio. We’re pretty sure that we are going to use 87.9 FM. This gives you two options. If you want to, you can sit in your car, in the north parking lot, and listen on your car radio. Or, you can bring a portable radio and a lawn chair and sit on the grass on the east side of the church.
We are also going to try to set up a couple of radios in the lawn area, for those who don’t have a portable radio. But I don’t know how well you will be able to hear the ones that we set up. So if you are going to sit outside, your best bet is to bring your own.
Also, we are trying to line up a hay rack for me to stand on. That way, I can be up a little bit higher, so that you’ll be able to see me better. And I’ll be able to see you better, as well. If you fall asleep in your car, I’ll know it. If you fall asleep on the steering wheel, and accidentally honk your horn, we’ll all know it.
We haven’t yet decided where we’re going to put the hay rack. I’m leaning toward putting it across the east entrance to the parking lot. That way, I can look to my right at the folks in their cars and look to my left at the folks on the lawn.
We are going to stay with our regular communion schedule, which is on the first and third Sundays. So we will not have communion this Sunday. But we will have communion on the following Sunday, June 21st. We’re still working out how we are going to do that. And, of course, if you are not comfortable taking communion right now, you can politely decline.
While we are doing the outdoor services, we will continue to tape a full service on Saturday morning. The recorded service will be available on our church website on Saturday night and throughout the next week. So if you are not ready to come to a drive-in service, the online option will still be available to you.
At some later date, we will begin to have services in the sanctuary again. I’m not sure when that will be. When it happens, we will have safety protocols in place, to minimize the chance of anyone spreading or catching the Covid-19 virus during worship.
We know that people who are in high risk groups will be reluctant to come to worship until there is a vaccine. So even if we do restart indoor worship, we will still continue to tape the service and post it on the website.
We’ve probably all been to an outdoor worship service before, but this is going to be something different. It makes me think of all the different ways that I have worshiped God in my life. When I was very young, we went to the Catholic Church. My dad grew up Catholic and my mom grew up Lutheran. But Mom wanted us all to worship together.
What I remember about those years was that I didn’t understand much of what was going on in the service. The liturgy was in Latin, so it was like a big mystery to me. But I enjoyed looking at all of the stained glass windows. They told the story of Jesus in pictures that are still vivid in my memory.
When my dad stopped going to church, Mom wanted to go back to what was familiar to her. So we started going to a Lutheran Church. The first Lutheran Church that I remember attending was not very traditional. It was a big contrast to the Catholic Church. This was in the late 60’s and early 70’s, so they were experimenting with modern liturgies and music. They were using some newer songs, accompanied by the guitar, along with traditional hymns, accompanied by the organ.
When we moved to a different town, we went to a much more formal Lutheran Church. At that point, I was old enough to follow the liturgy and sing the old German hymns. I came to appreciate and enjoy the traditional style of worship that connected me to the church down through the centuries.
After my dad died, we moved again. This time, we again attended a more informal Lutheran Church. But just a couple of years later, I went off to Wheaton College. While at Wheaton, I tried several different churches. I went to a Lutheran Church a couple of times, but it seemed like a funeral service. I don’t mind traditional, but I do like a little life.
I ended up settling on College Church as my regular place of worship. College Church is an independent congregation that would probably define itself as Reformed Evangelical. It is not formally affiliated with Wheaton College, but it is right across the street from the south end of the campus and the two have always had a close relationship.
At about the same time that I was starting at Wheaton, College Church welcomed a new pastor named R. Kent Hughes. He would stay there for the next 27 years. He was a great pastor and an awesome preacher. I learned a lot from listening to him every Sunday. And the music was always great, because many of the faculty and students from the college conservatory of music attended the church and shared their talents.
Since I graduated from Wheaton, I have always attended Lutheran churches. For the last 33 years, I have been the pastor of those churches. But I’ve also had the opportunity to worship occasionally in some pretty diverse settings. On mission trips, I’ve led worship services at parks in Wyoming, New York, and West Virginia, and at a beautiful rest area in South Dakota, overlooking the Missouri River. I’ve also done many campground services on youth retreat weekends.
And I’ve worshiped in countries around the world. During my summer in Israel, I went to several churches in Jerusalem. I also worshiped in Greece, Turkey, and Italy. And on my teaching missions to Africa, I’ve preached at churches in three different countries. The churches were Presbyterian, Baptist, Reformed, and even Pentecostal. The music was amazing. Sometimes there were instruments and sometimes we sang acapella.
When I think back on all of the different places where I’ve worshiped, and all of the different worship styles that I’ve encountered, it makes me think of the conversation that Jesus had with the woman at Jacob’s well in Sychar. The woman was a Samaritan, and she was surprised that Jesus, a Jewish teacher, would even speak to her.
By the end of their conversation, the woman knew that Jesus was a prophet, maybe even the Messiah himself. But her people believed that it was necessary to worship God on Mt. Gerizim. The Samaritan temple had stood on that mountain for hundreds of years. The Jews said that true worship could only occur on Mt. Zion, in Jerusalem. But Jesus had a new idea for the woman.
In John 4:23, Jesus said to the woman, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” I have experienced this spirit-filled and truth-filled worship in many places. I have some theological differences with other Christian denominations. And there are worship styles that I prefer. But that’s okay. The reason that we have so many different kinds of churches is because we have so many different kinds of people!
But I also know that in every denomination, and in every congregation, there are people who are worshiping Jesus Christ in spirit and in truth. And all of those true worshipers, all over the world, are part of what the Apostles’ Creed calls “The Holy Christian Church.”
So as we worship together this weekend, in the parking lot, and on the grass, and on the internet, may we always remember that we are part of a diverse, global Church. We are worshiping with Christians all over the world. We are all worshiping in our own ways. But we are all worshiping the same God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And we are all praising Jesus for what he did on the cross.
And we are all looking forward to heaven, where we will worship together in whatever style God wants to worship. Who knows, maybe heaven has a great big lawn and some really awesome lawn chairs. I can’t wait to find out! Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/JwuDSw-9cUQ
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)*
Day 84 – Monday, June 8, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read Galatians 5:22-23 and Matthew 5:9, 23-24
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
This needle work picture was a gift from Karen, celebrating my ordination in 1981. Ever since, it has either been in a prominent place in our home or hanging in my church office. Through the years it has come to mean more to me. The vision of Francis propelled him to follow Christ by sharing the Gospel, seeking the well-being of others, and humbly living out faith as an instrument of Christ’s peace. Love and hope. But my attachment to this picture is about more than admiration for a remarkable Christian. Throughout 35 years of ministry, I found myself called to places in need of healing. I served as unwelcome change approached, through economic crisis, working to heal division and anger, restoring ministry after failed pastorates, during financial problems, staff issues, and through the turmoil of the ELCA in 2009. When I was called to serve in crisis times, the prayer of St. Francis was always in sight.
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,” I would pray. And there were times when I was blessed to be such an instrument. I saw God work within these congregations, so that anxieties eased, conflicts resolved, wounds healed, new foundations were laid, and the crises passed. In this week after the festival of Pentecost, and during a time of major crisis and profound unrest in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, I have been wondering. I wonder what my Christian faith brings into these times. How does being an instrument of God’s peace come into play, now that I’m retired and isolated out in the country? One way is in recalling Paul’s words in Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” The Spirit has gifted each of us for service. If God calls us to a ministry, God also equips us for that ministry. And I believe Christians are called to serve Christ in these times.
I believe the call is articulated by Jesus in Matthew 5:9, 23-24. He says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” These times desperately need peacemakers. As one who has been involved in peacemaking and reconciliation, I’ve learned some things about what it takes. My peacemaking approach isn’t rocket science, but it has offered me a way to serve. Maybe this can give you some ideas for serving in the coming times.
First of all, be calm. When people are angry, hurt, fearful, and anxious, brain function goes from being reasoned and thoughtful to being volatile and reactive. Once emotion ramps up to a “fight or flight” level, reason goes out the window. So do not add fuel to the emotional fire. Manage yourself and your responses so that you are thoughtful, kind, and self-controlled. Any reduction in anxiety or anger helps to bring people toward a point where we can talk with care, respect, and openness to one another.
Second, intentionally invest time in listening to people. In a congregation that had gone through a major trauma, I would spend hours listening to people’s stories. When people have been through something hard, they need to get it out. It is healing to honestly speak and be heard. The act of listening validates the speaker. Listening is love. It builds relationships. And as you hear stories, you will grow in understanding and empathy. Hear people’s stories.
Third, approach people (especially those who are angry or upset) by taking a “one notch down” attitude. Any sense of being judgmental or superior sparks defensiveness. It emotionally backs people into a corner. Coming to someone and saying “Help me out here” or “I’m not clear about this” treats a person with respect and offers dialog. It is far easier to draw people into deeper relationship by being open and humble. Reconciliation may call us to work less on being right and more on being loving. Hopefully, a positive relationship will lead to a place where people can seek common ground and creative alternatives.
Fourth, always speak truth. This is hard. Sometimes truth is painful or embarrassing. But truth covered up in secrets and lies is toxic, poisoning relationships and infecting possibilities for hope. In the course of working with people, don’t be afraid to admit wrongs and work out forgiveness. Don’t be afraid to hear hard things. Do not be afraid of truth, because this is how reconciliation happens. And through all of this, keep grounded in Scripture and prayer. Look for the words that build you up, give you wisdom, and spark deeper compassion. Keep praying to be an instrument of Christ’s peace. And in your neighborhood, on your streets, in your workplace, or in your congregation, God will bless the peacemaking that you practice.
Here’s a prayer for the journey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agPnMxp5Occ
Day 84 – Monday, June 8, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read Galatians 5:22-23 and Matthew 5:9, 23-24
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
This needle work picture was a gift from Karen, celebrating my ordination in 1981. Ever since, it has either been in a prominent place in our home or hanging in my church office. Through the years it has come to mean more to me. The vision of Francis propelled him to follow Christ by sharing the Gospel, seeking the well-being of others, and humbly living out faith as an instrument of Christ’s peace. Love and hope. But my attachment to this picture is about more than admiration for a remarkable Christian. Throughout 35 years of ministry, I found myself called to places in need of healing. I served as unwelcome change approached, through economic crisis, working to heal division and anger, restoring ministry after failed pastorates, during financial problems, staff issues, and through the turmoil of the ELCA in 2009. When I was called to serve in crisis times, the prayer of St. Francis was always in sight.
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,” I would pray. And there were times when I was blessed to be such an instrument. I saw God work within these congregations, so that anxieties eased, conflicts resolved, wounds healed, new foundations were laid, and the crises passed. In this week after the festival of Pentecost, and during a time of major crisis and profound unrest in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, I have been wondering. I wonder what my Christian faith brings into these times. How does being an instrument of God’s peace come into play, now that I’m retired and isolated out in the country? One way is in recalling Paul’s words in Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” The Spirit has gifted each of us for service. If God calls us to a ministry, God also equips us for that ministry. And I believe Christians are called to serve Christ in these times.
I believe the call is articulated by Jesus in Matthew 5:9, 23-24. He says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.” These times desperately need peacemakers. As one who has been involved in peacemaking and reconciliation, I’ve learned some things about what it takes. My peacemaking approach isn’t rocket science, but it has offered me a way to serve. Maybe this can give you some ideas for serving in the coming times.
First of all, be calm. When people are angry, hurt, fearful, and anxious, brain function goes from being reasoned and thoughtful to being volatile and reactive. Once emotion ramps up to a “fight or flight” level, reason goes out the window. So do not add fuel to the emotional fire. Manage yourself and your responses so that you are thoughtful, kind, and self-controlled. Any reduction in anxiety or anger helps to bring people toward a point where we can talk with care, respect, and openness to one another.
Second, intentionally invest time in listening to people. In a congregation that had gone through a major trauma, I would spend hours listening to people’s stories. When people have been through something hard, they need to get it out. It is healing to honestly speak and be heard. The act of listening validates the speaker. Listening is love. It builds relationships. And as you hear stories, you will grow in understanding and empathy. Hear people’s stories.
Third, approach people (especially those who are angry or upset) by taking a “one notch down” attitude. Any sense of being judgmental or superior sparks defensiveness. It emotionally backs people into a corner. Coming to someone and saying “Help me out here” or “I’m not clear about this” treats a person with respect and offers dialog. It is far easier to draw people into deeper relationship by being open and humble. Reconciliation may call us to work less on being right and more on being loving. Hopefully, a positive relationship will lead to a place where people can seek common ground and creative alternatives.
Fourth, always speak truth. This is hard. Sometimes truth is painful or embarrassing. But truth covered up in secrets and lies is toxic, poisoning relationships and infecting possibilities for hope. In the course of working with people, don’t be afraid to admit wrongs and work out forgiveness. Don’t be afraid to hear hard things. Do not be afraid of truth, because this is how reconciliation happens. And through all of this, keep grounded in Scripture and prayer. Look for the words that build you up, give you wisdom, and spark deeper compassion. Keep praying to be an instrument of Christ’s peace. And in your neighborhood, on your streets, in your workplace, or in your congregation, God will bless the peacemaking that you practice.
Here’s a prayer for the journey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agPnMxp5Occ
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 83 – Sunday, June 7, 2020
Read 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 and Psalm 84
Theme Verse: “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.” (Psalm 84:10)
On August 31, 1983, Lisa and I packed up the few belongings that we had, along with our newborn baby, Becky, and drove to St. Paul, Minnesota. I was starting classes at Luther Seminary on Monday, September 5th, and the morning of the 1st was the earliest that we could get into our campus apartment. We actually left a little before midnight, because we didn’t have the money for a motel room and because we knew that Becky would sleep most of the way if we drove through the night.
Neither Lisa nor I had ever lived more than an hour’s drive from our homes. Even when we went to college, I went to Wheaton, which was forty miles from my home in Newark, Illinois, and Lisa went to St. Francis in Joliet, which was about thirty miles from her home on a farm, just outside of Newark.
We got married in the summer of 1982, between my junior and senior years of college. For the next year, we lived in the married student apartment building on the Wheaton campus. Becky was born in the summer of 1983. We were so close to home during that time that we made frequent trips back and forth.
In the winter of my senior year, I finally decided that I was going to go to Luther Seminary in St. Paul. I knew that God was calling me to be a pastor, but I wasn’t sure what seminary I wanted to attend. By the time I chose Luther, the application deadline had passed. But they accepted me anyway.
As I mentioned before, we had very little money, so we never visited the seminary campus. When we arrived on September 1st, it was our first look at Luther and our first sense that we were really away from our homes and our families.
That fall, we were both a little homesick. But I had an advantage over Lisa. My family had moved several times when I was young, so I was more used to new places and new faces. Lisa had lived in the same farmhouse for almost her entire life. Plus, I was attending classes and studying in the library and working off campus. Meanwhile, Lisa was stuck in the apartment with a little baby all day and night.
So as Thanksgiving approached, we decided that we were definitely going to drive home for the long weekend. It would be tough, because I had to work until 10:00 p.m. on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving. So when I got home I was going to take a quick shower, while Lisa loaded the car and got the baby ready. Then we would drive all night again, arriving in time for Thanksgiving dinner.
But wouldn’t you know it, it started to snow on that Wednesday, and it wouldn’t stop. It just kept coming down. By the time I started home from work, there was already a foot of snow on the ground. I was thinking that maybe we shouldn’t go. But when I walked in the door, I saw that Lisa had everything ready. I said, “Do you think we should cancel the trip?” She said, “Just take your shower and then we’ll decide.” By the time I got out of the shower, she had the car packed. We were going home.
It was a wild drive back to Illinois. When we were thirty miles east of St. Paul, just crossing the St. Croix River, we heard on the radio that I-94 was closed in the Twin Cities. If we hadn’t gotten out when we did, we wouldn’t have gotten out at all. We drove through snow for a few hours. Somewhere around Wisconsin Dells, it turned to freezing rain. But when we got south of Madison, we drove out of it. The sky was clear.
We pulled into a gas station in Sycamore, Illinois, around 6:00 a.m. There was a guy filling up on the other side of the pump where I stopped. When I got out, he gave me a funny look, pointed at the car and said, “Where did you get that?” I turned around and saw that there was about a foot of wet snow on the top of the car. I said, “We just drove down from Minnesota.” He gave me a knowing nod.
About an hour later we were at Lisa’s family home. Everyone was up and moving around. It was a farm, after all. We ate some breakfast at the kitchen table, where we had eaten many meals before. Then we went upstairs to Lisa’s bedroom and slept for a while, with all of her stuffed animals staring at us.
Later we came down and watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on the TV in the living room. We sat in the love seat, where we always sat when we were dating. And Lisa’s little sister squeezed in between us, like she always did. By noon, some extended family had arrived and we all had a great Thanksgiving dinner, with a few Norwegian trimmings, like a heaping platter of lefse.
Late in the afternoon, we drove two miles to my family home. Almost everyone was there already. Mom and a few other women were in the kitchen, getting the food ready. We walked through the dining room and saw that my brothers were deep into a game of Risk. We went into the family room and saw my two sisters-in-law, with the two older grandchildren. My stepdad was putting a couple more logs in the fireplace. My Grandpa and my Uncle Ron were discussing the price of corn.
We were home.
I’m telling you this long story because I want you to understand how eager I am to get back to worship in the sanctuary of First Lutheran Church. In the past three months, I’ve heard many people say that the Church is not a building. The people are the Church. Even if we can’t worship together in the sanctuary, we are still the Church, wherever we are. And I know that's true. Just like I knew that Lisa and I were still part of our families when we were separated from them in Minnesota. But it is still the longing of my heart to meet with you in worship, inside of our church building.
When I step into the sanctuary, I see the pulpit where I proclaim the gospel to you. I see the altar where I pray for you. I see the railing where we share the meal called Holy Communion. I see the step where the children sit for the children’s sermon. I see the organ and the piano that lead us when we sing praises to God. I see the pews where the amazing, beautiful people of First Lutheran sit and worship, often in the very same places every week!
I walk through the fellowship hall and I can almost smell the coffee (even though I don’t drink it) and I can almost hear the conversations and the laughter. Sue is holding her grandson Jaxson and Dale is telling a funny story and Merle is explaining to Peter that his birthday is in January and Glenn is ribbing us Bear fans because we don’t have a quarterback.
I step into the Sunday school hallway and Emerson gives me a high five. Kaden asks me how old God is. Anna June says, “Good morning, Pastor Bill.” I go upstairs and grab a few things from my office. Then I cut through the choir loft and into the small kitchen off the library. I pull a cold Diet Mountain Dew out of the mini fridge.
I pop the top, take a swig of Dew, and then I walk into the library to get ready for the adult Sunday school class. Jim is watching the clock to see if I’m a minute late, so that he can say, “Good afternoon.” Laurie is asking me about someone that I mentioned in the prayers. Gloria asks me if I like her new hat.
Then the class is over, and all the chairs are back in their normal places, and I’m in my office, wrapping up another Sunday morning. June pops her head in to tell me that the lights are all off and the doors are all locked. And I’m all alone. And I take a moment to thank God so much for my church building and for the people that I love, the people who make it my church home.
The psalmist cries out to God, “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.” And Paul says to the Thessalonian church, “You are [my] glory and joy.” That’s why it’s so important for us to get back to worship in the church, as soon as we can. It won’t be right away. I know that. But I hope that it won’t be too long. Because I’m ready to go home. Amen and Amen.
Here is the song that popped into my head as I was writing this devotion.
https://youtu.be/u1zFJ21OcEg
Day 83 – Sunday, June 7, 2020
Read 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 and Psalm 84
Theme Verse: “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.” (Psalm 84:10)
On August 31, 1983, Lisa and I packed up the few belongings that we had, along with our newborn baby, Becky, and drove to St. Paul, Minnesota. I was starting classes at Luther Seminary on Monday, September 5th, and the morning of the 1st was the earliest that we could get into our campus apartment. We actually left a little before midnight, because we didn’t have the money for a motel room and because we knew that Becky would sleep most of the way if we drove through the night.
Neither Lisa nor I had ever lived more than an hour’s drive from our homes. Even when we went to college, I went to Wheaton, which was forty miles from my home in Newark, Illinois, and Lisa went to St. Francis in Joliet, which was about thirty miles from her home on a farm, just outside of Newark.
We got married in the summer of 1982, between my junior and senior years of college. For the next year, we lived in the married student apartment building on the Wheaton campus. Becky was born in the summer of 1983. We were so close to home during that time that we made frequent trips back and forth.
In the winter of my senior year, I finally decided that I was going to go to Luther Seminary in St. Paul. I knew that God was calling me to be a pastor, but I wasn’t sure what seminary I wanted to attend. By the time I chose Luther, the application deadline had passed. But they accepted me anyway.
As I mentioned before, we had very little money, so we never visited the seminary campus. When we arrived on September 1st, it was our first look at Luther and our first sense that we were really away from our homes and our families.
That fall, we were both a little homesick. But I had an advantage over Lisa. My family had moved several times when I was young, so I was more used to new places and new faces. Lisa had lived in the same farmhouse for almost her entire life. Plus, I was attending classes and studying in the library and working off campus. Meanwhile, Lisa was stuck in the apartment with a little baby all day and night.
So as Thanksgiving approached, we decided that we were definitely going to drive home for the long weekend. It would be tough, because I had to work until 10:00 p.m. on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving. So when I got home I was going to take a quick shower, while Lisa loaded the car and got the baby ready. Then we would drive all night again, arriving in time for Thanksgiving dinner.
But wouldn’t you know it, it started to snow on that Wednesday, and it wouldn’t stop. It just kept coming down. By the time I started home from work, there was already a foot of snow on the ground. I was thinking that maybe we shouldn’t go. But when I walked in the door, I saw that Lisa had everything ready. I said, “Do you think we should cancel the trip?” She said, “Just take your shower and then we’ll decide.” By the time I got out of the shower, she had the car packed. We were going home.
It was a wild drive back to Illinois. When we were thirty miles east of St. Paul, just crossing the St. Croix River, we heard on the radio that I-94 was closed in the Twin Cities. If we hadn’t gotten out when we did, we wouldn’t have gotten out at all. We drove through snow for a few hours. Somewhere around Wisconsin Dells, it turned to freezing rain. But when we got south of Madison, we drove out of it. The sky was clear.
We pulled into a gas station in Sycamore, Illinois, around 6:00 a.m. There was a guy filling up on the other side of the pump where I stopped. When I got out, he gave me a funny look, pointed at the car and said, “Where did you get that?” I turned around and saw that there was about a foot of wet snow on the top of the car. I said, “We just drove down from Minnesota.” He gave me a knowing nod.
About an hour later we were at Lisa’s family home. Everyone was up and moving around. It was a farm, after all. We ate some breakfast at the kitchen table, where we had eaten many meals before. Then we went upstairs to Lisa’s bedroom and slept for a while, with all of her stuffed animals staring at us.
Later we came down and watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on the TV in the living room. We sat in the love seat, where we always sat when we were dating. And Lisa’s little sister squeezed in between us, like she always did. By noon, some extended family had arrived and we all had a great Thanksgiving dinner, with a few Norwegian trimmings, like a heaping platter of lefse.
Late in the afternoon, we drove two miles to my family home. Almost everyone was there already. Mom and a few other women were in the kitchen, getting the food ready. We walked through the dining room and saw that my brothers were deep into a game of Risk. We went into the family room and saw my two sisters-in-law, with the two older grandchildren. My stepdad was putting a couple more logs in the fireplace. My Grandpa and my Uncle Ron were discussing the price of corn.
We were home.
I’m telling you this long story because I want you to understand how eager I am to get back to worship in the sanctuary of First Lutheran Church. In the past three months, I’ve heard many people say that the Church is not a building. The people are the Church. Even if we can’t worship together in the sanctuary, we are still the Church, wherever we are. And I know that's true. Just like I knew that Lisa and I were still part of our families when we were separated from them in Minnesota. But it is still the longing of my heart to meet with you in worship, inside of our church building.
When I step into the sanctuary, I see the pulpit where I proclaim the gospel to you. I see the altar where I pray for you. I see the railing where we share the meal called Holy Communion. I see the step where the children sit for the children’s sermon. I see the organ and the piano that lead us when we sing praises to God. I see the pews where the amazing, beautiful people of First Lutheran sit and worship, often in the very same places every week!
I walk through the fellowship hall and I can almost smell the coffee (even though I don’t drink it) and I can almost hear the conversations and the laughter. Sue is holding her grandson Jaxson and Dale is telling a funny story and Merle is explaining to Peter that his birthday is in January and Glenn is ribbing us Bear fans because we don’t have a quarterback.
I step into the Sunday school hallway and Emerson gives me a high five. Kaden asks me how old God is. Anna June says, “Good morning, Pastor Bill.” I go upstairs and grab a few things from my office. Then I cut through the choir loft and into the small kitchen off the library. I pull a cold Diet Mountain Dew out of the mini fridge.
I pop the top, take a swig of Dew, and then I walk into the library to get ready for the adult Sunday school class. Jim is watching the clock to see if I’m a minute late, so that he can say, “Good afternoon.” Laurie is asking me about someone that I mentioned in the prayers. Gloria asks me if I like her new hat.
Then the class is over, and all the chairs are back in their normal places, and I’m in my office, wrapping up another Sunday morning. June pops her head in to tell me that the lights are all off and the doors are all locked. And I’m all alone. And I take a moment to thank God so much for my church building and for the people that I love, the people who make it my church home.
The psalmist cries out to God, “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.” And Paul says to the Thessalonian church, “You are [my] glory and joy.” That’s why it’s so important for us to get back to worship in the church, as soon as we can. It won’t be right away. I know that. But I hope that it won’t be too long. Because I’m ready to go home. Amen and Amen.
Here is the song that popped into my head as I was writing this devotion.
https://youtu.be/u1zFJ21OcEg
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 82 – Saturday, June 6, 2020
Read 2 Chronicles 7:11-15 and Matthew 6:7-13
Theme Verse: “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Today is the 76th anniversary of D-Day. The letter “D” in D-Day simply stands for the word “day.” It specifies the day on which an important military operation will be launched. The term was first used in World War I and was also used to designate several operations in World War II. But ever since June 6, 1944, whenever people hear the term D-Day, they think of only one event. They think of Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy, a region on the northern coast of France.
Operation Overlord was the largest amphibious assault in the history of the world. It utilized almost 7,000 ships which were supported by more than 10,000 aircraft. On that first day, 156,000 American, British, and Canadian troops were landed by sea and air. Hundreds of thousands more would follow in the days and weeks to come. About 4,500 men lost their lives on that first day and another 9,000 were wounded.
The purpose of the D-Day invasion was to push the German army out of France and pursue them back to Germany, eventually bringing the war to a close. It would take ten months and many bloody battles to finish the job.
When I was at my former church in Lindenhurst, Illinois, I was honored to know a man who had landed at Normandy. Ed Bybee was a Staff Sergeant in E Company, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment, 3rd Armored Division. His unit landed a few days after D-day, but the beach was still under heavy fire. Many of his fellow soldiers were killed or wounded on that day. They eventually fought their way through and ended up being involved in the Battle of the Bulge as well.
Ed was awarded a bronze star and three purple hearts for his service in World War II. But he was a humble man who never considered himself to be a hero. And he was a man of strong faith. He and his wife Aline were in church every Sunday, right up until the day he died.
I did Ed’s funeral on a bitterly cold and windy day in January of 2011. The church was full. And when we arrived at the cemetery, we were met by a large contingent of the Patriot Guard Riders, a veterans’ motorcycle group that honors fellow veterans at their funerals. When I talked to a few of them afterwards, I mentioned that they had to stand out in the cold for a long time, since we were late getting to the cemetery. Every one of them said, “It was an honor to stand in the cold for Ed.”
There was also another member of my church in Lindenhurst who had landed at Normandy. His name was George Lexau. George was in the US Navy. The navy’s part of the D-Day invasion was called Operation Neptune. I never got to hear George’s story in detail. Ed had taken part in an audio history project while I was in Lindenhurst, so I heard his complete story. But George just talked occasionally about the heavy fire that the navy vessels encountered as they transported troops to the beaches. From the few accounts that he gave, it sounded like he was right in the middle of the action. George, like Ed, was a faithful Christian who attended church with his wife La Verne every Sunday, until he passed away in 2014. And like Ed, he never saw himself as a hero. He was just doing his duty, like thousands of other guys.
There is one other person from Lindenhurst that I want to mention as well. His name is Allen Lynch. He and his wife Susan started attending our church about a year before I moved to Princeton. I would have loved to have had the time to get to know him better. Allen was not a D-Day veteran. He actually fought in the Vietnam War. But he had a remarkable story.
One day I was talking with Allen and Susan after church when another member, who knew them well, joined the conversation. As we were talking, the other member turned to me and said, “Did you know that Allen is a Medal of Honor recipient?”
The Congressional Medal of Honor is the highest award that a member of the military can receive. In the history of our nation, only 3,508 people have received the medal. Only 69 of the recipients are alive today, and Allen is one of them.
I turned to him and held out my hand. As we shook hands, I said, “Thank you for your service. You are a true American hero.” Do you know what he said? He said, “I don’t think of myself as a hero. The real heroes are the guys who didn’t come home.”
Later, I googled Allen’s name to find out how he had won the Medal of Honor. I read about how his unit had been engaged in a battle against a much larger force. Three of their fellow soldiers were injured and were out in the open, exposed to enemy fire. Allen left his cover and ran out to get the men. He made three trips under fire to get them into a trench. Then his unit was ordered to retreat.
The three men could not be moved, so Allen stayed with them. For two hours, he fought off an enemy attack by himself, with just a rifle and one hand grenade. Then he moved the men to a more secure location. Again, he had to make three trips under heavy enemy fire. When he got to the new location, he held his ground until reinforcements arrived.
Like Ed and George, Allen is a committed Christian. He and Susan are faithful in worship and Bible study and he is very involved in prison ministry. Allen has also been a tireless advocate for veterans for many years. And if you ever drive on I-94, near Gurnee, Illinois, you might notice a large brown sign on the side of the road, right by the Grand Avenue exit. It says, “Allen J. Lynch Medal of Honor Overpass.”
Why am I telling these stories? Well, the anniversary of D-Day got me thinking about the millions of men and women, down through the years, who have put their lives on the line to preserve the freedoms that we all enjoy in America today.
I know that we have denied those freedoms to many people in the past. And despite the progress that we have made in recent generations, we still have much work to do, to apply those freedoms equally to all people. But I have hope for America. As long as there are men and women like Ed and George and Allen, I believe that we can overcome our differences and create a brighter future for our children and our grandchildren. And I believe that the people of God will play a critical role in that brighter future.
We need to be on our knees right now, praying for America. We need to pray for peace and stability. We need to pray for the Holy Spirit to break down barriers and unite warring factions. But most of all, we need to pray for a great revival of faith in this land. And it begins with us. Those of us who are Christians must renew our faith in Jesus Christ and our commitment to the goals of his kingdom.
God says to Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
So let us do this. Let us pray for America. And then let us do our part to heal this land. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/TRUjr8EVgBg
Day 82 – Saturday, June 6, 2020
Read 2 Chronicles 7:11-15 and Matthew 6:7-13
Theme Verse: “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Today is the 76th anniversary of D-Day. The letter “D” in D-Day simply stands for the word “day.” It specifies the day on which an important military operation will be launched. The term was first used in World War I and was also used to designate several operations in World War II. But ever since June 6, 1944, whenever people hear the term D-Day, they think of only one event. They think of Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy, a region on the northern coast of France.
Operation Overlord was the largest amphibious assault in the history of the world. It utilized almost 7,000 ships which were supported by more than 10,000 aircraft. On that first day, 156,000 American, British, and Canadian troops were landed by sea and air. Hundreds of thousands more would follow in the days and weeks to come. About 4,500 men lost their lives on that first day and another 9,000 were wounded.
The purpose of the D-Day invasion was to push the German army out of France and pursue them back to Germany, eventually bringing the war to a close. It would take ten months and many bloody battles to finish the job.
When I was at my former church in Lindenhurst, Illinois, I was honored to know a man who had landed at Normandy. Ed Bybee was a Staff Sergeant in E Company, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment, 3rd Armored Division. His unit landed a few days after D-day, but the beach was still under heavy fire. Many of his fellow soldiers were killed or wounded on that day. They eventually fought their way through and ended up being involved in the Battle of the Bulge as well.
Ed was awarded a bronze star and three purple hearts for his service in World War II. But he was a humble man who never considered himself to be a hero. And he was a man of strong faith. He and his wife Aline were in church every Sunday, right up until the day he died.
I did Ed’s funeral on a bitterly cold and windy day in January of 2011. The church was full. And when we arrived at the cemetery, we were met by a large contingent of the Patriot Guard Riders, a veterans’ motorcycle group that honors fellow veterans at their funerals. When I talked to a few of them afterwards, I mentioned that they had to stand out in the cold for a long time, since we were late getting to the cemetery. Every one of them said, “It was an honor to stand in the cold for Ed.”
There was also another member of my church in Lindenhurst who had landed at Normandy. His name was George Lexau. George was in the US Navy. The navy’s part of the D-Day invasion was called Operation Neptune. I never got to hear George’s story in detail. Ed had taken part in an audio history project while I was in Lindenhurst, so I heard his complete story. But George just talked occasionally about the heavy fire that the navy vessels encountered as they transported troops to the beaches. From the few accounts that he gave, it sounded like he was right in the middle of the action. George, like Ed, was a faithful Christian who attended church with his wife La Verne every Sunday, until he passed away in 2014. And like Ed, he never saw himself as a hero. He was just doing his duty, like thousands of other guys.
There is one other person from Lindenhurst that I want to mention as well. His name is Allen Lynch. He and his wife Susan started attending our church about a year before I moved to Princeton. I would have loved to have had the time to get to know him better. Allen was not a D-Day veteran. He actually fought in the Vietnam War. But he had a remarkable story.
One day I was talking with Allen and Susan after church when another member, who knew them well, joined the conversation. As we were talking, the other member turned to me and said, “Did you know that Allen is a Medal of Honor recipient?”
The Congressional Medal of Honor is the highest award that a member of the military can receive. In the history of our nation, only 3,508 people have received the medal. Only 69 of the recipients are alive today, and Allen is one of them.
I turned to him and held out my hand. As we shook hands, I said, “Thank you for your service. You are a true American hero.” Do you know what he said? He said, “I don’t think of myself as a hero. The real heroes are the guys who didn’t come home.”
Later, I googled Allen’s name to find out how he had won the Medal of Honor. I read about how his unit had been engaged in a battle against a much larger force. Three of their fellow soldiers were injured and were out in the open, exposed to enemy fire. Allen left his cover and ran out to get the men. He made three trips under fire to get them into a trench. Then his unit was ordered to retreat.
The three men could not be moved, so Allen stayed with them. For two hours, he fought off an enemy attack by himself, with just a rifle and one hand grenade. Then he moved the men to a more secure location. Again, he had to make three trips under heavy enemy fire. When he got to the new location, he held his ground until reinforcements arrived.
Like Ed and George, Allen is a committed Christian. He and Susan are faithful in worship and Bible study and he is very involved in prison ministry. Allen has also been a tireless advocate for veterans for many years. And if you ever drive on I-94, near Gurnee, Illinois, you might notice a large brown sign on the side of the road, right by the Grand Avenue exit. It says, “Allen J. Lynch Medal of Honor Overpass.”
Why am I telling these stories? Well, the anniversary of D-Day got me thinking about the millions of men and women, down through the years, who have put their lives on the line to preserve the freedoms that we all enjoy in America today.
I know that we have denied those freedoms to many people in the past. And despite the progress that we have made in recent generations, we still have much work to do, to apply those freedoms equally to all people. But I have hope for America. As long as there are men and women like Ed and George and Allen, I believe that we can overcome our differences and create a brighter future for our children and our grandchildren. And I believe that the people of God will play a critical role in that brighter future.
We need to be on our knees right now, praying for America. We need to pray for peace and stability. We need to pray for the Holy Spirit to break down barriers and unite warring factions. But most of all, we need to pray for a great revival of faith in this land. And it begins with us. Those of us who are Christians must renew our faith in Jesus Christ and our commitment to the goals of his kingdom.
God says to Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
So let us do this. Let us pray for America. And then let us do our part to heal this land. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/TRUjr8EVgBg
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 81 – Friday, June 5, 2020
Read Mark 8:34-38 and Psalm 37:1-11
Theme Verse: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34)
Well, it’s the first week of June and there’s still no Major League Baseball. A bunch of rich guys are arguing with another bunch of rich guys about how much richer they should all be. Meanwhile, high school girls and boys are getting ready to start their summer leagues in Iowa. And one of my Facebook friends in Pontiac, Illinois, said that their church softball league is getting ready to begin. Go figure.
So, since there are no games to watch right now, I thought I would share another one of my old baseball stories with you. This one is from my freshman year in high school, way back in the spring of 1976. That year I won a starting spot on the varsity baseball team. All of the infield positions were occupied by upperclassmen, but I was the starting center fielder and I was batting leadoff.
My older brother Bob was our best pitcher that year, and he was on the mound one beautiful Saturday afternoon for a home game against St. Bonaventure. They were a good team, but Bob really had his stuff that day. He sailed through five innings with a 3-1 lead. But by the end of the fifth, he seemed to be running out of gas.
The coach asked Bob if he had one more inning in him and he said, “Yes.” So he headed out to the mound for the top of the sixth. I remember every detail of that half inning, almost every pitch. Not because it was such a monumental moment in my life, but because my brother and I tell this story almost every time we get together.
The inning began inauspiciously, with an easy two-hopper to short. Our shortstop scooped it up and threw to first for the out. One down. Then Bob got a little wild with the next hitter. When a pitcher gets tired, he starts to get his pitches “up.” His fastball drifts up to the shoulders and his curveball hangs out over the plate. The batter worked the count and drew a walk. No problem. One on and one out.
But the next play was a big one. The batter hit a ground ball toward the middle, just to the right of our second baseman. If he snags it and flips to the shortstop, who is covering second, there’s a good chance that the shortstop will be able to fire it to first in time to complete the double play. But the second baseman didn’t get his glove all the way down. The ball scooted past him into shallow right-center. I tracked it down and got it back into the infield. But now they had the tying runs on base with just one out. And they were back to the top of their order.
Instead of getting rattled by the error, Bob settled down a little. He reached back and threw several good fastballs to the leadoff hitter. Then, on a two-strike count, he got him on a good curveball. Two outs. The inning was almost over. But the next batter worked the count full and then drew a walk. Now the bases were loaded and their best hitter was coming to the plate.
I looked over to the dugout, expecting our coach to come out and take Bob out of the game. But he didn’t come out. He probably figured that, even though Bob was tired, he had a better chance of getting the guy out than anyone he could put in. So this was it. The game would probably be won or lost with this batter.
Fortunately, this guy was an eager hitter. The first pitch was way out of the strike zone, but he almost swung. He didn’t want to walk. He wanted to drive the ball into a gap and clear the bases. The next pitch was just a little outside, so he took a whack at it and he lofted a lazy fly ball to straightaway right field. We were going to get out of the inning!
I started drifting toward right field, even though it wasn’t my ball to catch. I just always moved in whatever direction the ball was hit. But as I was moving, I looked up and saw that our right fielder was not moving at all. I’ll call him Larry. That’s not his real name, but a lot of people that I knew back then are Facebook friends of mine today. I don’t want to embarrass him.
So Larry was just standing still in right field, with the ball tracking almost directly at him. He was holding his glove up near his face and he seemed to be doing something with it. I didn’t even try to get his attention. There wasn’t enough time. I just turned on the afterburners and headed for the ball. At the last second I dove to my left and caught the ball just before it hit the ground. I was less than ten feet from where Larry was standing.
The slap of the ball in my mitt, followed by the roar of the crowd, seemed to snap Larry out of his reverie. He lowered his glove and that’s when I finally saw what he had been doing. The inning had dragged on so long that he had gotten bored. He had started picking dandelions from the grass around his feet. He was sliding the stems between the fingers of his glove, leaving the flowers showing on the inside. When I saw the inside of his glove, he had two perfect lines of yellow and he was starting on a third.
Our coach put in another pitcher for the seventh inning (and another right fielder) and we ended up winning the game 3-2. After the game, Bob said to me, “Bill, you prevented a major crime from being committed today.” I said, “What do you mean?” He said, “If you hadn’t caught that ball, I would have killed Larry.”
Larry had one job when we were on defense. His job was to catch any balls that were hit to right field. But he got bored. He got distracted by the dandelions. He forgot about the one thing that was most important. And it almost cost us the game.
Now, of course, in the big scheme of things, losing a baseball game is not a big deal. But let me tell you about something that is a big deal. The eternal salvation of your soul is a big deal. In fact, it is the biggest deal of your entire life. If you do great things on this earth, if you construct the most fantastic line of dandelions that anyone has ever seen, but neglect your relationship with Jesus Christ, then all of your accomplishments in this life will have been for nothing.
In the 8th chapter of the Gospel of Mark, Jesus was with his disciples and there was a larger group of followers hovering nearby. Jesus called everyone to come in closer. He was like a coach saying, “Huddle up! I have something important to tell you.” When he had their attention, he said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” He was asking for their total commitment to his cause. He was asking for their total commitment to him.
He went on to tell them that if their primary commitment was to the things of this world, then they would lose in the end. Because our lives in this world do not last forever. And over time, all of our worldly accomplishments will fade away like a bunch of old dandelions. Only the things that we have done for Jesus will survive.
If you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you will live forever in heaven. And if you lead a person to Jesus through your words and your actions, you will be able to have a relationship with that person for all of eternity. Jesus said, “Whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel’s will save it.”
So as we walk through this world, creating things and accomplishing things and enjoying life’s simple pleasures, let us never take our eyes off of the true purpose for our existence. We are called to follow Jesus wherever he leads us. We are called to love other people in his name. And we are called to be faithful until the end of the game. Because if we are faithful to Jesus, then the end of the game in this world is just the beginning of a new game that goes on forever. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/ylihJUH0gP4
Day 81 – Friday, June 5, 2020
Read Mark 8:34-38 and Psalm 37:1-11
Theme Verse: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34)
Well, it’s the first week of June and there’s still no Major League Baseball. A bunch of rich guys are arguing with another bunch of rich guys about how much richer they should all be. Meanwhile, high school girls and boys are getting ready to start their summer leagues in Iowa. And one of my Facebook friends in Pontiac, Illinois, said that their church softball league is getting ready to begin. Go figure.
So, since there are no games to watch right now, I thought I would share another one of my old baseball stories with you. This one is from my freshman year in high school, way back in the spring of 1976. That year I won a starting spot on the varsity baseball team. All of the infield positions were occupied by upperclassmen, but I was the starting center fielder and I was batting leadoff.
My older brother Bob was our best pitcher that year, and he was on the mound one beautiful Saturday afternoon for a home game against St. Bonaventure. They were a good team, but Bob really had his stuff that day. He sailed through five innings with a 3-1 lead. But by the end of the fifth, he seemed to be running out of gas.
The coach asked Bob if he had one more inning in him and he said, “Yes.” So he headed out to the mound for the top of the sixth. I remember every detail of that half inning, almost every pitch. Not because it was such a monumental moment in my life, but because my brother and I tell this story almost every time we get together.
The inning began inauspiciously, with an easy two-hopper to short. Our shortstop scooped it up and threw to first for the out. One down. Then Bob got a little wild with the next hitter. When a pitcher gets tired, he starts to get his pitches “up.” His fastball drifts up to the shoulders and his curveball hangs out over the plate. The batter worked the count and drew a walk. No problem. One on and one out.
But the next play was a big one. The batter hit a ground ball toward the middle, just to the right of our second baseman. If he snags it and flips to the shortstop, who is covering second, there’s a good chance that the shortstop will be able to fire it to first in time to complete the double play. But the second baseman didn’t get his glove all the way down. The ball scooted past him into shallow right-center. I tracked it down and got it back into the infield. But now they had the tying runs on base with just one out. And they were back to the top of their order.
Instead of getting rattled by the error, Bob settled down a little. He reached back and threw several good fastballs to the leadoff hitter. Then, on a two-strike count, he got him on a good curveball. Two outs. The inning was almost over. But the next batter worked the count full and then drew a walk. Now the bases were loaded and their best hitter was coming to the plate.
I looked over to the dugout, expecting our coach to come out and take Bob out of the game. But he didn’t come out. He probably figured that, even though Bob was tired, he had a better chance of getting the guy out than anyone he could put in. So this was it. The game would probably be won or lost with this batter.
Fortunately, this guy was an eager hitter. The first pitch was way out of the strike zone, but he almost swung. He didn’t want to walk. He wanted to drive the ball into a gap and clear the bases. The next pitch was just a little outside, so he took a whack at it and he lofted a lazy fly ball to straightaway right field. We were going to get out of the inning!
I started drifting toward right field, even though it wasn’t my ball to catch. I just always moved in whatever direction the ball was hit. But as I was moving, I looked up and saw that our right fielder was not moving at all. I’ll call him Larry. That’s not his real name, but a lot of people that I knew back then are Facebook friends of mine today. I don’t want to embarrass him.
So Larry was just standing still in right field, with the ball tracking almost directly at him. He was holding his glove up near his face and he seemed to be doing something with it. I didn’t even try to get his attention. There wasn’t enough time. I just turned on the afterburners and headed for the ball. At the last second I dove to my left and caught the ball just before it hit the ground. I was less than ten feet from where Larry was standing.
The slap of the ball in my mitt, followed by the roar of the crowd, seemed to snap Larry out of his reverie. He lowered his glove and that’s when I finally saw what he had been doing. The inning had dragged on so long that he had gotten bored. He had started picking dandelions from the grass around his feet. He was sliding the stems between the fingers of his glove, leaving the flowers showing on the inside. When I saw the inside of his glove, he had two perfect lines of yellow and he was starting on a third.
Our coach put in another pitcher for the seventh inning (and another right fielder) and we ended up winning the game 3-2. After the game, Bob said to me, “Bill, you prevented a major crime from being committed today.” I said, “What do you mean?” He said, “If you hadn’t caught that ball, I would have killed Larry.”
Larry had one job when we were on defense. His job was to catch any balls that were hit to right field. But he got bored. He got distracted by the dandelions. He forgot about the one thing that was most important. And it almost cost us the game.
Now, of course, in the big scheme of things, losing a baseball game is not a big deal. But let me tell you about something that is a big deal. The eternal salvation of your soul is a big deal. In fact, it is the biggest deal of your entire life. If you do great things on this earth, if you construct the most fantastic line of dandelions that anyone has ever seen, but neglect your relationship with Jesus Christ, then all of your accomplishments in this life will have been for nothing.
In the 8th chapter of the Gospel of Mark, Jesus was with his disciples and there was a larger group of followers hovering nearby. Jesus called everyone to come in closer. He was like a coach saying, “Huddle up! I have something important to tell you.” When he had their attention, he said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” He was asking for their total commitment to his cause. He was asking for their total commitment to him.
He went on to tell them that if their primary commitment was to the things of this world, then they would lose in the end. Because our lives in this world do not last forever. And over time, all of our worldly accomplishments will fade away like a bunch of old dandelions. Only the things that we have done for Jesus will survive.
If you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you will live forever in heaven. And if you lead a person to Jesus through your words and your actions, you will be able to have a relationship with that person for all of eternity. Jesus said, “Whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel’s will save it.”
So as we walk through this world, creating things and accomplishing things and enjoying life’s simple pleasures, let us never take our eyes off of the true purpose for our existence. We are called to follow Jesus wherever he leads us. We are called to love other people in his name. And we are called to be faithful until the end of the game. Because if we are faithful to Jesus, then the end of the game in this world is just the beginning of a new game that goes on forever. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/ylihJUH0gP4
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 80 – Thursday, June 4, 2020
Read 1 Timothy 2:1-7 and John 15:12-17
Theme Verse: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)
I’ve been trying to avoid watching the news lately. But I turned it on for a few minutes last night and what I saw really broke my heart. I saw a line of protesters who had come right up to a line of police officers—I mean, right in their faces. I’m not sure where it was. I think it might have been New York City. The officers were standing shoulder to shoulder and the protesters were screaming at them and gesturing at them. And my heart just went out to those officers.
I know that there is great pain and suffering in the African-American community right now. I’ve talked about it in some previous devotions. They are outraged by the murder of George Floyd, and rightly so. I am outraged too. A bad police officer committed a horrible crime. And what is even worse is that he has had several excessive force complaints filed against him in the past, but he was still on the force. If that officer had been fired for one of those previous offenses, then George Floyd would still be alive today. So there needs to be a systemic change in the police department of Minneapolis and of many other cities.
But I also know that the vast majority of police officers in our country are very good people. They are dedicated professionals. They treat people with dignity and respect. They put their lives on the line for their communities and they don’t get paid very much to do it. But right now, they are all paying the price for a few bad actors and a lousy system.
When I think about the current situation, it reminds me of the clergy sex abuse scandals that were in the news a few years ago. Again, it was a few bad priests and pastors who were doing horrible things to children. And there was a bad system of covering things up and allowing clergy to move to other locations and harm other children.
During that time, there was legitimate outrage. And that outrage led to positive change. Most denominations have put safeguards in place to make sure that clergy sex scandals are not covered up any longer and that victims are not forgotten. My prayer is that those kinds of safeguards will be put in place in police departments around the country.
But my hope for today is that, as we pray for racial justice and systemic changes, we will also include our police officers in our prayers. In 1 Timothy 2:1-2, the Apostle Paul says, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions.” I include police officers in that admonition.
If we want to see positive change, we need pray for our African-American brothers and sisters. We need to pray for justice and for an end to systemic racism. But we also need to pray for our police officers. We need to support those good officers who care about the people in their communities and strive to treat all people with dignity. We want to encourage them and help them to be positive agents of change.
Note: Everything above was written before 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Everything below was written after 5:00 p.m.
Well, I’m going to switch gears now and talk about an event that I just attended. I had a very busy day today. I had a funeral in the morning at Valley Memorial Park in Spring Valley. Then, right after that, I had a couple of things that I had to do. In the middle of the afternoon, I finally started writing this devotion.
On Tuesday evening, I had heard about a rally that was planned for Thursday in Princeton. The rally would be in support of our African-American brothers and sisters. I didn’t know any of the details and I wasn’t sure if I would be able to attend. On Wednesday, I learned that the rally would be held in Darius Miller Park, by the train station, at 4:00 p.m. I thought, “Hmm, maybe I can attend after all.”
Today, as I started writing this devotion, I thought, “I’ll never be finished by 4:00 p.m.” If I took a break to go to the rally, this devotion would not get posted until well after 6:00 p.m. As 4:00 p.m. approached, I was still wavering about whether or not to go. At the last moment, I thought, “I need to go.” And I’m glad that I did.
There was an excellent turnout for the rally. There were expressions of sadness for African-American people who had lost their lives in interactions with the police or in other situations, such as the Ahmaud Arbery killing. There was some anger, but it was subdued and appropriate. It was an incredibly peaceful and moving event.
There were lots of handmade signs that people had brought with them, with a variety of messages. But the most common message of all was, “Love—Not Hate.” I saw at least a dozen signs with that phrase. Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” So I think that “Love—Not Hate” is a message that every Christian can wholeheartedly agree with.
But for me, the most uplifting thing that was said at the rally was spoken by one of the organizers. She said, “We want to thank the Princeton Police for supporting us and for helping us to make this event happen.”
That statement was proof to me that most of the people who are angry about the George Floyd killing are not angry with all police officers. The angry mob that I saw on television last night does not represent the majority. Just as there are some police officers who do bad things, there are also some protesters who do bad things. But most of them want to do good. Most of them want to see positive change.
I just need to trust more. I need to trust that God is in control, even when the world seems to be turned upside down. And I need to stop watching the news for a while. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/d9zoq3k-3K0
Day 80 – Thursday, June 4, 2020
Read 1 Timothy 2:1-7 and John 15:12-17
Theme Verse: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)
I’ve been trying to avoid watching the news lately. But I turned it on for a few minutes last night and what I saw really broke my heart. I saw a line of protesters who had come right up to a line of police officers—I mean, right in their faces. I’m not sure where it was. I think it might have been New York City. The officers were standing shoulder to shoulder and the protesters were screaming at them and gesturing at them. And my heart just went out to those officers.
I know that there is great pain and suffering in the African-American community right now. I’ve talked about it in some previous devotions. They are outraged by the murder of George Floyd, and rightly so. I am outraged too. A bad police officer committed a horrible crime. And what is even worse is that he has had several excessive force complaints filed against him in the past, but he was still on the force. If that officer had been fired for one of those previous offenses, then George Floyd would still be alive today. So there needs to be a systemic change in the police department of Minneapolis and of many other cities.
But I also know that the vast majority of police officers in our country are very good people. They are dedicated professionals. They treat people with dignity and respect. They put their lives on the line for their communities and they don’t get paid very much to do it. But right now, they are all paying the price for a few bad actors and a lousy system.
When I think about the current situation, it reminds me of the clergy sex abuse scandals that were in the news a few years ago. Again, it was a few bad priests and pastors who were doing horrible things to children. And there was a bad system of covering things up and allowing clergy to move to other locations and harm other children.
During that time, there was legitimate outrage. And that outrage led to positive change. Most denominations have put safeguards in place to make sure that clergy sex scandals are not covered up any longer and that victims are not forgotten. My prayer is that those kinds of safeguards will be put in place in police departments around the country.
But my hope for today is that, as we pray for racial justice and systemic changes, we will also include our police officers in our prayers. In 1 Timothy 2:1-2, the Apostle Paul says, “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions.” I include police officers in that admonition.
If we want to see positive change, we need pray for our African-American brothers and sisters. We need to pray for justice and for an end to systemic racism. But we also need to pray for our police officers. We need to support those good officers who care about the people in their communities and strive to treat all people with dignity. We want to encourage them and help them to be positive agents of change.
Note: Everything above was written before 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Everything below was written after 5:00 p.m.
Well, I’m going to switch gears now and talk about an event that I just attended. I had a very busy day today. I had a funeral in the morning at Valley Memorial Park in Spring Valley. Then, right after that, I had a couple of things that I had to do. In the middle of the afternoon, I finally started writing this devotion.
On Tuesday evening, I had heard about a rally that was planned for Thursday in Princeton. The rally would be in support of our African-American brothers and sisters. I didn’t know any of the details and I wasn’t sure if I would be able to attend. On Wednesday, I learned that the rally would be held in Darius Miller Park, by the train station, at 4:00 p.m. I thought, “Hmm, maybe I can attend after all.”
Today, as I started writing this devotion, I thought, “I’ll never be finished by 4:00 p.m.” If I took a break to go to the rally, this devotion would not get posted until well after 6:00 p.m. As 4:00 p.m. approached, I was still wavering about whether or not to go. At the last moment, I thought, “I need to go.” And I’m glad that I did.
There was an excellent turnout for the rally. There were expressions of sadness for African-American people who had lost their lives in interactions with the police or in other situations, such as the Ahmaud Arbery killing. There was some anger, but it was subdued and appropriate. It was an incredibly peaceful and moving event.
There were lots of handmade signs that people had brought with them, with a variety of messages. But the most common message of all was, “Love—Not Hate.” I saw at least a dozen signs with that phrase. Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” So I think that “Love—Not Hate” is a message that every Christian can wholeheartedly agree with.
But for me, the most uplifting thing that was said at the rally was spoken by one of the organizers. She said, “We want to thank the Princeton Police for supporting us and for helping us to make this event happen.”
That statement was proof to me that most of the people who are angry about the George Floyd killing are not angry with all police officers. The angry mob that I saw on television last night does not represent the majority. Just as there are some police officers who do bad things, there are also some protesters who do bad things. But most of them want to do good. Most of them want to see positive change.
I just need to trust more. I need to trust that God is in control, even when the world seems to be turned upside down. And I need to stop watching the news for a while. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/d9zoq3k-3K0
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 79 – Wednesday, June 3, 2020
Read Jeremiah 17:5-10 and John 15:1-5
Theme Verse: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is in the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)
The photo that I have attached to this article was taken this morning. It’s a photo of the tree that stands just outside of my office window at the church. Or, I should say, it used to stand outside my window.
A violent, unexpected storm came through Princeton this morning. There was no tornado, but the winds were strong and the rain was heavy for about thirty minutes or so. I was still at the house when it blew through. Our house is actually the church parsonage. It sits across the parking lot from the church building. People always joke about my long commute to work—about fifty yards.
When I stepped outside after the storm was over, the first thing that I saw was a huge tree limb on the ground in the front yard of the parsonage. It had broken off of a large locust tree that stands near the street. Fortunately, it missed the front porch and fell harmlessly to the ground. But it’s too large to drag out to the street for the city cleanup crew. It’s going to take a chain saw to clean it up.
I picked up a few smaller branches and threw them into a pile that I would deal with later. Then I headed over to the church. I entered through the north door and walked down the hallway to my office. When I opened my office door, something seemed wrong. There was too much light in the room.
I walked over to the window and that’s when I saw it. The large linden tree which had shaded the east side of the building had broken off near the base. It wasn’t uprooted. It was actually snapped like a toothpick, just below ground level. I’m no tree expert, but the way that it broke off makes me think that it was not a healthy tree.
The first thing that came to my mind was that the fallen tree might be a metaphor for America in the 21st century. Maybe we are rotten to the core. Maybe the violent storm that is going on in our cities right now will snap us off at the base and topple us. I hope and I pray that this will not happen. But I worry about it nonetheless.
We have some enormous problems in our country right now. Racism is the issue of the moment. Those of us who are white, and who care about social justice, know that what was done to George Floyd in Minneapolis was wrong. He was merely a suspect in a petty crime. But he was viciously restrained by a police officer who ignored his frantic warnings that he couldn’t breathe. He died a horrible death because the officer treated him as less than a human being.
But I think that most of us were surprised by the violent reaction that broke out in cities across the country. There is anger in the African-American community. It is anger over the fact that this keeps on happening over and over again. Just before the George Floyd murder, we had the situation in Glynn County, Georgia. A young black man named Ahmaud Arbery was killed by a group of three white men who were trying to detain him, because they thought he had been poking around a house under construction.
And then, on the same day as the Floyd killing, there was a story about a woman in Central Park, in New York City, who called the police and told them that a black man was threatening her life. What was his offense? He had asked her to leash her dog (which was required in that part of the park). He was a Harvard educated man who was an avid birdwatcher. The dog was running wild and scaring all of the birds away.
So the anger is legitimate. And most people in the African-American community want to express their anger through peaceful protest. But there are some who want to express their anger through violence and looting and destruction. And they are joined by some young, white, suburban kids who are simply interested in creating chaos and confusion.
With all of this turmoil going on in our cities, we could sure use some help from our politicians. But the political leaders and their faithful followers are too busy trying to blame the other side, hoping that they might win some votes for November. And the more they hate on each other, the more they divide our nation.
The media could really help us out here. They could report honestly on what is happening. They could check their sources before passing on rumors. They could put together panels of people who would discuss the issues with nuance and civility and mutual respect. Yeah, right. They know that violence translates into higher ratings. So they just point their cameras at leaping flames and broken windows.
So how do we fix this? How do we keep the violent winds from blowing down the whole rotten tree? The answer is to plant the tree in something more solid than human institutions and political parties. The answer is to plant the tree in Jesus Christ.
In the Old Testament, the prophet Jeremiah said, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” He doesn’t say that God will curse this man. He says that such a man curses himself, because he ignores God and puts his trust in things that are not reliable.
Jeremiah goes on to describe the one thing that is reliable. He says, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is in the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream.” There is only one way to truly fix a rotten tree. There is only one way to ensure that it will stand in the storm. That one way is to anchor the tree in the Lord.
In the New Testament, Jesus uses the metaphor of the grapevine. He says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” In short, the Bible says that the more people move away from God, the less they are able to solve their problems. They are destined to play these images of chaos and violence over and over again.
But the more people connect with God, the more their hearts begin to change. And the more their hearts begin to change, the more they are motivated to make real positive change in society. Some people would tell me that I am being naïve. Karl Marx would say that my religion is a drug that keeps me from pursuing true societal change.
But I say that Karl Marx is wrong. He can’t save America. And the Republican Party can’t save America. And the Democratic Party can’t save America. And the media can’t save America. And the anarchists and the white supremacists aren’t even in the conversation.
But I will give my life to Jesus. I will stay connected to him. I will ask the Holy Spirit to help me fight the racism and other sinful impulses that are inside of me. I will vote for people and issues that my conscience tells me are best for America. But I will never be fooled into thinking that my political choices will save our nation.
Only Jesus saves. Call me a naïve religious fanatic. But I will choose him over all the others. And I will share him with others, hoping that they too will believe in him. And who knows? Maybe if enough people connect to Jesus, we can build this nation into a strong tree which will stand through any storm. I just hope it’s not too late. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/G-N9_SdxW4c
Day 79 – Wednesday, June 3, 2020
Read Jeremiah 17:5-10 and John 15:1-5
Theme Verse: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is in the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)
The photo that I have attached to this article was taken this morning. It’s a photo of the tree that stands just outside of my office window at the church. Or, I should say, it used to stand outside my window.
A violent, unexpected storm came through Princeton this morning. There was no tornado, but the winds were strong and the rain was heavy for about thirty minutes or so. I was still at the house when it blew through. Our house is actually the church parsonage. It sits across the parking lot from the church building. People always joke about my long commute to work—about fifty yards.
When I stepped outside after the storm was over, the first thing that I saw was a huge tree limb on the ground in the front yard of the parsonage. It had broken off of a large locust tree that stands near the street. Fortunately, it missed the front porch and fell harmlessly to the ground. But it’s too large to drag out to the street for the city cleanup crew. It’s going to take a chain saw to clean it up.
I picked up a few smaller branches and threw them into a pile that I would deal with later. Then I headed over to the church. I entered through the north door and walked down the hallway to my office. When I opened my office door, something seemed wrong. There was too much light in the room.
I walked over to the window and that’s when I saw it. The large linden tree which had shaded the east side of the building had broken off near the base. It wasn’t uprooted. It was actually snapped like a toothpick, just below ground level. I’m no tree expert, but the way that it broke off makes me think that it was not a healthy tree.
The first thing that came to my mind was that the fallen tree might be a metaphor for America in the 21st century. Maybe we are rotten to the core. Maybe the violent storm that is going on in our cities right now will snap us off at the base and topple us. I hope and I pray that this will not happen. But I worry about it nonetheless.
We have some enormous problems in our country right now. Racism is the issue of the moment. Those of us who are white, and who care about social justice, know that what was done to George Floyd in Minneapolis was wrong. He was merely a suspect in a petty crime. But he was viciously restrained by a police officer who ignored his frantic warnings that he couldn’t breathe. He died a horrible death because the officer treated him as less than a human being.
But I think that most of us were surprised by the violent reaction that broke out in cities across the country. There is anger in the African-American community. It is anger over the fact that this keeps on happening over and over again. Just before the George Floyd murder, we had the situation in Glynn County, Georgia. A young black man named Ahmaud Arbery was killed by a group of three white men who were trying to detain him, because they thought he had been poking around a house under construction.
And then, on the same day as the Floyd killing, there was a story about a woman in Central Park, in New York City, who called the police and told them that a black man was threatening her life. What was his offense? He had asked her to leash her dog (which was required in that part of the park). He was a Harvard educated man who was an avid birdwatcher. The dog was running wild and scaring all of the birds away.
So the anger is legitimate. And most people in the African-American community want to express their anger through peaceful protest. But there are some who want to express their anger through violence and looting and destruction. And they are joined by some young, white, suburban kids who are simply interested in creating chaos and confusion.
With all of this turmoil going on in our cities, we could sure use some help from our politicians. But the political leaders and their faithful followers are too busy trying to blame the other side, hoping that they might win some votes for November. And the more they hate on each other, the more they divide our nation.
The media could really help us out here. They could report honestly on what is happening. They could check their sources before passing on rumors. They could put together panels of people who would discuss the issues with nuance and civility and mutual respect. Yeah, right. They know that violence translates into higher ratings. So they just point their cameras at leaping flames and broken windows.
So how do we fix this? How do we keep the violent winds from blowing down the whole rotten tree? The answer is to plant the tree in something more solid than human institutions and political parties. The answer is to plant the tree in Jesus Christ.
In the Old Testament, the prophet Jeremiah said, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” He doesn’t say that God will curse this man. He says that such a man curses himself, because he ignores God and puts his trust in things that are not reliable.
Jeremiah goes on to describe the one thing that is reliable. He says, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is in the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream.” There is only one way to truly fix a rotten tree. There is only one way to ensure that it will stand in the storm. That one way is to anchor the tree in the Lord.
In the New Testament, Jesus uses the metaphor of the grapevine. He says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” In short, the Bible says that the more people move away from God, the less they are able to solve their problems. They are destined to play these images of chaos and violence over and over again.
But the more people connect with God, the more their hearts begin to change. And the more their hearts begin to change, the more they are motivated to make real positive change in society. Some people would tell me that I am being naïve. Karl Marx would say that my religion is a drug that keeps me from pursuing true societal change.
But I say that Karl Marx is wrong. He can’t save America. And the Republican Party can’t save America. And the Democratic Party can’t save America. And the media can’t save America. And the anarchists and the white supremacists aren’t even in the conversation.
But I will give my life to Jesus. I will stay connected to him. I will ask the Holy Spirit to help me fight the racism and other sinful impulses that are inside of me. I will vote for people and issues that my conscience tells me are best for America. But I will never be fooled into thinking that my political choices will save our nation.
Only Jesus saves. Call me a naïve religious fanatic. But I will choose him over all the others. And I will share him with others, hoping that they too will believe in him. And who knows? Maybe if enough people connect to Jesus, we can build this nation into a strong tree which will stand through any storm. I just hope it’s not too late. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/G-N9_SdxW4c
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 78 – Tuesday, June 2, 2020
Read Isaiah 11:1-9 and Luke 2:8-11
Theme Verse: “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.” (Isaiah 11:1)
Pastor Norm’s Monday devotion shared a powerful promise from the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah was writing to the people of Israel during a terrible time in their history. The Babylonians were destroying the city of Jerusalem and tearing down Solomon’s beautiful temple, which had stood for nearly four hundred years. They were carrying the people away to exile in a foreign land. God was allowing Jerusalem to be destroyed because the people of Israel had turned away from him. They were following after false gods.
But in the midst of the destruction and the march into exile, Jeremiah proclaimed the promise that God would go with them. He would be in their midst as they built their homes and raised their children and lived their lives in the land of Babylon. He would never abandon them. In fact, he would continue to speak to them through his Word. And if they would put their faith and hope in him, they would experience his plans for their future.
Pastor Norm’s devotion got me thinking about another prophet who had a lot to say about the future of Israel. That prophet was Isaiah. Isaiah was writing about 150 years before the Babylonian exile. But he could see it coming. God gave Isaiah some terrible visions of the destruction and suffering that the people would face. He could see their despair and their hopelessness. But God also gave Isaiah a vision of Israel’s deliverance and salvation.
Isaiah saw that God would save his people from the exile. Another nation, the nation of Persia, would rise up and defeat Babylon and set the Jewish people free. The Persians would be led by their ruler, Cyrus, who is mentioned by name in Isaiah 45:1. Some of the Jewish people, a remnant, would return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city.
But Isaiah doesn’t stop there. God did not just give Isaiah visions about Israel’s deliverance from the exile. He also gave him visions about the salvation of the world. Isaiah saw that God was going to save the whole world from sin and death and eternal exile in hell. God was going to send a savior who was greater than Cyrus. God was going to send “a shoot from the stump of Jesse.”
When I was twelve years old, our family moved to the little town of Newburg, Wisconsin. We only lived there for three and a half years, but those years are burned into my memory because of all the things that happened in that short time. I remember lots of little details from that time and place, things that I probably should have forgotten long ago. One of the details that I remember is “the stump.”
On the west side of our property, we had a strip of grass, maybe twenty feet wide, between the house and the driveway. On that strip of grass we had a large pine tree of some kind, a long narrow flower garden, and an enormous tree stump. The stump was from an old oak tree that had been cut down several years earlier. For some reason, no one had ever tried to pull it out or grind it up. They just left it there. It was about two feet high and its flat surface was about three feet in diameter.
That stump was old and dried up. It looked like it didn’t have any life left in it. But every spring, a new shoot or two would start growing out of one of the cracks on the surface. It was amazing. There was still a spark of life in there somewhere and that spark was determined to grow itself up into a tall, mighty oak tree.
That’s the image that Isaiah is talking about when he says, “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.” Jesse is not a major character in the Bible. He’s pretty much known for just one thing. He was the father of King David. So David was the “shoot” that came out of Jesse. And King David was the father of all the Jewish kings that came after him.
But when the Jews went into exile, they thought that the Davidic dynasty was over. They thought that they would never have another Jewish king. In fact, they thought that the whole nation of Israel might just go out of existence. It had happened before, even to some powerful kingdoms like the Hittites and the Assyrians. They wondered if the great family tree of Abraham was now destined to become a dead stump.
But Isaiah told them that, not only was God going to save them from exile, but he was also going to send them a new king from the line of David, a new “shoot from the stump of Jesse.” This shoot would be filled with the Spirit of the Lord. And he would not only be a king for the people of Israel, he would rule the whole earth with righteousness and equity.
This new shoot, this king, would be the Lord’s anointed one. In the Hebrew language, he would be known as “The Messiah.” In the Greek language, he would be known as “The Christ.” That was the vision that Isaiah saw. In another passage, Isaiah gives him a special name. He says, “[They] shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) It’s a word that means “God is with us.”
That was the promise. And on a dark night, some 700 years after Isaiah wrote those words, the promise was fulfilled. A baby was born in Bethlehem, the same town in which David had been born.
That night, on a hillside just east of Bethlehem, an angel visited some shepherds and announced the birth of the new king. He said, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
This king would come to die for the sins of the world. He would rise again on the third day. He would promise the forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven to all people who would believe in him. And that promise is still true today, almost two thousand years later. No matter what is going on around us in the world, we have the promise of eternal life.
And because we have this promise, we are free to serve him in this world without fear. We are free to love others as he has loved us. We are free to work for righteousness and equity in the world, in his name. We are free to rise above fear and hopelessness and despair. We are the tree that has grown up from the shoot of the stump of Jesse. We are the Christian Church.
We know that we will never see perfect peace and justice in this world. There is sin in the world. And where there is sin, there is no perfection. But Jesus calls us to make a difference, in his name. He calls us to be the salt that preserves the world and the light that shines in the darkness of the world. He calls us to fight the good fight against sin and evil until the day that we leave this world and walk the streets of heaven.
And Isaiah also saw a vision of heaven. God gave him all the great visions! He said that, in heaven, “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.” And best of all, there will be no hatred or violence among the people of God in heaven. Isaiah says, “They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain.”
I am eagerly waiting for that day. But until it comes, I will be a servant of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I will tell the world about his saving grace. And I will strive to love others in his name as long as I draw breath in this world. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that we often associate with Christmas. But the words ring true for all times and in all places.
https://youtu.be/4Q6iesplJRM
Day 78 – Tuesday, June 2, 2020
Read Isaiah 11:1-9 and Luke 2:8-11
Theme Verse: “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.” (Isaiah 11:1)
Pastor Norm’s Monday devotion shared a powerful promise from the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah was writing to the people of Israel during a terrible time in their history. The Babylonians were destroying the city of Jerusalem and tearing down Solomon’s beautiful temple, which had stood for nearly four hundred years. They were carrying the people away to exile in a foreign land. God was allowing Jerusalem to be destroyed because the people of Israel had turned away from him. They were following after false gods.
But in the midst of the destruction and the march into exile, Jeremiah proclaimed the promise that God would go with them. He would be in their midst as they built their homes and raised their children and lived their lives in the land of Babylon. He would never abandon them. In fact, he would continue to speak to them through his Word. And if they would put their faith and hope in him, they would experience his plans for their future.
Pastor Norm’s devotion got me thinking about another prophet who had a lot to say about the future of Israel. That prophet was Isaiah. Isaiah was writing about 150 years before the Babylonian exile. But he could see it coming. God gave Isaiah some terrible visions of the destruction and suffering that the people would face. He could see their despair and their hopelessness. But God also gave Isaiah a vision of Israel’s deliverance and salvation.
Isaiah saw that God would save his people from the exile. Another nation, the nation of Persia, would rise up and defeat Babylon and set the Jewish people free. The Persians would be led by their ruler, Cyrus, who is mentioned by name in Isaiah 45:1. Some of the Jewish people, a remnant, would return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city.
But Isaiah doesn’t stop there. God did not just give Isaiah visions about Israel’s deliverance from the exile. He also gave him visions about the salvation of the world. Isaiah saw that God was going to save the whole world from sin and death and eternal exile in hell. God was going to send a savior who was greater than Cyrus. God was going to send “a shoot from the stump of Jesse.”
When I was twelve years old, our family moved to the little town of Newburg, Wisconsin. We only lived there for three and a half years, but those years are burned into my memory because of all the things that happened in that short time. I remember lots of little details from that time and place, things that I probably should have forgotten long ago. One of the details that I remember is “the stump.”
On the west side of our property, we had a strip of grass, maybe twenty feet wide, between the house and the driveway. On that strip of grass we had a large pine tree of some kind, a long narrow flower garden, and an enormous tree stump. The stump was from an old oak tree that had been cut down several years earlier. For some reason, no one had ever tried to pull it out or grind it up. They just left it there. It was about two feet high and its flat surface was about three feet in diameter.
That stump was old and dried up. It looked like it didn’t have any life left in it. But every spring, a new shoot or two would start growing out of one of the cracks on the surface. It was amazing. There was still a spark of life in there somewhere and that spark was determined to grow itself up into a tall, mighty oak tree.
That’s the image that Isaiah is talking about when he says, “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.” Jesse is not a major character in the Bible. He’s pretty much known for just one thing. He was the father of King David. So David was the “shoot” that came out of Jesse. And King David was the father of all the Jewish kings that came after him.
But when the Jews went into exile, they thought that the Davidic dynasty was over. They thought that they would never have another Jewish king. In fact, they thought that the whole nation of Israel might just go out of existence. It had happened before, even to some powerful kingdoms like the Hittites and the Assyrians. They wondered if the great family tree of Abraham was now destined to become a dead stump.
But Isaiah told them that, not only was God going to save them from exile, but he was also going to send them a new king from the line of David, a new “shoot from the stump of Jesse.” This shoot would be filled with the Spirit of the Lord. And he would not only be a king for the people of Israel, he would rule the whole earth with righteousness and equity.
This new shoot, this king, would be the Lord’s anointed one. In the Hebrew language, he would be known as “The Messiah.” In the Greek language, he would be known as “The Christ.” That was the vision that Isaiah saw. In another passage, Isaiah gives him a special name. He says, “[They] shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14) It’s a word that means “God is with us.”
That was the promise. And on a dark night, some 700 years after Isaiah wrote those words, the promise was fulfilled. A baby was born in Bethlehem, the same town in which David had been born.
That night, on a hillside just east of Bethlehem, an angel visited some shepherds and announced the birth of the new king. He said, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
This king would come to die for the sins of the world. He would rise again on the third day. He would promise the forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven to all people who would believe in him. And that promise is still true today, almost two thousand years later. No matter what is going on around us in the world, we have the promise of eternal life.
And because we have this promise, we are free to serve him in this world without fear. We are free to love others as he has loved us. We are free to work for righteousness and equity in the world, in his name. We are free to rise above fear and hopelessness and despair. We are the tree that has grown up from the shoot of the stump of Jesse. We are the Christian Church.
We know that we will never see perfect peace and justice in this world. There is sin in the world. And where there is sin, there is no perfection. But Jesus calls us to make a difference, in his name. He calls us to be the salt that preserves the world and the light that shines in the darkness of the world. He calls us to fight the good fight against sin and evil until the day that we leave this world and walk the streets of heaven.
And Isaiah also saw a vision of heaven. God gave him all the great visions! He said that, in heaven, “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.” And best of all, there will be no hatred or violence among the people of God in heaven. Isaiah says, “They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain.”
I am eagerly waiting for that day. But until it comes, I will be a servant of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I will tell the world about his saving grace. And I will strive to love others in his name as long as I draw breath in this world. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that we often associate with Christmas. But the words ring true for all times and in all places.
https://youtu.be/4Q6iesplJRM
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)*
Day 77 – Monday, June 1, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read Jeremiah 29:4-12
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
On the Sunday afternoon before this is published, I am finding the words difficult to come by. This is a dark time. Living on the far eastern edge of the Chicago metropolitan area, the Covid-19 pandemic is still very real. As high risk people, our lives have changed—as have many of yours. On top of that, our region is experiencing social turmoil that I last saw 50 years ago. It is heartbreaking. The racism we worked so hard to overcome in the 60’s and 70’s has not gone away. I have heard this pain before. I am not a stranger to peaceful protest. But, as in other times, I have seen peaceful protest again turn ugly and violent. I mourn on this day. We are sitting on a mountain of heartache, anxiety, fear, anger, and loss.
In this dark, volatile, and emotional time, it may serve us well to turn to a dark time in the story of God and His people. Around the year 597 B.C., Jeremiah wrote a letter to people of Israel who had already been exiled into Babylon. Their homeland was being conquered. The land was in ruin. Religious leadership was in disarray. People were suffering. The leadership people had been taken away and the remaining folks were within a decade of seeing Jerusalem destroyed. With famine, war, deportations, and unrest, the situation seemed hopeless.
So Jeremiah sent this message to a hopeless band of exiles: “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them, declares the Lord. This is what the Lord says: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” (Jeremiah 29:4-12)
Even in what the people saw as a hopeless situation, the Lord is a God of hope. But to discover God’s hope, Jeremiah called them to do three things. First of all, get to work on building a new community. The people are instructed to settle down—build homes, grow food, raise families. And above all seek the wellbeing of the city they now live in. Think of how radical an idea that is. Make a home in a strange land. Become a new community within an existing society. And, above all, build up this city that conquered and exiled you. If God were to keep this up he might tell us to love our enemies. But what could happen if us “foreigners and strangers on earth” (Hebrews 11:13) worked in our communities as Jeremiah instructs? God may need us to be the builders and healers for this time.
Second, work to discern what God is truly saying. There were plenty of voices in Babylon competing for peoples’ attention. Many were speaking false hope or outright lies. In emotional times, reason and thoughtfulness can be early casualties. In our age, we have an overload of voices, opinions, information, images, and noise. As people of God, we are called to listen for truth. Now, more than ever, we need to be in God’s Word and in a dialog of prayer. God will lead us. His Word is the standard for our life and faith. We may not always like what we hear, but God’s truth will come to us. It may come as we listen to the fears of a neighbor or in the Spirit’s nudge as we hear a sermon. God may reach us as we care for one another or as we go for a long walk in God’s creation. Keep listening for a Holy Word.
And third, trust the long story. Or, as Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” I kept that verse on my desk for many years. Many days it was just part of the clutter. But then there were some dark days—conflict in the congregation, the death of a close friend, a major health crisis—when the light at the end of the tunnel seemed to be an approaching freight train. On those days I would cling to this verse. Meditating on it, I always saw that any one day was just part of the story, not the end of the story. That ending was always in God’s hands. And that ending would be ultimately good, just as God promises. That ending would take another 70 years for the exiles in Babylon. But it would happen. We are free to persevere in hope, not because the news, the pandemic, or the society is full of good news, but because God has promised us a hope and a future.
So for now, we build families and community, even the foreign places we find ourselves in. We listen for God’s truth. And we trust God’s promise. There will be hope.
Listen to this and meditate on Jeremiah 29:11.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKcGmlD38hI
Day 77 – Monday, June 1, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read Jeremiah 29:4-12
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
On the Sunday afternoon before this is published, I am finding the words difficult to come by. This is a dark time. Living on the far eastern edge of the Chicago metropolitan area, the Covid-19 pandemic is still very real. As high risk people, our lives have changed—as have many of yours. On top of that, our region is experiencing social turmoil that I last saw 50 years ago. It is heartbreaking. The racism we worked so hard to overcome in the 60’s and 70’s has not gone away. I have heard this pain before. I am not a stranger to peaceful protest. But, as in other times, I have seen peaceful protest again turn ugly and violent. I mourn on this day. We are sitting on a mountain of heartache, anxiety, fear, anger, and loss.
In this dark, volatile, and emotional time, it may serve us well to turn to a dark time in the story of God and His people. Around the year 597 B.C., Jeremiah wrote a letter to people of Israel who had already been exiled into Babylon. Their homeland was being conquered. The land was in ruin. Religious leadership was in disarray. People were suffering. The leadership people had been taken away and the remaining folks were within a decade of seeing Jerusalem destroyed. With famine, war, deportations, and unrest, the situation seemed hopeless.
So Jeremiah sent this message to a hopeless band of exiles: “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them, declares the Lord. This is what the Lord says: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” (Jeremiah 29:4-12)
Even in what the people saw as a hopeless situation, the Lord is a God of hope. But to discover God’s hope, Jeremiah called them to do three things. First of all, get to work on building a new community. The people are instructed to settle down—build homes, grow food, raise families. And above all seek the wellbeing of the city they now live in. Think of how radical an idea that is. Make a home in a strange land. Become a new community within an existing society. And, above all, build up this city that conquered and exiled you. If God were to keep this up he might tell us to love our enemies. But what could happen if us “foreigners and strangers on earth” (Hebrews 11:13) worked in our communities as Jeremiah instructs? God may need us to be the builders and healers for this time.
Second, work to discern what God is truly saying. There were plenty of voices in Babylon competing for peoples’ attention. Many were speaking false hope or outright lies. In emotional times, reason and thoughtfulness can be early casualties. In our age, we have an overload of voices, opinions, information, images, and noise. As people of God, we are called to listen for truth. Now, more than ever, we need to be in God’s Word and in a dialog of prayer. God will lead us. His Word is the standard for our life and faith. We may not always like what we hear, but God’s truth will come to us. It may come as we listen to the fears of a neighbor or in the Spirit’s nudge as we hear a sermon. God may reach us as we care for one another or as we go for a long walk in God’s creation. Keep listening for a Holy Word.
And third, trust the long story. Or, as Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” I kept that verse on my desk for many years. Many days it was just part of the clutter. But then there were some dark days—conflict in the congregation, the death of a close friend, a major health crisis—when the light at the end of the tunnel seemed to be an approaching freight train. On those days I would cling to this verse. Meditating on it, I always saw that any one day was just part of the story, not the end of the story. That ending was always in God’s hands. And that ending would be ultimately good, just as God promises. That ending would take another 70 years for the exiles in Babylon. But it would happen. We are free to persevere in hope, not because the news, the pandemic, or the society is full of good news, but because God has promised us a hope and a future.
So for now, we build families and community, even the foreign places we find ourselves in. We listen for God’s truth. And we trust God’s promise. There will be hope.
Listen to this and meditate on Jeremiah 29:11.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKcGmlD38hI
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 76 – Sunday, May 31, 2020
Read Acts 2:1-21
Theme Verse: “And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:2-4)
Today is Pentecost Sunday, one of the three great festivals of the Christian Church. Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, and Pentecost celebrates the birthday of the Church.
The Christian celebration of Pentecost actually has its roots in one of the great Jewish festivals. Follow along with me, because this gets a little complicated. It all starts with the Jewish feast of Passover. Passover celebrates God’s deliverance of his people from slavery in Egypt, as recorded in the book of Exodus. In New Testament times, it was always celebrated on or very near the first full moon of the spring.
Passover was part of a weeklong celebration called The Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Saturday that fell during that week was called the Passover Sabbath. And the day after the Passover Sabbath was called the First Fruits Festival. That day marked the beginning of the spring grain harvest in Israel.
What was significant for Christians was that Jesus rose from the dead on that day. The first Easter Sunday was on the day of First Fruits. That may be why Paul says that the resurrection of Jesus is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20)
Starting on that day of First Fruits, the Jewish people would then count off fifty days. The fiftieth day would be the Feast of Pentecost (“pentecost” means “fiftieth”). Pentecost marked the end of the spring grain harvest.
Jesus ascended back into heaven on the fortieth day after his resurrection. On that day, he told the disciples to wait together in Jerusalem until they received the gift of the Holy Spirit. That gift would come ten days later, on the day of Pentecost. Still with me?
Why did Jesus want the disciples to receive the Holy Spirit and start the Christian Church on the Day of Pentecost? It was because, on that day, there would be Jewish people in Jerusalem from all over the world.
It was the goal of every Jewish person who did not live in Israel to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem at least once in their lifetime. And when they traveled a long distance for Passover, they would usually stay for seven more weeks, so that they could also celebrate Pentecost.
So on the day that the Holy Spirit descended on the Christian Church, Jerusalem was filled with people from all over the known world. And those people witnessed three miracles. First, they heard the sound of a powerful wind swirling around the house where the disciples were staying. Then, when the disciples stepped out into the street, each one of them had what looked like a small flame on the top of his head. And then, finally, when the disciples began to speak, each person in the street heard the words in his or her own native language.
The book of Acts records fifteen different people groups who were present on that day, from three different continents. The disciples were speaking in Aramaic, but the people were hearing the words in their own languages. They were hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ clearly, in their own native tongues.
The Holy Spirit was telling the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, for the salvation of the whole world. He was speaking through the disciples. And the people who heard the words of the disciples would then go back home and take that gospel message with them.
In our day, the Day of Pentecost still represents the power of the Holy Spirit, who inspires the Christian Church to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations of the world. The message of the cross has reached every corner of the globe. The full Bible has been translated into more than 700 languages and the New Testament has been translated into more than 1500 languages.
And the Holy Spirit is still bringing people together from every tongue and tribe and nation. I saw the power of the Spirit every time that I went to teach in Sudan. Some of the pastors who attended our conference were of Arab descent. Some were Egyptian. We had some from the Dinka, Nuer, Shilluck, and Murle tribes (and other tribes whose names I can’t remember).
We had pastors from Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Central African Republic, Uganda, and Kenya. We had pastors from cities and pastors from small towns and pastors from tiny villages. We had pastors from the Nuba Mountains and from the desert regions of Darfur. It was truly amazing!
One of the things that we always did at our conferences was to break out into small discussion groups. Many of the pastors spoke both Arabic and English (along with their tribal language). So we numbered them off and mixed them up, so that they would not just gather together with their tribesmen. We wanted them to interact with the men of other tribes. During the small group times, Bob Yarbrough and I would go around and sit in on the discussions.
One time, I was sitting with a group as their discussion came to a close. One of the pastors volunteered to pray. After his prayer, he put his arm around the shoulder of the man next to him and said, “This man’s tribe and my tribe have been fighting with each other and killing each other for thousands of years. Now we pray together as brothers in Christ!” And there I was, this pasty-white Irish/Norwegian/American, praying with them!
That, people, is the power of the Holy Spirit. That is the power of the Day of Pentecost. In a world that is full of conflict and violence and division, the Holy Spirit unites the Christian Church under the cross of Jesus Christ.
I know that our unity will never be perfect while we are on this earth. I know that Christians have often been in conflict with each other. But I have seen enough of the Spirit’s power to know that it is greater than the powers of this world. And I look forward to the day when all of the believers, from all over the world, will be gathered together in heaven, singing the praises of the one true God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/CM7Iym4u9QY
Day 76 – Sunday, May 31, 2020
Read Acts 2:1-21
Theme Verse: “And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:2-4)
Today is Pentecost Sunday, one of the three great festivals of the Christian Church. Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, and Pentecost celebrates the birthday of the Church.
The Christian celebration of Pentecost actually has its roots in one of the great Jewish festivals. Follow along with me, because this gets a little complicated. It all starts with the Jewish feast of Passover. Passover celebrates God’s deliverance of his people from slavery in Egypt, as recorded in the book of Exodus. In New Testament times, it was always celebrated on or very near the first full moon of the spring.
Passover was part of a weeklong celebration called The Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Saturday that fell during that week was called the Passover Sabbath. And the day after the Passover Sabbath was called the First Fruits Festival. That day marked the beginning of the spring grain harvest in Israel.
What was significant for Christians was that Jesus rose from the dead on that day. The first Easter Sunday was on the day of First Fruits. That may be why Paul says that the resurrection of Jesus is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20)
Starting on that day of First Fruits, the Jewish people would then count off fifty days. The fiftieth day would be the Feast of Pentecost (“pentecost” means “fiftieth”). Pentecost marked the end of the spring grain harvest.
Jesus ascended back into heaven on the fortieth day after his resurrection. On that day, he told the disciples to wait together in Jerusalem until they received the gift of the Holy Spirit. That gift would come ten days later, on the day of Pentecost. Still with me?
Why did Jesus want the disciples to receive the Holy Spirit and start the Christian Church on the Day of Pentecost? It was because, on that day, there would be Jewish people in Jerusalem from all over the world.
It was the goal of every Jewish person who did not live in Israel to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem at least once in their lifetime. And when they traveled a long distance for Passover, they would usually stay for seven more weeks, so that they could also celebrate Pentecost.
So on the day that the Holy Spirit descended on the Christian Church, Jerusalem was filled with people from all over the known world. And those people witnessed three miracles. First, they heard the sound of a powerful wind swirling around the house where the disciples were staying. Then, when the disciples stepped out into the street, each one of them had what looked like a small flame on the top of his head. And then, finally, when the disciples began to speak, each person in the street heard the words in his or her own native language.
The book of Acts records fifteen different people groups who were present on that day, from three different continents. The disciples were speaking in Aramaic, but the people were hearing the words in their own languages. They were hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ clearly, in their own native tongues.
The Holy Spirit was telling the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, for the salvation of the whole world. He was speaking through the disciples. And the people who heard the words of the disciples would then go back home and take that gospel message with them.
In our day, the Day of Pentecost still represents the power of the Holy Spirit, who inspires the Christian Church to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations of the world. The message of the cross has reached every corner of the globe. The full Bible has been translated into more than 700 languages and the New Testament has been translated into more than 1500 languages.
And the Holy Spirit is still bringing people together from every tongue and tribe and nation. I saw the power of the Spirit every time that I went to teach in Sudan. Some of the pastors who attended our conference were of Arab descent. Some were Egyptian. We had some from the Dinka, Nuer, Shilluck, and Murle tribes (and other tribes whose names I can’t remember).
We had pastors from Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Central African Republic, Uganda, and Kenya. We had pastors from cities and pastors from small towns and pastors from tiny villages. We had pastors from the Nuba Mountains and from the desert regions of Darfur. It was truly amazing!
One of the things that we always did at our conferences was to break out into small discussion groups. Many of the pastors spoke both Arabic and English (along with their tribal language). So we numbered them off and mixed them up, so that they would not just gather together with their tribesmen. We wanted them to interact with the men of other tribes. During the small group times, Bob Yarbrough and I would go around and sit in on the discussions.
One time, I was sitting with a group as their discussion came to a close. One of the pastors volunteered to pray. After his prayer, he put his arm around the shoulder of the man next to him and said, “This man’s tribe and my tribe have been fighting with each other and killing each other for thousands of years. Now we pray together as brothers in Christ!” And there I was, this pasty-white Irish/Norwegian/American, praying with them!
That, people, is the power of the Holy Spirit. That is the power of the Day of Pentecost. In a world that is full of conflict and violence and division, the Holy Spirit unites the Christian Church under the cross of Jesus Christ.
I know that our unity will never be perfect while we are on this earth. I know that Christians have often been in conflict with each other. But I have seen enough of the Spirit’s power to know that it is greater than the powers of this world. And I look forward to the day when all of the believers, from all over the world, will be gathered together in heaven, singing the praises of the one true God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/CM7Iym4u9QY
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 75 – Saturday, May 30, 2020
Read Matthew 22:34-40 and John 8:31-36
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39)
Have you ever had any regrets in your life? Have you ever said something that you wish you hadn’t said, or done something that you wish you hadn’t done? I still have regrets about something that I did in the fifth grade, when I was only ten years old.
I was riding on the school bus one morning, sitting with some of my friends. We were near the back, but not all the way in the back. The back was where the coolest of the sixth graders sat. They were at the top of the food chain in our elementary school.
So I was sitting there and I heard the sixth graders behind me, trying to write song. They had a tune that they had picked out, but they were working on the words. And they were trying to come up with those words before a certain girl got on the bus.
The girl’s stop was coming up in the next fifteen minutes or so. And this was a girl that the sixth graders, the cool kids, regularly made fun of, whenever she got on the bus or whenever they saw her on the playground.
So they were hustling to finish their insulting song and they weren’t coming up with anything. And I’ve always been pretty good with words, so I turned around and suggested a line to them. And they all said, “Shields! That’s awesome! That’s a great line!”
Now, I didn’t know this girl. She was a year older than I was and I’m sure that she was really nice. But I wasn’t thinking about her. I was thinking about the fact that the cool kids were now patting me on the back and telling me how awesome I was.
So I practically wrote the whole song for them, in just fifteen minutes. And I was reveling in the praise that I was receiving from the older guys. But then the bus stopped and that girl got on. And those sixth graders started to sing the insulting song that I had written for them.
And I saw the look on the girl’s face. I saw how hurt she was. And it was like someone had just stabbed me in the heart with a knife. I sank down in my seat. I wanted to crawl in a hole. More than forty-eight years later, I still remember how hurt she was. And I still remember how guilty I felt for being a part of it.
Fast forward two years. Now I was twelve years old and I was in the seventh grade. Seventh grade is already a tough year for most students. But right in the middle of my seventh grade year, my family moved. It was early February and I was suddenly thrown into a new school in a new town. And I was about to learn what it was like to be on the receiving end of the insults and taunts from the cool kids.
For some reason, the popular guys in my new school decided that I was going to be their target. And it wasn’t just words. If they walked by me in the hallway, they would knock my books out of my hands. If we were outside, they would punch me hard in the arm, or knock me down, or give me a wedgie. One of their favorite things to do was to send one of the girls over to kick me in the shins.
And there really wasn’t anything that I could do about it. I couldn’t fight back against five or six guys. And I knew that if I told a teacher, there was a good chance that the abuse would get worse. So I just shut up and took my lumps. The last four months of that school year were horrible.
The funny thing is that things got better in the summer. I got to know people and I made some friends. By the time I started eighth grade, the bullying was over. I actually became friends with some of the guys who had taunted me the year before. And when I asked them why they had treated me that way, they just shrugged their shoulders. They didn’t really know why.
But I know why. It was because they were sinners. Just like I was a sinner two years earlier, when I helped some older kids write that song. The Bible says that we are all born with something called “original sin.” When Adam and Eve committed the first sin in the Garden of Eden, the whole human race was corrupted. We enter this world with a natural tendency to rebel against the law of God.
And what is the law of God? Jesus said that the first and most important law was, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” And he said that the second most important law was, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But because of our original sin, our nature tends to turn away from God and to exploit our neighbor.
In the real world, this means that the powerful often exploit the weak. It means that the rich often exploit the poor. It means that the majority often exploits the minority. Original sin is the seed that blossoms into racism and sexism and classism and every other sinful “ism” that you can think of.
And what is really insidious about original sin is that it is inside of everyone. Paul says in Romans 3:10 that, “None is righteous, no, not one.” The person who is a victim in one situation can just as easily become an oppressor if the shoe is on the other foot. And so the vicious cycle goes on. There are some racial and ethnic and religious battles that have been going on for thousands of years.
So what is the solution? How do we break out of this cycle? Do we need to pass laws and change institutions and hold people accountable for their actions? Yes, of course we do. But that would only be a partial solution. If we want real change in our world, then we need to change hearts. And the only way to change hearts is through the power of the gospel.
In John 8, Jesus says that we are all slaves to sin. But if we believe in Jesus, if we give our lives to him, then we can be set free from the bondage of sin. Jesus says, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
Does this mean that we will never sin again? Does it mean that we will never say another hurtful thing? Does it mean that we will never exploit or discriminate against another person? Unfortunately, no. As long as we are in these human bodies, we will fight against the original sin that is embedded in us.
But if we surrender our hearts to Jesus, the Holy Spirit will begin to work inside of us. He will begin to change our attitudes. He will replace our hatred and sense of privilege with love and a sense of brotherhood. We will still sin, but when we do, the Holy Spirit will convict our hearts. He will lead us to repentance and reconciliation. And over time we will begin to sin less and love more.
And someday, when we get to heaven, all of our original sin will be gone. It will be buried with our earthly bodies. And we will have new, sinless, heavenly bodies. And on that day, we will experience what we can only strive for on this earth. We will know the incredible joy of living in perfect harmony with all of God’s people. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/onGbkeWkA64
Day 75 – Saturday, May 30, 2020
Read Matthew 22:34-40 and John 8:31-36
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39)
Have you ever had any regrets in your life? Have you ever said something that you wish you hadn’t said, or done something that you wish you hadn’t done? I still have regrets about something that I did in the fifth grade, when I was only ten years old.
I was riding on the school bus one morning, sitting with some of my friends. We were near the back, but not all the way in the back. The back was where the coolest of the sixth graders sat. They were at the top of the food chain in our elementary school.
So I was sitting there and I heard the sixth graders behind me, trying to write song. They had a tune that they had picked out, but they were working on the words. And they were trying to come up with those words before a certain girl got on the bus.
The girl’s stop was coming up in the next fifteen minutes or so. And this was a girl that the sixth graders, the cool kids, regularly made fun of, whenever she got on the bus or whenever they saw her on the playground.
So they were hustling to finish their insulting song and they weren’t coming up with anything. And I’ve always been pretty good with words, so I turned around and suggested a line to them. And they all said, “Shields! That’s awesome! That’s a great line!”
Now, I didn’t know this girl. She was a year older than I was and I’m sure that she was really nice. But I wasn’t thinking about her. I was thinking about the fact that the cool kids were now patting me on the back and telling me how awesome I was.
So I practically wrote the whole song for them, in just fifteen minutes. And I was reveling in the praise that I was receiving from the older guys. But then the bus stopped and that girl got on. And those sixth graders started to sing the insulting song that I had written for them.
And I saw the look on the girl’s face. I saw how hurt she was. And it was like someone had just stabbed me in the heart with a knife. I sank down in my seat. I wanted to crawl in a hole. More than forty-eight years later, I still remember how hurt she was. And I still remember how guilty I felt for being a part of it.
Fast forward two years. Now I was twelve years old and I was in the seventh grade. Seventh grade is already a tough year for most students. But right in the middle of my seventh grade year, my family moved. It was early February and I was suddenly thrown into a new school in a new town. And I was about to learn what it was like to be on the receiving end of the insults and taunts from the cool kids.
For some reason, the popular guys in my new school decided that I was going to be their target. And it wasn’t just words. If they walked by me in the hallway, they would knock my books out of my hands. If we were outside, they would punch me hard in the arm, or knock me down, or give me a wedgie. One of their favorite things to do was to send one of the girls over to kick me in the shins.
And there really wasn’t anything that I could do about it. I couldn’t fight back against five or six guys. And I knew that if I told a teacher, there was a good chance that the abuse would get worse. So I just shut up and took my lumps. The last four months of that school year were horrible.
The funny thing is that things got better in the summer. I got to know people and I made some friends. By the time I started eighth grade, the bullying was over. I actually became friends with some of the guys who had taunted me the year before. And when I asked them why they had treated me that way, they just shrugged their shoulders. They didn’t really know why.
But I know why. It was because they were sinners. Just like I was a sinner two years earlier, when I helped some older kids write that song. The Bible says that we are all born with something called “original sin.” When Adam and Eve committed the first sin in the Garden of Eden, the whole human race was corrupted. We enter this world with a natural tendency to rebel against the law of God.
And what is the law of God? Jesus said that the first and most important law was, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” And he said that the second most important law was, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But because of our original sin, our nature tends to turn away from God and to exploit our neighbor.
In the real world, this means that the powerful often exploit the weak. It means that the rich often exploit the poor. It means that the majority often exploits the minority. Original sin is the seed that blossoms into racism and sexism and classism and every other sinful “ism” that you can think of.
And what is really insidious about original sin is that it is inside of everyone. Paul says in Romans 3:10 that, “None is righteous, no, not one.” The person who is a victim in one situation can just as easily become an oppressor if the shoe is on the other foot. And so the vicious cycle goes on. There are some racial and ethnic and religious battles that have been going on for thousands of years.
So what is the solution? How do we break out of this cycle? Do we need to pass laws and change institutions and hold people accountable for their actions? Yes, of course we do. But that would only be a partial solution. If we want real change in our world, then we need to change hearts. And the only way to change hearts is through the power of the gospel.
In John 8, Jesus says that we are all slaves to sin. But if we believe in Jesus, if we give our lives to him, then we can be set free from the bondage of sin. Jesus says, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
Does this mean that we will never sin again? Does it mean that we will never say another hurtful thing? Does it mean that we will never exploit or discriminate against another person? Unfortunately, no. As long as we are in these human bodies, we will fight against the original sin that is embedded in us.
But if we surrender our hearts to Jesus, the Holy Spirit will begin to work inside of us. He will begin to change our attitudes. He will replace our hatred and sense of privilege with love and a sense of brotherhood. We will still sin, but when we do, the Holy Spirit will convict our hearts. He will lead us to repentance and reconciliation. And over time we will begin to sin less and love more.
And someday, when we get to heaven, all of our original sin will be gone. It will be buried with our earthly bodies. And we will have new, sinless, heavenly bodies. And on that day, we will experience what we can only strive for on this earth. We will know the incredible joy of living in perfect harmony with all of God’s people. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/onGbkeWkA64
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 74 – Friday, May 29, 2020
Read Genesis 18:9-15 and Revelation 21:1-4
Theme Verse: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
Today is our son Isaac’s birthday! Lisa and I have five children, all grown, and Isaac is the youngest. He was born on May 29, 1989, so he is thirty-one years old today. And there is a story behind his name. After the birth of our fourth child, we had two daughters and two sons. So Lisa and I decided that our family was complete. We started discussing our options. But God had other ideas.
When our fourth child, Nathan, was just a few months old, I came home one night. I had been teaching a Bible study at my first church, in Rantoul, Illinois. We were studying the book of Genesis and that night we had covered chapter 18. In that chapter, Abraham and Sarah are visited by three strangers who turn out to be angels. During the visit, the angels tell Abraham that, in the next year, he and Sarah are going to have a son.
Sarah is listening to the conversation from the door of a tent. When she hears the promise of a son, she laughs. Sarah laughs because she is eighty-nine years old at the time and Abraham is ninety-nine! The angels hear Sarah’s laugh from behind the tent door and they ask her, “Why did you laugh?” Sarah tries to deny it, but they say, “No, you did laugh.” The next year, when the promise comes true, Abraham names their new son Isaac, which in Hebrew means, “he/she laughed.”
So after leading a Bible study about that story, I came home and Lisa had some news for me. She had gone to the doctor that day and discovered that she was pregnant again! When she told me, I laughed. I thought she was kidding. It took her a couple of minutes to convince me that she was serious. And when she did, I said, “Well, if it’s a boy, I have the perfect name for him.” And that’s how Isaac got his name.
On the day that Isaac was born, Lisa’s younger sister was staying with us, helping out with the other kids. May 29th was Memorial Day that year, and we had all been enjoying the holiday, when Lisa suddenly started having contractions in the early evening. We left the other kids with Lisa’s sister and headed for Mercy Hospital in Urbana.
The birth went well and Isaac came into the world just before midnight. The same doctor had also delivered Nathan, who had weighed ten pounds at birth. Isaac didn’t look real chubby, so the doctor said, “I don’t think you have a ten-pounder this time.” But when they weighed him, he came in at ten pounds, two ounces. The reason that he looked so lean was that he was 23¾ inches long! He was a monster! And he stands about six-foot-five today.
Everything seemed to go fine. After a few hours, I went home to get a little sleep. But early the next morning, Lisa called me from the hospital. Isaac had been turning blue during the night, so they were sending him by ambulance to St. Francis Hospital in Peoria. They suspected that there was a problem with his heart and St. Francis had an excellent pediatric cardiology department. So I rushed down to Urbana. We got Lisa checked out of the hospital and drove up to Peoria. There we waited for the report from the doctors.
It turned out that Isaac had a serious heart defect called a Transposition of the Great Arteries. His aorta and his pulmonary artery were attached to the wrong sides of the heart. The only solution was a major open heart surgery to cut the arteries and reattach them correctly. So on Friday, June 2nd, the fifth day of his life, he underwent a complicated eight and a half hour surgery.
After a long, stressful, prayer-filled day, we finally got the word that the surgery was a success. We were so relieved and so thankful to God that our little guy had survived. Isaac would grow up to be a normal, healthy boy. He would play football and basketball and baseball. He would graduate from college and get married and become a high school biology teacher. He is funny and smart and kind and soft-spoken. He is our gentle giant.
But then, in 2019, history would repeat itself. Only the ending would be much different. In the fall of 2018, Isaac and his wife Sarah found out that they were going to have their first child. We were all so thrilled! Everything seemed to be going fine until February of 2019. That’s when the baby started to show some signs of distress.
The doctor decided that the baby needed to come out by cesarean section, even though he would be premature. So on February 19, 2019, Cam Isaac Shields was born. He came into the world at Carle Hospital in Urbana, just a couple of miles down the road from the hospital where Isaac had been born. We knew that he faced challenges because he was born too soon, but we were all hopeful, and Isaac and Sarah were so in love with their new little boy.
But the next day, we got some tough news. Just like Isaac, Cam had a serious heart defect. And just like Isaac, Cam was transferred by ambulance to St. Francis Hospital in Peoria. For Lisa and me, it was like reliving the drama that we had gone through with Isaac. But for Isaac and Sarah, the outcome would be tragic instead of joyful.
Cam’s heart problem was very different from Isaac’s. There was no way to repair it. So on February 23, 2019, the fifth day of his little life, Cam slipped away from this world. Lisa and I were both heartbroken. We were sad because we had lost our grandson. But we were even sadder because we saw how devastated Isaac and Sarah were.
It’s been over a year since Cam passed away, and the pain of Cam’s passing is still felt on both sides of the family. We know that Cam is in heaven, in the arms of Jesus, but the sorrow of being separated from him while we live on this earth is still very real. Isaac and Sarah will carry that pain more than anyone else, for the rest of their lives.
But several months ago, as Cam’s birthday was approaching, they decided to turn their sorrow into something positive. They created a charity called “Cam’s Cards.” They promoted it and held fundraisers and collected several thousand dollars. That money was used to purchase gift cards for restaurants and gas stations. Those cards were given to the neonatal intensive care units at the two hospitals where Cam lived out his brief life. The nurses in those units give the cards to parents who are going through the same situation that Isaac and Sarah went through. The cards will relieve some of the financial pressure as those parents spend day after day in the hospital.
On this side of heaven, I will never understand why Isaac survived and Cam did not. I will never understand why some people are on this earth for such a short time. I will never understand why some parents must live through the devastating experience of losing a child. But I do know this for sure. God loves us very much. He loves us so much that he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins. And I know that, because Jesus went to the cross, we have the promise that life on this earth is not the end.
I believe in heaven. I believe in it with all of my heart. I know that those who die in the Lord are now alive with him in a wonderful place that is beyond my imagination. As John says in the book of Revelation, in heaven, “[God] will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
But most of all, I believe that Jesus loves the little children. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/6yR18V-26PE
Day 74 – Friday, May 29, 2020
Read Genesis 18:9-15 and Revelation 21:1-4
Theme Verse: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
Today is our son Isaac’s birthday! Lisa and I have five children, all grown, and Isaac is the youngest. He was born on May 29, 1989, so he is thirty-one years old today. And there is a story behind his name. After the birth of our fourth child, we had two daughters and two sons. So Lisa and I decided that our family was complete. We started discussing our options. But God had other ideas.
When our fourth child, Nathan, was just a few months old, I came home one night. I had been teaching a Bible study at my first church, in Rantoul, Illinois. We were studying the book of Genesis and that night we had covered chapter 18. In that chapter, Abraham and Sarah are visited by three strangers who turn out to be angels. During the visit, the angels tell Abraham that, in the next year, he and Sarah are going to have a son.
Sarah is listening to the conversation from the door of a tent. When she hears the promise of a son, she laughs. Sarah laughs because she is eighty-nine years old at the time and Abraham is ninety-nine! The angels hear Sarah’s laugh from behind the tent door and they ask her, “Why did you laugh?” Sarah tries to deny it, but they say, “No, you did laugh.” The next year, when the promise comes true, Abraham names their new son Isaac, which in Hebrew means, “he/she laughed.”
So after leading a Bible study about that story, I came home and Lisa had some news for me. She had gone to the doctor that day and discovered that she was pregnant again! When she told me, I laughed. I thought she was kidding. It took her a couple of minutes to convince me that she was serious. And when she did, I said, “Well, if it’s a boy, I have the perfect name for him.” And that’s how Isaac got his name.
On the day that Isaac was born, Lisa’s younger sister was staying with us, helping out with the other kids. May 29th was Memorial Day that year, and we had all been enjoying the holiday, when Lisa suddenly started having contractions in the early evening. We left the other kids with Lisa’s sister and headed for Mercy Hospital in Urbana.
The birth went well and Isaac came into the world just before midnight. The same doctor had also delivered Nathan, who had weighed ten pounds at birth. Isaac didn’t look real chubby, so the doctor said, “I don’t think you have a ten-pounder this time.” But when they weighed him, he came in at ten pounds, two ounces. The reason that he looked so lean was that he was 23¾ inches long! He was a monster! And he stands about six-foot-five today.
Everything seemed to go fine. After a few hours, I went home to get a little sleep. But early the next morning, Lisa called me from the hospital. Isaac had been turning blue during the night, so they were sending him by ambulance to St. Francis Hospital in Peoria. They suspected that there was a problem with his heart and St. Francis had an excellent pediatric cardiology department. So I rushed down to Urbana. We got Lisa checked out of the hospital and drove up to Peoria. There we waited for the report from the doctors.
It turned out that Isaac had a serious heart defect called a Transposition of the Great Arteries. His aorta and his pulmonary artery were attached to the wrong sides of the heart. The only solution was a major open heart surgery to cut the arteries and reattach them correctly. So on Friday, June 2nd, the fifth day of his life, he underwent a complicated eight and a half hour surgery.
After a long, stressful, prayer-filled day, we finally got the word that the surgery was a success. We were so relieved and so thankful to God that our little guy had survived. Isaac would grow up to be a normal, healthy boy. He would play football and basketball and baseball. He would graduate from college and get married and become a high school biology teacher. He is funny and smart and kind and soft-spoken. He is our gentle giant.
But then, in 2019, history would repeat itself. Only the ending would be much different. In the fall of 2018, Isaac and his wife Sarah found out that they were going to have their first child. We were all so thrilled! Everything seemed to be going fine until February of 2019. That’s when the baby started to show some signs of distress.
The doctor decided that the baby needed to come out by cesarean section, even though he would be premature. So on February 19, 2019, Cam Isaac Shields was born. He came into the world at Carle Hospital in Urbana, just a couple of miles down the road from the hospital where Isaac had been born. We knew that he faced challenges because he was born too soon, but we were all hopeful, and Isaac and Sarah were so in love with their new little boy.
But the next day, we got some tough news. Just like Isaac, Cam had a serious heart defect. And just like Isaac, Cam was transferred by ambulance to St. Francis Hospital in Peoria. For Lisa and me, it was like reliving the drama that we had gone through with Isaac. But for Isaac and Sarah, the outcome would be tragic instead of joyful.
Cam’s heart problem was very different from Isaac’s. There was no way to repair it. So on February 23, 2019, the fifth day of his little life, Cam slipped away from this world. Lisa and I were both heartbroken. We were sad because we had lost our grandson. But we were even sadder because we saw how devastated Isaac and Sarah were.
It’s been over a year since Cam passed away, and the pain of Cam’s passing is still felt on both sides of the family. We know that Cam is in heaven, in the arms of Jesus, but the sorrow of being separated from him while we live on this earth is still very real. Isaac and Sarah will carry that pain more than anyone else, for the rest of their lives.
But several months ago, as Cam’s birthday was approaching, they decided to turn their sorrow into something positive. They created a charity called “Cam’s Cards.” They promoted it and held fundraisers and collected several thousand dollars. That money was used to purchase gift cards for restaurants and gas stations. Those cards were given to the neonatal intensive care units at the two hospitals where Cam lived out his brief life. The nurses in those units give the cards to parents who are going through the same situation that Isaac and Sarah went through. The cards will relieve some of the financial pressure as those parents spend day after day in the hospital.
On this side of heaven, I will never understand why Isaac survived and Cam did not. I will never understand why some people are on this earth for such a short time. I will never understand why some parents must live through the devastating experience of losing a child. But I do know this for sure. God loves us very much. He loves us so much that he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins. And I know that, because Jesus went to the cross, we have the promise that life on this earth is not the end.
I believe in heaven. I believe in it with all of my heart. I know that those who die in the Lord are now alive with him in a wonderful place that is beyond my imagination. As John says in the book of Revelation, in heaven, “[God] will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
But most of all, I believe that Jesus loves the little children. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/6yR18V-26PE
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 73 – Thursday, May 28, 2020
Read Ephesians 2:13-22 and Galatians 3:23-29
Theme Verse: “For [Christ] is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.” (Ephesians 2:14)
As I’ve been writing these devotional messages over the past two and a half months, I’ve tried to stay away from all of the hot-button political stories that have been in the news. The intent of these posts is to bring us together in a difficult time, not tear us apart. If you want to hear the partisan spin on anything from face masks to nursing home deaths, you don’t need to turn to this column. All you have to do is turn on the news any time of day or night. But be careful. If you’ve never had a problem with high blood pressure before, an hour of watching cable news will give it to you.
But there is one story in the news right now that I felt I needed to talk about. Some might consider it to be a political story, but I do not. I consider it to be a moral story. And therefore, I consider it to be a story that every Christian should care about. If you have read the Bible passages above, you might have already figured out that I am talking about the death of George Floyd on Monday night in Minneapolis.
Floyd was accused of trying to pass a counterfeit twenty dollar bill in a convenience store. He was turned away. One of the employees called the police and they arrived quickly. Floyd was still outside the store, sitting in his vehicle. The store employee identified him. In a video recorded by the store’s surveillance camera, officers pull Floyd out of the car. Then they cuff him and lead him over to the sidewalk. He seems to be totally compliant.
Eventually, the officers pull him up into a standing position and walk him to the police vehicle. But before they can put him in the car, he seems to resist a little. His legs go out from under him and he sits on the curb. He’s kind of like a child whose legs go rubbery when you try to make him walk and he doesn’t want to. He should not have done that, but he wasn’t being violent at all. He was not a threat to the safety of the officers.
At that point, another police vehicle pulls up and blocks the view of the surveillance camera. What we see next is video from a cell phone camera. An officer has turned Floyd over so that he is face down on the pavement. The officer is kneeling on the back of his neck. Floyd complains that he can’t breathe. Bystanders are pleading with the officer to remove his knee and let Floyd breathe. The officer ignores them. His knee stays on Floyd’s neck for more than seven minutes.
Finally, Floyd is not moving. He is taken to a hospital, where he is pronounced dead. The police report of the incident makes no mention of the knee on his neck. If it weren’t for the cell phone video, only the few bystanders would have known what really happened. And their testimony would have been contradicted by the police.
Was there a racial component to the treatment of George Floyd? I believe there was. I don’t think that the officer would have acted with the same force if the suspect had been white. And apparently the black community in Minneapolis feels the same way. They’ve been rioting for the last few nights, trying to call more national attention to what they believe is a pattern of police officers using excessive force when arresting black suspects.
And they may be right. We’ve come a long way in race relations since my childhood, but we still have a long way to go. Those of us who are white have no idea what people of color deal with every day in this country. Let me give you just one small example from my own experience.
When I was in college, I used to make some extra money by driving fifteen passenger vans for college class trips. On one trip, I took a group down to the University of Chicago, on the south side of the city. After I dropped off the group, I went looking for a place where I could get some lunch and read for a while, before going back to pick up the group.
I drove south on Martin Luther King Drive and found a McDonald’s that had a parking lot with enough space for the van. I parked and went in. I was the only white person there. As I sat at a table, eating and reading, people looked over at me. But there were no suspicious or angry stares, no confrontations, no off-color words.
When I was back on campus, I happened to mention to one of my African-American friends about my afternoon on the south side. I said that it was different to be the minority in the crowd. I told him about the looks that I got in the McDonald’s. He said, “They were looking at you because they were curious. You were out of place and they wondered what you were doing there.” Then he said, “Let me tell you about what happens to me when I go to a McDonald’s in a white neighborhood.”
He told me about angry stares and anxious whispers. He told me about people getting up from the next table and moving. He told me about hearing people use the “N-word” loudly, making sure that he heard their nasty comments. He told me about a time when a fast food restaurant employee called the police on him because he was doing the same thing that I had done. He was sitting and reading after finishing his meal.
Is there racism in America? Of course there is. I’ve never been treated the way that my friend was, simply because of the color of my skin. I don’t understand his experience. I wish the black community in Minneapolis would not riot in the streets. But who knows? Maybe I would be angry enough to riot if I had experienced racism my whole life.
People, we need to do better. And Christians need to lead the way. In the book of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul was trying to navigate the tensions between the Jews and the Gentiles who were coming to faith in Jesus Christ. How could they exist together in one church when they had been hostile toward each other for centuries? Paul said that the answer could be found in Jesus. He said, “For [Christ] is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.”
One way that we can help to break down the wall of hostility is to listen to the concerns of African-Americans when they talk about the abuse that they have endured. I am a big supporter of the police, both in this community and around the country. They have one of the toughest jobs imaginable. But when they step out of line, as they did in this case, we all need to resist the urge to make excuses for their actions. We have to be willing to walk the fine line between exposing the true incidents of racism while still supporting the vast majority of officers who do their jobs well and treat all people with respect and dignity.
And in my personal life, when I feel a racist reaction rising inside of me, I need to recognize it for what it is—a sin. And when a person of color tells me that a word or phrase is offensive to them, even if it doesn’t seem that way to me, then I need to stop using that word or phrase. It’s not difficult. We just need to be the kind of people that Jesus has called us to be.
Paul says, in Galatians 3:28, that in Christ, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” As long as we are living in this world, there will be divisions among groups of people. But if Christians can change their own attitudes, and put aside their own prejudices, then we can make the world a little bit better. And when we do it in the name of Jesus, we can draw others to him. We can help others to see that we are all “one in Christ.” Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Andrae Crouch wrote it in 1973. I heard him perform it live when I was in college. It still rings true today.
https://youtu.be/uGfiKwgsoOc
Day 73 – Thursday, May 28, 2020
Read Ephesians 2:13-22 and Galatians 3:23-29
Theme Verse: “For [Christ] is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.” (Ephesians 2:14)
As I’ve been writing these devotional messages over the past two and a half months, I’ve tried to stay away from all of the hot-button political stories that have been in the news. The intent of these posts is to bring us together in a difficult time, not tear us apart. If you want to hear the partisan spin on anything from face masks to nursing home deaths, you don’t need to turn to this column. All you have to do is turn on the news any time of day or night. But be careful. If you’ve never had a problem with high blood pressure before, an hour of watching cable news will give it to you.
But there is one story in the news right now that I felt I needed to talk about. Some might consider it to be a political story, but I do not. I consider it to be a moral story. And therefore, I consider it to be a story that every Christian should care about. If you have read the Bible passages above, you might have already figured out that I am talking about the death of George Floyd on Monday night in Minneapolis.
Floyd was accused of trying to pass a counterfeit twenty dollar bill in a convenience store. He was turned away. One of the employees called the police and they arrived quickly. Floyd was still outside the store, sitting in his vehicle. The store employee identified him. In a video recorded by the store’s surveillance camera, officers pull Floyd out of the car. Then they cuff him and lead him over to the sidewalk. He seems to be totally compliant.
Eventually, the officers pull him up into a standing position and walk him to the police vehicle. But before they can put him in the car, he seems to resist a little. His legs go out from under him and he sits on the curb. He’s kind of like a child whose legs go rubbery when you try to make him walk and he doesn’t want to. He should not have done that, but he wasn’t being violent at all. He was not a threat to the safety of the officers.
At that point, another police vehicle pulls up and blocks the view of the surveillance camera. What we see next is video from a cell phone camera. An officer has turned Floyd over so that he is face down on the pavement. The officer is kneeling on the back of his neck. Floyd complains that he can’t breathe. Bystanders are pleading with the officer to remove his knee and let Floyd breathe. The officer ignores them. His knee stays on Floyd’s neck for more than seven minutes.
Finally, Floyd is not moving. He is taken to a hospital, where he is pronounced dead. The police report of the incident makes no mention of the knee on his neck. If it weren’t for the cell phone video, only the few bystanders would have known what really happened. And their testimony would have been contradicted by the police.
Was there a racial component to the treatment of George Floyd? I believe there was. I don’t think that the officer would have acted with the same force if the suspect had been white. And apparently the black community in Minneapolis feels the same way. They’ve been rioting for the last few nights, trying to call more national attention to what they believe is a pattern of police officers using excessive force when arresting black suspects.
And they may be right. We’ve come a long way in race relations since my childhood, but we still have a long way to go. Those of us who are white have no idea what people of color deal with every day in this country. Let me give you just one small example from my own experience.
When I was in college, I used to make some extra money by driving fifteen passenger vans for college class trips. On one trip, I took a group down to the University of Chicago, on the south side of the city. After I dropped off the group, I went looking for a place where I could get some lunch and read for a while, before going back to pick up the group.
I drove south on Martin Luther King Drive and found a McDonald’s that had a parking lot with enough space for the van. I parked and went in. I was the only white person there. As I sat at a table, eating and reading, people looked over at me. But there were no suspicious or angry stares, no confrontations, no off-color words.
When I was back on campus, I happened to mention to one of my African-American friends about my afternoon on the south side. I said that it was different to be the minority in the crowd. I told him about the looks that I got in the McDonald’s. He said, “They were looking at you because they were curious. You were out of place and they wondered what you were doing there.” Then he said, “Let me tell you about what happens to me when I go to a McDonald’s in a white neighborhood.”
He told me about angry stares and anxious whispers. He told me about people getting up from the next table and moving. He told me about hearing people use the “N-word” loudly, making sure that he heard their nasty comments. He told me about a time when a fast food restaurant employee called the police on him because he was doing the same thing that I had done. He was sitting and reading after finishing his meal.
Is there racism in America? Of course there is. I’ve never been treated the way that my friend was, simply because of the color of my skin. I don’t understand his experience. I wish the black community in Minneapolis would not riot in the streets. But who knows? Maybe I would be angry enough to riot if I had experienced racism my whole life.
People, we need to do better. And Christians need to lead the way. In the book of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul was trying to navigate the tensions between the Jews and the Gentiles who were coming to faith in Jesus Christ. How could they exist together in one church when they had been hostile toward each other for centuries? Paul said that the answer could be found in Jesus. He said, “For [Christ] is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.”
One way that we can help to break down the wall of hostility is to listen to the concerns of African-Americans when they talk about the abuse that they have endured. I am a big supporter of the police, both in this community and around the country. They have one of the toughest jobs imaginable. But when they step out of line, as they did in this case, we all need to resist the urge to make excuses for their actions. We have to be willing to walk the fine line between exposing the true incidents of racism while still supporting the vast majority of officers who do their jobs well and treat all people with respect and dignity.
And in my personal life, when I feel a racist reaction rising inside of me, I need to recognize it for what it is—a sin. And when a person of color tells me that a word or phrase is offensive to them, even if it doesn’t seem that way to me, then I need to stop using that word or phrase. It’s not difficult. We just need to be the kind of people that Jesus has called us to be.
Paul says, in Galatians 3:28, that in Christ, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” As long as we are living in this world, there will be divisions among groups of people. But if Christians can change their own attitudes, and put aside their own prejudices, then we can make the world a little bit better. And when we do it in the name of Jesus, we can draw others to him. We can help others to see that we are all “one in Christ.” Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Andrae Crouch wrote it in 1973. I heard him perform it live when I was in college. It still rings true today.
https://youtu.be/uGfiKwgsoOc
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 72 – Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Read 2 Peter 1:16-21 and Psalm 119:169-176
Theme Verse: “No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20-21)
A little while back, my good old Uncle Ole was at a Sons of Norway meeting, in his little town up there in Minnesota. The guest speaker for the meeting was an antique dealer from a nearby town. He was telling interesting stories about all of the valuable things that people throw away or sell for a couple of dollars at a yard sale.
When the meeting was over, Ole went up to thank the speaker for coming. As they were shaking hands, Ole said, “Ya know, I just threw away an old Bible that I found in the attic of our house. But I don’t think it was worth very much. I couldn’t even read it. I think it was in German or something.”
The antique dealer said, “Well, did it say anything on the outside? Did it have a name on it?” Ole said, “I think it said John Guten… something.” The dealer’s eyebrows went up in surprise. He said, “Do you mean, Johannes Gutenberg?” Ole said “Yeah, that’s it! Johannes Gutenberg.”
The antique dealer said, “Ole, for crying out loud! You might have just thrown away an authentic Gutenberg Bible! That’s one of the first books ever printed! One of those sold at auction a few weeks ago for four hundred thousand dollars!”
Ole said, “Well, this one couldn’t have been worth that much. It was all marked up. Some guy named Martin Luther had scribbled all over it.”
Ouch! Ole didn’t realize how valuable that book really was. But I don’t think Ole’s alone in that regard. There are many people in the world who have Bibles in their possession, but don’t realize how valuable they are. Of course, I’m not talking about monetary value. There aren’t too many Gutenberg Bibles floating around out there. I’m talking about the spiritual value of the Bible, whether it’s a five hundred year old German classic or a simple Gideon’s Bible in a hotel room drawer.
I’ve read through the entire Bible several times in my life. The first time was when I was thirteen years old. On the day of my Confirmation, May 18, 1975, I got a brand new leather bound King James Bible, with my name printed on it. And I decided that, since I now had my own Bible, I was going to read the whole thing, straight through.
It took me about a year and a half, reading a little bit every day. The old King James English was tough at times, and I didn’t truly understand everything that I read, but the most important lessons came through loud and clear. I still have that old, beat up Bible on the bookshelf in my office. It’s held together in several places with scotch tape.
Just recently, I was talking to a church member, Merle Polson, on the phone. He and his wife Pat are living in an apartment, in a retirement center. The center is closed to visitors because of the COVID-19 rules, so I haven’t been able to see them in a while. As I was talking to Merle, he was so excited that he was almost finished reading through the Bible.
We had a challenge in our church to read through the Bible in a year. It started on Ash Wednesday of 2019. Merle said that he didn’t quite get it done in a year, but he was pretty close. He should finish in June. He had read through the whole Bible many years before. But he’s been having some serious health problems in the past year and reading the Bible every day has given him the extra strength that he needs to deal with his struggles.
One of the things that I’ve enjoyed about writing these Pandemic Pulpit devotions is that I’ve been forced to dig through my Bible a little more aggressively, looking for passages that fit with the message that I’m writing. I’m trying to use different verses every day. I’ve especially liked going through the Psalms and feeling the emotions of the people who wrote those beautiful and expressive songs.
But, of course, what makes all of the books of the Bible special is that the people who wrote them were inspired by God. The Apostle Peter expresses this truth beautifully when he says, “No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
Several years ago I visited the country of Greece. One of the places that I went to was Delphi. Delphi is located in central Greece, about seventy-five miles northwest of Athens. It sits about halfway up the southwestern slope of Mount Parnassus. The ancient Greeks believed that Delphi was the geographical center of the earth. They erected a giant stone there that they called the “navel” of the earth.
The reason that they considered Delphi to be so important was because of a geological feature that came to be known as the Delphic Oracle. There is a chasm in the rock at that spot, which occasionally spews out steam. The steam has a sickly sweet smell that the ancients believed was from the rotting corpse of a giant python that was killed there by the god Apollo. A large temple to Apollo was built there in the 8th century B.C.
The temple was inhabited by a series of women known as the Pythian priestesses. When the oracle would belch its steam, the Pythia would go into a frenzied state. She would then begin to utter phrases that some said were like gibberish and others said were like mysterious poems. The priests of Apollo would then “interpret” the oracles and proclaim them to the world as the words of the gods.
But Peter says that the one true God does not speak in such strange and mysterious oracles. God spoke very clearly to the prophets of the Old Testament. Then he spoke very clearly through the words of Jesus Christ. We have to do our homework to understand some of the ancient words and phrases and cultural references. But we have been blessed with a book that is remarkably clear and consistent on all of the important points, even though it was written by dozens of different people over a period of more than fifteen hundred years!
So I urge you to read your Bible every day. If you’ve been very busy, and haven’t had time to read the Bible in a while, now is the time to take it down from the shelf, dust off the cover, and open it up. You’ll be glad that you did. If you’ve never really read the Bible on your own before, start with one of the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. Many people think that John is the best place to begin.
Go to the Psalms in the Old Testament. They are beautifully written and cover the gamut of human emotions. Then start to move around. Check out the book of Acts, which tells the story of the Christian Church, after Jesus rose from the dead and then ascended back to heaven. Look at the book of Genesis, which tells the most ancient stories of the faith.
If you have questions about a difficult Bible passage, call me or send me an email. I’m always glad to clarify something that you’re struggling to understand. If you’ve never attended a Bible study, I encourage you to join one after things get back to normal. You’ll enjoy going through a book of the Bible, maybe one that you’ve never read before. And you’ll be blessed by the fellowship with other believers.
And if you ever hear me uttering gibberish from the pulpit, claiming that I’m interpreting the steam that’s coming out of the radiators, don’t believe me. Just find another pastor. Because the only thing that a pastor should be proclaiming from the pulpit is the clear, consistent, inspired Word of God, drawn from the pages of the Holy Bible. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/W8cJQMU9Q-U
Day 72 – Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Read 2 Peter 1:16-21 and Psalm 119:169-176
Theme Verse: “No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20-21)
A little while back, my good old Uncle Ole was at a Sons of Norway meeting, in his little town up there in Minnesota. The guest speaker for the meeting was an antique dealer from a nearby town. He was telling interesting stories about all of the valuable things that people throw away or sell for a couple of dollars at a yard sale.
When the meeting was over, Ole went up to thank the speaker for coming. As they were shaking hands, Ole said, “Ya know, I just threw away an old Bible that I found in the attic of our house. But I don’t think it was worth very much. I couldn’t even read it. I think it was in German or something.”
The antique dealer said, “Well, did it say anything on the outside? Did it have a name on it?” Ole said, “I think it said John Guten… something.” The dealer’s eyebrows went up in surprise. He said, “Do you mean, Johannes Gutenberg?” Ole said “Yeah, that’s it! Johannes Gutenberg.”
The antique dealer said, “Ole, for crying out loud! You might have just thrown away an authentic Gutenberg Bible! That’s one of the first books ever printed! One of those sold at auction a few weeks ago for four hundred thousand dollars!”
Ole said, “Well, this one couldn’t have been worth that much. It was all marked up. Some guy named Martin Luther had scribbled all over it.”
Ouch! Ole didn’t realize how valuable that book really was. But I don’t think Ole’s alone in that regard. There are many people in the world who have Bibles in their possession, but don’t realize how valuable they are. Of course, I’m not talking about monetary value. There aren’t too many Gutenberg Bibles floating around out there. I’m talking about the spiritual value of the Bible, whether it’s a five hundred year old German classic or a simple Gideon’s Bible in a hotel room drawer.
I’ve read through the entire Bible several times in my life. The first time was when I was thirteen years old. On the day of my Confirmation, May 18, 1975, I got a brand new leather bound King James Bible, with my name printed on it. And I decided that, since I now had my own Bible, I was going to read the whole thing, straight through.
It took me about a year and a half, reading a little bit every day. The old King James English was tough at times, and I didn’t truly understand everything that I read, but the most important lessons came through loud and clear. I still have that old, beat up Bible on the bookshelf in my office. It’s held together in several places with scotch tape.
Just recently, I was talking to a church member, Merle Polson, on the phone. He and his wife Pat are living in an apartment, in a retirement center. The center is closed to visitors because of the COVID-19 rules, so I haven’t been able to see them in a while. As I was talking to Merle, he was so excited that he was almost finished reading through the Bible.
We had a challenge in our church to read through the Bible in a year. It started on Ash Wednesday of 2019. Merle said that he didn’t quite get it done in a year, but he was pretty close. He should finish in June. He had read through the whole Bible many years before. But he’s been having some serious health problems in the past year and reading the Bible every day has given him the extra strength that he needs to deal with his struggles.
One of the things that I’ve enjoyed about writing these Pandemic Pulpit devotions is that I’ve been forced to dig through my Bible a little more aggressively, looking for passages that fit with the message that I’m writing. I’m trying to use different verses every day. I’ve especially liked going through the Psalms and feeling the emotions of the people who wrote those beautiful and expressive songs.
But, of course, what makes all of the books of the Bible special is that the people who wrote them were inspired by God. The Apostle Peter expresses this truth beautifully when he says, “No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
Several years ago I visited the country of Greece. One of the places that I went to was Delphi. Delphi is located in central Greece, about seventy-five miles northwest of Athens. It sits about halfway up the southwestern slope of Mount Parnassus. The ancient Greeks believed that Delphi was the geographical center of the earth. They erected a giant stone there that they called the “navel” of the earth.
The reason that they considered Delphi to be so important was because of a geological feature that came to be known as the Delphic Oracle. There is a chasm in the rock at that spot, which occasionally spews out steam. The steam has a sickly sweet smell that the ancients believed was from the rotting corpse of a giant python that was killed there by the god Apollo. A large temple to Apollo was built there in the 8th century B.C.
The temple was inhabited by a series of women known as the Pythian priestesses. When the oracle would belch its steam, the Pythia would go into a frenzied state. She would then begin to utter phrases that some said were like gibberish and others said were like mysterious poems. The priests of Apollo would then “interpret” the oracles and proclaim them to the world as the words of the gods.
But Peter says that the one true God does not speak in such strange and mysterious oracles. God spoke very clearly to the prophets of the Old Testament. Then he spoke very clearly through the words of Jesus Christ. We have to do our homework to understand some of the ancient words and phrases and cultural references. But we have been blessed with a book that is remarkably clear and consistent on all of the important points, even though it was written by dozens of different people over a period of more than fifteen hundred years!
So I urge you to read your Bible every day. If you’ve been very busy, and haven’t had time to read the Bible in a while, now is the time to take it down from the shelf, dust off the cover, and open it up. You’ll be glad that you did. If you’ve never really read the Bible on your own before, start with one of the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. Many people think that John is the best place to begin.
Go to the Psalms in the Old Testament. They are beautifully written and cover the gamut of human emotions. Then start to move around. Check out the book of Acts, which tells the story of the Christian Church, after Jesus rose from the dead and then ascended back to heaven. Look at the book of Genesis, which tells the most ancient stories of the faith.
If you have questions about a difficult Bible passage, call me or send me an email. I’m always glad to clarify something that you’re struggling to understand. If you’ve never attended a Bible study, I encourage you to join one after things get back to normal. You’ll enjoy going through a book of the Bible, maybe one that you’ve never read before. And you’ll be blessed by the fellowship with other believers.
And if you ever hear me uttering gibberish from the pulpit, claiming that I’m interpreting the steam that’s coming out of the radiators, don’t believe me. Just find another pastor. Because the only thing that a pastor should be proclaiming from the pulpit is the clear, consistent, inspired Word of God, drawn from the pages of the Holy Bible. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/W8cJQMU9Q-U
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 71 – Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Read Matthew 26:26-29 and Psalm 6
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26)
In some of my earlier Pandemic Pulpit devotions, I have talked about the summer that I spent studying in Israel in 1981. During that summer, there were many amazing experiences and profound moments that helped to shape me as a Christian and as a pastor. My weekend in Eilat was not one of those profound moments.
Eilat is a popular tourist town of about 50,000 people, on the southern tip of Israel. Israel has only seven and a half miles of coastline on the Red Sea, and Eilat sits right on that spot. It has beautiful beaches and is a great place to go snorkeling, because of the warm, crystal clear water and the abundance of colorful fish.
But Eilat is a six-hour bus ride from Jerusalem, and since it has no real biblical significance, our leaders were not planning to take us there. So a bunch of us decided to plan our own trip. We had a free weekend in July, with no classes and no trips scheduled, so we decided to take a Friday afternoon bus from Jerusalem to Eilat. We knew that there would be people at the Eilat bus station, trying to sell accommodations for the night. So we would haggle for a good price for two nights on a rental apartment and then catch the Sunday morning bus back to Jerusalem.
There were about fifteen of us who went on the trip, about ten of which were guys and the other five or so were girls. After morning classes were over, we each packed a small bag and met in the dining hall. We made some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to take with us and then made the four-mile walk to the bus depot. I had brought only one half-liter bottle of water with me. That was a mistake.
We boarded the bus shortly after we got there and I started eating my sandwiches before we left the depot. I also drank my bottle of water. I knew that the bus would make a couple of stops along the way, so I figured I could just buy some more water when I needed it. But as we got going, we learned that the bus was not air-conditioned. So I was sweating pretty good and started to get thirsty.
We made a couple of brief stops to pick up passengers, but not long enough for us to get off the bus. Our first real stop was at a bus depot near Masada, on the west coast of the Dead Sea. We were told that we could get off the bus, but that we needed to be back on in thirty minutes. The driver would not wait for us if we were late.
We ran to the little store in the depot and saw that there was a long line and only one cashier. We stood in the line and watched the clock on the wall. When it became clear that we were never going to get to the counter in time, some of us decided that we would just run into the restroom and fill our water bottles from the tap. We had been warned by our trip leaders not to drink tap water and our friends reminded us of that warning. But five of us, four guys and one girl, ran into the restrooms and filled our bottles. The water was clear. It looked okay.
When we were back on the bus, I started drinking my water. Everything seemed fine. But about an hour later, I knew that I had made a mistake. Two rows behind me, I heard the girl who had drunk the tap water throwing up into a plastic bag. I didn’t have a plastic bag. I reached into my duffel bag and pulled out a towel. A half hour later, I put the towel in front of my face and barfed up my peanut butter and jelly.
When we got to Eilat, I went straight to the bathroom at the bus depot. I was followed by the four others who had also drunk the Masada water. We were all sick. I stuffed my vomit towel into the trash can. By the time we came out of the restroom, the others in the group had already found us a place to stay. We reimbursed them for our share and then we all walked to the rental apartment.
The healthy part of our group went out to get some supper, but the five of us who were sick stayed behind. The next day, Saturday, we were all still sick. The others came back to the apartment a couple of times. They brought us a supply of water and asked if we wanted any food. We didn’t want any.
On Sunday morning, the healthy bunch packed up their things. They were going to head to the beach for a few more hours. Then they were going straight to the bus depot. They told us sick people to make sure that we were at the depot by 10:00 a.m. or we would miss the bus. There would not be another bus to Jerusalem until Monday morning. We all said, “Yeah, we’ll be there.”
I woke up a few hours later. It seemed a little bit too late. I went to the kitchen of the apartment and looked at the clock. It was 10:30 a.m. I went to tell the other four that we had missed the bus. To make a long story short, the five of us ended up sleeping on the floor of the bus depot that night, because we didn’t have enough money to rent the apartment for another night.
On the bright side, we were feeling well enough on Sunday to go to the beach in the afternoon. But none of us had the energy to go snorkeling. I did dip my toes in the Red Sea, but that was about it. When we got back to Jerusalem on Monday night, our friends were glad that we were still alive and our leaders were upset that we had missed our Monday classes. And I had another story to tuck away in my memory back.
When I think back on that episode, I’m reminded of how I ignored a clear warning from several people. I had an immediate need. I was thirsty. And I thought that my need was more important than the warning. Maybe some people would get sick from drinking tap water, but not me. I had an iron stomach. I would be the exception to the rule. But my decision to ignore the warning led to all kinds of unintended consequences.
When we look at God’s Law in the Bible, it sometimes looks like a restrictive set of rules and regulations. Human nature says, “I don’t need God to tell me right from wrong. I can figure it out for myself.” What we don’t understand is that God’s Law is a warning. It is there to protect us from the unintended consequences of our sins. And, of course, the worst consequence of sin is that it leads to death.
When we sin, we walk away from God’s will for our lives. And when we walk away from God, we walk away from life. Thankfully, God has offered us a way to come back to him. He has offered us a way to be cleansed from our sin and freed from its consequences. That way is through Jesus Christ.
At the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the sacrament of Holy Communion. When he offered the cup of wine to his disciples, he said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” He was looking ahead to his death on the cross the next day. He knew that he was going to shed his blood for us. He knew that he was going to die in our place.
And now, if we will put our faith and trust in Jesus, his blood will cleanse every speck of sin from our souls. Our disobedience and rebellion, which is embedded in every fiber of our being, will be removed. And the worst consequence of our sin, the death of our bodies, will be reversed. The grave will not be able to hold us. We have the promise of the resurrection.
Sometimes I will have to suffer for my mistakes in this world. But I will never suffer in the next world. In heaven, there will be no more grief or crying or pain or barfing into towels. In heaven I will be clean, because my soul will be washed in the blood of Jesus. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/CYcwQwhR5fs
Day 71 – Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Read Matthew 26:26-29 and Psalm 6
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26)
In some of my earlier Pandemic Pulpit devotions, I have talked about the summer that I spent studying in Israel in 1981. During that summer, there were many amazing experiences and profound moments that helped to shape me as a Christian and as a pastor. My weekend in Eilat was not one of those profound moments.
Eilat is a popular tourist town of about 50,000 people, on the southern tip of Israel. Israel has only seven and a half miles of coastline on the Red Sea, and Eilat sits right on that spot. It has beautiful beaches and is a great place to go snorkeling, because of the warm, crystal clear water and the abundance of colorful fish.
But Eilat is a six-hour bus ride from Jerusalem, and since it has no real biblical significance, our leaders were not planning to take us there. So a bunch of us decided to plan our own trip. We had a free weekend in July, with no classes and no trips scheduled, so we decided to take a Friday afternoon bus from Jerusalem to Eilat. We knew that there would be people at the Eilat bus station, trying to sell accommodations for the night. So we would haggle for a good price for two nights on a rental apartment and then catch the Sunday morning bus back to Jerusalem.
There were about fifteen of us who went on the trip, about ten of which were guys and the other five or so were girls. After morning classes were over, we each packed a small bag and met in the dining hall. We made some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to take with us and then made the four-mile walk to the bus depot. I had brought only one half-liter bottle of water with me. That was a mistake.
We boarded the bus shortly after we got there and I started eating my sandwiches before we left the depot. I also drank my bottle of water. I knew that the bus would make a couple of stops along the way, so I figured I could just buy some more water when I needed it. But as we got going, we learned that the bus was not air-conditioned. So I was sweating pretty good and started to get thirsty.
We made a couple of brief stops to pick up passengers, but not long enough for us to get off the bus. Our first real stop was at a bus depot near Masada, on the west coast of the Dead Sea. We were told that we could get off the bus, but that we needed to be back on in thirty minutes. The driver would not wait for us if we were late.
We ran to the little store in the depot and saw that there was a long line and only one cashier. We stood in the line and watched the clock on the wall. When it became clear that we were never going to get to the counter in time, some of us decided that we would just run into the restroom and fill our water bottles from the tap. We had been warned by our trip leaders not to drink tap water and our friends reminded us of that warning. But five of us, four guys and one girl, ran into the restrooms and filled our bottles. The water was clear. It looked okay.
When we were back on the bus, I started drinking my water. Everything seemed fine. But about an hour later, I knew that I had made a mistake. Two rows behind me, I heard the girl who had drunk the tap water throwing up into a plastic bag. I didn’t have a plastic bag. I reached into my duffel bag and pulled out a towel. A half hour later, I put the towel in front of my face and barfed up my peanut butter and jelly.
When we got to Eilat, I went straight to the bathroom at the bus depot. I was followed by the four others who had also drunk the Masada water. We were all sick. I stuffed my vomit towel into the trash can. By the time we came out of the restroom, the others in the group had already found us a place to stay. We reimbursed them for our share and then we all walked to the rental apartment.
The healthy part of our group went out to get some supper, but the five of us who were sick stayed behind. The next day, Saturday, we were all still sick. The others came back to the apartment a couple of times. They brought us a supply of water and asked if we wanted any food. We didn’t want any.
On Sunday morning, the healthy bunch packed up their things. They were going to head to the beach for a few more hours. Then they were going straight to the bus depot. They told us sick people to make sure that we were at the depot by 10:00 a.m. or we would miss the bus. There would not be another bus to Jerusalem until Monday morning. We all said, “Yeah, we’ll be there.”
I woke up a few hours later. It seemed a little bit too late. I went to the kitchen of the apartment and looked at the clock. It was 10:30 a.m. I went to tell the other four that we had missed the bus. To make a long story short, the five of us ended up sleeping on the floor of the bus depot that night, because we didn’t have enough money to rent the apartment for another night.
On the bright side, we were feeling well enough on Sunday to go to the beach in the afternoon. But none of us had the energy to go snorkeling. I did dip my toes in the Red Sea, but that was about it. When we got back to Jerusalem on Monday night, our friends were glad that we were still alive and our leaders were upset that we had missed our Monday classes. And I had another story to tuck away in my memory back.
When I think back on that episode, I’m reminded of how I ignored a clear warning from several people. I had an immediate need. I was thirsty. And I thought that my need was more important than the warning. Maybe some people would get sick from drinking tap water, but not me. I had an iron stomach. I would be the exception to the rule. But my decision to ignore the warning led to all kinds of unintended consequences.
When we look at God’s Law in the Bible, it sometimes looks like a restrictive set of rules and regulations. Human nature says, “I don’t need God to tell me right from wrong. I can figure it out for myself.” What we don’t understand is that God’s Law is a warning. It is there to protect us from the unintended consequences of our sins. And, of course, the worst consequence of sin is that it leads to death.
When we sin, we walk away from God’s will for our lives. And when we walk away from God, we walk away from life. Thankfully, God has offered us a way to come back to him. He has offered us a way to be cleansed from our sin and freed from its consequences. That way is through Jesus Christ.
At the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the sacrament of Holy Communion. When he offered the cup of wine to his disciples, he said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” He was looking ahead to his death on the cross the next day. He knew that he was going to shed his blood for us. He knew that he was going to die in our place.
And now, if we will put our faith and trust in Jesus, his blood will cleanse every speck of sin from our souls. Our disobedience and rebellion, which is embedded in every fiber of our being, will be removed. And the worst consequence of our sin, the death of our bodies, will be reversed. The grave will not be able to hold us. We have the promise of the resurrection.
Sometimes I will have to suffer for my mistakes in this world. But I will never suffer in the next world. In heaven, there will be no more grief or crying or pain or barfing into towels. In heaven I will be clean, because my soul will be washed in the blood of Jesus. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/CYcwQwhR5fs
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)*
Day 70 – Monday, May 25, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read Psalm 119:103-105, Romans 5:3-5, and Matthew 25:35-40
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
One day I was swapping boating tales with a veteran of Lake Michigan when he came up with one I could not top. He’d rounded up a couple of buddies to go cruising from Waukegan, Illinois, to Michigan City, Indiana, and back. In his powerful Chris Craft runabout, it would be an easy and relaxing day trip. The skipper had come early to top off the fuel tanks and do a thorough safety check. Around 8:00 a.m., his two buddies came sauntering down the dock, wheeling a cart full of sandwiches, snacks, and ice cold beverages. He greeted them, got everything and everyone on board, cast off his lines, and idled away from the dock. It wasn’t long before they’d cleared the harbor entrance and let the engines roar. They had nothing but crystal clear sky, smooth blue waters, and hours of camaraderie ahead. About 10 miles out, the skipper decided to go below for a nap. He told the guys, “Just keep the compass needle at 125º and steer clear of other boats.” A few hours later, he woke up and went to the cockpit. He was a bit confused. By now the giant cooling tower of Michigan City’s power plant should be straight ahead. Instead, all he saw was open blue water ahead and a faint line of trees and dunes on the horizon to his right. “That’s Michigan!” he exclaimed. “But the compass reads 125º,” his friend said. The skipper looked at the compass. It read 125º even as the boat seemed gently curving to the left. Then he saw it – his friend’s big steel mug sitting in a cup holder next to the compass. It was doing a great job of keeping his beverage cold – and recalibrating the compass, so that 125º was always 7º to the left. He put his friend and that mug as far from the compass as possible and put the boat back on course. Any compass that doesn’t point to true north cannot be trusted. At best it will take you to new and interesting places. You may need to work twice as hard to reach your destination. At worst you may become lost and headed for danger.
These past few months have taken all of us into strange new waters. For most of us, the normal flow of life stopped somewhere in March. Some lost jobs and struggled to make ends meet. People we know became sick, and some died. Schooling children and doing office work from home became normal. Dining out meant setting up supper on the deck. Travel, shopping, and sporting events were put on hold. Covid-19 dominated the news and escalated communal fears and anxieties. Different voices push toward getting back to normal, while other voices stress being as safe as possible. We seem to be drowning in statistics, with no clarity on what the numbers mean. We make plans, but always with the caveat of “if conditions don’t change.” With this pandemic, and all that is happening, it becomes difficult to chart a good and true course.
But rather than wallow in the uncertainties and fears around us, it is time to put all that aside and look to our faith for direction. Faith does give us a compass for living. Psalm 119:103-105 says, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” God has given us a resource for faith and life that is timely and timeless. Our local congregation has been going through Lamentations recently. In reading that book, I’ve rediscovered lament as a form of living the faith. We can come to God with all of our fears and sorrows and lay them at His feet. In lament we can examine our troubles, and if needed confess where we’ve gotten off course. When we are able to let our pains loose instead of bottling them up, we can then focus on God, to hear His comfort and hope. We are urged to trust God and deal with our emotions in an honest and healthy way. That’s a good direction in hard times.
There are other ways that God’s Word gives us clear direction in these days. In Scripture we hear of how other believers have dealt with adversity. Paul, in his letter to the Romans (5:3-5), speaks of how he worked through suffering with his faith. “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” In Christ we hang on, adapting to His character in suffering, knowing that in Christ suffering and cross lead to Easter morning and hope. Faith directs us to persevere as the Spirit develops our hope.
In Scripture we are also directed to remember what Christ says about how to treat one another. In Matthew 25:35-40, we read, “‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” Our standard of care is always to see another as a person of worth and dignity – and to extend compassionate care as if we were ministering to Christ himself. Loving one another gives us direction and witnesses to the power of Christ’s love working in us.
In Scripture, God points our lives in other good directions. We are to live in the hope that in the end of all things, God in Christ triumphs. We are to pray for God’s help, and listen to His leading. We are directed to witness to the Lordship of Jesus. But one compass point holds through all of Scripture: we belong to a God of grace and redemption. The path that is illuminated for us is one that points to the free gift of God’s love in Jesus – and to the way his suffering for us leads us to new life in him.
In all the days ahead, rest in God’s Word. Read and reflect. Pray, lament, and rejoice. Celebrate victories and seek wisdom and strength. Learn the character of Christ and of those who followed Him. In all that 2020 brings to us, God’s Word will shine a light on our path and direct us in hope.
Click on this link to hear a song that was part of my thinking as I wrote this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OTVuGaiTsE
Day 70 – Monday, May 25, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read Psalm 119:103-105, Romans 5:3-5, and Matthew 25:35-40
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
One day I was swapping boating tales with a veteran of Lake Michigan when he came up with one I could not top. He’d rounded up a couple of buddies to go cruising from Waukegan, Illinois, to Michigan City, Indiana, and back. In his powerful Chris Craft runabout, it would be an easy and relaxing day trip. The skipper had come early to top off the fuel tanks and do a thorough safety check. Around 8:00 a.m., his two buddies came sauntering down the dock, wheeling a cart full of sandwiches, snacks, and ice cold beverages. He greeted them, got everything and everyone on board, cast off his lines, and idled away from the dock. It wasn’t long before they’d cleared the harbor entrance and let the engines roar. They had nothing but crystal clear sky, smooth blue waters, and hours of camaraderie ahead. About 10 miles out, the skipper decided to go below for a nap. He told the guys, “Just keep the compass needle at 125º and steer clear of other boats.” A few hours later, he woke up and went to the cockpit. He was a bit confused. By now the giant cooling tower of Michigan City’s power plant should be straight ahead. Instead, all he saw was open blue water ahead and a faint line of trees and dunes on the horizon to his right. “That’s Michigan!” he exclaimed. “But the compass reads 125º,” his friend said. The skipper looked at the compass. It read 125º even as the boat seemed gently curving to the left. Then he saw it – his friend’s big steel mug sitting in a cup holder next to the compass. It was doing a great job of keeping his beverage cold – and recalibrating the compass, so that 125º was always 7º to the left. He put his friend and that mug as far from the compass as possible and put the boat back on course. Any compass that doesn’t point to true north cannot be trusted. At best it will take you to new and interesting places. You may need to work twice as hard to reach your destination. At worst you may become lost and headed for danger.
These past few months have taken all of us into strange new waters. For most of us, the normal flow of life stopped somewhere in March. Some lost jobs and struggled to make ends meet. People we know became sick, and some died. Schooling children and doing office work from home became normal. Dining out meant setting up supper on the deck. Travel, shopping, and sporting events were put on hold. Covid-19 dominated the news and escalated communal fears and anxieties. Different voices push toward getting back to normal, while other voices stress being as safe as possible. We seem to be drowning in statistics, with no clarity on what the numbers mean. We make plans, but always with the caveat of “if conditions don’t change.” With this pandemic, and all that is happening, it becomes difficult to chart a good and true course.
But rather than wallow in the uncertainties and fears around us, it is time to put all that aside and look to our faith for direction. Faith does give us a compass for living. Psalm 119:103-105 says, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” God has given us a resource for faith and life that is timely and timeless. Our local congregation has been going through Lamentations recently. In reading that book, I’ve rediscovered lament as a form of living the faith. We can come to God with all of our fears and sorrows and lay them at His feet. In lament we can examine our troubles, and if needed confess where we’ve gotten off course. When we are able to let our pains loose instead of bottling them up, we can then focus on God, to hear His comfort and hope. We are urged to trust God and deal with our emotions in an honest and healthy way. That’s a good direction in hard times.
There are other ways that God’s Word gives us clear direction in these days. In Scripture we hear of how other believers have dealt with adversity. Paul, in his letter to the Romans (5:3-5), speaks of how he worked through suffering with his faith. “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” In Christ we hang on, adapting to His character in suffering, knowing that in Christ suffering and cross lead to Easter morning and hope. Faith directs us to persevere as the Spirit develops our hope.
In Scripture we are also directed to remember what Christ says about how to treat one another. In Matthew 25:35-40, we read, “‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” Our standard of care is always to see another as a person of worth and dignity – and to extend compassionate care as if we were ministering to Christ himself. Loving one another gives us direction and witnesses to the power of Christ’s love working in us.
In Scripture, God points our lives in other good directions. We are to live in the hope that in the end of all things, God in Christ triumphs. We are to pray for God’s help, and listen to His leading. We are directed to witness to the Lordship of Jesus. But one compass point holds through all of Scripture: we belong to a God of grace and redemption. The path that is illuminated for us is one that points to the free gift of God’s love in Jesus – and to the way his suffering for us leads us to new life in him.
In all the days ahead, rest in God’s Word. Read and reflect. Pray, lament, and rejoice. Celebrate victories and seek wisdom and strength. Learn the character of Christ and of those who followed Him. In all that 2020 brings to us, God’s Word will shine a light on our path and direct us in hope.
Click on this link to hear a song that was part of my thinking as I wrote this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OTVuGaiTsE
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 69 – Sunday, May 24, 2020
Read 1 Corinthians 12:21-26 and Psalm 134
Theme Verse: “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (1 Corinthians 12:26)
Life is strange. We can go from great sorrow to great joy in a matter of days, or sometimes in a matter of just a few hours. I remember once when I conducted a funeral and a wedding on the same day. The wedding, of course, had been scheduled months ahead of time. It was on the calendar for three o’clock in the afternoon. The funeral came up unexpectedly, as funerals usually do.
The person who had passed away was a wonderful, faithful woman. She definitely wanted her funeral to be in the church. But the only day that all of the family could be there was on the Saturday of the wedding. So I talked to the wedding family, also wonderful members of the church, and I asked them if we could possibly do the funeral in the morning, at 10:00 a.m.
They were very accommodating, considering how important a day it was for their daughter. We managed to do the funeral without moving any of the wedding decorations and it worked out beautifully. After we went to the cemetery, we came back to the church fellowship hall for lunch.
While we were eating, the bride came out of the church library, where she had been getting dressed. She had to pass through the fellowship hall on her way to the sanctuary for the pre-wedding photos. As she walked through the funeral luncheon, the people who were there for the funeral began to applaud.
The two families, wedding and funeral, knew each other very well. So there were greetings and hugs and tears all rolled into one. It was one of the most heartwarming things that I’ve ever seen in my years of ministry. Someone from the funeral group asked me, “How do you make the transition from the sadness of a funeral to the joy of a wedding in one day?” I said, “I don’t know. I just know that I love both of these families. So I’m going to grieve with one group and celebrate with the other.”
I had a similar situation this weekend. A wonderful, longtime member of our church died on Friday evening. Her name was Lucile Munson. She and her husband Roger have always been so faithful in the church. I could always count on seeing their smiling faces in the same spot every Sunday morning, just a few rows back, on the right side of the church (my left, when I’m facing the congregation), near the aisle. Lucile’s sister, Pat Polson, and her husband Merle, usually sit right in front of them. And there is often extended family scattered around in that section.
Whenever we get back to worship in the sanctuary, it’s just not going to be the same without Lucile smiling back at me. I know that she is now in heaven with Jesus. I know that her physical struggle is over and she is healthy and happy and enjoying reunions with family members and friends. But I felt so sad on Friday night when she passed away. I knew that our church had lost a wonderful woman of God.
On Saturday morning I came in to tape our church service for the weekend. Ever since we had to shut down the church in March, we have been taping a full worship service in the sanctuary every Saturday morning at ten o’clock. It gets posted later that day on our church website - www.flcprinceton.org - and people can watch it whenever they want to. Many of our members joke about watching the service in their pajamas on Sunday morning, while sipping their coffee. It might be hard to get some of them back to church when this is over!
Meanwhile, in the sanctuary, it’s just me, one of our musicians on the organ or piano (Lynne Swanson, Kathy Allen, or Gayle Little), Tracy Brenneman on the soundboard, and Glenn Allen on the camera. My wife Lisa and my oldest daughter Becky (who has been staying with us) also attend. They are responsible for assembling all of the children (stuffed animals) around the altar for my children’s sermon, while I am reading the scripture lessons for the day. So there are six people each week who make the worship service happen. It’s a little strange preaching to a near-empty church, but I’m getting used to it.
Yesterday, when we taped the service, I had a heavy heart, because Lucile had passed away a few hours earlier. In addition to that, the sermon that I was preaching was kind of heavy. I’ve been doing a sermon series on the book of 1 Peter, and this week’s message was about trusting God when we are suffering. The title is “Entrust Your Soul To A Faithful Creator.” That phrase comes from 1 Peter 4:19.
So when we finished taping the service, and I had thanked everyone, I headed back to my office. I wanted to start writing this edition of the Pandemic Pulpit for Sunday, May 24th. I had just sat down in my chair and fired up my computer when Tracy stopped outside my office door. He said, “Pastor, Lisa (my wife) needs to see you out in the parking lot.” That sounded strange. But I got up from my chair and headed down the hall to the north door.
When I stepped outside, I was stunned. The parking lot was filled with cars! My secretary, June Ohlson, was standing outside of her car. She shouted, “We organized this drive-by greeting to show you how much we appreciate you!” I was speechless, which is pretty unusual. Tears started welling up in my eyes. There was a reporter from the local newspaper, the Bureau County Republican, taking pictures. She asked me, “Do you have anything that you want to say?” I said, “We have an awesome church!” It was all that I could get out without blubbering like a fool.
Then, one by one, the cars drove by the spot where I was standing. I had been in contact with many of these people by email or on the phone, but it was such a blessing to see their faces! The sun was shining, the air was warm, and the mood was festive. In mere moments, I had gone from the incredible sadness of losing a beloved church member to the incredible joy of seeing our beautiful, loving church family gathered together.
In a world of strife and struggle, the church of Christ is an amazing, wonderful, uplifting, life-giving family. In 1 Corinthians 12, the Apostle Paul compares the church to the physical body. We have all of these different parts working together for one common purpose—to make Jesus Christ known to the world. And along the way, we love and support each other. Paul says, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”
So I encourage you to reach out to the family of Lucile Munson. Let them know that you love them and care about them, even though we cannot physically be together right now. And thank you so much for your amazing act of appreciation. I can’t adequately express how much you have lifted my spirits. You are truly the people of God. And I am truly blessed to be your pastor. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/hVGE2R2wq5w
Day 69 – Sunday, May 24, 2020
Read 1 Corinthians 12:21-26 and Psalm 134
Theme Verse: “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (1 Corinthians 12:26)
Life is strange. We can go from great sorrow to great joy in a matter of days, or sometimes in a matter of just a few hours. I remember once when I conducted a funeral and a wedding on the same day. The wedding, of course, had been scheduled months ahead of time. It was on the calendar for three o’clock in the afternoon. The funeral came up unexpectedly, as funerals usually do.
The person who had passed away was a wonderful, faithful woman. She definitely wanted her funeral to be in the church. But the only day that all of the family could be there was on the Saturday of the wedding. So I talked to the wedding family, also wonderful members of the church, and I asked them if we could possibly do the funeral in the morning, at 10:00 a.m.
They were very accommodating, considering how important a day it was for their daughter. We managed to do the funeral without moving any of the wedding decorations and it worked out beautifully. After we went to the cemetery, we came back to the church fellowship hall for lunch.
While we were eating, the bride came out of the church library, where she had been getting dressed. She had to pass through the fellowship hall on her way to the sanctuary for the pre-wedding photos. As she walked through the funeral luncheon, the people who were there for the funeral began to applaud.
The two families, wedding and funeral, knew each other very well. So there were greetings and hugs and tears all rolled into one. It was one of the most heartwarming things that I’ve ever seen in my years of ministry. Someone from the funeral group asked me, “How do you make the transition from the sadness of a funeral to the joy of a wedding in one day?” I said, “I don’t know. I just know that I love both of these families. So I’m going to grieve with one group and celebrate with the other.”
I had a similar situation this weekend. A wonderful, longtime member of our church died on Friday evening. Her name was Lucile Munson. She and her husband Roger have always been so faithful in the church. I could always count on seeing their smiling faces in the same spot every Sunday morning, just a few rows back, on the right side of the church (my left, when I’m facing the congregation), near the aisle. Lucile’s sister, Pat Polson, and her husband Merle, usually sit right in front of them. And there is often extended family scattered around in that section.
Whenever we get back to worship in the sanctuary, it’s just not going to be the same without Lucile smiling back at me. I know that she is now in heaven with Jesus. I know that her physical struggle is over and she is healthy and happy and enjoying reunions with family members and friends. But I felt so sad on Friday night when she passed away. I knew that our church had lost a wonderful woman of God.
On Saturday morning I came in to tape our church service for the weekend. Ever since we had to shut down the church in March, we have been taping a full worship service in the sanctuary every Saturday morning at ten o’clock. It gets posted later that day on our church website - www.flcprinceton.org - and people can watch it whenever they want to. Many of our members joke about watching the service in their pajamas on Sunday morning, while sipping their coffee. It might be hard to get some of them back to church when this is over!
Meanwhile, in the sanctuary, it’s just me, one of our musicians on the organ or piano (Lynne Swanson, Kathy Allen, or Gayle Little), Tracy Brenneman on the soundboard, and Glenn Allen on the camera. My wife Lisa and my oldest daughter Becky (who has been staying with us) also attend. They are responsible for assembling all of the children (stuffed animals) around the altar for my children’s sermon, while I am reading the scripture lessons for the day. So there are six people each week who make the worship service happen. It’s a little strange preaching to a near-empty church, but I’m getting used to it.
Yesterday, when we taped the service, I had a heavy heart, because Lucile had passed away a few hours earlier. In addition to that, the sermon that I was preaching was kind of heavy. I’ve been doing a sermon series on the book of 1 Peter, and this week’s message was about trusting God when we are suffering. The title is “Entrust Your Soul To A Faithful Creator.” That phrase comes from 1 Peter 4:19.
So when we finished taping the service, and I had thanked everyone, I headed back to my office. I wanted to start writing this edition of the Pandemic Pulpit for Sunday, May 24th. I had just sat down in my chair and fired up my computer when Tracy stopped outside my office door. He said, “Pastor, Lisa (my wife) needs to see you out in the parking lot.” That sounded strange. But I got up from my chair and headed down the hall to the north door.
When I stepped outside, I was stunned. The parking lot was filled with cars! My secretary, June Ohlson, was standing outside of her car. She shouted, “We organized this drive-by greeting to show you how much we appreciate you!” I was speechless, which is pretty unusual. Tears started welling up in my eyes. There was a reporter from the local newspaper, the Bureau County Republican, taking pictures. She asked me, “Do you have anything that you want to say?” I said, “We have an awesome church!” It was all that I could get out without blubbering like a fool.
Then, one by one, the cars drove by the spot where I was standing. I had been in contact with many of these people by email or on the phone, but it was such a blessing to see their faces! The sun was shining, the air was warm, and the mood was festive. In mere moments, I had gone from the incredible sadness of losing a beloved church member to the incredible joy of seeing our beautiful, loving church family gathered together.
In a world of strife and struggle, the church of Christ is an amazing, wonderful, uplifting, life-giving family. In 1 Corinthians 12, the Apostle Paul compares the church to the physical body. We have all of these different parts working together for one common purpose—to make Jesus Christ known to the world. And along the way, we love and support each other. Paul says, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”
So I encourage you to reach out to the family of Lucile Munson. Let them know that you love them and care about them, even though we cannot physically be together right now. And thank you so much for your amazing act of appreciation. I can’t adequately express how much you have lifted my spirits. You are truly the people of God. And I am truly blessed to be your pastor. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/hVGE2R2wq5w
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 68 – Saturday, May 23, 2020
Read Acts 1:6-11 and Jeremiah 1:4-8
Theme Verse: “To all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.” (Jeremiah 1:7)
It wasn’t my plan to be a pastor. When I was a little kid, I had all kinds of ideas about what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wanted to be a policeman and a fireman and a soldier. I even wanted to be a garbage truck driver. I was imagining all of the cool stuff that I would find in people’s trash. The thing that I wanted to be most of all, of course, was the left fielder for the Chicago Cubs. Billy Williams was my hero and I wanted to be just like him. That dream lasted until I saw my first good curve ball in high school.
Around the time that my dad died, a local pastor told me that he thought God might be calling me into the ministry. I was going to a Lutheran high school at the time, and that pastor was my Latin teacher as well as my freshman basketball coach. He said, “I think you have the skills to be a good pastor.” He didn’t say anything about my basketball skills.
Well, I thought about that comment for a while. During my sophomore year, I even told some of my friends that I might go into the ministry. But then we moved from Wisconsin to Illinois. I went to a new school and I got a new group of friends. Somewhere during my junior year I stopped thinking about being a pastor.
As high school was coming to a close, I was thinking about all kinds of possible careers. But I was zeroing in on one in particular. I loved high school chemistry and biology, so I thought that I might someday go to med school and become a doctor. One of the youth leaders from my church said, “I think God might be calling you to be a pastor.” But I said to him, “I can serve God as a doctor.”
I entered college as a chemistry major and was really enjoying the classes. But during my sophomore year I took an introductory sociology class and I got interested. I started taking more sociology classes along with my chemistry classes. I thought I might do sociology as a second major.
I was also getting interested in Bible classes. I was at Wheaton College, which is a Christian school, and a certain number of Bible classes were required. But I wanted to take more. So now I was splitting my time between chemistry, sociology, and Bible. Med school didn’t seem like such a sure thing anymore.
Then I learned that one of my best friends, another chemistry major, was going to study in Israel during the summer after our sophomore year. That sounded really interesting. So I applied for the program as well. When I was accepted, I took a second job waxing and buffing floors in the science building (I was already working in the dining hall).
So now I was studying chemistry, sociology, and Bible and I was planning to go to Israel and I was working two jobs. I felt like I was being pulled in a bunch of different directions. What I didn’t know at the time was that I was being pulled in just one direction. And the person doing the pulling was God.
That summer in Israel was a life-changing time for me. My faith really started to come alive as I stood in the valleys where Abraham and David had stood, and walked on the streets where Jesus had walked. Now I was thinking that when I got home, I would drop the sociology classes and do a double major in chemistry and Bible. Maybe I could be a medical missionary!
One night in Israel, I was sitting with three friends of mine on the patio of a youth hostel near the city of Tiberias. The hostel was up in the hills, overlooking the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. As the sun went down, we could see the twinkling lights of all the towns around the sea. It was a beautiful sight.
We started to talk about what our plans were for the future. My chemistry major friend laughed at my lack of focus. He was zeroed in on med school. He’s still a doctor today. The other two friends who were with us that night were both planning to be pastors. They’re both still in the ministry today. And here I was, waffling between two, maybe three different possibilities.
One by one, my friends went off to bed, until I was sitting there all alone. I looked at the sea, I felt the warm wind on my back, I listened to the rustling trees. And then I felt something on the back of my head. It felt like someone had lightly tapped me, just enough to get my attention. I turned around to see if one of my friends had come back, but there was no one there. I didn’t know what to think. Maybe a big bug had dive bombed my head.
But then I felt this overwhelming sensation inside of me. I didn’t hear an audible voice. It was just a feeling. I felt like God was saying to me, “Bill, what are you doing studying chemistry? I called you to be a pastor.” It was that clear to me. The next morning I told my friends about it. They encouraged me. They said, “That’s awesome.” But I don’t think they really understood what had happened to me.
When I got back to college that fall, I went to the registrar and changed all of my classes. I started diving into Bible and theology and philosophy and languages. And I never looked back. I finally knew my calling from God.
The prophet Jeremiah also felt the call of God in his life when he was a young man. He was called to be a prophet, which is something very different from being a pastor. But the call is the same. He tried to resist the call because he was very young. He said to God, “I am only a youth.” But God would not accept “no” for an answer. He said to Jeremiah, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.”
What has God called you to do in your life? Jesus says in the first chapter of Acts, just before he ascends into heaven, “You shall be my witnesses.” And I firmly believe that that call is for every Christian. But the call is worked out in a million different ways, every single day, all across the church. Every Christian is called by God to their specific vocation. And in that vocation, they are called to share the gospel in some way. They are called to be witnesses for Jesus Christ.
Some people, like me, will answer God’s call by going into the ministry. But others will answer the call by using the gifts that God has specifically given to them. I knew an auto mechanic in one of my previous churches who was an amazing witness for Jesus. He was good at his job and honest in his business. He lived his faith and talked about his church and people were drawn to him.
I knew a woman whose daughter was in a home for the developmentally disabled. She visited her daughter almost daily and became a sort of “mom” to the other residents, some of whom never had visitors. She prayed with the residents and talked about Jesus. She was an amazing witness.
I’ve known teachers who prayed for their students and found ways to show the love of Christ to them, even if they couldn’t speak openly about their faith. Their students knew that they were Christians because they sometimes talked about their church, but it was their lives that were their witness.
I’ve known businessmen who went into jails to share the gospel and store clerks who brightened people’s day with their joy and helpfulness. I’ve known office workers who shared the love of Jesus simply by being kind to their coworkers.
I’ve known moms who planted deep seeds of faith in their children and dads who showed what it means to be both a strong man and a faithful follower of Christ. I’ve known grandparents who took their grandchildren to church and Sunday School and Vacation Bible School.
I could go on and on, but I will finish with this one thought. If you have never felt the call of God in your life, then you have not been listening closely enough. Because God is calling. He is calling you to be the church, right where you are in your life. And you need to answer him, or he just might start knocking on your head! Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/ZgcaigsoNug
Day 68 – Saturday, May 23, 2020
Read Acts 1:6-11 and Jeremiah 1:4-8
Theme Verse: “To all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.” (Jeremiah 1:7)
It wasn’t my plan to be a pastor. When I was a little kid, I had all kinds of ideas about what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wanted to be a policeman and a fireman and a soldier. I even wanted to be a garbage truck driver. I was imagining all of the cool stuff that I would find in people’s trash. The thing that I wanted to be most of all, of course, was the left fielder for the Chicago Cubs. Billy Williams was my hero and I wanted to be just like him. That dream lasted until I saw my first good curve ball in high school.
Around the time that my dad died, a local pastor told me that he thought God might be calling me into the ministry. I was going to a Lutheran high school at the time, and that pastor was my Latin teacher as well as my freshman basketball coach. He said, “I think you have the skills to be a good pastor.” He didn’t say anything about my basketball skills.
Well, I thought about that comment for a while. During my sophomore year, I even told some of my friends that I might go into the ministry. But then we moved from Wisconsin to Illinois. I went to a new school and I got a new group of friends. Somewhere during my junior year I stopped thinking about being a pastor.
As high school was coming to a close, I was thinking about all kinds of possible careers. But I was zeroing in on one in particular. I loved high school chemistry and biology, so I thought that I might someday go to med school and become a doctor. One of the youth leaders from my church said, “I think God might be calling you to be a pastor.” But I said to him, “I can serve God as a doctor.”
I entered college as a chemistry major and was really enjoying the classes. But during my sophomore year I took an introductory sociology class and I got interested. I started taking more sociology classes along with my chemistry classes. I thought I might do sociology as a second major.
I was also getting interested in Bible classes. I was at Wheaton College, which is a Christian school, and a certain number of Bible classes were required. But I wanted to take more. So now I was splitting my time between chemistry, sociology, and Bible. Med school didn’t seem like such a sure thing anymore.
Then I learned that one of my best friends, another chemistry major, was going to study in Israel during the summer after our sophomore year. That sounded really interesting. So I applied for the program as well. When I was accepted, I took a second job waxing and buffing floors in the science building (I was already working in the dining hall).
So now I was studying chemistry, sociology, and Bible and I was planning to go to Israel and I was working two jobs. I felt like I was being pulled in a bunch of different directions. What I didn’t know at the time was that I was being pulled in just one direction. And the person doing the pulling was God.
That summer in Israel was a life-changing time for me. My faith really started to come alive as I stood in the valleys where Abraham and David had stood, and walked on the streets where Jesus had walked. Now I was thinking that when I got home, I would drop the sociology classes and do a double major in chemistry and Bible. Maybe I could be a medical missionary!
One night in Israel, I was sitting with three friends of mine on the patio of a youth hostel near the city of Tiberias. The hostel was up in the hills, overlooking the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. As the sun went down, we could see the twinkling lights of all the towns around the sea. It was a beautiful sight.
We started to talk about what our plans were for the future. My chemistry major friend laughed at my lack of focus. He was zeroed in on med school. He’s still a doctor today. The other two friends who were with us that night were both planning to be pastors. They’re both still in the ministry today. And here I was, waffling between two, maybe three different possibilities.
One by one, my friends went off to bed, until I was sitting there all alone. I looked at the sea, I felt the warm wind on my back, I listened to the rustling trees. And then I felt something on the back of my head. It felt like someone had lightly tapped me, just enough to get my attention. I turned around to see if one of my friends had come back, but there was no one there. I didn’t know what to think. Maybe a big bug had dive bombed my head.
But then I felt this overwhelming sensation inside of me. I didn’t hear an audible voice. It was just a feeling. I felt like God was saying to me, “Bill, what are you doing studying chemistry? I called you to be a pastor.” It was that clear to me. The next morning I told my friends about it. They encouraged me. They said, “That’s awesome.” But I don’t think they really understood what had happened to me.
When I got back to college that fall, I went to the registrar and changed all of my classes. I started diving into Bible and theology and philosophy and languages. And I never looked back. I finally knew my calling from God.
The prophet Jeremiah also felt the call of God in his life when he was a young man. He was called to be a prophet, which is something very different from being a pastor. But the call is the same. He tried to resist the call because he was very young. He said to God, “I am only a youth.” But God would not accept “no” for an answer. He said to Jeremiah, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.”
What has God called you to do in your life? Jesus says in the first chapter of Acts, just before he ascends into heaven, “You shall be my witnesses.” And I firmly believe that that call is for every Christian. But the call is worked out in a million different ways, every single day, all across the church. Every Christian is called by God to their specific vocation. And in that vocation, they are called to share the gospel in some way. They are called to be witnesses for Jesus Christ.
Some people, like me, will answer God’s call by going into the ministry. But others will answer the call by using the gifts that God has specifically given to them. I knew an auto mechanic in one of my previous churches who was an amazing witness for Jesus. He was good at his job and honest in his business. He lived his faith and talked about his church and people were drawn to him.
I knew a woman whose daughter was in a home for the developmentally disabled. She visited her daughter almost daily and became a sort of “mom” to the other residents, some of whom never had visitors. She prayed with the residents and talked about Jesus. She was an amazing witness.
I’ve known teachers who prayed for their students and found ways to show the love of Christ to them, even if they couldn’t speak openly about their faith. Their students knew that they were Christians because they sometimes talked about their church, but it was their lives that were their witness.
I’ve known businessmen who went into jails to share the gospel and store clerks who brightened people’s day with their joy and helpfulness. I’ve known office workers who shared the love of Jesus simply by being kind to their coworkers.
I’ve known moms who planted deep seeds of faith in their children and dads who showed what it means to be both a strong man and a faithful follower of Christ. I’ve known grandparents who took their grandchildren to church and Sunday School and Vacation Bible School.
I could go on and on, but I will finish with this one thought. If you have never felt the call of God in your life, then you have not been listening closely enough. Because God is calling. He is calling you to be the church, right where you are in your life. And you need to answer him, or he just might start knocking on your head! Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/ZgcaigsoNug
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 67 – Friday, May 22, 2020
Read John 15:18-27 and Psalm 70
Theme Verse: “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” (John 15:20)
Have you ever been in the presence of people whose faith in Christ humbled you? Have you ever been ashamed when you heard their stories of courage and commitment and then thought about the times that you have complained about some minor inconvenience in your own life? I felt like that every time that I went to Sudan.
I started traveling to Sudan with my friend Bob Yarbrough in 2009. We made seven trips together to the capital city of Khartoum, leading training and fellowship conferences for Christian pastors in that majority Muslim nation. In an earlier Pandemic Pulpit, I talked about our final trip to that country, when we were almost arrested. It was a tense moment, but even that was a small thing. We were both able to leave the country and return safely to our homes in the United States.
But the men and women that I met in Sudan were the real Christian heroes. They were at risk of persecution every day, simply because they were followers of Jesus. Most of them had been harassed by the authorities or by their neighbors. Some of them had been arrested and imprisoned. Some of them had been tortured. A few told stories about family members or friends who had been killed.
One pastor stood up at the conference one day and told the story about when he first became a Christian. His family was so angry with him that they disowned him. They told him to leave his home village and never come back. But he stayed. He wanted to tell his family members and friends about Jesus.
One night, a group of men from the village dragged him out of his bed. They forced water down his throat until his stomach was stretched out. Then they beat his abdomen with short lengths of rubber hose. He was unconscious when they dragged him to the outskirts of the village and left him to die.
The men of the village had done the same thing to Christian converts in the past. And none of those previous victims had survived. The beatings had always ruptured their already distended stomachs and they had all died a horrible death. But for some reason, this young Christian did not die. He woke up. Then he got to his feet, brushed himself off, and walked back into his village.
That’s right. He went back! He said, “These people were my family and friends. How could I walk away from them? I wanted to tell them about Jesus. I wanted them to be saved.” When he walked into the town, the people were astonished. It was as if he had been raised from the dead. People came up to him weeping and begging for his forgiveness. And then they listened to him. They listened as he talked about Jesus. And most of the people in that village became Christians because of his witness.
After he finished his testimony at the conference, we took a short break. During that break, one of the other pastors came over to talk to me. He said, “I want you to know that everything that brother said is true. I am from his village. I was one of the men who beat him. Now I am a pastor just like he is. I am here because he came back.”
At another one of our conferences, a pastor from Eritrea got up and told his story. Eritrea is a small country tucked in between Sudan and the Red Sea. Their government is so oppressive that many Eritreans, especially those who are Christians, have crossed the border into Sudan to find a better life. Yeah, it’s that bad.
This pastor had been constantly harassed and persecuted in his home country. But he hung in there. He kept on preaching and leading his church. But then, one day, a government vehicle stopped beside him when he was walking down the street in the capital city of Asmara. Soldiers jumped out and grabbed him and threw him into the back of the van.
He spent six years in prison and his family never knew what happened to him. Then, one day, he was taken from his cell and thrown into a van once again. They drove him into the city and dumped him on the side of the road. He walked home and when he stepped through the door of his house, his family members were stunned. Just like in the first story, it was as if he had come back from the dead.
He felt like he was a marked man, who might be arrested again at any time. If he stayed in Eritrea, his family and his church would be at risk. So he and his family snuck across the border and made it to Khartoum. There he organized the other Eritrean Christian refugees into a church. By the time we got to know him, he had trained other pastors and had formed four separate churches.
After each conference, he would ask me for all of my lecture notes. He translated them all into his native Tigrinya language and distributed them to his churches. He also helped to smuggle copies back into Eritrea. He once gave Bob and me the highest honor by inviting us to dinner in his home. He was an amazing Christian leader and I always felt humbled to be in his presence.
Jesus said to his disciples at the Last Supper, “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” I have not really known persecution in my life. But the pastors that I met in Sudan understood what Jesus was talking about. They understood it and they accepted it.
I went to Sudan every six months for about three and a half years. It was my semiannual reality check. Each time I came home with a greater appreciation for the freedoms that we have in America, especially the freedom to worship our God as we choose. I also came home with a greater understanding of what real persecution is. If someone ridicules my faith in a Facebook post, I don’t get too upset. I’ve never been beaten up or imprisoned because I’m a follower of Jesus.
But most of all, I came home with a greater awareness of the Christian Church around the world. God is truly at work on every continent. Jesus is worshiped in hundreds of different languages. Believers are persevering in many difficult situations. And the Church of Christ is advancing. In a way, we are a in a battle against the world. But it is not a battle for power and territory. It is a battle for hearts and minds. And our only weapon is the Word of God. Our only strategy is to imitate the love of Jesus. Our only goal is to bring new citizens into the Kingdom of God.
Those pastors in Sudan understood. After all that they had been through, they still did not hate their enemies. They loved them. They hoped that one day they could win them over with the power of the Gospel. Every day they ministered to their churches with peace and joy in their hearts, no matter what their circumstances. Just thinking about them right now makes me want to be a better pastor. May God bless those faithful pastors in Sudan. And may God bless the Christian Church around the world. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking of when I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/RziT4wJMrGQ
Day 67 – Friday, May 22, 2020
Read John 15:18-27 and Psalm 70
Theme Verse: “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” (John 15:20)
Have you ever been in the presence of people whose faith in Christ humbled you? Have you ever been ashamed when you heard their stories of courage and commitment and then thought about the times that you have complained about some minor inconvenience in your own life? I felt like that every time that I went to Sudan.
I started traveling to Sudan with my friend Bob Yarbrough in 2009. We made seven trips together to the capital city of Khartoum, leading training and fellowship conferences for Christian pastors in that majority Muslim nation. In an earlier Pandemic Pulpit, I talked about our final trip to that country, when we were almost arrested. It was a tense moment, but even that was a small thing. We were both able to leave the country and return safely to our homes in the United States.
But the men and women that I met in Sudan were the real Christian heroes. They were at risk of persecution every day, simply because they were followers of Jesus. Most of them had been harassed by the authorities or by their neighbors. Some of them had been arrested and imprisoned. Some of them had been tortured. A few told stories about family members or friends who had been killed.
One pastor stood up at the conference one day and told the story about when he first became a Christian. His family was so angry with him that they disowned him. They told him to leave his home village and never come back. But he stayed. He wanted to tell his family members and friends about Jesus.
One night, a group of men from the village dragged him out of his bed. They forced water down his throat until his stomach was stretched out. Then they beat his abdomen with short lengths of rubber hose. He was unconscious when they dragged him to the outskirts of the village and left him to die.
The men of the village had done the same thing to Christian converts in the past. And none of those previous victims had survived. The beatings had always ruptured their already distended stomachs and they had all died a horrible death. But for some reason, this young Christian did not die. He woke up. Then he got to his feet, brushed himself off, and walked back into his village.
That’s right. He went back! He said, “These people were my family and friends. How could I walk away from them? I wanted to tell them about Jesus. I wanted them to be saved.” When he walked into the town, the people were astonished. It was as if he had been raised from the dead. People came up to him weeping and begging for his forgiveness. And then they listened to him. They listened as he talked about Jesus. And most of the people in that village became Christians because of his witness.
After he finished his testimony at the conference, we took a short break. During that break, one of the other pastors came over to talk to me. He said, “I want you to know that everything that brother said is true. I am from his village. I was one of the men who beat him. Now I am a pastor just like he is. I am here because he came back.”
At another one of our conferences, a pastor from Eritrea got up and told his story. Eritrea is a small country tucked in between Sudan and the Red Sea. Their government is so oppressive that many Eritreans, especially those who are Christians, have crossed the border into Sudan to find a better life. Yeah, it’s that bad.
This pastor had been constantly harassed and persecuted in his home country. But he hung in there. He kept on preaching and leading his church. But then, one day, a government vehicle stopped beside him when he was walking down the street in the capital city of Asmara. Soldiers jumped out and grabbed him and threw him into the back of the van.
He spent six years in prison and his family never knew what happened to him. Then, one day, he was taken from his cell and thrown into a van once again. They drove him into the city and dumped him on the side of the road. He walked home and when he stepped through the door of his house, his family members were stunned. Just like in the first story, it was as if he had come back from the dead.
He felt like he was a marked man, who might be arrested again at any time. If he stayed in Eritrea, his family and his church would be at risk. So he and his family snuck across the border and made it to Khartoum. There he organized the other Eritrean Christian refugees into a church. By the time we got to know him, he had trained other pastors and had formed four separate churches.
After each conference, he would ask me for all of my lecture notes. He translated them all into his native Tigrinya language and distributed them to his churches. He also helped to smuggle copies back into Eritrea. He once gave Bob and me the highest honor by inviting us to dinner in his home. He was an amazing Christian leader and I always felt humbled to be in his presence.
Jesus said to his disciples at the Last Supper, “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” I have not really known persecution in my life. But the pastors that I met in Sudan understood what Jesus was talking about. They understood it and they accepted it.
I went to Sudan every six months for about three and a half years. It was my semiannual reality check. Each time I came home with a greater appreciation for the freedoms that we have in America, especially the freedom to worship our God as we choose. I also came home with a greater understanding of what real persecution is. If someone ridicules my faith in a Facebook post, I don’t get too upset. I’ve never been beaten up or imprisoned because I’m a follower of Jesus.
But most of all, I came home with a greater awareness of the Christian Church around the world. God is truly at work on every continent. Jesus is worshiped in hundreds of different languages. Believers are persevering in many difficult situations. And the Church of Christ is advancing. In a way, we are a in a battle against the world. But it is not a battle for power and territory. It is a battle for hearts and minds. And our only weapon is the Word of God. Our only strategy is to imitate the love of Jesus. Our only goal is to bring new citizens into the Kingdom of God.
Those pastors in Sudan understood. After all that they had been through, they still did not hate their enemies. They loved them. They hoped that one day they could win them over with the power of the Gospel. Every day they ministered to their churches with peace and joy in their hearts, no matter what their circumstances. Just thinking about them right now makes me want to be a better pastor. May God bless those faithful pastors in Sudan. And may God bless the Christian Church around the world. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking of when I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/RziT4wJMrGQ
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 66 – Thursday, May 21, 2020
Read Revelation 5:11-14 and Psalm 150
Theme Verse: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:12)
In yesterday’s devotion I talked about the hosts of heaven worshiping Jesus as both the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God. And that image, of all the residents of heaven gathered together, got me thinking about the largest gathering of people that I have ever witnessed in my life. It was in the city of Chicago on Friday, November 4, 2016.
The reason for the gathering was to celebrate the Chicago Cubs World Series victory just two days earlier. The Cubs had not won it all since 1908 and their seven game triumph over the Cleveland Indians ended the longest championship drought in modern sports history. So there was a lot of pent up emotion in the city, and it all came out on that beautiful, sunny November afternoon.
On the Thursday before the rally, I had been waffling back and forth about whether or not I would go. I wanted to be there, but I knew that the crowds were going to be huge. Lisa likes the Cubs, but she’s not as big a fan as I am. She didn’t want to skip work, just to stand in the middle of what was sure to be a massive gathering of people. So I was leaning toward skipping it myself. But then my daughter Becky called. She was going to take off work on Friday to go and she talked me into going with her.
So we planned it all out. On Thursday night, Becky drove up from her apartment in Carol Stream to our house in Lindenhurst. Then we got up early Friday morning and went to the Metra station in Lake Villa, just a couple of miles from our house. Lake Villa is the second stop on the line, so when we got on the train, there were only a few other people on board. Most of them were dressed in Cubs attire.
As we headed into the city, we picked up Cubs fans at each stop. There were old people and young people. There were loners and couples and entire families. There were so many high school kids getting on the train that we wondered if there was going to be anyone left in class at their schools. The ticket takers were selling a special five dollar ticket that would allow us to ride all day. We heard later that there were so many people on the trains and at the stations that they stopped selling tickets altogether.
When we got to Union Station in Chicago, the train was packed. It took several minutes for our car to unload. People were shoulder to shoulder in the station. As we moved through the crowd, we saw several people that we knew. We all waved and shouted at each other. Then we spilled out onto Jackson Street.
The crowds were stepping off of the sidewalks and starting to walk in the street, but there was still some traffic moving past as we headed toward Grant Park. By the time we got to State Street, it was just wall to wall people. Traffic was at a standstill. Horns were blaring, but it wasn’t doing any good. There were so many people that the cars couldn’t move without running people over.
We got to the entrance of Grant Park, where the rally would be held, and there were hundreds of thousands of people waiting at the entrance. No one was being allowed in yet, so the people were gathering on Michigan Avenue. It was a literal sea of people. Becky and I realized that we were never going to get into the rally, so we decided to move up to Randolph Street, to see if we could get a spot on the parade route.
It took us more than an hour to walk those two blocks. We squeezed our way past the Art Institute and the Giant Bean (officially known as “Cloud Gate”). We managed to nudge our way up to a barrier along Randolph where we would stand and wait for a couple more hours. Several people around us had radios and they were giving us updates on the progress of the caravan of open-topped buses that were carrying the Cubs players and coaches through the city.
Finally, we got our chance to see the team and the trophy as they drove slowly by, heading for Columbus Drive. There they would turn south and make their way to Grant Park. Once the team was past us, we looked at each other and said, “What do we do now?” As I said before, there was no way that we were going to get into the rally. There were just too many people and they were not all going to be able to get in.
So we decided that the best course of action was to make our way back to Union Station and get the first available train out of town. It was a good decision. It took us about two hours to make our way back to the station. Along the way, we passed a lot of happy people. There was no pushing or shoving. There were no fights. No one was complaining about the crowds. Everyone was just happy!
All the way back, the streets were filled with people. Cars were stopped in the middle of the crowd. The drivers were standing outside, leaning against their hoods. When we got to Union Station, we were able to get on a train in about an hour and a half. And we were the lucky ones. Just a couple of hours later, when the bulk of the crowd descended on the station, the waiting time got a lot longer. Many people didn’t get home until after midnight.
In the days after the rally, we heard reports that the crowds were estimated at around five million people. And I believe it. It was reported to be the seventh largest crowd in human history and the largest ever in the western hemisphere (it blew away the measly crowd of three and a half million who gathered for a Rod Stewart concert in Rio de Janeiro in 1994). And it was almost completely peaceful. The Chicago Police Department recorded only six arrests during the rally.
I remember being in that crowd and I can’t help thinking about what heaven will be like. I think of all the hundreds of millions of believers who have lived on earth down through the millennia. They will all be there. I’m glad that we’ll be there for all of eternity, because it will take that long just to visit with all of the people that I am hoping to see when I get there!
And imagine what it will be like when we all gather together for worship! That Cubs rally will look tiny by comparison. I imagine beautiful blue skies and wide expanses of green grass. I see all of the citizens of heaven joyfully talking and hugging and catching up with each other. And then we will hear the sound of music, and the singing will begin. And it will be beautiful! It won’t be “Go, Cubs, Go.” The fifth chapter of Revelation gives us a taste of what it will be like. People will be singing, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
And the people will be amazing! I saw a lot of diversity in Chicago that day. But the diversity of heaven is going to be mind-blowing. There will be people of every race and every language. They will come from every nation on earth. There will be people from ancient times and people from the present. There will be people from the other side of the world and people from across the street. There will be cherubim and seraphim and other beings that we have never seen before. There might even be people from other planets in other universes that we never even knew existed.
And we will be there! We will be there with all people who have ever believed in the true God. We will be there with all people who confess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Those who lived before Jesus believed in the promise of salvation. Those of us who lived after Jesus believed in salvation through his death and resurrection. And together we will all worship Jesus in heaven.
When I look back on the Cubs rally, I’m glad that my daughter talked me into going. It was a massive effort for a short glimpse of the players and the trophy. But it was an incredible event that we were able to experience together. Whenever it comes up in conversation, I can say, “I was there!” And when someone asks, “Were there really that many people there?” I can say, “Yes, there were.”
But the Cubs rally isn’t in the same league with the worship gatherings that we will experience in heaven. It’s not even close. When we gather together in heaven, we are going to share the most amazing fellowship that we have ever known. We won’t look back at earth and say, “I was there!” Instead, we will look around at all of the people and say, “I am here!” And that will be a glorious day. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/dsiDukXIeVY
Day 66 – Thursday, May 21, 2020
Read Revelation 5:11-14 and Psalm 150
Theme Verse: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:12)
In yesterday’s devotion I talked about the hosts of heaven worshiping Jesus as both the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God. And that image, of all the residents of heaven gathered together, got me thinking about the largest gathering of people that I have ever witnessed in my life. It was in the city of Chicago on Friday, November 4, 2016.
The reason for the gathering was to celebrate the Chicago Cubs World Series victory just two days earlier. The Cubs had not won it all since 1908 and their seven game triumph over the Cleveland Indians ended the longest championship drought in modern sports history. So there was a lot of pent up emotion in the city, and it all came out on that beautiful, sunny November afternoon.
On the Thursday before the rally, I had been waffling back and forth about whether or not I would go. I wanted to be there, but I knew that the crowds were going to be huge. Lisa likes the Cubs, but she’s not as big a fan as I am. She didn’t want to skip work, just to stand in the middle of what was sure to be a massive gathering of people. So I was leaning toward skipping it myself. But then my daughter Becky called. She was going to take off work on Friday to go and she talked me into going with her.
So we planned it all out. On Thursday night, Becky drove up from her apartment in Carol Stream to our house in Lindenhurst. Then we got up early Friday morning and went to the Metra station in Lake Villa, just a couple of miles from our house. Lake Villa is the second stop on the line, so when we got on the train, there were only a few other people on board. Most of them were dressed in Cubs attire.
As we headed into the city, we picked up Cubs fans at each stop. There were old people and young people. There were loners and couples and entire families. There were so many high school kids getting on the train that we wondered if there was going to be anyone left in class at their schools. The ticket takers were selling a special five dollar ticket that would allow us to ride all day. We heard later that there were so many people on the trains and at the stations that they stopped selling tickets altogether.
When we got to Union Station in Chicago, the train was packed. It took several minutes for our car to unload. People were shoulder to shoulder in the station. As we moved through the crowd, we saw several people that we knew. We all waved and shouted at each other. Then we spilled out onto Jackson Street.
The crowds were stepping off of the sidewalks and starting to walk in the street, but there was still some traffic moving past as we headed toward Grant Park. By the time we got to State Street, it was just wall to wall people. Traffic was at a standstill. Horns were blaring, but it wasn’t doing any good. There were so many people that the cars couldn’t move without running people over.
We got to the entrance of Grant Park, where the rally would be held, and there were hundreds of thousands of people waiting at the entrance. No one was being allowed in yet, so the people were gathering on Michigan Avenue. It was a literal sea of people. Becky and I realized that we were never going to get into the rally, so we decided to move up to Randolph Street, to see if we could get a spot on the parade route.
It took us more than an hour to walk those two blocks. We squeezed our way past the Art Institute and the Giant Bean (officially known as “Cloud Gate”). We managed to nudge our way up to a barrier along Randolph where we would stand and wait for a couple more hours. Several people around us had radios and they were giving us updates on the progress of the caravan of open-topped buses that were carrying the Cubs players and coaches through the city.
Finally, we got our chance to see the team and the trophy as they drove slowly by, heading for Columbus Drive. There they would turn south and make their way to Grant Park. Once the team was past us, we looked at each other and said, “What do we do now?” As I said before, there was no way that we were going to get into the rally. There were just too many people and they were not all going to be able to get in.
So we decided that the best course of action was to make our way back to Union Station and get the first available train out of town. It was a good decision. It took us about two hours to make our way back to the station. Along the way, we passed a lot of happy people. There was no pushing or shoving. There were no fights. No one was complaining about the crowds. Everyone was just happy!
All the way back, the streets were filled with people. Cars were stopped in the middle of the crowd. The drivers were standing outside, leaning against their hoods. When we got to Union Station, we were able to get on a train in about an hour and a half. And we were the lucky ones. Just a couple of hours later, when the bulk of the crowd descended on the station, the waiting time got a lot longer. Many people didn’t get home until after midnight.
In the days after the rally, we heard reports that the crowds were estimated at around five million people. And I believe it. It was reported to be the seventh largest crowd in human history and the largest ever in the western hemisphere (it blew away the measly crowd of three and a half million who gathered for a Rod Stewart concert in Rio de Janeiro in 1994). And it was almost completely peaceful. The Chicago Police Department recorded only six arrests during the rally.
I remember being in that crowd and I can’t help thinking about what heaven will be like. I think of all the hundreds of millions of believers who have lived on earth down through the millennia. They will all be there. I’m glad that we’ll be there for all of eternity, because it will take that long just to visit with all of the people that I am hoping to see when I get there!
And imagine what it will be like when we all gather together for worship! That Cubs rally will look tiny by comparison. I imagine beautiful blue skies and wide expanses of green grass. I see all of the citizens of heaven joyfully talking and hugging and catching up with each other. And then we will hear the sound of music, and the singing will begin. And it will be beautiful! It won’t be “Go, Cubs, Go.” The fifth chapter of Revelation gives us a taste of what it will be like. People will be singing, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
And the people will be amazing! I saw a lot of diversity in Chicago that day. But the diversity of heaven is going to be mind-blowing. There will be people of every race and every language. They will come from every nation on earth. There will be people from ancient times and people from the present. There will be people from the other side of the world and people from across the street. There will be cherubim and seraphim and other beings that we have never seen before. There might even be people from other planets in other universes that we never even knew existed.
And we will be there! We will be there with all people who have ever believed in the true God. We will be there with all people who confess Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Those who lived before Jesus believed in the promise of salvation. Those of us who lived after Jesus believed in salvation through his death and resurrection. And together we will all worship Jesus in heaven.
When I look back on the Cubs rally, I’m glad that my daughter talked me into going. It was a massive effort for a short glimpse of the players and the trophy. But it was an incredible event that we were able to experience together. Whenever it comes up in conversation, I can say, “I was there!” And when someone asks, “Were there really that many people there?” I can say, “Yes, there were.”
But the Cubs rally isn’t in the same league with the worship gatherings that we will experience in heaven. It’s not even close. When we gather together in heaven, we are going to share the most amazing fellowship that we have ever known. We won’t look back at earth and say, “I was there!” Instead, we will look around at all of the people and say, “I am here!” And that will be a glorious day. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/dsiDukXIeVY
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 65 – Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Read Revelation 5:1-10 and Psalm 61
Theme Verse: “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” (Revelation 5:9)
One winter evening, when I was about 12 years old, my younger brother Mike and I were walking home from a friend’s house. Snow was falling and there was already quite a bit of it on the ground. As we approached the entrance to an alley, we suddenly heard the roar of engines to our left. A group of high school kids were flying down the alley on their snowmobiles, and they had no intention of slowing down.
They yelled at us to, “Get out of the way!” So we backed up a little and they went buzzing past us, flipping us off and shouting obscenities at us as they went by. We didn’t like that very much. We watched as they crossed the street and headed into the city park.
The alley had a lot of snowmobile tracks. It appeared that they were making a big loop around the town. That meant that they would be coming back our way. So we decided to hide around the corner of a building that was next to the alley and wait for them to come by again. While we waited, we piled up an arsenal of snowballs.
Pretty soon we heard the snowmobiles coming back around. And we were ready. As they passed by where we were hiding, we pummeled them with our premade snowballs. It felt pretty good. But it didn't take long for us to realize that revenge might not have been the best course of action.
Those older kids weren’t just going to take their lumps and ride away. They suddenly jumped off their snowmobiles and came after us on foot. We ran down the block to our house and then raced around to the back door. They were right on our tail. We hustled into the house and locked the door behind us. Then we ran upstairs to one of our bedrooms and waited with the lights out. We were hoping that they would just go away.
But they didn’t go away. They started banging on the back door. My dad was sitting in the living room, watching television. He must have heard the commotion when we came running in the house. He knew something was up. So he got up and went to the door. We stood at the top of the stairs and listened.
Dad said, “Why are you guys banging on the door? What do you want?” They said, “Your sons threw snowballs at us and we want them to come out here!” We didn’t know what they wanted to do to us, but it probably wasn’t good. We held our breath and waited. To this day, I can still remember exactly what Dad said to them. He said, “If you want my sons, you’re going to have to go through me.”
Well, they looked at my dad, who was 6’ 6” and 230 lbs., and they decided not to challenge him. My brother and I were relieved, to say the least. Of course, once the door was locked again, we then had to deal with Dad, which might have been worse than facing those older kids. He chewed us out pretty good and grounded us for a couple of days.
But I still think of my dad that night, standing in the doorway and saying, “If you want my sons, you’re going to have to go through me.” And I realize that that is exactly what Jesus did for us when he died on the cross.
Satan is after us every day. He is nipping at our heels. He is trying to destroy us. And the scariest thing of all is that we deserve it! My brother and I were not innocent children that night. We really did throw snowballs at those kids and we probably deserved what they were planning to do to us. And what was true for us that night is true for every human being. We are all sinners. We are all guilty. We all deserve punishment.
But when Jesus died on the cross, he paid the price for our sins. And now, if we put our faith and trust in him, he stands between us and Satan. He says, “If you want these people, you’ve got to come through me!” And the devil backs down. Jesus is too powerful for him. Satan threw everything that he could at Jesus as he hung on the cross. He even killed Jesus. But Jesus prevailed. He rose from the dead. And now Satan knows that Jesus is invincible.
There is a passage in the fifth chapter of the book of Revelation that I love. It vividly describes the two greatest characteristics of Jesus—his power and his love. The scene is heaven, and God the Father is holding a scroll which will reveal the final days of the earth, and the final outcome of the battle between God and Satan.
The heavenly beings are all wondering, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” The Apostle John, who is seeing this vision, is weeping, because it seems that no one is worthy to open the scroll. But then, one of the heavenly beings says to him in verse 5, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Jesus is the Lion of Judah. He is the one who is worthy to open the scroll. He is the one who is able to defeat Satan and bring this sinful world to its end. And why is he worthy to do this? Because he is not just the Lion. He is also the Lamb.
It is the Lamb who steps forward and takes the scroll in verse 7. All of the heavenly beings bow down to him. They begin to sing to him in verse 9, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” Jesus is the Lion who saves us from death, because he is also the Lamb who died in our place. The cross shows the depth of his love. The resurrection shows the height of his power.
And so he stands in the door and says, “If you want these people, you’ve got to come through me!” And no one challenges him. No one is able. If we are with him, we have a strong protector. If we are with him, we are safe. We are safe, because he gave his life for us. He is our Lion. And he is our Lamb. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/rMTfj4xOjZk
Day 65 – Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Read Revelation 5:1-10 and Psalm 61
Theme Verse: “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” (Revelation 5:9)
One winter evening, when I was about 12 years old, my younger brother Mike and I were walking home from a friend’s house. Snow was falling and there was already quite a bit of it on the ground. As we approached the entrance to an alley, we suddenly heard the roar of engines to our left. A group of high school kids were flying down the alley on their snowmobiles, and they had no intention of slowing down.
They yelled at us to, “Get out of the way!” So we backed up a little and they went buzzing past us, flipping us off and shouting obscenities at us as they went by. We didn’t like that very much. We watched as they crossed the street and headed into the city park.
The alley had a lot of snowmobile tracks. It appeared that they were making a big loop around the town. That meant that they would be coming back our way. So we decided to hide around the corner of a building that was next to the alley and wait for them to come by again. While we waited, we piled up an arsenal of snowballs.
Pretty soon we heard the snowmobiles coming back around. And we were ready. As they passed by where we were hiding, we pummeled them with our premade snowballs. It felt pretty good. But it didn't take long for us to realize that revenge might not have been the best course of action.
Those older kids weren’t just going to take their lumps and ride away. They suddenly jumped off their snowmobiles and came after us on foot. We ran down the block to our house and then raced around to the back door. They were right on our tail. We hustled into the house and locked the door behind us. Then we ran upstairs to one of our bedrooms and waited with the lights out. We were hoping that they would just go away.
But they didn’t go away. They started banging on the back door. My dad was sitting in the living room, watching television. He must have heard the commotion when we came running in the house. He knew something was up. So he got up and went to the door. We stood at the top of the stairs and listened.
Dad said, “Why are you guys banging on the door? What do you want?” They said, “Your sons threw snowballs at us and we want them to come out here!” We didn’t know what they wanted to do to us, but it probably wasn’t good. We held our breath and waited. To this day, I can still remember exactly what Dad said to them. He said, “If you want my sons, you’re going to have to go through me.”
Well, they looked at my dad, who was 6’ 6” and 230 lbs., and they decided not to challenge him. My brother and I were relieved, to say the least. Of course, once the door was locked again, we then had to deal with Dad, which might have been worse than facing those older kids. He chewed us out pretty good and grounded us for a couple of days.
But I still think of my dad that night, standing in the doorway and saying, “If you want my sons, you’re going to have to go through me.” And I realize that that is exactly what Jesus did for us when he died on the cross.
Satan is after us every day. He is nipping at our heels. He is trying to destroy us. And the scariest thing of all is that we deserve it! My brother and I were not innocent children that night. We really did throw snowballs at those kids and we probably deserved what they were planning to do to us. And what was true for us that night is true for every human being. We are all sinners. We are all guilty. We all deserve punishment.
But when Jesus died on the cross, he paid the price for our sins. And now, if we put our faith and trust in him, he stands between us and Satan. He says, “If you want these people, you’ve got to come through me!” And the devil backs down. Jesus is too powerful for him. Satan threw everything that he could at Jesus as he hung on the cross. He even killed Jesus. But Jesus prevailed. He rose from the dead. And now Satan knows that Jesus is invincible.
There is a passage in the fifth chapter of the book of Revelation that I love. It vividly describes the two greatest characteristics of Jesus—his power and his love. The scene is heaven, and God the Father is holding a scroll which will reveal the final days of the earth, and the final outcome of the battle between God and Satan.
The heavenly beings are all wondering, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” The Apostle John, who is seeing this vision, is weeping, because it seems that no one is worthy to open the scroll. But then, one of the heavenly beings says to him in verse 5, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Jesus is the Lion of Judah. He is the one who is worthy to open the scroll. He is the one who is able to defeat Satan and bring this sinful world to its end. And why is he worthy to do this? Because he is not just the Lion. He is also the Lamb.
It is the Lamb who steps forward and takes the scroll in verse 7. All of the heavenly beings bow down to him. They begin to sing to him in verse 9, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” Jesus is the Lion who saves us from death, because he is also the Lamb who died in our place. The cross shows the depth of his love. The resurrection shows the height of his power.
And so he stands in the door and says, “If you want these people, you’ve got to come through me!” And no one challenges him. No one is able. If we are with him, we have a strong protector. If we are with him, we are safe. We are safe, because he gave his life for us. He is our Lion. And he is our Lamb. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/rMTfj4xOjZk
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 64 – Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Read Romans 5:1-11 and Psalm 67
Theme Verse: “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
I know it’s the middle of May, but since the last few days have been cold and rainy, I thought it might be a good time to warm you up with a little Christmas story from my early years in the ministry. This story took place on Christmas Eve in 1996, when I was still serving in my first congregation, American Lutheran Church in Rantoul, Illinois.
I was in my office at about noon on that Christmas Eve. I had finished my sermon for that evening, but I was still working on my sermon for the Christmas Day service the next morning. That month of December had been a particularly crazy one for me. I was tired and stressed out. I didn’t have time for my wife that day, I didn’t have time for my kids, I didn’t have time for anyone. I just wanted to get my work done and get Christmas over with for another year. And so, at that very moment, God decided to send Joe into my life.
From my office I could hear the outside door open. The church secretary was not in her office. She had finished her work for the day and had gone home to get ready for her family Christmas gathering. The associate pastor was out doing some last minute Christmas shopping for his kids. I was the only person in the building when Joe walked in.
I looked up from my work and there he was, standing in the doorway of my office, wearing baggy clothes and an old green coat. He was holding a brown paper bag. I said, “Hello, can I help you with something?” He said, “Are you the pastor here?” I said, “Yes, I’m the senior pastor.” And he said, “Well, my name’s Joe and I need a place to stay for the night.”
I felt a sigh of relief. This wouldn’t take too long. We had an agreement with a local motel. I could send people there and they would bill us later. So I said, “That’s no problem. We can put you up at the Rantoul Motel, just down the street.”
But Joe said, “No, that won’t work. I need to stay at a motel in Paxton, because I’m visiting someone there tonight.” I said, “Well, then, why did you stop in Rantoul?” He said, “I hitched a ride in Champaign and this was as far as they were going. They dropped me off on the highway, right out in front of your Church. So I was wondering if you could drive me up to Paxton and put me up in a motel there.”
My heart sank. That would take at least an hour, probably longer. And I was so busy. And I was hoping to find a little time to spend with my family that day. But I also knew that Joe would have a hard time trying to find anyone else to help him on Christmas Eve. So I said, “OK, let me pull my car around.”
As we started driving, I started asking him some questions. I wanted to know why he was traveling from Champaign to Paxton, with no money, on Christmas Eve. Who was he going to visit? So Joe told me his story.
Joe was a recovering alcoholic. With the help of the Salvation Army and Alcoholics Anonymous, he hadn’t had a drink in more than three years. Now he was living in a little apartment in Champaign, barely getting by on his Social Security check. He had no car and no extra money.
Years earlier, when he was drinking, he had made his family so miserable that his wife had left him and his son had disowned him. That son was now living in Paxton, with his wife and three children. Joe’s plan was to check into a motel, get showered and shaved, and put on some clean clothes that he had picked up at Goodwill. That’s what he had in the bag. Then he was just going to show up on his son’s doorstep that evening and hope that he would welcome him in.
Then Joe said something that just touched my heart. He said, “After I got sober, I reached out to my son. But he wanted nothing to do with me. He has ignored me for the past three years, and I deserved it. But this year, I decided that I didn’t want to be ignored on Christmas Eve.”
We got to the motel and I said, “Joe, I’m going to put you up for two nights, if that’s okay, because you might have a hard time catching a ride home on Christmas Day.” So I checked him in. Then I gave him what little cash I had in my wallet, so that he could get something to eat at the restaurant on the other side of the parking lot. Before I left, I prayed with him. I prayed that his son would forgive him and take him back into his life.
As I left, Joe thanked me over and over. But as I drove back to Rantoul, I thanked God in my heart. I thanked him for bringing Joe to me on that Christmas Eve. I was still busy when I got home, but I had a much greater appreciation for the blessings in my life, especially for my family.
On the day after Christmas, I was back in my office, working on my sermon for the coming Sunday. It was right around noon again when Joe walked in. This time, he was on his way home. But he wanted to stop in to say “thank you” and to give me something. It was a bookmark with a cross on it. He had made it himself. I asked him if he needed a ride back to Champaign. A big smile spread across his face and he said, “No. My son is taking me.”
I never saw Joe again, but I’ve thought about him many times. I’ve thought about how he must have stood at his son’s front door, knowing how he had sinned against him and hurt him, hoping that his son would forgive him and welcome him in, hoping that he would not be ignored on Christmas Eve.
And then I think about how all of us stand before God, just like Joe stood before his son. We are all sinners. We all stand on God’s doorstep as beggars, hoping that he will forgive us and welcome us into his Kingdom. And we are not disappointed.
In the fifth chapter of Romans, the Apostle Paul says that “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus came into this world and died on the Cross for our sins. He died so that we could be reconciled to God. And he rose from the grave as a promise that, if we believe in him, we too will be raised. Paul says that we will be “saved by his life.”
My prayer for you is that you will believe in Jesus with all your heart. Because it you do, you will not be turned away on the day that you meet God face to face. You will be clean and perfect and holy, because your sins will be washed away by the blood of Christ. You will be forgiven. And you will be welcomed into heaven with open arms. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about when I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/3vzx4iUHQqk
Day 64 – Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Read Romans 5:1-11 and Psalm 67
Theme Verse: “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
I know it’s the middle of May, but since the last few days have been cold and rainy, I thought it might be a good time to warm you up with a little Christmas story from my early years in the ministry. This story took place on Christmas Eve in 1996, when I was still serving in my first congregation, American Lutheran Church in Rantoul, Illinois.
I was in my office at about noon on that Christmas Eve. I had finished my sermon for that evening, but I was still working on my sermon for the Christmas Day service the next morning. That month of December had been a particularly crazy one for me. I was tired and stressed out. I didn’t have time for my wife that day, I didn’t have time for my kids, I didn’t have time for anyone. I just wanted to get my work done and get Christmas over with for another year. And so, at that very moment, God decided to send Joe into my life.
From my office I could hear the outside door open. The church secretary was not in her office. She had finished her work for the day and had gone home to get ready for her family Christmas gathering. The associate pastor was out doing some last minute Christmas shopping for his kids. I was the only person in the building when Joe walked in.
I looked up from my work and there he was, standing in the doorway of my office, wearing baggy clothes and an old green coat. He was holding a brown paper bag. I said, “Hello, can I help you with something?” He said, “Are you the pastor here?” I said, “Yes, I’m the senior pastor.” And he said, “Well, my name’s Joe and I need a place to stay for the night.”
I felt a sigh of relief. This wouldn’t take too long. We had an agreement with a local motel. I could send people there and they would bill us later. So I said, “That’s no problem. We can put you up at the Rantoul Motel, just down the street.”
But Joe said, “No, that won’t work. I need to stay at a motel in Paxton, because I’m visiting someone there tonight.” I said, “Well, then, why did you stop in Rantoul?” He said, “I hitched a ride in Champaign and this was as far as they were going. They dropped me off on the highway, right out in front of your Church. So I was wondering if you could drive me up to Paxton and put me up in a motel there.”
My heart sank. That would take at least an hour, probably longer. And I was so busy. And I was hoping to find a little time to spend with my family that day. But I also knew that Joe would have a hard time trying to find anyone else to help him on Christmas Eve. So I said, “OK, let me pull my car around.”
As we started driving, I started asking him some questions. I wanted to know why he was traveling from Champaign to Paxton, with no money, on Christmas Eve. Who was he going to visit? So Joe told me his story.
Joe was a recovering alcoholic. With the help of the Salvation Army and Alcoholics Anonymous, he hadn’t had a drink in more than three years. Now he was living in a little apartment in Champaign, barely getting by on his Social Security check. He had no car and no extra money.
Years earlier, when he was drinking, he had made his family so miserable that his wife had left him and his son had disowned him. That son was now living in Paxton, with his wife and three children. Joe’s plan was to check into a motel, get showered and shaved, and put on some clean clothes that he had picked up at Goodwill. That’s what he had in the bag. Then he was just going to show up on his son’s doorstep that evening and hope that he would welcome him in.
Then Joe said something that just touched my heart. He said, “After I got sober, I reached out to my son. But he wanted nothing to do with me. He has ignored me for the past three years, and I deserved it. But this year, I decided that I didn’t want to be ignored on Christmas Eve.”
We got to the motel and I said, “Joe, I’m going to put you up for two nights, if that’s okay, because you might have a hard time catching a ride home on Christmas Day.” So I checked him in. Then I gave him what little cash I had in my wallet, so that he could get something to eat at the restaurant on the other side of the parking lot. Before I left, I prayed with him. I prayed that his son would forgive him and take him back into his life.
As I left, Joe thanked me over and over. But as I drove back to Rantoul, I thanked God in my heart. I thanked him for bringing Joe to me on that Christmas Eve. I was still busy when I got home, but I had a much greater appreciation for the blessings in my life, especially for my family.
On the day after Christmas, I was back in my office, working on my sermon for the coming Sunday. It was right around noon again when Joe walked in. This time, he was on his way home. But he wanted to stop in to say “thank you” and to give me something. It was a bookmark with a cross on it. He had made it himself. I asked him if he needed a ride back to Champaign. A big smile spread across his face and he said, “No. My son is taking me.”
I never saw Joe again, but I’ve thought about him many times. I’ve thought about how he must have stood at his son’s front door, knowing how he had sinned against him and hurt him, hoping that his son would forgive him and welcome him in, hoping that he would not be ignored on Christmas Eve.
And then I think about how all of us stand before God, just like Joe stood before his son. We are all sinners. We all stand on God’s doorstep as beggars, hoping that he will forgive us and welcome us into his Kingdom. And we are not disappointed.
In the fifth chapter of Romans, the Apostle Paul says that “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus came into this world and died on the Cross for our sins. He died so that we could be reconciled to God. And he rose from the grave as a promise that, if we believe in him, we too will be raised. Paul says that we will be “saved by his life.”
My prayer for you is that you will believe in Jesus with all your heart. Because it you do, you will not be turned away on the day that you meet God face to face. You will be clean and perfect and holy, because your sins will be washed away by the blood of Christ. You will be forgiven. And you will be welcomed into heaven with open arms. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about when I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/3vzx4iUHQqk
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)*
Day 63 – Monday, May 18, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read Luke 9:1-6
Reflections from the Indiana Hermitage – May 18, 2020 Pastor Norm Femrite
I remember when the movie “E.T.” came out. Our whole family was enchanted with it. The movie’s family was believably middle American, the kids were adorable, and the story line heartwarming. Some of our family loved the outer space/science fiction theme. But what really worked was the character of the Extra Terrestrial, “ET.” He was curious and frightened, vulnerable and resilient, inventive (remember his “phone home” device?) and completely innocent. The movie worked because we were able to get to know this alien character. We could identify with his being stranded in a strange place, and we had empathy for his emotions. Getting to know this being and his adventure was a feel good movie that soon joined our video library for repeat viewings.
But this being was part of a movie. If I start talking about really seeing aliens, would you believe me? Before you scroll down to the next cute animal meme or that recipe for triple chocolate brownies, hear me out – please. Over the last two months, I have been seeing some strange new creatures. All are humanoid in appearance. They generally have been standing in a yard or drive, although we do meet some on the road. We fortunately speak the same language. They tell me about losing their way from the life they have known and the beings that love them. Some are relaxed and friendly. Others are anxious and somewhat fearful. I really hadn’t seen these beings before all this pandemic stuff started. But now I see them and am getting to know them by name. There’s Debbie who uses her unemployment time to make face masks. And the Gardener of Oak Breeze who helped us find yard supplies with curbside delivery. One of them can be contacted with any issues on our street, while Dan the firefighter likes to talk out his job stress. We have a name for these strange beings who have emerged from SUV’s, man caves, and work places. We call them neighbors.
To me it is amazing how living in solitude and taking time to walk our streets and roads has opened my eyes to people I’ve barely noticed before. Karen’s Fit Bit tracks our walk time, but it doesn’t include the talk time. A one hour walk may include 15 minutes of visiting (from a safe distance). Some visits are about loneliness. Some folks just need a listening ear. I have neighbors who have gone through Covid-19 and others with a high risk of exposure. Sometimes there’s a request for prayer. Even a smile and a wave brings acknowledgment that we are in some small way connected. Talking to our neighbors has changed how I see them and how I see following Christ in this age.
For two months I have not been present in corporate worship. I am so grateful to the pastors and the staff who are posting worship videos on line. With my personal risk factors, attending corporate worship will be off the table for the foreseeable future. So I could mourn the loss of church. I could rant and be angry that church is taken from me. I could throw in the towel and use church time to restore another sailboat. Or I can look at these new found aliens around me and listen to Jesus.
In Luke 9: 1-6 we read, “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them: ‘Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.’ So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.” This band of Christ followers has two basic instructions. First, don’t depend on any supplies, resources, or equipment. They are to be totally dependent on God’s provision as shown in the hospitality of the people they meet. Second, they are to be about the work of proclaiming the love and grace of God in Jesus. Our God reigns in all that has happened – and all that will come. In our Lord there will be compassion, healing, and renewal. That hope needs to be shared over and over. Those two instructions are what being church is about whether we’re in a building or on the street.
As those good shepherds who tend us in the flock figure out how our futures together may be, we still do church on a daily basis. In our households, our neighborhoods, our Zoom meetings, and in a grocery store God gives us a mission field. So see if that strange new being in front of you is receptive. If so, share God’s peace and stay with them a while. If not, God will have someone else down the road. Just keep finding people – especially the aliens and strangers around us. Without the benefit of all that a congregation gives, we still carry church with us. All we need to do is share the love of Jesus with those we meet in any way we can. We can say that God is with us and God is good even in the middle of a scary, turbulent, and difficult time. The more fatigued, anxious, and chaotic life becomes, people need to know that the steadfast reign of God will hold us safe. These days that could be a powerful one to one message. We may need to give evidence of God’s healing power – through emotional support and friendship, with physical assistance, or with words of Scripture and prayer. But by the equipping of God’s Spirit, we can carry his message and be church to our neighbors.
Here’s a song I was thinking of as I wrote this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDt4tq0r6gE
Day 63 – Monday, May 18, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read Luke 9:1-6
Reflections from the Indiana Hermitage – May 18, 2020 Pastor Norm Femrite
I remember when the movie “E.T.” came out. Our whole family was enchanted with it. The movie’s family was believably middle American, the kids were adorable, and the story line heartwarming. Some of our family loved the outer space/science fiction theme. But what really worked was the character of the Extra Terrestrial, “ET.” He was curious and frightened, vulnerable and resilient, inventive (remember his “phone home” device?) and completely innocent. The movie worked because we were able to get to know this alien character. We could identify with his being stranded in a strange place, and we had empathy for his emotions. Getting to know this being and his adventure was a feel good movie that soon joined our video library for repeat viewings.
But this being was part of a movie. If I start talking about really seeing aliens, would you believe me? Before you scroll down to the next cute animal meme or that recipe for triple chocolate brownies, hear me out – please. Over the last two months, I have been seeing some strange new creatures. All are humanoid in appearance. They generally have been standing in a yard or drive, although we do meet some on the road. We fortunately speak the same language. They tell me about losing their way from the life they have known and the beings that love them. Some are relaxed and friendly. Others are anxious and somewhat fearful. I really hadn’t seen these beings before all this pandemic stuff started. But now I see them and am getting to know them by name. There’s Debbie who uses her unemployment time to make face masks. And the Gardener of Oak Breeze who helped us find yard supplies with curbside delivery. One of them can be contacted with any issues on our street, while Dan the firefighter likes to talk out his job stress. We have a name for these strange beings who have emerged from SUV’s, man caves, and work places. We call them neighbors.
To me it is amazing how living in solitude and taking time to walk our streets and roads has opened my eyes to people I’ve barely noticed before. Karen’s Fit Bit tracks our walk time, but it doesn’t include the talk time. A one hour walk may include 15 minutes of visiting (from a safe distance). Some visits are about loneliness. Some folks just need a listening ear. I have neighbors who have gone through Covid-19 and others with a high risk of exposure. Sometimes there’s a request for prayer. Even a smile and a wave brings acknowledgment that we are in some small way connected. Talking to our neighbors has changed how I see them and how I see following Christ in this age.
For two months I have not been present in corporate worship. I am so grateful to the pastors and the staff who are posting worship videos on line. With my personal risk factors, attending corporate worship will be off the table for the foreseeable future. So I could mourn the loss of church. I could rant and be angry that church is taken from me. I could throw in the towel and use church time to restore another sailboat. Or I can look at these new found aliens around me and listen to Jesus.
In Luke 9: 1-6 we read, “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them: ‘Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.’ So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.” This band of Christ followers has two basic instructions. First, don’t depend on any supplies, resources, or equipment. They are to be totally dependent on God’s provision as shown in the hospitality of the people they meet. Second, they are to be about the work of proclaiming the love and grace of God in Jesus. Our God reigns in all that has happened – and all that will come. In our Lord there will be compassion, healing, and renewal. That hope needs to be shared over and over. Those two instructions are what being church is about whether we’re in a building or on the street.
As those good shepherds who tend us in the flock figure out how our futures together may be, we still do church on a daily basis. In our households, our neighborhoods, our Zoom meetings, and in a grocery store God gives us a mission field. So see if that strange new being in front of you is receptive. If so, share God’s peace and stay with them a while. If not, God will have someone else down the road. Just keep finding people – especially the aliens and strangers around us. Without the benefit of all that a congregation gives, we still carry church with us. All we need to do is share the love of Jesus with those we meet in any way we can. We can say that God is with us and God is good even in the middle of a scary, turbulent, and difficult time. The more fatigued, anxious, and chaotic life becomes, people need to know that the steadfast reign of God will hold us safe. These days that could be a powerful one to one message. We may need to give evidence of God’s healing power – through emotional support and friendship, with physical assistance, or with words of Scripture and prayer. But by the equipping of God’s Spirit, we can carry his message and be church to our neighbors.
Here’s a song I was thinking of as I wrote this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDt4tq0r6gE
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 62 – Sunday, May 17, 2020
Read 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 and Psalm 24
Theme Verse: “We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)
In the summer of 2015, I led a group of about fifty people from St. Mark Lutheran Church in Lindenhurst, Illinois, on a mission trip to McDowell County in southern West Virginia. It was an “all church” mission trip, so we had an age range in our group from about five to seventy-five. We stayed in an old Junior High School building in the town of Welch, which is the county seat.
McDowell County is in the Appalachian Mountains, deep in the heart of West Virginia coal country. In the middle of the 20th century, back when they used to say, “coal is king,” the area was booming. Today, with coal consumption declining and mines becoming more mechanized, the area is slowly dying. McDowell County has lost 80% of its population in the last 25 years. Most of those who are left are living in poverty.
Our job that week was to paint and repair some homes, run a Vacation Bible School for the kids in the area, and help out at several social service agencies. One of our crews was working on a house in the town of Coalwood, about eight miles south of Welch. On the second day that we were there, I went out to visit them at their worksite.
When I pulled into the town of Coalwood, I was greeted by a large sign that read, “Coalwood, West Virginia – Home of the Rocket Boys.” I smiled when I saw the sign, because I knew the story very well.
The Rocket Boys were a group of young men who got interested in model rocketry in the 1950’s. The leader of the group was a boy named Homer Hickam Jr. Hickam would later write a book called “Rocket Boys,” which would be turned into a 1999 movie called “October Sky,” starring Jake Gyllenhaal. It’s a great movie. I recommend it for all ages.
The boys’ interest in rockets began on October 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union announced to the world that they had successfully launched a beach ball-sized satellite, named Sputnik I, into orbit around the earth. The American government was alarmed that the Soviets had gotten the jump on us in space exploration, so they began to lay the groundwork for a new agency called the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, better known as NASA.
Back in Coalwood, Homer Hickam and his five friends would stand outside at night, looking up, hoping to catch a glimpse of Sputnik when it passed overhead. Even though the satellite was small, the reflection of the sun on its shiny surface was so bright, that if you knew where to look, you could see a tiny pinpoint of light moving across the dark sky. As they watched it go by, they dreamed about building their own rockets.
With the encouragement of one of their high school teachers, the six boys started a model rocketry club. They studied every book they could find from the local library and sent away for others. Their friends and neighbors thought they were crazy. Hickam said, “All of our fathers worked in and around the mines, as had their fathers and grandfathers. Before Sputnik, we were headed for the mines too. Now, suddenly, we were looking in a different direction—up.”
The boys built a makeshift launchpad for their rocket projects. They called it the “Big Creek Missile Agency.” They started experimenting with rocket casings and propellants. Along the way, they were learning chemistry, math, physics, and engineering. In 1960, the Boys were invited to demonstrate their rockets at the National Science Fair. Then, in the fall of that year, they all headed off to college and to successful careers.
Homer Hickam would end up being the most successful of the group. After getting his degree in industrial engineering, he spent several years in the US Army. He was then hired by the Army as a missile engineer in 1971. He made the move over to NASA in 1981. He ended up working on the International Space Station program until his retirement in 1998. Not bad for the son of a coal miner from a little town in West Virginia!
The lives of the Rocket Boys changed when they started looking up. They started to dream about exploring the universe. They started to imagine a life beyond the coal mines. And what those boys did in their physical lives, God wants all of us to do in our spiritual lives.
It is so easy to get discouraged by life in this world, especially when we’re going through something like this COVID-19 crisis. In the last few weeks, the restrictions that we have been living under have really started to drag me down. And I’m sure many of you are feeling the same way that I am.
I wonder when we’re going to be able to gather together in church again. I wonder when the people that I know and love will be able to go back to work. I wonder how many people will lose their jobs and face financial hardship if we continue to shelter in place.
On the other side of the coin, I wonder if more people will get sick when we start to open up again and get back to our normal activities. I wonder if some people that I know and love will lose their lives to this virus. I wonder how long it will take to develop an effective vaccine.
It’s hard to stay positive when we look around and see all of the hardship and suffering in our country and in our world. But I have to keep reminding myself that whenever I’m feeling down, that’s the time when I need to look up. In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul tells us that when we are afflicted in this world, we need to look toward heaven.
The hardships of this world can feel like a heavy burden at times. But Paul says that our physical burdens will seem much lighter if we compare them to the “eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” He says that the difficulties of this world are real, but they are only temporary. He says, “The things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
It takes faith to see that our time in this world is only a tiny part of our lives. The vast majority of our lives will be spent in the joy and glory of heaven. So whatever hardships we have to endure right now, we can take heart in the fact that our God is with us in our struggles and that our struggles are only temporary.
So if you are feeling down, like I have been feeling lately, here’s what you should do. Wait until the next clear night. Then go outside and look up at the stars. Think about the vastness of the universe. And then remember that the God who created it all loves you. He loves you very much. So hang in there, and keep looking up. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/vNOYHTQqe6c
Day 62 – Sunday, May 17, 2020
Read 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 and Psalm 24
Theme Verse: “We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)
In the summer of 2015, I led a group of about fifty people from St. Mark Lutheran Church in Lindenhurst, Illinois, on a mission trip to McDowell County in southern West Virginia. It was an “all church” mission trip, so we had an age range in our group from about five to seventy-five. We stayed in an old Junior High School building in the town of Welch, which is the county seat.
McDowell County is in the Appalachian Mountains, deep in the heart of West Virginia coal country. In the middle of the 20th century, back when they used to say, “coal is king,” the area was booming. Today, with coal consumption declining and mines becoming more mechanized, the area is slowly dying. McDowell County has lost 80% of its population in the last 25 years. Most of those who are left are living in poverty.
Our job that week was to paint and repair some homes, run a Vacation Bible School for the kids in the area, and help out at several social service agencies. One of our crews was working on a house in the town of Coalwood, about eight miles south of Welch. On the second day that we were there, I went out to visit them at their worksite.
When I pulled into the town of Coalwood, I was greeted by a large sign that read, “Coalwood, West Virginia – Home of the Rocket Boys.” I smiled when I saw the sign, because I knew the story very well.
The Rocket Boys were a group of young men who got interested in model rocketry in the 1950’s. The leader of the group was a boy named Homer Hickam Jr. Hickam would later write a book called “Rocket Boys,” which would be turned into a 1999 movie called “October Sky,” starring Jake Gyllenhaal. It’s a great movie. I recommend it for all ages.
The boys’ interest in rockets began on October 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union announced to the world that they had successfully launched a beach ball-sized satellite, named Sputnik I, into orbit around the earth. The American government was alarmed that the Soviets had gotten the jump on us in space exploration, so they began to lay the groundwork for a new agency called the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, better known as NASA.
Back in Coalwood, Homer Hickam and his five friends would stand outside at night, looking up, hoping to catch a glimpse of Sputnik when it passed overhead. Even though the satellite was small, the reflection of the sun on its shiny surface was so bright, that if you knew where to look, you could see a tiny pinpoint of light moving across the dark sky. As they watched it go by, they dreamed about building their own rockets.
With the encouragement of one of their high school teachers, the six boys started a model rocketry club. They studied every book they could find from the local library and sent away for others. Their friends and neighbors thought they were crazy. Hickam said, “All of our fathers worked in and around the mines, as had their fathers and grandfathers. Before Sputnik, we were headed for the mines too. Now, suddenly, we were looking in a different direction—up.”
The boys built a makeshift launchpad for their rocket projects. They called it the “Big Creek Missile Agency.” They started experimenting with rocket casings and propellants. Along the way, they were learning chemistry, math, physics, and engineering. In 1960, the Boys were invited to demonstrate their rockets at the National Science Fair. Then, in the fall of that year, they all headed off to college and to successful careers.
Homer Hickam would end up being the most successful of the group. After getting his degree in industrial engineering, he spent several years in the US Army. He was then hired by the Army as a missile engineer in 1971. He made the move over to NASA in 1981. He ended up working on the International Space Station program until his retirement in 1998. Not bad for the son of a coal miner from a little town in West Virginia!
The lives of the Rocket Boys changed when they started looking up. They started to dream about exploring the universe. They started to imagine a life beyond the coal mines. And what those boys did in their physical lives, God wants all of us to do in our spiritual lives.
It is so easy to get discouraged by life in this world, especially when we’re going through something like this COVID-19 crisis. In the last few weeks, the restrictions that we have been living under have really started to drag me down. And I’m sure many of you are feeling the same way that I am.
I wonder when we’re going to be able to gather together in church again. I wonder when the people that I know and love will be able to go back to work. I wonder how many people will lose their jobs and face financial hardship if we continue to shelter in place.
On the other side of the coin, I wonder if more people will get sick when we start to open up again and get back to our normal activities. I wonder if some people that I know and love will lose their lives to this virus. I wonder how long it will take to develop an effective vaccine.
It’s hard to stay positive when we look around and see all of the hardship and suffering in our country and in our world. But I have to keep reminding myself that whenever I’m feeling down, that’s the time when I need to look up. In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul tells us that when we are afflicted in this world, we need to look toward heaven.
The hardships of this world can feel like a heavy burden at times. But Paul says that our physical burdens will seem much lighter if we compare them to the “eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” He says that the difficulties of this world are real, but they are only temporary. He says, “The things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
It takes faith to see that our time in this world is only a tiny part of our lives. The vast majority of our lives will be spent in the joy and glory of heaven. So whatever hardships we have to endure right now, we can take heart in the fact that our God is with us in our struggles and that our struggles are only temporary.
So if you are feeling down, like I have been feeling lately, here’s what you should do. Wait until the next clear night. Then go outside and look up at the stars. Think about the vastness of the universe. And then remember that the God who created it all loves you. He loves you very much. So hang in there, and keep looking up. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/vNOYHTQqe6c
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 61 – Saturday, May 16, 2020
Read Acts 10:34-43 and Isaiah 42:1-9
Theme Verse: “All the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in [Jesus] receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:43)
In the spring of 1976, I heard that President Gerald R. Ford was coming to West Bend, Wisconsin. He was in the middle of a surprisingly tough primary challenge from the former governor of California, Ronald Reagan, and Wisconsin was an important swing state. The Wisconsin primary was scheduled for Tuesday, April 6th, so President Ford traveled to the state on the Friday before, which was April 2nd. He would speak at a couple of events in Milwaukee earlier in the day and then at the rally in West Bend in the evening.
I was only a 14 year old high school freshman at the time, but I was already kind of a political junkie. And I had a friend who was just as interested in politics as I was. His name was Neal Kringel. Neal currently works at the U.S. State Department and is also an adjunct professor at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. So he clearly took his interest in politics to a higher level than I did!
When Neal and I heard about the Ford visit, we knew that we had to go. So we put together a plan. We knew that the President would be speaking at the West Bend High School Fieldhouse at about 8:00 p.m. At the time, I was living in the little town of Newburg, about six miles east of West Bend. Neal lived nearby. We were both students at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School in Jackson, which was about fifteen miles from Newburg.
Every day, we rode the same school bus to West Bend High School. We would wait for a few minutes in the school entryway, with several other kids from the West Bend area, and then a second bus would pick us up and take us the rest of the way to our school in Jackson. The process was reversed on the way home.
So we decided that, when we came home that night, we would just stay in West Bend. We would pack extra food in our lunches that morning so that we would have something to eat and we would just camp out by the entrance to the Fieldhouse. Then after the campaign rally, Neal’s mom would pick us up and I would spend the night at his house.
Needless to say, we were the first people in line that day. We sat down on the pavement with our backs against the door and waited. As the afternoon turned into evening, more and more people started to arrive. But we were first. And we were determined to hold on to our spots. We figured that we were going to get seats in the first row, right in front of the President!
Finally, at around 7:00 p.m., someone stepped outside and said that the doors were going to be opening soon. So we stood up and got ready for our mad dash to the front of the Fieldhouse. But when they finally did open the doors, and we went racing into the gym, we discovered that all of the best seats, the ones on the floor in front of the stage, were reserved for the important people! Those perfect seats, right in the front, were all empty, waiting for the VIP’s to arrive. The ushers were directing us regular folks into the bleachers on the sides. And even the first several rows of the bleachers were reserved!
But we still enjoyed the rally. We grumbled a little bit when the big shots came in ten minutes before the President arrived, and sat in their reserved seats. But when President Ford finally came in, with the high school band playing “Hail To The Chief,” you could feel the electricity in the air. And when the rally finally ended, I figured that I had one more chance to get close to the President.
As the band started playing again, President Ford came down from the stage and started shaking hands with people in the crowd. I quickly pushed my way down the bleachers and then started slithering through the all of the important people. I was about twenty feet away from the President—I was almost there—when I suddenly felt a strong hand in the middle of my chest.
I looked up into the face of a Secret Service agent. The agent said, “Please stop pushing, son.” So I stopped. I wasn’t going to mess with a guy who looked like he could tear a phone book in half. By then, the President was moving away from me. A minute later he was out the door. And I had learned an important lesson. In this world there are important people and there are nobodies. I was a nobody.
Aren’t you glad that the Kingdom of God is not like the kingdoms of this world? In the Kingdom of God, there are no “important” people. All people are important to God. Peter learned this when he went to the house of a Roman centurion named Cornelius. The story is recorded in the tenth chapter of the book of Acts.
The Jewish people of that day had been raised to believe that they were more important in God’s eyes than the rest of the people in the world. God had chosen them to be his people. He had given them the Law. He had spoken his Word to them through the prophets. They were important. They were the spiritual VIP’s. That’s what they thought. But they were wrong.
God had given his Word to the people of Israel so that they could share that Word with the rest of the world. The prophet Isaiah said, “I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations.” And when Peter saw that light shine on a houseful of Romans, he was amazed. He suddenly understood that everything he had been taught was wrong. The salvation of God, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, was for all people!
Peter stood in the house of Cornelius and said, “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” Then he preached the Gospel to those Romans. And they believed in Jesus. They became Christians, just like Peter. The eyes of Peter were opened and he said, “All the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in [Jesus] receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
There are no VIP’s and nobodies in the Kingdom of God. There are only sons and daughters of the King. There are no roped off sections of heaven. There are no Secret Service agents, barring your way to Jesus. You have a front row seat to his speech every time you open your Bible. You have his undivided attention every time you pray to him. And when you finally do walk through the gates of heaven, Jesus will be there to greet you. Because you are important to him. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about when I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/GzfPHnoT0-0
Day 61 – Saturday, May 16, 2020
Read Acts 10:34-43 and Isaiah 42:1-9
Theme Verse: “All the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in [Jesus] receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:43)
In the spring of 1976, I heard that President Gerald R. Ford was coming to West Bend, Wisconsin. He was in the middle of a surprisingly tough primary challenge from the former governor of California, Ronald Reagan, and Wisconsin was an important swing state. The Wisconsin primary was scheduled for Tuesday, April 6th, so President Ford traveled to the state on the Friday before, which was April 2nd. He would speak at a couple of events in Milwaukee earlier in the day and then at the rally in West Bend in the evening.
I was only a 14 year old high school freshman at the time, but I was already kind of a political junkie. And I had a friend who was just as interested in politics as I was. His name was Neal Kringel. Neal currently works at the U.S. State Department and is also an adjunct professor at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. So he clearly took his interest in politics to a higher level than I did!
When Neal and I heard about the Ford visit, we knew that we had to go. So we put together a plan. We knew that the President would be speaking at the West Bend High School Fieldhouse at about 8:00 p.m. At the time, I was living in the little town of Newburg, about six miles east of West Bend. Neal lived nearby. We were both students at Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School in Jackson, which was about fifteen miles from Newburg.
Every day, we rode the same school bus to West Bend High School. We would wait for a few minutes in the school entryway, with several other kids from the West Bend area, and then a second bus would pick us up and take us the rest of the way to our school in Jackson. The process was reversed on the way home.
So we decided that, when we came home that night, we would just stay in West Bend. We would pack extra food in our lunches that morning so that we would have something to eat and we would just camp out by the entrance to the Fieldhouse. Then after the campaign rally, Neal’s mom would pick us up and I would spend the night at his house.
Needless to say, we were the first people in line that day. We sat down on the pavement with our backs against the door and waited. As the afternoon turned into evening, more and more people started to arrive. But we were first. And we were determined to hold on to our spots. We figured that we were going to get seats in the first row, right in front of the President!
Finally, at around 7:00 p.m., someone stepped outside and said that the doors were going to be opening soon. So we stood up and got ready for our mad dash to the front of the Fieldhouse. But when they finally did open the doors, and we went racing into the gym, we discovered that all of the best seats, the ones on the floor in front of the stage, were reserved for the important people! Those perfect seats, right in the front, were all empty, waiting for the VIP’s to arrive. The ushers were directing us regular folks into the bleachers on the sides. And even the first several rows of the bleachers were reserved!
But we still enjoyed the rally. We grumbled a little bit when the big shots came in ten minutes before the President arrived, and sat in their reserved seats. But when President Ford finally came in, with the high school band playing “Hail To The Chief,” you could feel the electricity in the air. And when the rally finally ended, I figured that I had one more chance to get close to the President.
As the band started playing again, President Ford came down from the stage and started shaking hands with people in the crowd. I quickly pushed my way down the bleachers and then started slithering through the all of the important people. I was about twenty feet away from the President—I was almost there—when I suddenly felt a strong hand in the middle of my chest.
I looked up into the face of a Secret Service agent. The agent said, “Please stop pushing, son.” So I stopped. I wasn’t going to mess with a guy who looked like he could tear a phone book in half. By then, the President was moving away from me. A minute later he was out the door. And I had learned an important lesson. In this world there are important people and there are nobodies. I was a nobody.
Aren’t you glad that the Kingdom of God is not like the kingdoms of this world? In the Kingdom of God, there are no “important” people. All people are important to God. Peter learned this when he went to the house of a Roman centurion named Cornelius. The story is recorded in the tenth chapter of the book of Acts.
The Jewish people of that day had been raised to believe that they were more important in God’s eyes than the rest of the people in the world. God had chosen them to be his people. He had given them the Law. He had spoken his Word to them through the prophets. They were important. They were the spiritual VIP’s. That’s what they thought. But they were wrong.
God had given his Word to the people of Israel so that they could share that Word with the rest of the world. The prophet Isaiah said, “I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations.” And when Peter saw that light shine on a houseful of Romans, he was amazed. He suddenly understood that everything he had been taught was wrong. The salvation of God, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, was for all people!
Peter stood in the house of Cornelius and said, “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” Then he preached the Gospel to those Romans. And they believed in Jesus. They became Christians, just like Peter. The eyes of Peter were opened and he said, “All the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in [Jesus] receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
There are no VIP’s and nobodies in the Kingdom of God. There are only sons and daughters of the King. There are no roped off sections of heaven. There are no Secret Service agents, barring your way to Jesus. You have a front row seat to his speech every time you open your Bible. You have his undivided attention every time you pray to him. And when you finally do walk through the gates of heaven, Jesus will be there to greet you. Because you are important to him. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about when I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/GzfPHnoT0-0
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 60 – Friday, May 15, 2020
Read 1 Peter 1:22-25 and Psalm 98
Theme Verse: “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things!” (Psalm 98:1)
In the summer of 2011, Lisa and I and three of our kids traveled to the town of Alta, Iowa, for the wedding of one of our nephews. Alta is in the northwest part of the state, just west of the larger town of Storm Lake. The weather was great and we all had a good time at the wedding.
As we drove home across northern Iowa on Route 20, I told the others that I wanted to make a little side trip to a place that I had always wanted to visit. So when we got to I-35, we turned north and drove for about an hour to the town of Clear Lake, Iowa. I had already mapped it out on the internet before we left our motel that morning, so I knew exactly where I wanted to go.
The first stop was the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake. It was the place where Buddy Holly played his final concert on the night of February 2, 1959. Charles Hardin “Buddy” Holly was born in Lubbock, Texas, on September 7, 1936. His family was very musical and he learned to play the guitar and sing at a young age. When he was just 15 years old, he appeared on a local television show. The following year, he formed his first band.
Eventually, Buddy formed a second band which he called “The Crickets.” They recorded a song called “That’ll Be The Day,” after the band members had heard John Wayne use that line several times in the movie “The Searchers.” The song was released by a small record label in the spring of 1957 and it went to number one in both the United States and England before Buddy’s 21st birthday.
Throughout the rest of 1957 and into 1958, Buddy Holly and the Crickets turned out one hit song after another. They had major hits with songs like “Peggy Sue,” “Everyday,” “Oh, Boy!” “Maybe Baby,” and “It’s So Easy.” They appeared on the Ed Sullivan show twice. They toured England and Australia. They were selling millions of records.
But there was a problem. Like many young artists, they had signed a bad contract with an unscrupulous manager. They were being paid very little for all of their success. So near the end of 1958, they severed ties with their manager and walked away with almost nothing. Buddy’s bandmates went back to Lubbock.
But Buddy had recently gotten married to a girl he met in New York, Maria Elena Santiago. He wanted to stay in New York and record and restart his career. The problem was money. Buddy and Maria had just found out that they were going to have a baby. So in order to pay the bills, Buddy accepted an invitation to be the headliner of a Midwest concert tour called “The Winter Dance Party.”
The schedule was brutal. Someone said that it looked like they had just thrown darts at a map. They were traveling hundreds of miles every day, crisscrossing the middle of the country. The weather was bitterly cold and they were traveling in an old school bus with a broken heater. By the time they got to Clear Lake, Buddy was fed up.
He wasn’t feeling well and he had a few dollars in his pocket from the tour, so he decided to hire a local pilot to fly him to the next stop on the tour in Moorhead, Minnesota. He figured he could get some rest, do some laundry, and get his energy back for the rest of the tour.
There were two extra seats on the plane. Buddy offered one of them to J. P. Richardson, “The Big Bopper,” who was also sick. Then he offered the last seat to either Ritchie Valens or Waylon Jennings. They would have to decide. They tossed a coin and Valens “won.” He would get the last seat.
The plane took off from the Mason City Municipal Airport at 12:55 a.m. on Tuesday, February 3, 1959. A few minutes later, it crashed in a farm field just six miles north of the airport. Everyone on board was killed. Buddy Holly was only 22 years old.
Don McLean memorialized the tragic event in his 1971 song “American Pie.” He wrote the words, “I can’t remember if I cried, when I read about his widowed bride. Something touched me deep inside, the day the music died.” It was because of “American Pie” that I got interested in Buddy Holly. And I came to love his music. I still listen to his albums from time to time.
After visiting the Surf Ballroom, we drove out to the site of the crash. We had to stop on the side of a gravel road and walk along a fence line between two fields to find the small marker. I was moved to tears when I finally saw the spot where “the music died.” I just stood there, thinking about those promising young lives that were cut so short.
(On a side note, "The Winter Dance Party” came to the Les Buzz Ballroom in Spring Valley, Illinois, on February 7th, just days after the crash. Buddy Holly had already been replaced by Bobby Vee. I guess the show must go on.)
As I think about the death of Buddy Holly, I’m reminded again about how important it is to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Whether we live to be 22 or 52 or 102, our life on this earth is really very brief. We are going to live for eternity after we leave this world. The only question is, “Will it be an eternity with God in heaven, or will it be an eternity apart from God in hell.” And it all depends on our relationship with Jesus.
The Apostle Peter says, “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever. And this word is the good news that was preached to you.” Jesus takes the sadness of this world and turns it into hope. Because of Jesus, there will never be a day when the music dies. The music will go on for eternity.
The Psalms are filled with joyful expressions of music and song. Psalm 98 says, “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things!” And that is my hope and prayer for you. I hope that you will always know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. And I hope that your heart will always be filled with the joyful music of God’s grace and salvation.
I would love to sing with you one day in the heavenly choir. And who knows, maybe Buddy Holly will be standing there with us, playing his guitar and singing praises to God. That’ll be the day. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/cKLQ1td3MbE
Day 60 – Friday, May 15, 2020
Read 1 Peter 1:22-25 and Psalm 98
Theme Verse: “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things!” (Psalm 98:1)
In the summer of 2011, Lisa and I and three of our kids traveled to the town of Alta, Iowa, for the wedding of one of our nephews. Alta is in the northwest part of the state, just west of the larger town of Storm Lake. The weather was great and we all had a good time at the wedding.
As we drove home across northern Iowa on Route 20, I told the others that I wanted to make a little side trip to a place that I had always wanted to visit. So when we got to I-35, we turned north and drove for about an hour to the town of Clear Lake, Iowa. I had already mapped it out on the internet before we left our motel that morning, so I knew exactly where I wanted to go.
The first stop was the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake. It was the place where Buddy Holly played his final concert on the night of February 2, 1959. Charles Hardin “Buddy” Holly was born in Lubbock, Texas, on September 7, 1936. His family was very musical and he learned to play the guitar and sing at a young age. When he was just 15 years old, he appeared on a local television show. The following year, he formed his first band.
Eventually, Buddy formed a second band which he called “The Crickets.” They recorded a song called “That’ll Be The Day,” after the band members had heard John Wayne use that line several times in the movie “The Searchers.” The song was released by a small record label in the spring of 1957 and it went to number one in both the United States and England before Buddy’s 21st birthday.
Throughout the rest of 1957 and into 1958, Buddy Holly and the Crickets turned out one hit song after another. They had major hits with songs like “Peggy Sue,” “Everyday,” “Oh, Boy!” “Maybe Baby,” and “It’s So Easy.” They appeared on the Ed Sullivan show twice. They toured England and Australia. They were selling millions of records.
But there was a problem. Like many young artists, they had signed a bad contract with an unscrupulous manager. They were being paid very little for all of their success. So near the end of 1958, they severed ties with their manager and walked away with almost nothing. Buddy’s bandmates went back to Lubbock.
But Buddy had recently gotten married to a girl he met in New York, Maria Elena Santiago. He wanted to stay in New York and record and restart his career. The problem was money. Buddy and Maria had just found out that they were going to have a baby. So in order to pay the bills, Buddy accepted an invitation to be the headliner of a Midwest concert tour called “The Winter Dance Party.”
The schedule was brutal. Someone said that it looked like they had just thrown darts at a map. They were traveling hundreds of miles every day, crisscrossing the middle of the country. The weather was bitterly cold and they were traveling in an old school bus with a broken heater. By the time they got to Clear Lake, Buddy was fed up.
He wasn’t feeling well and he had a few dollars in his pocket from the tour, so he decided to hire a local pilot to fly him to the next stop on the tour in Moorhead, Minnesota. He figured he could get some rest, do some laundry, and get his energy back for the rest of the tour.
There were two extra seats on the plane. Buddy offered one of them to J. P. Richardson, “The Big Bopper,” who was also sick. Then he offered the last seat to either Ritchie Valens or Waylon Jennings. They would have to decide. They tossed a coin and Valens “won.” He would get the last seat.
The plane took off from the Mason City Municipal Airport at 12:55 a.m. on Tuesday, February 3, 1959. A few minutes later, it crashed in a farm field just six miles north of the airport. Everyone on board was killed. Buddy Holly was only 22 years old.
Don McLean memorialized the tragic event in his 1971 song “American Pie.” He wrote the words, “I can’t remember if I cried, when I read about his widowed bride. Something touched me deep inside, the day the music died.” It was because of “American Pie” that I got interested in Buddy Holly. And I came to love his music. I still listen to his albums from time to time.
After visiting the Surf Ballroom, we drove out to the site of the crash. We had to stop on the side of a gravel road and walk along a fence line between two fields to find the small marker. I was moved to tears when I finally saw the spot where “the music died.” I just stood there, thinking about those promising young lives that were cut so short.
(On a side note, "The Winter Dance Party” came to the Les Buzz Ballroom in Spring Valley, Illinois, on February 7th, just days after the crash. Buddy Holly had already been replaced by Bobby Vee. I guess the show must go on.)
As I think about the death of Buddy Holly, I’m reminded again about how important it is to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Whether we live to be 22 or 52 or 102, our life on this earth is really very brief. We are going to live for eternity after we leave this world. The only question is, “Will it be an eternity with God in heaven, or will it be an eternity apart from God in hell.” And it all depends on our relationship with Jesus.
The Apostle Peter says, “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever. And this word is the good news that was preached to you.” Jesus takes the sadness of this world and turns it into hope. Because of Jesus, there will never be a day when the music dies. The music will go on for eternity.
The Psalms are filled with joyful expressions of music and song. Psalm 98 says, “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things!” And that is my hope and prayer for you. I hope that you will always know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. And I hope that your heart will always be filled with the joyful music of God’s grace and salvation.
I would love to sing with you one day in the heavenly choir. And who knows, maybe Buddy Holly will be standing there with us, playing his guitar and singing praises to God. That’ll be the day. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/cKLQ1td3MbE
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 59 – Thursday, May 14, 2020
Read Hebrews 12:1-2 and Psalm 119:81-88
Theme Verse: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1)
I’ve been to a lot of baseball games in my life. When I was a kid, we lived just a few minutes from Milwaukee County Stadium. So I went to a lot of Brewers games, back when you could get a bleacher ticket for just a dollar. As an adult, most of the games that I’ve gone to were at Wrigley Field, home of my favorite team, the Chicago Cubs. But I’ve actually attended games in fifteen of the thirty major league ballparks.
So with all the games I’ve gone to, you can bet that I’ve seen some interesting and even crazy things. I saw one of Hank Aaron’s last home runs. I saw Mike Hegan hit for the cycle. I saw the White Sox hit four consecutive homers. I’ve never seen a no-hitter, but I’ve seen a couple of one-hitters. I’ve seen a lot of late-inning comebacks. And I’ve been to a couple of playoff games and a World Series game.
I was there the day that the Cubs retired Ryne Sandberg’s number. And I was there when Kyle Schwarber hobbled onto the field on crutches before the home opener in 2016. I’ve also caught a bunch of foul balls, seen several celebrities in the stands, and had somebody throw up on my feet. I’ve lived a full life.
But by far, the strangest game that I ever attended was on Tuesday, July 29, 2014. It was the Cubs against the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field. Someone from my church had given me a couple of box seat tickets. Lisa couldn’t go, so my daughter Becky, who was living in Glen Ellyn at the time, came in on the Metra train after work and met me at the ballpark.
The game started with the Rockies scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. By the end of the fourth, the Cubs had tied it. And then the scoring stopped. By the end of the ninth inning, the game was still tied at three and we were heading into extra innings. Becky was concerned about catching the last Metra train out for the evening, so she decided to leave. I told her that I was going to stay. I had parked at the “el” station in Skokie and rode the yellow and red lines to Wrigley. The el runs all night, so I wanted to stay until the end of the game.
But then Becky called my cell phone at midnight. She had just gotten home and was looking at the el schedule on the internet. She told me that only certain lines ran all night. The yellow line, where my car was parked, shut down at midnight. Now I was stuck. I told Becky that I would take the red line as far north as I could and then take a taxi to Skokie. But Becky offered to help me out. So we hatched a plan.
Whenever the game ended, I would call Becky. Then I would get on the red line and take it into the Loop. I would switch to the blue line, which also ran all night, and take it all the way out to Rosemont. Becky would pick me up there and drive me over to Skokie. It would save me some time and expense and Becky seemed more than willing to help me out. Meanwhile, the game was still going on.
In the fourteenth inning, I was sitting alone in my section when I was approached by a local celebrity named Ronnie Woo Woo. Ronnie shows up at a lot of Cubs games as well as other events around the city. And he always wears a full Cubs uniform. He likes to shout out the names of Cubs players, followed by a loud, “Woo Woo!” Hence, the nickname. Lisa and I once ran into Ronnie at a Donny and Marie Christmas concert. He was in his Cubs uniform and he was shouting, “Donny! Woo Woo! Marie! Woo Woo!”
Ronnie stayed and talked with me for about half an inning, then he moved on. When the game got to the sixteenth inning, I was thinking that I might be there all night. There were only a few hundred people left in the whole park, and I was one of them. The Cubs were out of pitchers, so manager Rick Renteria sent out a backup catcher named John Baker to pitch. Somehow, Baker managed to get three outs without giving up a run. The first batter hit a foul popup that was caught. He walked the next guy. Then the third batter grounded into a double play.
That set up the amazing end of the game, in the bottom of the sixteenth. John Baker, the catcher who was now a pitcher, started the inning by walking. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and advanced to third on a single by Anthony Rizzo. Then he scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly by Starlin Castro. He became the only position player in baseball history to be the winning pitcher in a game and also score the winning run. And I was there!
After the game, I started the long trek home. Red line to blue line to Rosemont station to meet Becky. Then from Rosemont to Skokie and from Skokie to my home in Lindenhurst. I walked through the door at about 4:00 a.m. I had endured the longest game (by time) in Cubs history and I was glad that I did. It gave me a great memory with my daughter and an awesome story to tell for the rest of my life.
I wanted to tell you that whole, long story, because I wanted to talk about endurance. I wanted to talk about hanging in there and making it to the end. I hung in till the end of that game because I love baseball. I love all the little intricacies of the game, all the twists and turns. And I love every minute of being in the ballpark. If you don’t love baseball as much as I do, then you’ll think I’m crazy. But if you do love it as much as I do, then you’ll get it. You’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.
And the same thing is true of living the Christian life. Those who love Jesus also love walking with him through this world. They love every minute of being a disciple of Christ. Even when times get tough, they draw strength from their relationship with him. That’s what the writer of Hebrews is talking about in chapters eleven and twelve.
In chapter eleven, he talks about all of the Old Testament figures who were faithful to God through the ups and downs of their lives. They were faithful to the end, because they couldn’t imagine living their lives without their Lord. And after talking about these faithful believers of old, he then says, in the opening verse of chapter twelve, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
He’s telling us to hang in there with Jesus. Be faithful all the way to the end. It’s going to be tough at times. Sometimes you’re going to be tired. Sometimes a door will close (or a train will shut down). Sometimes you will have to alter your plans to get to your final destination. But it will all be worth it. Jesus will be with you the whole time. And if you love Jesus, then you will find joy, even in the most difficult moments.
And the ending—oh, the ending! If you endure to the end with Jesus, you’ll see more than a catcher/pitcher sliding across home plate. You will see the beauty and splendor of heaven. You will see Jesus face to face. And who knows, maybe Ronnie Woo Woo will be there too. You’ll hear him coming from a mile away. He’ll be shouting, “Jesus! Woo, Woo!” And it will be the greatest sound that you’ve ever heard. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/EQgu4hQC7No
Day 59 – Thursday, May 14, 2020
Read Hebrews 12:1-2 and Psalm 119:81-88
Theme Verse: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1)
I’ve been to a lot of baseball games in my life. When I was a kid, we lived just a few minutes from Milwaukee County Stadium. So I went to a lot of Brewers games, back when you could get a bleacher ticket for just a dollar. As an adult, most of the games that I’ve gone to were at Wrigley Field, home of my favorite team, the Chicago Cubs. But I’ve actually attended games in fifteen of the thirty major league ballparks.
So with all the games I’ve gone to, you can bet that I’ve seen some interesting and even crazy things. I saw one of Hank Aaron’s last home runs. I saw Mike Hegan hit for the cycle. I saw the White Sox hit four consecutive homers. I’ve never seen a no-hitter, but I’ve seen a couple of one-hitters. I’ve seen a lot of late-inning comebacks. And I’ve been to a couple of playoff games and a World Series game.
I was there the day that the Cubs retired Ryne Sandberg’s number. And I was there when Kyle Schwarber hobbled onto the field on crutches before the home opener in 2016. I’ve also caught a bunch of foul balls, seen several celebrities in the stands, and had somebody throw up on my feet. I’ve lived a full life.
But by far, the strangest game that I ever attended was on Tuesday, July 29, 2014. It was the Cubs against the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field. Someone from my church had given me a couple of box seat tickets. Lisa couldn’t go, so my daughter Becky, who was living in Glen Ellyn at the time, came in on the Metra train after work and met me at the ballpark.
The game started with the Rockies scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. By the end of the fourth, the Cubs had tied it. And then the scoring stopped. By the end of the ninth inning, the game was still tied at three and we were heading into extra innings. Becky was concerned about catching the last Metra train out for the evening, so she decided to leave. I told her that I was going to stay. I had parked at the “el” station in Skokie and rode the yellow and red lines to Wrigley. The el runs all night, so I wanted to stay until the end of the game.
But then Becky called my cell phone at midnight. She had just gotten home and was looking at the el schedule on the internet. She told me that only certain lines ran all night. The yellow line, where my car was parked, shut down at midnight. Now I was stuck. I told Becky that I would take the red line as far north as I could and then take a taxi to Skokie. But Becky offered to help me out. So we hatched a plan.
Whenever the game ended, I would call Becky. Then I would get on the red line and take it into the Loop. I would switch to the blue line, which also ran all night, and take it all the way out to Rosemont. Becky would pick me up there and drive me over to Skokie. It would save me some time and expense and Becky seemed more than willing to help me out. Meanwhile, the game was still going on.
In the fourteenth inning, I was sitting alone in my section when I was approached by a local celebrity named Ronnie Woo Woo. Ronnie shows up at a lot of Cubs games as well as other events around the city. And he always wears a full Cubs uniform. He likes to shout out the names of Cubs players, followed by a loud, “Woo Woo!” Hence, the nickname. Lisa and I once ran into Ronnie at a Donny and Marie Christmas concert. He was in his Cubs uniform and he was shouting, “Donny! Woo Woo! Marie! Woo Woo!”
Ronnie stayed and talked with me for about half an inning, then he moved on. When the game got to the sixteenth inning, I was thinking that I might be there all night. There were only a few hundred people left in the whole park, and I was one of them. The Cubs were out of pitchers, so manager Rick Renteria sent out a backup catcher named John Baker to pitch. Somehow, Baker managed to get three outs without giving up a run. The first batter hit a foul popup that was caught. He walked the next guy. Then the third batter grounded into a double play.
That set up the amazing end of the game, in the bottom of the sixteenth. John Baker, the catcher who was now a pitcher, started the inning by walking. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and advanced to third on a single by Anthony Rizzo. Then he scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly by Starlin Castro. He became the only position player in baseball history to be the winning pitcher in a game and also score the winning run. And I was there!
After the game, I started the long trek home. Red line to blue line to Rosemont station to meet Becky. Then from Rosemont to Skokie and from Skokie to my home in Lindenhurst. I walked through the door at about 4:00 a.m. I had endured the longest game (by time) in Cubs history and I was glad that I did. It gave me a great memory with my daughter and an awesome story to tell for the rest of my life.
I wanted to tell you that whole, long story, because I wanted to talk about endurance. I wanted to talk about hanging in there and making it to the end. I hung in till the end of that game because I love baseball. I love all the little intricacies of the game, all the twists and turns. And I love every minute of being in the ballpark. If you don’t love baseball as much as I do, then you’ll think I’m crazy. But if you do love it as much as I do, then you’ll get it. You’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.
And the same thing is true of living the Christian life. Those who love Jesus also love walking with him through this world. They love every minute of being a disciple of Christ. Even when times get tough, they draw strength from their relationship with him. That’s what the writer of Hebrews is talking about in chapters eleven and twelve.
In chapter eleven, he talks about all of the Old Testament figures who were faithful to God through the ups and downs of their lives. They were faithful to the end, because they couldn’t imagine living their lives without their Lord. And after talking about these faithful believers of old, he then says, in the opening verse of chapter twelve, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
He’s telling us to hang in there with Jesus. Be faithful all the way to the end. It’s going to be tough at times. Sometimes you’re going to be tired. Sometimes a door will close (or a train will shut down). Sometimes you will have to alter your plans to get to your final destination. But it will all be worth it. Jesus will be with you the whole time. And if you love Jesus, then you will find joy, even in the most difficult moments.
And the ending—oh, the ending! If you endure to the end with Jesus, you’ll see more than a catcher/pitcher sliding across home plate. You will see the beauty and splendor of heaven. You will see Jesus face to face. And who knows, maybe Ronnie Woo Woo will be there too. You’ll hear him coming from a mile away. He’ll be shouting, “Jesus! Woo, Woo!” And it will be the greatest sound that you’ve ever heard. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/EQgu4hQC7No
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 58 – Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Read Mark 9:33-37 and Psalm 128
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” (Mark 9:37)
In the summer of 2014, I took a group of twenty-five high school students and five adults from our church on a mission trip. We spent a week on the Wind River Reservation in northwestern Wyoming. Wind River is shared by two Native American tribes, the Eastern Shoshone and the Northern Arapaho. We slept on the floor of an old Public Health Department building in the town of Lander and we spent our days working on several different projects.
There were three other church youth groups with us and we were divided up into six different teams. Some of the teams painted houses for elderly residents and other teams did a variety of community service projects. My team spent the week leading a Vacation Bible School program at a little Baptist church on the reservation. And that’s where I met Rosie.
On the first morning that we were there, the woman who was in charge of the VBS program asked me to take our fifteen-passenger church van into a nearby town. So I grabbed one of the high school kids and said, “Ride with me.” The VBS director slapped two big magnetic signs on the front doors of the van that said “Youth Works” (that was the name of the mission organization we were working with). Then she said, “Just drive slowly through the streets of the town and the kids will come.”
Well, she wasn’t kidding! I’ve never seen anything like it. As I drove through the town, kids came running out of their houses, as moms waved from the doorways of their homes. The high school student with me helped the kids get belted in. Pretty soon the van was full. I told the kids who were still outside the van that I had a full load. Like the Terminator, I said, “I’ll be back!” We ended up making three trips back and forth to get all of the kids who wanted to come to Bible School.
On the third trip, we were almost full, but we had room for a couple more. I saw a mom about a block away, pushing a stroller. She had a little girl walking with her who was about five years old. So I drove slowly down the street until we were right next to them and I asked the mom, “Does your daughter want to go to Bible School?” The mom looked at the little girl and said, “Rosie, do you want to go?”
Rosie buried her face in her mom’s long skirt and shook her head “No.” But the other kids in the van started yelling, “Come on, Rosie! It’s gonna be lots of fun!” Finally, with the encouragement of the other kids, Rosie decided to get in the van. She sat down in an open spot right behind me. The mom said, “When you’re done, can you bring her to our house? We live in a trailer just north of town. Rosie knows the way.” I said, “Sure.”
As we drove to the church, Rosie didn’t say a word. When we got there, all of the other kids piled out of the van. But Rosie wouldn’t budge. Finally, I was able to coax her out. I picked her up and carried her into the church. For the rest of that day, she never left my side. I was planning to help with outside games and recreation the whole time. But I realized that Rosie wasn’t going to go anywhere if I didn’t go. So I ended up escorting her from station to station. I took her to music and crafts and lunch and Bible story time and outside games. I was Rosie’s personal VBS assistant!
When we drove the kids home in the afternoon, Rosie sat right behind me again, in the middle of the seat. I could see her over my right shoulder. When the other kids got out in town, I said, “Okay, Rosie, you’ll have to show me where your house is.” But Rosie said, “I want to ride back to the church with you, to get the other kids.” It was the first full sentence that she had spoken to me all day. So she rode back to the church with us.
We dropped off the second group and then the third group. Now it was just me, the high school student, and Rosie. I said, “It’s time to take you home, Rosie. Where’s your house?” She pointed down the street and said, “Go that way.” I followed her directions until we were about a mile north of town. Then she pointed down a dirt road. She said, “That way.” The road went winding around, passing a mobile home every hundred yards or so. We passed by several prairie dog towns.
Finally, she pointed at a mobile home and said, “That’s my house.” The high school student opened the van door and Rosie hopped out. Her mom had heard us pull up and she waved at us from the doorway. She said, “Can you pick Rosie up here tomorrow?” I said, “No problem.” So for the rest of the week, Rosie was our first stop in the morning and our last stop in the afternoon.
As the week went on, Rosie began to open up to me. She still wanted me to stay with her all the time, but she got very talkative. She talked about her dogs and her mom and her baby brother and her friends and her favorite foods and whatever else popped into her little head. She certainly wasn’t the shy, quiet little girl that I picked up on the first day!
On the last day that we were there, we were heading out to Rosie’s house after dropping off the last load of kids. She was kind of quiet. She said, “Are you coming back tomorrow?” I said, “No. We have to leave tomorrow. We have to go back to Illinois.” She went quiet again. When we stopped in front of her house, she just sat there. I got out of the van and walked around to the other side. I held out my arms and said, “Come on, Rosie.”
Rosie stepped out of the van and I picked her up in my arms. She handed me a little pink flower made out of pipe cleaners. I said, “Don’t you want to give that to your mom?” She said, “No, I made it for you.” And then she wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me. There were tears in my eyes as I said goodbye to Rosie that day. When we got back in the van, the high school student said, “That’s okay, Pastor. I was crying to.”
That little pink pipe cleaner flower still sits in the pencil holder on the desk in my office. And every time that I see it, I think about Rosie. In the ninth chapter of the Gospel of Mark, Jesus was trying to teach his disciples about what it means to be a leader in his kingdom. He said, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
Then, to illustrate his point, Jesus picked up a child. It was probably one of the children of the family in whose home Jesus and the disciples were staying. As he held that little one, he said, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”
Jesus was saying, “In my kingdom, greatness is measured by how much you love, and protect, and care for those who are most vulnerable.” And there is no person in this world who is more vulnerable than a child. Rosie knew nothing about me when I picked her up on that first day. She just clung to me at first. Then she trusted me. Then she opened up to me and she burrowed into my heart.
I have six grandchildren now and I love each one of them very much. They are a constant reminder of what it means to be great in God’s eyes. Those who are great in God’s eyes are those who love his people, especially his little ones. I guess I’ve always known that. But Rosie’s flower teaches me that lesson again, every day. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/2D2aPQMRRT8
Day 58 – Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Read Mark 9:33-37 and Psalm 128
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” (Mark 9:37)
In the summer of 2014, I took a group of twenty-five high school students and five adults from our church on a mission trip. We spent a week on the Wind River Reservation in northwestern Wyoming. Wind River is shared by two Native American tribes, the Eastern Shoshone and the Northern Arapaho. We slept on the floor of an old Public Health Department building in the town of Lander and we spent our days working on several different projects.
There were three other church youth groups with us and we were divided up into six different teams. Some of the teams painted houses for elderly residents and other teams did a variety of community service projects. My team spent the week leading a Vacation Bible School program at a little Baptist church on the reservation. And that’s where I met Rosie.
On the first morning that we were there, the woman who was in charge of the VBS program asked me to take our fifteen-passenger church van into a nearby town. So I grabbed one of the high school kids and said, “Ride with me.” The VBS director slapped two big magnetic signs on the front doors of the van that said “Youth Works” (that was the name of the mission organization we were working with). Then she said, “Just drive slowly through the streets of the town and the kids will come.”
Well, she wasn’t kidding! I’ve never seen anything like it. As I drove through the town, kids came running out of their houses, as moms waved from the doorways of their homes. The high school student with me helped the kids get belted in. Pretty soon the van was full. I told the kids who were still outside the van that I had a full load. Like the Terminator, I said, “I’ll be back!” We ended up making three trips back and forth to get all of the kids who wanted to come to Bible School.
On the third trip, we were almost full, but we had room for a couple more. I saw a mom about a block away, pushing a stroller. She had a little girl walking with her who was about five years old. So I drove slowly down the street until we were right next to them and I asked the mom, “Does your daughter want to go to Bible School?” The mom looked at the little girl and said, “Rosie, do you want to go?”
Rosie buried her face in her mom’s long skirt and shook her head “No.” But the other kids in the van started yelling, “Come on, Rosie! It’s gonna be lots of fun!” Finally, with the encouragement of the other kids, Rosie decided to get in the van. She sat down in an open spot right behind me. The mom said, “When you’re done, can you bring her to our house? We live in a trailer just north of town. Rosie knows the way.” I said, “Sure.”
As we drove to the church, Rosie didn’t say a word. When we got there, all of the other kids piled out of the van. But Rosie wouldn’t budge. Finally, I was able to coax her out. I picked her up and carried her into the church. For the rest of that day, she never left my side. I was planning to help with outside games and recreation the whole time. But I realized that Rosie wasn’t going to go anywhere if I didn’t go. So I ended up escorting her from station to station. I took her to music and crafts and lunch and Bible story time and outside games. I was Rosie’s personal VBS assistant!
When we drove the kids home in the afternoon, Rosie sat right behind me again, in the middle of the seat. I could see her over my right shoulder. When the other kids got out in town, I said, “Okay, Rosie, you’ll have to show me where your house is.” But Rosie said, “I want to ride back to the church with you, to get the other kids.” It was the first full sentence that she had spoken to me all day. So she rode back to the church with us.
We dropped off the second group and then the third group. Now it was just me, the high school student, and Rosie. I said, “It’s time to take you home, Rosie. Where’s your house?” She pointed down the street and said, “Go that way.” I followed her directions until we were about a mile north of town. Then she pointed down a dirt road. She said, “That way.” The road went winding around, passing a mobile home every hundred yards or so. We passed by several prairie dog towns.
Finally, she pointed at a mobile home and said, “That’s my house.” The high school student opened the van door and Rosie hopped out. Her mom had heard us pull up and she waved at us from the doorway. She said, “Can you pick Rosie up here tomorrow?” I said, “No problem.” So for the rest of the week, Rosie was our first stop in the morning and our last stop in the afternoon.
As the week went on, Rosie began to open up to me. She still wanted me to stay with her all the time, but she got very talkative. She talked about her dogs and her mom and her baby brother and her friends and her favorite foods and whatever else popped into her little head. She certainly wasn’t the shy, quiet little girl that I picked up on the first day!
On the last day that we were there, we were heading out to Rosie’s house after dropping off the last load of kids. She was kind of quiet. She said, “Are you coming back tomorrow?” I said, “No. We have to leave tomorrow. We have to go back to Illinois.” She went quiet again. When we stopped in front of her house, she just sat there. I got out of the van and walked around to the other side. I held out my arms and said, “Come on, Rosie.”
Rosie stepped out of the van and I picked her up in my arms. She handed me a little pink flower made out of pipe cleaners. I said, “Don’t you want to give that to your mom?” She said, “No, I made it for you.” And then she wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me. There were tears in my eyes as I said goodbye to Rosie that day. When we got back in the van, the high school student said, “That’s okay, Pastor. I was crying to.”
That little pink pipe cleaner flower still sits in the pencil holder on the desk in my office. And every time that I see it, I think about Rosie. In the ninth chapter of the Gospel of Mark, Jesus was trying to teach his disciples about what it means to be a leader in his kingdom. He said, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
Then, to illustrate his point, Jesus picked up a child. It was probably one of the children of the family in whose home Jesus and the disciples were staying. As he held that little one, he said, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”
Jesus was saying, “In my kingdom, greatness is measured by how much you love, and protect, and care for those who are most vulnerable.” And there is no person in this world who is more vulnerable than a child. Rosie knew nothing about me when I picked her up on that first day. She just clung to me at first. Then she trusted me. Then she opened up to me and she burrowed into my heart.
I have six grandchildren now and I love each one of them very much. They are a constant reminder of what it means to be great in God’s eyes. Those who are great in God’s eyes are those who love his people, especially his little ones. I guess I’ve always known that. But Rosie’s flower teaches me that lesson again, every day. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/2D2aPQMRRT8
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 57 – Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Read James 1:12-15 and Psalm 100
Theme Verse: “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)
Over the weekend, I read a news story about the spring opening of the Polar Cave Ice Cream Parlour in the town of Mashpee, Massachusetts. It’s a popular ice cream place on Cape Cod. They always shut down for the winter and so it’s a big deal when they reopen in the spring. Because of the coronavirus restrictions, they did not open up their indoor seating area. They simply had all of their employees wear masks and gloves as they dealt with the customers through the walkup windows.
The response to the opening was way beyond anyone’s expectations. Hundreds of people showed up on Friday night. I suppose everyone has been cooped up for so long that they just wanted to get out and have a little taste of summer. But the large crowd and the limited number of people that they could serve at one time led to long lines. And that’s when the trouble started.
As the people in line started getting frustrated, they started getting verbally abusive toward the Polar Cave staff. A seventeen year old girl, who was taking orders at the window, bore the brunt of the people’s anger. In a Saturday Facebook post, the owner of Polar Cave said that his employee was met with an “unyielding verbal assault with some of the most vulgar and disgusting words hurled at her.” He said that people were saying things “that shouldn’t even be heard in a men’s locker room, let alone being directed at a teenager.”
It reminded me of an illustration that I heard Dr. James Dobson once use. He was talking about the way that the stresses and challenges of life affect our interactions with other people. He said to imagine that you’re at a party, and everyone is standing around, very civilized, holding cups and saucers. You can’t see what’s in anyone’s cup. They just keep sipping from their cups and putting them down on their saucers. Everyone looks pretty much the same.
But then someone comes into the party and starts stumbling around, bumping into people. As people get jostled, the liquid comes spilling out of their cups and you see what everyone was holding inside. Some people have a cup filled with anger and rage. When they are bumped, it comes spilling out as they berate and insult the person that they blame for the spill. Some people have a cup filled with self-control. When they are bumped, some frustration and impatience spills out, but they don’t go ballistic. They just calmly endure the situation.
And then some people have a cup filled with love and compassion. When they are jostled, what first spills out is a genuine concern for the person who bumped into them. When they are sure that the other person is okay, then they try to deal with their own situation, never losing their overall joyful outlook because they know that spills are just a part of life in this world.
The seventeen year old girl at Polar Cave experienced some of the worst of human behavior on Friday night. Everyone who was waiting in that line for ice cream had been bumped around by the effects of the coronavirus lockdown. The ones who were carrying anger and rage in their hearts unleashed all of it on that young girl. She worked till the end of her shift, but then she told the owner that she was quitting. She couldn’t endure another night like that.
The owner was very upset. This girl had worked for him the past three summers. She was one of his most pleasant and most reliable employees. And he knew that she was trying to save some money because she was planning to start college in the fall. So he got an idea. He decided to start a Go Fund Me page to help with her college tuition. He talked about it in his Facebook post. And that’s when the good hearts spilled out.
Since the owner’s Facebook post appeared on Saturday, that Go Fund Me page has raised over $30,000 for the girl’s college education! People have left many encouraging messages. They have been trying to turn a terrible night for that young girl into a wonderful blessing. And that’s exactly what God expects of his people.
Just like the people in Mashpee, Massachusetts, we have also been bumped and jostled by the coronavirus. But that shouldn’t surprise us. Life in this world is always going to be a bumpy ride. There will be smooth stretches in life, when we are healthy and happy and prosperous. But there will inevitably be rough patches, when we are hurting and sad and struggling. And those are the times when our true character will spill out. Those are the times when we will have the opportunity to shine for Jesus Christ.
The Apostle James says, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” Jesus wants his followers to have patience and endurance when we face life’s struggles. But he’s also hoping for more. He’s hoping that we can continue to mature in our faith, so that when we face difficult times in our lives, we will react to those difficulties with joy in our hearts and compassion for other people.
The most powerful way that you can witness for Jesus Christ right now, in the midst of these coronavirus restrictions, is to have a positive, loving attitude toward other people. We are all frustrated. We are all stressed out. We are all waiting for the day when we can get back to life as it was before this all started.
But until we do, I pray that we will all be kind and considerate in our interactions with other people. I pray that we will be constantly on the lookout for those who are hurting more than we are. And I hope that we will all find ways to help those people in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And now, I think I need to go to Culver’s and get some ice cream. I hope the line’s not too long. Amen and Amen.
Here is a favorite hymn of mine that speaks about what I’m feeling today. I want God to tune my heart!
https://youtu.be/NjfToqk5w5g
Day 57 – Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Read James 1:12-15 and Psalm 100
Theme Verse: “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)
Over the weekend, I read a news story about the spring opening of the Polar Cave Ice Cream Parlour in the town of Mashpee, Massachusetts. It’s a popular ice cream place on Cape Cod. They always shut down for the winter and so it’s a big deal when they reopen in the spring. Because of the coronavirus restrictions, they did not open up their indoor seating area. They simply had all of their employees wear masks and gloves as they dealt with the customers through the walkup windows.
The response to the opening was way beyond anyone’s expectations. Hundreds of people showed up on Friday night. I suppose everyone has been cooped up for so long that they just wanted to get out and have a little taste of summer. But the large crowd and the limited number of people that they could serve at one time led to long lines. And that’s when the trouble started.
As the people in line started getting frustrated, they started getting verbally abusive toward the Polar Cave staff. A seventeen year old girl, who was taking orders at the window, bore the brunt of the people’s anger. In a Saturday Facebook post, the owner of Polar Cave said that his employee was met with an “unyielding verbal assault with some of the most vulgar and disgusting words hurled at her.” He said that people were saying things “that shouldn’t even be heard in a men’s locker room, let alone being directed at a teenager.”
It reminded me of an illustration that I heard Dr. James Dobson once use. He was talking about the way that the stresses and challenges of life affect our interactions with other people. He said to imagine that you’re at a party, and everyone is standing around, very civilized, holding cups and saucers. You can’t see what’s in anyone’s cup. They just keep sipping from their cups and putting them down on their saucers. Everyone looks pretty much the same.
But then someone comes into the party and starts stumbling around, bumping into people. As people get jostled, the liquid comes spilling out of their cups and you see what everyone was holding inside. Some people have a cup filled with anger and rage. When they are bumped, it comes spilling out as they berate and insult the person that they blame for the spill. Some people have a cup filled with self-control. When they are bumped, some frustration and impatience spills out, but they don’t go ballistic. They just calmly endure the situation.
And then some people have a cup filled with love and compassion. When they are jostled, what first spills out is a genuine concern for the person who bumped into them. When they are sure that the other person is okay, then they try to deal with their own situation, never losing their overall joyful outlook because they know that spills are just a part of life in this world.
The seventeen year old girl at Polar Cave experienced some of the worst of human behavior on Friday night. Everyone who was waiting in that line for ice cream had been bumped around by the effects of the coronavirus lockdown. The ones who were carrying anger and rage in their hearts unleashed all of it on that young girl. She worked till the end of her shift, but then she told the owner that she was quitting. She couldn’t endure another night like that.
The owner was very upset. This girl had worked for him the past three summers. She was one of his most pleasant and most reliable employees. And he knew that she was trying to save some money because she was planning to start college in the fall. So he got an idea. He decided to start a Go Fund Me page to help with her college tuition. He talked about it in his Facebook post. And that’s when the good hearts spilled out.
Since the owner’s Facebook post appeared on Saturday, that Go Fund Me page has raised over $30,000 for the girl’s college education! People have left many encouraging messages. They have been trying to turn a terrible night for that young girl into a wonderful blessing. And that’s exactly what God expects of his people.
Just like the people in Mashpee, Massachusetts, we have also been bumped and jostled by the coronavirus. But that shouldn’t surprise us. Life in this world is always going to be a bumpy ride. There will be smooth stretches in life, when we are healthy and happy and prosperous. But there will inevitably be rough patches, when we are hurting and sad and struggling. And those are the times when our true character will spill out. Those are the times when we will have the opportunity to shine for Jesus Christ.
The Apostle James says, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” Jesus wants his followers to have patience and endurance when we face life’s struggles. But he’s also hoping for more. He’s hoping that we can continue to mature in our faith, so that when we face difficult times in our lives, we will react to those difficulties with joy in our hearts and compassion for other people.
The most powerful way that you can witness for Jesus Christ right now, in the midst of these coronavirus restrictions, is to have a positive, loving attitude toward other people. We are all frustrated. We are all stressed out. We are all waiting for the day when we can get back to life as it was before this all started.
But until we do, I pray that we will all be kind and considerate in our interactions with other people. I pray that we will be constantly on the lookout for those who are hurting more than we are. And I hope that we will all find ways to help those people in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And now, I think I need to go to Culver’s and get some ice cream. I hope the line’s not too long. Amen and Amen.
Here is a favorite hymn of mine that speaks about what I’m feeling today. I want God to tune my heart!
https://youtu.be/NjfToqk5w5g
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)*
Day 56 – Monday, May 11, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read Acts 8
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
About twenty some years ago, as deer season arrived, a retired farmer asked, “Hey, Pastor, would you want to come out next Saturday morning and hunt the cornfield behind my place?” In two heartbeats, I’d said “Yes,” and agreed to be at the house for coffee at 7. We sat around his table that morning drinking stout black coffee and enjoying fresh baked cinnamon rolls. Gene leaned towards me and said, “When we took the corn off a couple days back there were 4 bucks ran out. I think one’s still out there. Ride with me, and I’ll show you.” We finished the coffee and loaded into his pickup. “If we spot something, just step out quietly and take the shot,” he said. “Got it,” I replied as we began a slow trek past the sheds and into that harvested field. Cruising around the corn stubble, we looked carefully, but not a deer came into view. Then coming up the second little rise at the south end of the field, the truck stopped. “There,” Gene whispered. “Do you see him?” Did I ever! That beautiful buck was standing perfectly still at the edge of the field. I slipped out of the truck. The deer never twitched. I took aim and concentrated on a perfect shot. But there was this distraction. Gene was belly laughing like I’d never heard. “Want the neighbor to help you field dress his decoy?” Gene roared. One of the best practical jokes ever pulled on me happened for one simple reason. I was completely ready to see nothing but a corn fed trophy buck. And when you’re laser focused on venison steaks, you too would do in a Styrofoam decoy . Having a misplaced focus can lead to anything from practical jokes to poor decisions to a misdirected life.
There was a day when the focus of believers called the future of the church into question, Acts 8:1b states, “On the day (Stephen was murdered) a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.” There was nothing left to do but bury Stephen’s body, stay out of Saul’s terror and persecution, and get out of town and hide. It all sounds pretty depressing and apocalyptic. Life in Jerusalem as Christ’s followers had known it was over. No more open gatherings. Daily life comes to a standstill. No praying and breaking bread together. Under threat of imprisonment and death, they practiced a social distancing we can’t yet imagine. People in this moment became focused on survival.
For us in this era, it is not hard to imagine how they felt. For us as a society, life as we knew it two months ago is over. Coping with this pandemic has affected jobs and incomes. Social distancing has left us isolated from family and friends while work from home and school closings have left some households with too much togetherness. There is fear over what may happen if one contracts Covid-19 – and a deep yearning for the “good old days” of January and February. As a life-long introvert, months of solitude suit me well. But for my extroverted friends, this has to be really rough. Front line workers put their health on the line each day they report to work – and for some the next shift may be one too many. Graduates are losing a milestone ceremony and facing an uncertain future. For people of faith, the traditional way of functioning as a faith community no longer goes like clockwork. It is no wonder that people are anxious, depressed, and focusing on ways to run to something else.
But here’s the problem: what we are ready to see is all we will focus on. Like an over eager hunter searching for a trophy deer, some folks have pinned their hope to one focal point. Some want all this to go away by this summer. Some focus on being able to go out like they always did before. Some focus on the day a vaccine will be announced, and some like me just camp out in safety until this is all over. What has your focus been these last couple weeks? However you answer, I’m sure you have good reason. But whatever we focus on may not be what’s really before us.
Let’s go back to Acts 8 for a moment. Once the scattered believers found safety, they talked with their new neighbors who asked, “Who is this Jesus you talk about?” and in their responses, fearful refugees became evangelists who brought the faith into rural Judea, Samaria, and Ethiopia. The Holy Spirit used them to convert a sorcerer, a powerful political leader, and explain to a former persecutor what had happened to him on the Damascus road. Believers focused on fear and survival almost missed God’s focus on sharing the Good News of His love in Jesus.
In our faith journey throughout this pandemic we have opportunity to shift our focus to keep our aim on what God is doing around us and through us. Think of the language you use. Have you been “locked down” or chosen “self isolation”? Is this a disaster or a disruption? Some language is focused on negativity and hopelessness. Some words ramp up anxiety and fear. Believing that God is good, all the time, we can talk about this time of pandemic in ways that proclaim that our lives are under God’s sovereignty and subject to Christ’s hope of new life. Use words that focus on grace, hope, and caring. A focus on God’s goodness gives the world hope. Then think of how you approach that daily bread you pray for. I know some folks are really hurting and struggling. Wherever you are at, if your basic needs have been provided, don’t focus on the wants, desires, and dreams that are out of reach now. Watch out for a focus on a non-sustainable standard of living. That focus leads to resentment, while focus on a God who cares for a sparrow leads to trust. People of hope and trust can ease the anxious worry around us. And in a time when traditional church isn’t as easy to do, we could spend time grieving over what has been lost. Or we could reflect on how to be Christ’s servants where we’re at. Can you do something to support first responders and medical professionals? Can you find ways to alleviate hunger or homelessness? What could you teach a home schooled child? And while your life is now so changed, what about that mission field God has placed you in? Are there neighbors who might welcome an offer of prayer? Can you credit God for a beautiful day or continued health? Is a word of kindness or compassion needed? The Spirit may have scattered (or socially isolated) you to a place where you are needed to witness to Christ’s love.
I believe what Acts 8 tells us. What we see may look like the end of the world. There is still much uncertainty before us. But in Jesus, by the work of His Spirit, we could be witnessing God working through us in a vastly different way. Focus on what God is doing – and share the hope and trust the Lord gives.
Here’s a song that helps focus my hope in these days.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqHMbhQjlrA
Day 56 – Monday, May 11, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read Acts 8
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
About twenty some years ago, as deer season arrived, a retired farmer asked, “Hey, Pastor, would you want to come out next Saturday morning and hunt the cornfield behind my place?” In two heartbeats, I’d said “Yes,” and agreed to be at the house for coffee at 7. We sat around his table that morning drinking stout black coffee and enjoying fresh baked cinnamon rolls. Gene leaned towards me and said, “When we took the corn off a couple days back there were 4 bucks ran out. I think one’s still out there. Ride with me, and I’ll show you.” We finished the coffee and loaded into his pickup. “If we spot something, just step out quietly and take the shot,” he said. “Got it,” I replied as we began a slow trek past the sheds and into that harvested field. Cruising around the corn stubble, we looked carefully, but not a deer came into view. Then coming up the second little rise at the south end of the field, the truck stopped. “There,” Gene whispered. “Do you see him?” Did I ever! That beautiful buck was standing perfectly still at the edge of the field. I slipped out of the truck. The deer never twitched. I took aim and concentrated on a perfect shot. But there was this distraction. Gene was belly laughing like I’d never heard. “Want the neighbor to help you field dress his decoy?” Gene roared. One of the best practical jokes ever pulled on me happened for one simple reason. I was completely ready to see nothing but a corn fed trophy buck. And when you’re laser focused on venison steaks, you too would do in a Styrofoam decoy . Having a misplaced focus can lead to anything from practical jokes to poor decisions to a misdirected life.
There was a day when the focus of believers called the future of the church into question, Acts 8:1b states, “On the day (Stephen was murdered) a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.” There was nothing left to do but bury Stephen’s body, stay out of Saul’s terror and persecution, and get out of town and hide. It all sounds pretty depressing and apocalyptic. Life in Jerusalem as Christ’s followers had known it was over. No more open gatherings. Daily life comes to a standstill. No praying and breaking bread together. Under threat of imprisonment and death, they practiced a social distancing we can’t yet imagine. People in this moment became focused on survival.
For us in this era, it is not hard to imagine how they felt. For us as a society, life as we knew it two months ago is over. Coping with this pandemic has affected jobs and incomes. Social distancing has left us isolated from family and friends while work from home and school closings have left some households with too much togetherness. There is fear over what may happen if one contracts Covid-19 – and a deep yearning for the “good old days” of January and February. As a life-long introvert, months of solitude suit me well. But for my extroverted friends, this has to be really rough. Front line workers put their health on the line each day they report to work – and for some the next shift may be one too many. Graduates are losing a milestone ceremony and facing an uncertain future. For people of faith, the traditional way of functioning as a faith community no longer goes like clockwork. It is no wonder that people are anxious, depressed, and focusing on ways to run to something else.
But here’s the problem: what we are ready to see is all we will focus on. Like an over eager hunter searching for a trophy deer, some folks have pinned their hope to one focal point. Some want all this to go away by this summer. Some focus on being able to go out like they always did before. Some focus on the day a vaccine will be announced, and some like me just camp out in safety until this is all over. What has your focus been these last couple weeks? However you answer, I’m sure you have good reason. But whatever we focus on may not be what’s really before us.
Let’s go back to Acts 8 for a moment. Once the scattered believers found safety, they talked with their new neighbors who asked, “Who is this Jesus you talk about?” and in their responses, fearful refugees became evangelists who brought the faith into rural Judea, Samaria, and Ethiopia. The Holy Spirit used them to convert a sorcerer, a powerful political leader, and explain to a former persecutor what had happened to him on the Damascus road. Believers focused on fear and survival almost missed God’s focus on sharing the Good News of His love in Jesus.
In our faith journey throughout this pandemic we have opportunity to shift our focus to keep our aim on what God is doing around us and through us. Think of the language you use. Have you been “locked down” or chosen “self isolation”? Is this a disaster or a disruption? Some language is focused on negativity and hopelessness. Some words ramp up anxiety and fear. Believing that God is good, all the time, we can talk about this time of pandemic in ways that proclaim that our lives are under God’s sovereignty and subject to Christ’s hope of new life. Use words that focus on grace, hope, and caring. A focus on God’s goodness gives the world hope. Then think of how you approach that daily bread you pray for. I know some folks are really hurting and struggling. Wherever you are at, if your basic needs have been provided, don’t focus on the wants, desires, and dreams that are out of reach now. Watch out for a focus on a non-sustainable standard of living. That focus leads to resentment, while focus on a God who cares for a sparrow leads to trust. People of hope and trust can ease the anxious worry around us. And in a time when traditional church isn’t as easy to do, we could spend time grieving over what has been lost. Or we could reflect on how to be Christ’s servants where we’re at. Can you do something to support first responders and medical professionals? Can you find ways to alleviate hunger or homelessness? What could you teach a home schooled child? And while your life is now so changed, what about that mission field God has placed you in? Are there neighbors who might welcome an offer of prayer? Can you credit God for a beautiful day or continued health? Is a word of kindness or compassion needed? The Spirit may have scattered (or socially isolated) you to a place where you are needed to witness to Christ’s love.
I believe what Acts 8 tells us. What we see may look like the end of the world. There is still much uncertainty before us. But in Jesus, by the work of His Spirit, we could be witnessing God working through us in a vastly different way. Focus on what God is doing – and share the hope and trust the Lord gives.
Here’s a song that helps focus my hope in these days.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqHMbhQjlrA
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 55 – Sunday, May 10, 2020
Read Proverbs 31:10-31
Theme Verse: “Her children will rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” (Proverbs 31:28)
As I’m thinking about my own mother on this Mother’s Day, I’m remembering a story from when I was very young, probably about four or five years old. A neighbor stopped by one day to have coffee with my mom, and she brought along her young son so that he could play with us. But something was wrong. The little boy had scabs and sores all over his face.
When my mom asked about him, his mother said, “Oh, it’s no big deal. It’s just some Impetigo. The doctor said he’s not contagious anymore.” Impetigo is a highly contagious skin infection that usually affects infants and small children. So my mom was right to be concerned. But social conventions were strong in the 1960’s, so my mom didn’t say anything. She just drank her coffee with a nervous look on her face.
But as soon as they left, Mom took my brothers and me into the bathroom and gave us all baths. I didn’t know what to think. A bath in the middle of the afternoon? And it wasn’t just any bath. Mom vigorously scrubbed each one of us. I wasn’t really aware of what was going on at the time, but I still remember that bath! And then she gave us the same kind of “super bath” for the next few nights.
But it wasn’t enough. A few days later, we all broke out in a rash. Mom was beside herself. She took us to the doctor to get us checked out, convinced that we all had Impetigo. But after the doctor had examined us, he asked my mom, “What kind of soap did you use to wash the kids?” Mom said, “Well, I was kind of worried about the Impetigo, so I used the soap that I use to do the laundry. I figured that it was a little bit stronger, so it might help.”
The doctor said, “Well, they don’t have Impetigo. But I’m pretty sure that they’ve got a rash from the laundry soap that you used.” That was our mama bear. She did everything that she could to protect us. And sometimes she went a little overboard. But at least she could laugh about it. If she hadn’t told us the story when we were older, we would never have known what all of that scrubbing was about!
I am so thankful that God gave me a mother who loved me and took care of me and protected me. She also taught me to love Jesus. Every night she would read us stories from the children’s Bible and pray with us. She was always singing hymns and gospel songs around the house. And she took us to church every Sunday, rain or shine. I was profoundly affected by my mother’s faith in Jesus Christ.
And I’m so thankful for all of the other important women in my life, who have made me who I am today. Along with my mom, I’m also thankful for my great aunt Frannie. My grandmother died when my mom was just eight years old. So Aunt Frannie and her husband Nils, who had no children of their own, took my mom into their home for several years, until my grandpa remarried. Frannie was a strong woman of faith and she was the one that my brothers and I thought of as our grandma.
Of course, I am deeply thankful for my wife Lisa. How a quiet, hardworking farm girl ended up with a crazy city boy like me is something only God knows. But he brought us together and she has been my companion and my anchor ever since. She has followed me all over, from college, to seminary, to internship, to seminary again, and then to four different congregations. I took her away from her farm and her beloved horses and she never complained. She just turned every house and apartment into our home.
And along the way, we accumulated a few kids! When I started in my first church, we had three little ones. We would have two more during those early years of ministry. I remember when I had only been on the job for a few months and I went to visit a member who was in the hospital. During our conversation he said, “By the way, have you noticed that young woman who just started coming to our church? She always sits near the front with her three little kids. I feel so sorry for her, because her husband never comes with her.” I said, “I think I know who you’re talking about.”
Every one of our five children would tell you that they could not have had a more loving, supportive, dedicated Christian mom than the one that God gave them. She is truly my treasure in this world. And we have been blessed with two wonderful, loving daughters in Becky and Rachel. Becky is probably the most kind-hearted person that I know in this world. She is a loving aunt to all of her nieces and nephews. And Rachel, with her husband Jeff, is raising two beautiful kids of her own. She’s an incredible mom, who takes after Lisa.
We have also been blessed with two amazing daughters-in-law. Jacinda has been married to our son Matt for thirteen years and they have three wonderful little girls. She is a great mom and she loves being a pastor’s wife. Sarah has been married to our son Isaac for seven years and they are such a devoted couple. As most of you know, they lost a child, their little boy Cam, just a few days after he was born in February of 2019. They were both incredibly strong during that time of great suffering. We are so grateful that God gave Isaac a strong, loving partner to walk through this life with.
So, as you can see, I have a lot to be thankful for on this Mother’s Day. And I think most of you would say the same. God has given us some great women in our lives, and on this day we will honor them. On this day, “Her children will rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking of as I wrote this. It reminds me to thank God for all of the women in my life.
https://youtu.be/sR6Kajdtt3M
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 54 – Saturday, May 9, 2020
Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-11 and Jeremiah 29:10-14
Theme Verse: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
I’ve seen several people posting college graduation pictures on Facebook this weekend. Of course, none of those graduations are “in person.” Some colleges and universities are doing “virtual graduations.” Students and their families tune in to a live stream to listen to graduation speeches and to hear someone read the list of graduates.
Other institutions aren’t doing any kind of ceremony. They’re just sending out the diplomas. So families are taking pictures of their graduates in their homes and front yards. I saw a picture of one graduate from a masters degree program being presented with his diploma by his three year old son, who was wearing a little black robe!
All of these graduation pictures got me thinking back to the many high school and college graduations that I have attended over the years. They all seem to blend together in my mind. Even my own graduation from Wheaton College, in May of 1983, is mostly a blur. I don’t really remember any of the speeches or musical numbers.
I do remember walking across the stage of Edman Chapel to receive my diploma. And I do remember that Lisa was sitting in the audience with my parents and that she was very pregnant at the time. We had gotten married the summer before, and our daughter Becky would be born that coming summer, shortly after my graduation.
But there is one graduation moment that I remember very well. It was the commencement address given at Becky’s graduation from Wheaton in 2005. The speaker was a remarkable Christian woman named Joni Eareckson Tada, known to many people by just her first name, “Joni.”
Joni was born on October 15, 1949, in Baltimore, Maryland. She was the youngest of the four daughters of John and Lindy Eareckson. She was named after her father, so her name is pronounced like “Johnny.” Her family was very physically active. Her father had been a wrestler on the 1932 US Olympic team. As Joni grew up, she enjoyed horseback riding, hiking, tennis, and swimming. Life was good.
But on July 30, 1967, when she was just seventeen years old, Joni’s life changed forever. On that day, she was swimming with her sister in Chesapeake Bay and she misjudged the depth of the water. When she dove in, she broke her neck. From that moment on, she was a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the shoulders down. She would spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair.
Over the next two years, Joni underwent intensive physical therapy. She describes those years in her autobiography, titled simply, “Joni.” The longer the therapy went on, the more she realized that her body was not going to heal. She went through periods of intense anger and depression. She had doubts about the love of God. She thought about ways that she could end her own life. But then a visit from some Christian friends helped her begin to recover on the inside, in her soul.
During their visit, those friends shared a Bible verse with Joni. The verse was Jeremiah 29:11, where the Lord says to the people of Israel, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Joni was intrigued by the verse, so when they had left, she looked it up in the Bible and read the whole chapter. She was surprised to learn that God spoke these words to the people as they were heading into exile in Babylon. They were facing seventy years of hardship in a foreign land. How could God say that he had plans for them? How could he say that he was giving them a future and a hope?
But then she suddenly realized what the verse really meant. God was not making promises to them about their physical lives in this world. He was making promises about their spiritual lives. He was promising to heal them on the inside, in their souls. And he was promising them an eternal future in heaven.
From that moment on, Joni’s attitude began to change. She started to focus on the things that she could do, rather than the things that she could not do. She learned how to paint by holding the brush in her teeth. She also learned how to write the same way. As her soul healed, she began to see the future that God had planned for her.
In the fifty-three years since that terrible accident, Joni Eareckson Tada has lived an incredible life. She has created many beautiful works of art. She has written numerous books. She has recorded several albums of her singing. She has hosted radio and television shows.
Joni has traveled around the world and spoken to hundreds of thousands of people. She has advocated tirelessly for people with disabilities. She founded a Christian charity that donates equipment to disabled people in third world countries. She has been nothing short of amazing. She even survived a bout with breast cancer in 2010!
And along the way, she has been accompanied by a very special person in her life. In 1980, at her church in southern California, Joni met a high school history teacher and football coach named Ken Tada. They were married two years later by their pastor, Dr. John MacArthur. Since then, Ken has been with Joni for every step of her journey. And they’re still going. It’s an incredible story.
So when Joni challenged those graduates to make the most of the lives that God had given them, she was speaking from personal experience. It was a very powerful moment. It made me think about my own life. If Joni Eareckson Tada can serve the Lord so joyfully and faithfully in her circumstances, I should be able to serve just as joyfully and faithfully in mine.
May God bless all of those who are graduating this year and heading out into the world. God has plans for each and every one of them. He doesn’t promise them that they will have perfect physical health and prosperity in this life. But he does promise them that, if they will commit their lives to him, he will bless and strengthen their souls. He will give them the promise of a wonderful future in heaven. And as long as they are on this earth, he will walk with them every step of the way.
As a matter of fact, God makes that same promise to every one of us. Even to an old guy like me, who graduated a looooong time ago. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. It’s written and sung by one of my favorite artists, Rich Mullins.
https://youtu.be/y-b7TQMoZsM
Day 54 – Saturday, May 9, 2020
Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-11 and Jeremiah 29:10-14
Theme Verse: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
I’ve seen several people posting college graduation pictures on Facebook this weekend. Of course, none of those graduations are “in person.” Some colleges and universities are doing “virtual graduations.” Students and their families tune in to a live stream to listen to graduation speeches and to hear someone read the list of graduates.
Other institutions aren’t doing any kind of ceremony. They’re just sending out the diplomas. So families are taking pictures of their graduates in their homes and front yards. I saw a picture of one graduate from a masters degree program being presented with his diploma by his three year old son, who was wearing a little black robe!
All of these graduation pictures got me thinking back to the many high school and college graduations that I have attended over the years. They all seem to blend together in my mind. Even my own graduation from Wheaton College, in May of 1983, is mostly a blur. I don’t really remember any of the speeches or musical numbers.
I do remember walking across the stage of Edman Chapel to receive my diploma. And I do remember that Lisa was sitting in the audience with my parents and that she was very pregnant at the time. We had gotten married the summer before, and our daughter Becky would be born that coming summer, shortly after my graduation.
But there is one graduation moment that I remember very well. It was the commencement address given at Becky’s graduation from Wheaton in 2005. The speaker was a remarkable Christian woman named Joni Eareckson Tada, known to many people by just her first name, “Joni.”
Joni was born on October 15, 1949, in Baltimore, Maryland. She was the youngest of the four daughters of John and Lindy Eareckson. She was named after her father, so her name is pronounced like “Johnny.” Her family was very physically active. Her father had been a wrestler on the 1932 US Olympic team. As Joni grew up, she enjoyed horseback riding, hiking, tennis, and swimming. Life was good.
But on July 30, 1967, when she was just seventeen years old, Joni’s life changed forever. On that day, she was swimming with her sister in Chesapeake Bay and she misjudged the depth of the water. When she dove in, she broke her neck. From that moment on, she was a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the shoulders down. She would spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair.
Over the next two years, Joni underwent intensive physical therapy. She describes those years in her autobiography, titled simply, “Joni.” The longer the therapy went on, the more she realized that her body was not going to heal. She went through periods of intense anger and depression. She had doubts about the love of God. She thought about ways that she could end her own life. But then a visit from some Christian friends helped her begin to recover on the inside, in her soul.
During their visit, those friends shared a Bible verse with Joni. The verse was Jeremiah 29:11, where the Lord says to the people of Israel, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Joni was intrigued by the verse, so when they had left, she looked it up in the Bible and read the whole chapter. She was surprised to learn that God spoke these words to the people as they were heading into exile in Babylon. They were facing seventy years of hardship in a foreign land. How could God say that he had plans for them? How could he say that he was giving them a future and a hope?
But then she suddenly realized what the verse really meant. God was not making promises to them about their physical lives in this world. He was making promises about their spiritual lives. He was promising to heal them on the inside, in their souls. And he was promising them an eternal future in heaven.
From that moment on, Joni’s attitude began to change. She started to focus on the things that she could do, rather than the things that she could not do. She learned how to paint by holding the brush in her teeth. She also learned how to write the same way. As her soul healed, she began to see the future that God had planned for her.
In the fifty-three years since that terrible accident, Joni Eareckson Tada has lived an incredible life. She has created many beautiful works of art. She has written numerous books. She has recorded several albums of her singing. She has hosted radio and television shows.
Joni has traveled around the world and spoken to hundreds of thousands of people. She has advocated tirelessly for people with disabilities. She founded a Christian charity that donates equipment to disabled people in third world countries. She has been nothing short of amazing. She even survived a bout with breast cancer in 2010!
And along the way, she has been accompanied by a very special person in her life. In 1980, at her church in southern California, Joni met a high school history teacher and football coach named Ken Tada. They were married two years later by their pastor, Dr. John MacArthur. Since then, Ken has been with Joni for every step of her journey. And they’re still going. It’s an incredible story.
So when Joni challenged those graduates to make the most of the lives that God had given them, she was speaking from personal experience. It was a very powerful moment. It made me think about my own life. If Joni Eareckson Tada can serve the Lord so joyfully and faithfully in her circumstances, I should be able to serve just as joyfully and faithfully in mine.
May God bless all of those who are graduating this year and heading out into the world. God has plans for each and every one of them. He doesn’t promise them that they will have perfect physical health and prosperity in this life. But he does promise them that, if they will commit their lives to him, he will bless and strengthen their souls. He will give them the promise of a wonderful future in heaven. And as long as they are on this earth, he will walk with them every step of the way.
As a matter of fact, God makes that same promise to every one of us. Even to an old guy like me, who graduated a looooong time ago. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. It’s written and sung by one of my favorite artists, Rich Mullins.
https://youtu.be/y-b7TQMoZsM
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 53 – Friday, May 8, 2020
Read Luke 5:1-11 and Isaiah 6:1-8
Theme Verse: And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” (Luke 5:10)
I’ve heard Tony Campolo speak on a couple of different occasions. Tony is an ordained Baptist minister, a professor for many years at a Christian college in Pennsylvania and a popular Christian author. I don’t agree with all of the positions that he has taken over the years, but I know that he loves Jesus and I know that he has a heart for people, especially those who are hurting and struggling in this world.
One of the stories that I heard Tony share at a youth conference many years ago has always stuck with me. It’s the story of a man named Charlie Stoltzfus. Tony had been invited to preach one Sunday at a worship service on the campus of a small Pentecostal college in Pennsylvania, just a couple of hours away from the college where he was teaching at the time.
Before the service began, several faculty members took Tony into a side room to pray for him and for his message. They all laid their hands on him and each one took a turn praying. There were several men in the room, so Tony knew that it was going to be a long prayer. But when they got to one particular guy, the prayer got a lot longer. This guy started praying at length about a man named Charlie Stoltzfus.
This faculty member knew Charlie somehow, and he knew that he was about to abandon his wife and children. And so, when it came his turn to pray, he cried out, “Lord! Lord! Don’t let Charlie leave his wife and his children! Send an angel to bring that man back to his family! Don’t let that family be destroyed!” He went on to pray for Charlie’s wife and for each one of Charlie’s three kids, by name.
But he didn’t stop there. He continued praying. He said, “You know who I’m talking about, Lord. It’s Charlie Stoltzfus. He lives right down the road that this college is on, about a half mile down, in that trailer court. You know him, Lord. He lives all the way down on the end of the street, in the back of the trailer court. He lives in that big silver trailer. You know who I’m talking about, Lord. It’s Charlie Stoltzfus!”
By this time, Tony was starting to get a little exasperated with the guy’s long prayer. He was thinking to himself, “Yes, God knows who you’re talking about! And he also knows where he lives!” Tony wanted to say to the guy, “What do you think God’s doing? Do you think he’s sitting up there in heaven saying, ‘Could you please give me that address again’?”
After the service, Tony got in his car and headed home. As he was getting on the Pennsylvania turnpike, he saw a young man hitchhiking on the side of the road. He knew it wasn’t a smart thing to do, but he always liked to pick up hitchhikers. So he came to a stop and the guy jumped in.
As Tony pulled back onto the highway, he introduced himself. He said, “Hi, my name’s Tony Campolo. What’s your name?” The man said, “My name’s Charlie Stoltzfus.” Tony didn’t say a word. He drove down the turnpike and got off at the next exit. Then he got back on and headed back in the direction that they had just come from.
Charlie looked at him and said, “Hey mister, where are you taking me?” Tony said, “I’m taking you home.” Charlie said, “Why?” And Tony said, “Because you just left your wife and three children, right?” Charlie suddenly got a stunned look on his face. All he could manage to say was, “Right. Right.”
For the rest of the trip back, they didn’t speak. Charlie leaned against the passenger door, just staring at Tony. Tony got off the turnpike and drove back past the college. Then he went about a half mile down the road to a trailer court. He turned into the trailer court and went all the way to the back. He stopped right in front of Charlie’s big silver trailer.
Charlie looked at Tony and said, “How did you know that I lived here?” Tony said, “God told me.” Then he said, “Let’s go into the house together, because I want to talk to you and your wife.”
Charlie ran into the trailer ahead of Tony. Tony said, “I don’t know what he said to his wife, but when I got in the house, her eyes were as wide as saucers.” And Tony led both of them to Christ that day. And that family stayed together.
From that day forward, Tony became a mentor to Charlie. Charlie eventually went to college and to seminary and became a pastor. And Tony ended the story by saying, “I am excited to be the servant of a God who uses ordinary people like me to do cool stuff like that!”
That story makes me think of the time when Jesus called his first disciples. He approached two fishermen named Simon and Andrew. They were brothers. They had been fishing in the Sea of Galilee all night, but they had caught nothing. Now they were cleaning and mending their nets, getting ready to go home.
Jesus stepped into their boat and asked them to push it out from the beach a little. The two brothers had met this preacher once before, in Judea. They were impressed with him. So they did as he asked. They pushed the boat out a little. Then they continued working on their nets as Jesus taught the people who had gathered on the shore.
When Jesus finished talking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon was a little exasperated by the request. They had been working all night and caught nothing. And daytime was not the best time to catch fish. But he went ahead and did as Jesus asked. And as soon as their nets hit the water, they started to fill up with fish.
Simon (whom Jesus would later name Peter) knew that he had witnessed a miracle. He knew now that Jesus was more than just a great teacher. Jesus was some kind of a prophet. And Peter also knew himself pretty well. He knew that he had a lot of faults and a lot of rough edges. He knew that he was not the kind of person who would normally associate with a man of God. Peter fell to his feet and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
But Jesus said to Peter, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they finally got the boat to the shore, Peter and Andrew left everything behind and began to follow Jesus.
Tony Campolo was right. God uses ordinary people to do cool stuff. He calls each and every one of us to follow him. He calls us to love other people in his name. He calls us to be fishers of men. And sometimes he does it in extraordinary ways. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion, sung very simply by the great Eddie Arnold.
https://youtu.be/0BE_SryWgNY
Day 53 – Friday, May 8, 2020
Read Luke 5:1-11 and Isaiah 6:1-8
Theme Verse: And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” (Luke 5:10)
I’ve heard Tony Campolo speak on a couple of different occasions. Tony is an ordained Baptist minister, a professor for many years at a Christian college in Pennsylvania and a popular Christian author. I don’t agree with all of the positions that he has taken over the years, but I know that he loves Jesus and I know that he has a heart for people, especially those who are hurting and struggling in this world.
One of the stories that I heard Tony share at a youth conference many years ago has always stuck with me. It’s the story of a man named Charlie Stoltzfus. Tony had been invited to preach one Sunday at a worship service on the campus of a small Pentecostal college in Pennsylvania, just a couple of hours away from the college where he was teaching at the time.
Before the service began, several faculty members took Tony into a side room to pray for him and for his message. They all laid their hands on him and each one took a turn praying. There were several men in the room, so Tony knew that it was going to be a long prayer. But when they got to one particular guy, the prayer got a lot longer. This guy started praying at length about a man named Charlie Stoltzfus.
This faculty member knew Charlie somehow, and he knew that he was about to abandon his wife and children. And so, when it came his turn to pray, he cried out, “Lord! Lord! Don’t let Charlie leave his wife and his children! Send an angel to bring that man back to his family! Don’t let that family be destroyed!” He went on to pray for Charlie’s wife and for each one of Charlie’s three kids, by name.
But he didn’t stop there. He continued praying. He said, “You know who I’m talking about, Lord. It’s Charlie Stoltzfus. He lives right down the road that this college is on, about a half mile down, in that trailer court. You know him, Lord. He lives all the way down on the end of the street, in the back of the trailer court. He lives in that big silver trailer. You know who I’m talking about, Lord. It’s Charlie Stoltzfus!”
By this time, Tony was starting to get a little exasperated with the guy’s long prayer. He was thinking to himself, “Yes, God knows who you’re talking about! And he also knows where he lives!” Tony wanted to say to the guy, “What do you think God’s doing? Do you think he’s sitting up there in heaven saying, ‘Could you please give me that address again’?”
After the service, Tony got in his car and headed home. As he was getting on the Pennsylvania turnpike, he saw a young man hitchhiking on the side of the road. He knew it wasn’t a smart thing to do, but he always liked to pick up hitchhikers. So he came to a stop and the guy jumped in.
As Tony pulled back onto the highway, he introduced himself. He said, “Hi, my name’s Tony Campolo. What’s your name?” The man said, “My name’s Charlie Stoltzfus.” Tony didn’t say a word. He drove down the turnpike and got off at the next exit. Then he got back on and headed back in the direction that they had just come from.
Charlie looked at him and said, “Hey mister, where are you taking me?” Tony said, “I’m taking you home.” Charlie said, “Why?” And Tony said, “Because you just left your wife and three children, right?” Charlie suddenly got a stunned look on his face. All he could manage to say was, “Right. Right.”
For the rest of the trip back, they didn’t speak. Charlie leaned against the passenger door, just staring at Tony. Tony got off the turnpike and drove back past the college. Then he went about a half mile down the road to a trailer court. He turned into the trailer court and went all the way to the back. He stopped right in front of Charlie’s big silver trailer.
Charlie looked at Tony and said, “How did you know that I lived here?” Tony said, “God told me.” Then he said, “Let’s go into the house together, because I want to talk to you and your wife.”
Charlie ran into the trailer ahead of Tony. Tony said, “I don’t know what he said to his wife, but when I got in the house, her eyes were as wide as saucers.” And Tony led both of them to Christ that day. And that family stayed together.
From that day forward, Tony became a mentor to Charlie. Charlie eventually went to college and to seminary and became a pastor. And Tony ended the story by saying, “I am excited to be the servant of a God who uses ordinary people like me to do cool stuff like that!”
That story makes me think of the time when Jesus called his first disciples. He approached two fishermen named Simon and Andrew. They were brothers. They had been fishing in the Sea of Galilee all night, but they had caught nothing. Now they were cleaning and mending their nets, getting ready to go home.
Jesus stepped into their boat and asked them to push it out from the beach a little. The two brothers had met this preacher once before, in Judea. They were impressed with him. So they did as he asked. They pushed the boat out a little. Then they continued working on their nets as Jesus taught the people who had gathered on the shore.
When Jesus finished talking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon was a little exasperated by the request. They had been working all night and caught nothing. And daytime was not the best time to catch fish. But he went ahead and did as Jesus asked. And as soon as their nets hit the water, they started to fill up with fish.
Simon (whom Jesus would later name Peter) knew that he had witnessed a miracle. He knew now that Jesus was more than just a great teacher. Jesus was some kind of a prophet. And Peter also knew himself pretty well. He knew that he had a lot of faults and a lot of rough edges. He knew that he was not the kind of person who would normally associate with a man of God. Peter fell to his feet and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
But Jesus said to Peter, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they finally got the boat to the shore, Peter and Andrew left everything behind and began to follow Jesus.
Tony Campolo was right. God uses ordinary people to do cool stuff. He calls each and every one of us to follow him. He calls us to love other people in his name. He calls us to be fishers of men. And sometimes he does it in extraordinary ways. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion, sung very simply by the great Eddie Arnold.
https://youtu.be/0BE_SryWgNY
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 52 – Thursday, May 7, 2020
Read Romans 12:9-13 and 1 John 4:13-21
Theme Verse: The Apostle John says, “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
Whenever May 7th rolls around, I think back to the year 1978. That was the year that my mom remarried. My dad died in 1976, when we were living in Wisconsin. A year later, we moved to the little town of Newark, Illinois, just fifty-five miles northeast of Princeton. In December of that year (1977), I went on my first date with Lisa Williamson. She would eventually become my wife in 1982.
Around the same time that I started dating Lisa, my mom was introduced to a man named Bob Chally. Bob had lost his wife and his young son in a car accident a few years earlier. He had a daughter who was a sophomore in High School and a son who was in 7th grade. Mom and Bob started dating soon after they met and it progressed pretty quickly.
By February, the two families were doing things together, so that we could get to know each other. By March they were starting to talk about the possibility of getting married. Soon, Mom had a ring and the date was set. They would get married on Sunday, May 7th, at Bob’s church, West Lisbon Lutheran Church. And we would all live together in our house in Newark, which was a little bit bigger than the house that Bob’s family was living in near Lisbon.
I had only one problem with the wedding date. It was the day after my junior prom at Newark High School. Lisa (who was a sophomore at the time) was my date for the prom. We had a great time at the prom. Then there was an after-prom event at a YMCA in Joliet. We stayed until it ended at 7:00 a.m. Then we went to Denny’s for breakfast with several other couples. I dropped Lisa off at her house around 9:00 a.m. Then I drove home and crawled in bed.
My mom woke me up about two hours later. I needed to get showered and dressed, because we had to be at the church by noon. I was able to stay awake as we decorated the church basement for the cake and punch reception. But when the wedding started at 2:00 p.m., I was really struggling to keep my eyes open.
My brothers and I were all sitting in the front row on the bride’s side. At one point, I started dozing off and I almost pitched forward onto the floor. But my brother Mike reached over and grabbed the back of my jacket and pulled me back up. The rush of adrenaline kept me awake for the rest of the ceremony.
But the most challenging part of the marriage between Mom and Bob would unfold in the weeks and months and years to come. My brothers and I were very close together in age. We were five boys, just five and a half years apart. My birth dad, who was also named Bob, had a standard line when someone would mention our small age gap. He would say, “After the fifth one, we finally figured out what was causing it.”
When Mom and Bob Chally got married, the ages of his daughter and son fit in between us! So we had seven kids living in the house, all between the ages of 12 and 17 (my oldest brother Bob was almost 18 – yes, another Bob!). And only one was a girl. So we had to figure out how she could have a little privacy. It was pretty crazy.
But somehow it worked. And when I look back on it, I think the reason that it worked was because we wanted it to work. My brothers and I started calling Bob “Dad” right away and Bob’s kids started calling our mom “Mom.” It was awkward at first, but we got used to it. And we never referred to each other as step-sister or step-brother. We referred to each other as “brother” and “sister” right away.
And another key reason why it worked was that we went to church together—every Sunday. Sometimes Mom had to drag us out of bed to get us there. We had to travel to church in two vehicles, so Mom wanted to make sure that we were all up and moving before the first group left. I was most often in group two, staggering in with sleepy eyes and wet hair.
At first, we went to West Lisbon, out in the country. But we eventually transferred to Newark Lutheran Church, which was only a few blocks from our house. That gave us a few more minutes to sleep! We never gave our parents any grief about going to church. We wanted to make them happy. And we wanted to be a family.
And that was the key. We wanted to be a family. And that was hard sometimes. Those of you who have been in blended families know just how hard it can be. You’re trying to mesh together two different styles of living. You’re trying to be fair to everyone and not show favoritism to “your” side. You’re trying to create some new family traditions.
I don’t think we could have made it through those years if our house was not centered around Jesus Christ. Paul says to the Christians in Rome, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” He knew that the Christian family was like a blended family. People come from all kinds of different situations, with all kinds of different ideas and traditions. It’s hard to put it all together. It’s hard to make it work.
But that’s the beauty of a church! We are God’s people, called from all walks of life, united in our love for Jesus. We love each other because we want to. We make the church work because we want to. It doesn’t happen easily and it doesn’t happen overnight. True church unity happens when people choose to love each other, for Jesus’ sake.
Our common love for Jesus Christ gives us the desire to love one another. That’s what the Apostle John means when he says, “We love because he first loved us.” I truly loved my new dad and sister and brother. They were not my blood relations, but they were my family. And when Bob Chally died of a stroke in 2002, I was heartbroken. Again, I had lost my father. And it was every bit as hard as losing my birth father.
But I still love all of my brothers and my sister. They are all family, every one of them. And I love my brothers and sisters in the church. You are all my family, even though we are not related by earthly blood. We are related by something even stronger. We are related by the blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen.
Here is an old Gaither song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/bj97unXda6c
Day 52 – Thursday, May 7, 2020
Read Romans 12:9-13 and 1 John 4:13-21
Theme Verse: The Apostle John says, “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)
Whenever May 7th rolls around, I think back to the year 1978. That was the year that my mom remarried. My dad died in 1976, when we were living in Wisconsin. A year later, we moved to the little town of Newark, Illinois, just fifty-five miles northeast of Princeton. In December of that year (1977), I went on my first date with Lisa Williamson. She would eventually become my wife in 1982.
Around the same time that I started dating Lisa, my mom was introduced to a man named Bob Chally. Bob had lost his wife and his young son in a car accident a few years earlier. He had a daughter who was a sophomore in High School and a son who was in 7th grade. Mom and Bob started dating soon after they met and it progressed pretty quickly.
By February, the two families were doing things together, so that we could get to know each other. By March they were starting to talk about the possibility of getting married. Soon, Mom had a ring and the date was set. They would get married on Sunday, May 7th, at Bob’s church, West Lisbon Lutheran Church. And we would all live together in our house in Newark, which was a little bit bigger than the house that Bob’s family was living in near Lisbon.
I had only one problem with the wedding date. It was the day after my junior prom at Newark High School. Lisa (who was a sophomore at the time) was my date for the prom. We had a great time at the prom. Then there was an after-prom event at a YMCA in Joliet. We stayed until it ended at 7:00 a.m. Then we went to Denny’s for breakfast with several other couples. I dropped Lisa off at her house around 9:00 a.m. Then I drove home and crawled in bed.
My mom woke me up about two hours later. I needed to get showered and dressed, because we had to be at the church by noon. I was able to stay awake as we decorated the church basement for the cake and punch reception. But when the wedding started at 2:00 p.m., I was really struggling to keep my eyes open.
My brothers and I were all sitting in the front row on the bride’s side. At one point, I started dozing off and I almost pitched forward onto the floor. But my brother Mike reached over and grabbed the back of my jacket and pulled me back up. The rush of adrenaline kept me awake for the rest of the ceremony.
But the most challenging part of the marriage between Mom and Bob would unfold in the weeks and months and years to come. My brothers and I were very close together in age. We were five boys, just five and a half years apart. My birth dad, who was also named Bob, had a standard line when someone would mention our small age gap. He would say, “After the fifth one, we finally figured out what was causing it.”
When Mom and Bob Chally got married, the ages of his daughter and son fit in between us! So we had seven kids living in the house, all between the ages of 12 and 17 (my oldest brother Bob was almost 18 – yes, another Bob!). And only one was a girl. So we had to figure out how she could have a little privacy. It was pretty crazy.
But somehow it worked. And when I look back on it, I think the reason that it worked was because we wanted it to work. My brothers and I started calling Bob “Dad” right away and Bob’s kids started calling our mom “Mom.” It was awkward at first, but we got used to it. And we never referred to each other as step-sister or step-brother. We referred to each other as “brother” and “sister” right away.
And another key reason why it worked was that we went to church together—every Sunday. Sometimes Mom had to drag us out of bed to get us there. We had to travel to church in two vehicles, so Mom wanted to make sure that we were all up and moving before the first group left. I was most often in group two, staggering in with sleepy eyes and wet hair.
At first, we went to West Lisbon, out in the country. But we eventually transferred to Newark Lutheran Church, which was only a few blocks from our house. That gave us a few more minutes to sleep! We never gave our parents any grief about going to church. We wanted to make them happy. And we wanted to be a family.
And that was the key. We wanted to be a family. And that was hard sometimes. Those of you who have been in blended families know just how hard it can be. You’re trying to mesh together two different styles of living. You’re trying to be fair to everyone and not show favoritism to “your” side. You’re trying to create some new family traditions.
I don’t think we could have made it through those years if our house was not centered around Jesus Christ. Paul says to the Christians in Rome, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” He knew that the Christian family was like a blended family. People come from all kinds of different situations, with all kinds of different ideas and traditions. It’s hard to put it all together. It’s hard to make it work.
But that’s the beauty of a church! We are God’s people, called from all walks of life, united in our love for Jesus. We love each other because we want to. We make the church work because we want to. It doesn’t happen easily and it doesn’t happen overnight. True church unity happens when people choose to love each other, for Jesus’ sake.
Our common love for Jesus Christ gives us the desire to love one another. That’s what the Apostle John means when he says, “We love because he first loved us.” I truly loved my new dad and sister and brother. They were not my blood relations, but they were my family. And when Bob Chally died of a stroke in 2002, I was heartbroken. Again, I had lost my father. And it was every bit as hard as losing my birth father.
But I still love all of my brothers and my sister. They are all family, every one of them. And I love my brothers and sisters in the church. You are all my family, even though we are not related by earthly blood. We are related by something even stronger. We are related by the blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen.
Here is an old Gaither song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/bj97unXda6c
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 51 – Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Read Philippians 3:7-11 and Psalm 138
Theme Verse: Paul says, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8)
Today I’m thinking about a baseball game and a ball of twine. I’ll start with the baseball game.
I mentioned in one of my earlier devotions that our son Nathan was supposed to get married on April 25th. He and Camille both live in the Los Angeles area. Nate has been in California since 2011 and Camille grew up there. They were going to fly to Illinois for the wedding and I was going to perform the ceremony. There was going to be a reception here afterward.
Then, two weeks later, our immediate family was going to fly to California for a celebration with Camille’s extended family, since many of them were not going to be able to make the trip to Illinois. Our family was going to stay for a week and enjoy some time together in LA.
Of course, all of that got canceled because of the coronavirus. Nate and Camille got married in a civil ceremony on May 1st. I wrote about their wedding on that day. The Illinois church ceremony and reception have been rescheduled for September 18th. The California get-together is still up in the air.
And that brings me to the baseball game. One of the things that we were going to do in Los Angeles was go to a baseball game at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers were supposed to play the Cubs tonight (May 6th) at 7:10 p.m. (9:10 p.m. back here in Illinois). We bought our tickets in advance and we were looking forward to a fun night together.
But now, like everything else, the game is canceled. And I’m really bummed out about that. I even tortured myself by looking up the weather forecast for tonight. At 7:00 p.m., it will be 82 degrees in LA, with clear skies and 34% humidity. After the sun goes down, the temperature will drop to about 75 degrees. In other words, it will be a perfect night for baseball.
I was thinking about that this morning, and feeling a little depressed, and then I thought about the ball of twine. A couple of years ago, Lisa and I attended a family wedding in Omaha, Nebraska. The wedding was in early May and Lisa and I decided to take off a week early and do a little traveling before we arrived at the wedding.
We had some fun exploring Kansas and Nebraska for a few days. We ate barbeque in Kansas City. We visited the school building in Topeka, Kansas, that was at the center of the Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling. We went to the Eisenhower boyhood home and presidential museum in Abilene, Kansas. We also walked around the state capital buildings in Topeka and in Lincoln, Nebraska.
But the strangest thing that we saw on our trip was “The World’s Largest Ball of Sisal Twine.” I had read about it once and I knew that it was somewhere in Kansas. So we looked it up and found out that it was located in the little town of Cawker City (pop. 469), in the north central part of the state. So we just had to see it. Or, at least, I just had to see it. Lisa kind of rolled her eyes when I told her about it.
When we got to Cawker City, we found the ball of twine in the middle of a large white gazebo, in the center of town. There were benches all the way around the ball, so that you could sit and stare into the twine and contemplate the great mysteries of the universe. The most important mystery was, “Why would anyone create a gigantic ball of twine?”
As Lisa and I sat in the gazebo, lost in thought, I looked across the street and saw “The Ball of Twine Restaurant.” A few buildings down was “The Ball of Twine Gift Shop.” I slowly began to realize that the whole town was built around the giant ball of twine. It was really the only thing happening. And that was kind of sad.
But this morning, as I was thinking about the baseball game that I was missing, that ball of twine came to my mind. It made me think that, in the eternal scheme of things, a baseball game in Los Angeles is really no more important than a giant ball of twine in Cawker City. They are both just fun little diversions in our lives. And if we think about them that way, we will always keep them in the proper perspective.
There is only one thing that is of ultimate importance. That one thing is our relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul says to the Philippians, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” What he means by that is that nothing in this world compares to the value of knowing Jesus, because everything in this world is temporary. But Jesus can give us a life that is eternal.
So as I sit in my office this morning, moping about missing a baseball game, I am reminded that I already have the most important thing of all in my life. I have Jesus. And right behind my relationship with Jesus is my relationships with my beautiful wife and my family. And I serve a wonderful church, with people who are a great blessing to me. And I have a roof over my head and food on my table and a lot of things that many people around the world would consider luxuries.
I have nothing to be depressed about. I have everything to be thankful for. I just need to keep everything in its proper perspective. We all need to remember what is important and what is trivial. And we all need to remember that Jesus is the one thing that is most important. Jesus is the one who can give us eternal life. Paul urges us to put Jesus first in our lives, so that we may all “attain the resurrection from the dead.”
And when I get to heaven, I hope I meet a guy named Frank Stoeber. I want to shake his hand and then I want to ask him, “Why in the world did you start that ball of twine in 1953.” And one of the world’s great mysteries will be solved. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about when I wrote this devotion. It's sung by the man who wrote the melody, the great George Beverly Shea. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/oHg-o2eGzM4
Day 51 – Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Read Philippians 3:7-11 and Psalm 138
Theme Verse: Paul says, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8)
Today I’m thinking about a baseball game and a ball of twine. I’ll start with the baseball game.
I mentioned in one of my earlier devotions that our son Nathan was supposed to get married on April 25th. He and Camille both live in the Los Angeles area. Nate has been in California since 2011 and Camille grew up there. They were going to fly to Illinois for the wedding and I was going to perform the ceremony. There was going to be a reception here afterward.
Then, two weeks later, our immediate family was going to fly to California for a celebration with Camille’s extended family, since many of them were not going to be able to make the trip to Illinois. Our family was going to stay for a week and enjoy some time together in LA.
Of course, all of that got canceled because of the coronavirus. Nate and Camille got married in a civil ceremony on May 1st. I wrote about their wedding on that day. The Illinois church ceremony and reception have been rescheduled for September 18th. The California get-together is still up in the air.
And that brings me to the baseball game. One of the things that we were going to do in Los Angeles was go to a baseball game at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers were supposed to play the Cubs tonight (May 6th) at 7:10 p.m. (9:10 p.m. back here in Illinois). We bought our tickets in advance and we were looking forward to a fun night together.
But now, like everything else, the game is canceled. And I’m really bummed out about that. I even tortured myself by looking up the weather forecast for tonight. At 7:00 p.m., it will be 82 degrees in LA, with clear skies and 34% humidity. After the sun goes down, the temperature will drop to about 75 degrees. In other words, it will be a perfect night for baseball.
I was thinking about that this morning, and feeling a little depressed, and then I thought about the ball of twine. A couple of years ago, Lisa and I attended a family wedding in Omaha, Nebraska. The wedding was in early May and Lisa and I decided to take off a week early and do a little traveling before we arrived at the wedding.
We had some fun exploring Kansas and Nebraska for a few days. We ate barbeque in Kansas City. We visited the school building in Topeka, Kansas, that was at the center of the Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling. We went to the Eisenhower boyhood home and presidential museum in Abilene, Kansas. We also walked around the state capital buildings in Topeka and in Lincoln, Nebraska.
But the strangest thing that we saw on our trip was “The World’s Largest Ball of Sisal Twine.” I had read about it once and I knew that it was somewhere in Kansas. So we looked it up and found out that it was located in the little town of Cawker City (pop. 469), in the north central part of the state. So we just had to see it. Or, at least, I just had to see it. Lisa kind of rolled her eyes when I told her about it.
When we got to Cawker City, we found the ball of twine in the middle of a large white gazebo, in the center of town. There were benches all the way around the ball, so that you could sit and stare into the twine and contemplate the great mysteries of the universe. The most important mystery was, “Why would anyone create a gigantic ball of twine?”
As Lisa and I sat in the gazebo, lost in thought, I looked across the street and saw “The Ball of Twine Restaurant.” A few buildings down was “The Ball of Twine Gift Shop.” I slowly began to realize that the whole town was built around the giant ball of twine. It was really the only thing happening. And that was kind of sad.
But this morning, as I was thinking about the baseball game that I was missing, that ball of twine came to my mind. It made me think that, in the eternal scheme of things, a baseball game in Los Angeles is really no more important than a giant ball of twine in Cawker City. They are both just fun little diversions in our lives. And if we think about them that way, we will always keep them in the proper perspective.
There is only one thing that is of ultimate importance. That one thing is our relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul says to the Philippians, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” What he means by that is that nothing in this world compares to the value of knowing Jesus, because everything in this world is temporary. But Jesus can give us a life that is eternal.
So as I sit in my office this morning, moping about missing a baseball game, I am reminded that I already have the most important thing of all in my life. I have Jesus. And right behind my relationship with Jesus is my relationships with my beautiful wife and my family. And I serve a wonderful church, with people who are a great blessing to me. And I have a roof over my head and food on my table and a lot of things that many people around the world would consider luxuries.
I have nothing to be depressed about. I have everything to be thankful for. I just need to keep everything in its proper perspective. We all need to remember what is important and what is trivial. And we all need to remember that Jesus is the one thing that is most important. Jesus is the one who can give us eternal life. Paul urges us to put Jesus first in our lives, so that we may all “attain the resurrection from the dead.”
And when I get to heaven, I hope I meet a guy named Frank Stoeber. I want to shake his hand and then I want to ask him, “Why in the world did you start that ball of twine in 1953.” And one of the world’s great mysteries will be solved. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about when I wrote this devotion. It's sung by the man who wrote the melody, the great George Beverly Shea. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/oHg-o2eGzM4
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 50 – Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Read Matthew 11:28-30 and Psalm 91
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
When I was in my first church, the local funeral director was a man named Fred and he was a member of my congregation. From time to time he would call me and ask if I would do a funeral for a family that didn’t have any church affiliation. Unless I had something on my schedule that I couldn’t change, I always said, “Yes.”
One of the reasons that I always did those funerals was because Fred was a friend of mine. He was a very kind and generous man, who often donated his services if he knew that the family was not well off. He would ask me, “What’s the fee for your services?” I would tell him, “Fred, if you’re donating your time, then I will too.” So eventually, whenever he called about a funeral for a family that was in need, he would just say, “I’ll buy you a piece of pie on the way back from the cemetery.” And we had some great conversations over that pie.
Another reason that I always agreed to do those funerals was because I knew that they were great evangelistic opportunities. People who had no connection to a church had often drifted far away from God in their lives. It wasn’t that they were hostile toward God. They had just learned to live their lives without him. They had filled their days with other interests and activities and, over time, they had simply pushed God aside.
But a funeral changed all of that. When they lost a family member or a close friend, they were suddenly confronted with the reality of death. And they were suddenly aware of the gaping hole in their lives that could only be filled by Jesus Christ. And I always thought that, in a situation like that, a funeral was a great opportunity to share the gospel with people who might never hear it anywhere else in their lives.
So one day, Fred called me and said, “Can I buy you a piece of pie?” I said, “Sure. What’s the story?” He said, “This is a tough one. A guy named Mark, in his mid-40s, died in a bad motorcycle accident. He was a Vietnam vet and his girlfriend said that he had a lot of problems related to his time in the war. I don’t know how many will show up at the funeral.” I said, “Give me the details and I’ll be there.”
When I arrived at the funeral home to do the service, there were only a handful of people there. Mark’s girlfriend was there, with her kids from a previous relationship. One of his brothers was there as well, with his wife. And that was about it. There was an urn there, with Mark’s ashes in it. They had decided not to do a burial. The girlfriend was going to keep the ashes.
I didn’t know Mark at all. I just had a few details of his life from the obituary and from a brief conversation with his girlfriend. For the sermon, I used John 3:16 and I preached a simple gospel message. When I finished the service, the girlfriend came up to me and hugged me. She then invited me to come to the American Legion hall in a nearby small town. Some of his friends were going to meet there for a potluck lunch. I said, “Sure, I’ll see you there.” My pie with Fred would have to wait.
When I got to the Legion hall, I was stunned. The parking lot was filled with motorcycles. When I walked in the door, the place was packed. People were sitting and standing everywhere. They were hugging and crying and laughing and telling stories. I realized that Mark had been loved by a lot of people.
The girlfriend came to me and asked if I would say a prayer before the meal. So I tried to get everyone’s attention. But it was so loud that most of the people couldn’t hear me. Someone said, “Why don’t you stand on the table.” So I did! I stepped on a chair and then up onto the table. Someone let out a loud whistle and the noise came to an abrupt halt. I looked out over that crowd of people and I knew that I had to say more than just a table prayer.
So I said, “If you don’t mind, I want to share with you some of the things that I said at the funeral this morning.” Once again, I quoted John 3:16. Then I told that crowd of people that Jesus loved Mark very much, and that he also loved all of them, more than they could ever imagine. I told them that Jesus died on the cross for their sins and that he rose again on Easter Sunday so that he could offer them the gift of eternal life in heaven. I told them that the gift of heaven was theirs if they would simply believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
I ended by quoting Matthew 11:28. I told them, “Jesus says to you, ‘Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ And if you have something on your heart today, if you have questions about God, if you want to know more about what Jesus has done for you, please come and talk to me.” Then I said the table prayer and people began to line up for lunch.
But I never ate a bite that day. As soon as I stepped down from the table, someone asked if they could talk to me. I spoke with him for a few minutes. Then another person approached me. And then another and another and another. I was there for the next three hours. Eventually, people started taking down tables and stacking chairs, so the conversations came to an end.
That day, dozens of people told me that they wanted to get their lives back on track. They wanted to get right with God. I listened to their stories and prayed with them. Many said that they wanted to get back to church. So I told them that if they belonged to a church, they should just start going back. Start that very Sunday. And if they didn’t have a church, I invited them to come to the church where I was serving at the time. And several of them came. And a few of them kept coming. I ended up baptizing one of the men that I met that day.
That’s why I’ve always said “yes” to funerals of people who were not members of my church. I know that those funerals are opportunities to share the gospel. Sometimes I have encountered people who were cold and gruff toward me. But many more times I have met people who were hurting and didn’t know where to turn. They didn’t know who they could go to for help. And I knew that I had the answer!
Jesus says, “Come to me.” And I never get tired of sharing that message. I never get tired of leading people to Jesus. I know that the one who gives rest to my soul can do the same for others. He can take them from the depths of despair and raise them up on the wings of eagles. I have seen it happen. I saw it happen that day. And I had a great story to tell Fred the next time he took me out for a piece of pie. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/MvpjxfWrjzY
Day 50 – Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Read Matthew 11:28-30 and Psalm 91
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
When I was in my first church, the local funeral director was a man named Fred and he was a member of my congregation. From time to time he would call me and ask if I would do a funeral for a family that didn’t have any church affiliation. Unless I had something on my schedule that I couldn’t change, I always said, “Yes.”
One of the reasons that I always did those funerals was because Fred was a friend of mine. He was a very kind and generous man, who often donated his services if he knew that the family was not well off. He would ask me, “What’s the fee for your services?” I would tell him, “Fred, if you’re donating your time, then I will too.” So eventually, whenever he called about a funeral for a family that was in need, he would just say, “I’ll buy you a piece of pie on the way back from the cemetery.” And we had some great conversations over that pie.
Another reason that I always agreed to do those funerals was because I knew that they were great evangelistic opportunities. People who had no connection to a church had often drifted far away from God in their lives. It wasn’t that they were hostile toward God. They had just learned to live their lives without him. They had filled their days with other interests and activities and, over time, they had simply pushed God aside.
But a funeral changed all of that. When they lost a family member or a close friend, they were suddenly confronted with the reality of death. And they were suddenly aware of the gaping hole in their lives that could only be filled by Jesus Christ. And I always thought that, in a situation like that, a funeral was a great opportunity to share the gospel with people who might never hear it anywhere else in their lives.
So one day, Fred called me and said, “Can I buy you a piece of pie?” I said, “Sure. What’s the story?” He said, “This is a tough one. A guy named Mark, in his mid-40s, died in a bad motorcycle accident. He was a Vietnam vet and his girlfriend said that he had a lot of problems related to his time in the war. I don’t know how many will show up at the funeral.” I said, “Give me the details and I’ll be there.”
When I arrived at the funeral home to do the service, there were only a handful of people there. Mark’s girlfriend was there, with her kids from a previous relationship. One of his brothers was there as well, with his wife. And that was about it. There was an urn there, with Mark’s ashes in it. They had decided not to do a burial. The girlfriend was going to keep the ashes.
I didn’t know Mark at all. I just had a few details of his life from the obituary and from a brief conversation with his girlfriend. For the sermon, I used John 3:16 and I preached a simple gospel message. When I finished the service, the girlfriend came up to me and hugged me. She then invited me to come to the American Legion hall in a nearby small town. Some of his friends were going to meet there for a potluck lunch. I said, “Sure, I’ll see you there.” My pie with Fred would have to wait.
When I got to the Legion hall, I was stunned. The parking lot was filled with motorcycles. When I walked in the door, the place was packed. People were sitting and standing everywhere. They were hugging and crying and laughing and telling stories. I realized that Mark had been loved by a lot of people.
The girlfriend came to me and asked if I would say a prayer before the meal. So I tried to get everyone’s attention. But it was so loud that most of the people couldn’t hear me. Someone said, “Why don’t you stand on the table.” So I did! I stepped on a chair and then up onto the table. Someone let out a loud whistle and the noise came to an abrupt halt. I looked out over that crowd of people and I knew that I had to say more than just a table prayer.
So I said, “If you don’t mind, I want to share with you some of the things that I said at the funeral this morning.” Once again, I quoted John 3:16. Then I told that crowd of people that Jesus loved Mark very much, and that he also loved all of them, more than they could ever imagine. I told them that Jesus died on the cross for their sins and that he rose again on Easter Sunday so that he could offer them the gift of eternal life in heaven. I told them that the gift of heaven was theirs if they would simply believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
I ended by quoting Matthew 11:28. I told them, “Jesus says to you, ‘Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ And if you have something on your heart today, if you have questions about God, if you want to know more about what Jesus has done for you, please come and talk to me.” Then I said the table prayer and people began to line up for lunch.
But I never ate a bite that day. As soon as I stepped down from the table, someone asked if they could talk to me. I spoke with him for a few minutes. Then another person approached me. And then another and another and another. I was there for the next three hours. Eventually, people started taking down tables and stacking chairs, so the conversations came to an end.
That day, dozens of people told me that they wanted to get their lives back on track. They wanted to get right with God. I listened to their stories and prayed with them. Many said that they wanted to get back to church. So I told them that if they belonged to a church, they should just start going back. Start that very Sunday. And if they didn’t have a church, I invited them to come to the church where I was serving at the time. And several of them came. And a few of them kept coming. I ended up baptizing one of the men that I met that day.
That’s why I’ve always said “yes” to funerals of people who were not members of my church. I know that those funerals are opportunities to share the gospel. Sometimes I have encountered people who were cold and gruff toward me. But many more times I have met people who were hurting and didn’t know where to turn. They didn’t know who they could go to for help. And I knew that I had the answer!
Jesus says, “Come to me.” And I never get tired of sharing that message. I never get tired of leading people to Jesus. I know that the one who gives rest to my soul can do the same for others. He can take them from the depths of despair and raise them up on the wings of eagles. I have seen it happen. I saw it happen that day. And I had a great story to tell Fred the next time he took me out for a piece of pie. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/MvpjxfWrjzY
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)*
Day 49 – Monday, May 4, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read 1 Peter 5:6-11
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:7-8)
The first summer we sailed out of Michigan City, we went looking for the nautical chart for these new waters. As we looked through the rack of charts and maps, the clerk spoke with us. “I’ve been sailing and motoring out on that lake for 30 some years and I’ve found one rule that always works for me. If you see a big, dark blue cloud on the western horizon, go home. Now. That fast moving storm line might be the worst thing you ever experience.” Over the last eight years I’ve appreciated his advice – especially after having it reinforced by hard experience. The first time we saw that cloud, I thought we’d have plenty of time to run back to the harbor. Simple math said that with the storm front 40 miles away, moving at 20 miles per hour, coming at a boat 3 miles from home, moving away at 4 miles per hour, we should be tied up in the harbor with an hour to spare. Except the storm accelerated to 60 miles per hour when it hit the lake. The wind-whipped waves had our boat bouncing and rocking as we headed into our harbor. A year later a storm line came over the harbor while we sat and watched. Suddenly, lightning struck the boat next to ours and a blue spark danced down the cables from mast top to waterline. The entire electrical system was fried. Those folks quit sailing and sold the boat that fall. Being slow to learn, I underestimated that dark cloud a few years later. I had tied up the boat, but putting a meal before safety, I wound up furling sails and buttoning up the canvas while lightning flashed overhead and a hard, cold rain soaked my back.
I still find that lake beautiful and awesome. I love the sun and fresh air, the sound of passing waves lapping against the hull, and the total relaxation of smooth sailing. I enjoy the challenges of handling the boat in breezier conditions, learning to work well with my sailing partner, and the times we dock smoothly. But for all the positives of sailing, for all the love I have of Lake Michigan, there is a hard truth I live with. The lake can have a real mean streak, and not taking that seriously has cost lives and sunk boats. So when I see a newbie on the dock, I ask if they’d mind some friendly advice – and I tell them to watch for any line of dark blue clouds on the western horizon.
There is a part of living in this creation that is not all sunshine and smooth sailing. Living in this world involves some difficult and terrifying moments. Spending a lifetime in the midsection of this country, I have seen how capriciously a tornado can rip through one community while a neighboring town is untouched. After the hard work of planting and tending a crop, a hailstorm can flatten it in an instant. I have seen innocent children meet a sudden, accidental death. Drugs intended for healing have destroyed lives and families. Now a virus has caused a pandemic of illness, suffering, and death. The line of dark blue clouds has overtaken us. And we ask some serious questions about why this happens.
First, we need to take an honest look at the horizon and speak truthfully about what is out there. Ever since the man and the woman listened to the serpent, humanity has thought it might know better than God. You can catch the details in Genesis 3. But in one sinful act (eating the forbidden fruit), sin broke into the world, and sin has broken the world ever since. We no longer live in a perfect paradise. Once sin was loose in the Garden, the perfect couple began blaming each other and hiding from God. Food will come as we sweat and labor to bring it from the earth. We’ll want future generations, but they will come at a painful and high cost. Humanity now lives east of the Garden, in a creation that no longer works as originally intended. Until sinfulness is eliminated, we live in a world where lines of dark blue clouds come at us.
Second, we need to understand the forces that can sink us. Take a close look at 1 Peter 5:8. “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Most western, scientific, technical minds just don’t want to hear that. We’ll talk about humanity’s role in an event, or speak of God’s sovereignty as if we and the Lord were the only two agents at work in the cosmos. Being scientific and rational, the concept of the devil as a living adversary seems primitive to us. The image of a prowling, predatory being out there is more the stuff of a Stephen King novel that a theological discussion. But if we fail to acknowledge existence of an evil adversary, we will be like the sailor who never scans the western horizon. We won’t sense the seductive presence Jesus experienced in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11), nor the despairing presence Christ found in Holy Week (Luke 22:3, 31). The nature of the evil one is to seduce us from God, cause us to betray our faith, and to lead us from hope to fear and despair. And he will keep at us until Christ’s reigns completely at the end of all time (Revelation 20:10). Until that time, this evil one is a spiritual force to beware of – sowing doubt, fear, deceit, despair, harm, and confusion.
Third, (but not last), Peter reminds us that our primary focus in critical times is the nature of God. As Peter tells us, we can cast all our anxiety on God, for he cares for us. The overarching nature of God is to care for us. It is God’s strange work to sometimes be hard on us, or work in ways we cannot understand. But like a loving parent, the tough love leads to a caring result. Those many times I do not fully understand what God is up to may find a redemptive answer in the near future – or at a point beyond my time on this earth. But even as Job confesses to God, “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.” (Job 42:3b) I do not ever in this life fully know what God is up to. But I do know that God cares for me. I know that Jesus battled sin, death, and the evil one for me, and has risen to new life in victory. I know that God continues to redeem suffering with hope and brokenness with healing. I know when the line of dark blue clouds form on any horizon, God cares for me and will bring me to safe harbor.
During his lifetime, the reformer Martin Luther experienced the plague, insurrection, assassination attempts, political turmoil, persecution, and the threat of an Islamic invasion of Vienna in neighboring Austria. Through all that threatened, Luther kept turning to the hope given in God’s Word and in continuing prayer. As you consider your journey in Christ this day, listen to this song by Martin Luther.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teI3ayeBxX0
Day 49 – Monday, May 4, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read 1 Peter 5:6-11
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:7-8)
The first summer we sailed out of Michigan City, we went looking for the nautical chart for these new waters. As we looked through the rack of charts and maps, the clerk spoke with us. “I’ve been sailing and motoring out on that lake for 30 some years and I’ve found one rule that always works for me. If you see a big, dark blue cloud on the western horizon, go home. Now. That fast moving storm line might be the worst thing you ever experience.” Over the last eight years I’ve appreciated his advice – especially after having it reinforced by hard experience. The first time we saw that cloud, I thought we’d have plenty of time to run back to the harbor. Simple math said that with the storm front 40 miles away, moving at 20 miles per hour, coming at a boat 3 miles from home, moving away at 4 miles per hour, we should be tied up in the harbor with an hour to spare. Except the storm accelerated to 60 miles per hour when it hit the lake. The wind-whipped waves had our boat bouncing and rocking as we headed into our harbor. A year later a storm line came over the harbor while we sat and watched. Suddenly, lightning struck the boat next to ours and a blue spark danced down the cables from mast top to waterline. The entire electrical system was fried. Those folks quit sailing and sold the boat that fall. Being slow to learn, I underestimated that dark cloud a few years later. I had tied up the boat, but putting a meal before safety, I wound up furling sails and buttoning up the canvas while lightning flashed overhead and a hard, cold rain soaked my back.
I still find that lake beautiful and awesome. I love the sun and fresh air, the sound of passing waves lapping against the hull, and the total relaxation of smooth sailing. I enjoy the challenges of handling the boat in breezier conditions, learning to work well with my sailing partner, and the times we dock smoothly. But for all the positives of sailing, for all the love I have of Lake Michigan, there is a hard truth I live with. The lake can have a real mean streak, and not taking that seriously has cost lives and sunk boats. So when I see a newbie on the dock, I ask if they’d mind some friendly advice – and I tell them to watch for any line of dark blue clouds on the western horizon.
There is a part of living in this creation that is not all sunshine and smooth sailing. Living in this world involves some difficult and terrifying moments. Spending a lifetime in the midsection of this country, I have seen how capriciously a tornado can rip through one community while a neighboring town is untouched. After the hard work of planting and tending a crop, a hailstorm can flatten it in an instant. I have seen innocent children meet a sudden, accidental death. Drugs intended for healing have destroyed lives and families. Now a virus has caused a pandemic of illness, suffering, and death. The line of dark blue clouds has overtaken us. And we ask some serious questions about why this happens.
First, we need to take an honest look at the horizon and speak truthfully about what is out there. Ever since the man and the woman listened to the serpent, humanity has thought it might know better than God. You can catch the details in Genesis 3. But in one sinful act (eating the forbidden fruit), sin broke into the world, and sin has broken the world ever since. We no longer live in a perfect paradise. Once sin was loose in the Garden, the perfect couple began blaming each other and hiding from God. Food will come as we sweat and labor to bring it from the earth. We’ll want future generations, but they will come at a painful and high cost. Humanity now lives east of the Garden, in a creation that no longer works as originally intended. Until sinfulness is eliminated, we live in a world where lines of dark blue clouds come at us.
Second, we need to understand the forces that can sink us. Take a close look at 1 Peter 5:8. “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” Most western, scientific, technical minds just don’t want to hear that. We’ll talk about humanity’s role in an event, or speak of God’s sovereignty as if we and the Lord were the only two agents at work in the cosmos. Being scientific and rational, the concept of the devil as a living adversary seems primitive to us. The image of a prowling, predatory being out there is more the stuff of a Stephen King novel that a theological discussion. But if we fail to acknowledge existence of an evil adversary, we will be like the sailor who never scans the western horizon. We won’t sense the seductive presence Jesus experienced in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11), nor the despairing presence Christ found in Holy Week (Luke 22:3, 31). The nature of the evil one is to seduce us from God, cause us to betray our faith, and to lead us from hope to fear and despair. And he will keep at us until Christ’s reigns completely at the end of all time (Revelation 20:10). Until that time, this evil one is a spiritual force to beware of – sowing doubt, fear, deceit, despair, harm, and confusion.
Third, (but not last), Peter reminds us that our primary focus in critical times is the nature of God. As Peter tells us, we can cast all our anxiety on God, for he cares for us. The overarching nature of God is to care for us. It is God’s strange work to sometimes be hard on us, or work in ways we cannot understand. But like a loving parent, the tough love leads to a caring result. Those many times I do not fully understand what God is up to may find a redemptive answer in the near future – or at a point beyond my time on this earth. But even as Job confesses to God, “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.” (Job 42:3b) I do not ever in this life fully know what God is up to. But I do know that God cares for me. I know that Jesus battled sin, death, and the evil one for me, and has risen to new life in victory. I know that God continues to redeem suffering with hope and brokenness with healing. I know when the line of dark blue clouds form on any horizon, God cares for me and will bring me to safe harbor.
During his lifetime, the reformer Martin Luther experienced the plague, insurrection, assassination attempts, political turmoil, persecution, and the threat of an Islamic invasion of Vienna in neighboring Austria. Through all that threatened, Luther kept turning to the hope given in God’s Word and in continuing prayer. As you consider your journey in Christ this day, listen to this song by Martin Luther.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teI3ayeBxX0
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 48 – Sunday, May 3, 2020
Read John 10:1-6 and Psalm 29
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “He who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep…The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” (John 10:2-3)
When I was studying in Israel, in 1981, I visited the city of Bethlehem on two different occasions. The first time was with the whole group that I was traveling with and studying with that summer. We took a bus there and had a guided tour of the Church of the Nativity, built over the traditional site of the birth of Jesus.
But the second time that I went was with three other guys that I became close to that summer. We had a free afternoon one day and we decided to go back to Bethlehem and explore the town on our own. Bethlehem is only about six miles south of Jerusalem, where we were staying. So we decided to split the cost of a taxi, which was only about a dollar and a half per person, each way.
We went back to the Church of the Nativity for another look. We also checked out some of the shops, where we bought some handmade olivewood Christmas ornaments. But another thing that we decided to do was to visit the shepherds’ fields east of the town. These were the fields where the shepherds would have been watching their sheep on the first Christmas Eve, when they were visited by a chorus of angels, announcing the birth of Jesus. And they are still used by Palestinian shepherds today.
The fields were only about two or three miles outside of town, so we decided to walk. We were walking at a pretty good pace and we eventually came up behind a large flock of sheep, with five young Palestinian boys leading them. We slowed down and watched as the shepherd boys carefully kept the sheep on the dirt road and prevented them from wandering away.
Eventually, we came to a spot where another dirt road veered off to the right. One of the shepherd boys stopped at the intersection and shouted something toward the sheep in Arabic. Suddenly, heads popped up in different parts of the flock. The sheep who had responded then started making their way through the whole flock to get to their shepherd. He then led them away down the other road.
We learned a lesson in shepherding that day. We learned that sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd and, when they hear it, they follow. That was exactly the image that Jesus was using when he talked about his own followers in the tenth chapter of the Gospel of John. Jesus was nearing the end of his time on this earth. The cross was very near. He had been preaching and teaching in Galilee and Judea for the past three years.
Large crowds had been following Jesus everywhere that he went. But many of them were not true believers. Many of them followed because they hoped to see a miracle. Many of them followed because they thought that he was going to lead a political uprising against Rome and establish a new kingdom of Israel. Still others followed because they were sure that he was a false prophet, and they wanted to catch him in some illegal action or some violation of the traditions taught by the scribes and Pharisees. How would Jesus ever be able to tell the difference between the true believers and the pretenders?
But Jesus knew the difference. He knew that the true believers were the ones who responded to the sound of his voice. Jesus was the Good Shepherd. And when the Good Shepherd calls, his true sheep respond. He said, “The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”
Back in the 1980’s and 90’s there was a new church phenomenon. It was called the “megachurch” movement. The idea was to create a church model that would attract a large number of people. They wanted to appeal to those who felt that there was something missing in their lives, but who had been turned off by the trappings of traditional churches. They called these people “seekers.”
These new “seeker sensitive” churches welcomed people into beautiful auditoriums that did not look anything like the inside of a church. They had polished musicians playing upbeat worship music. They had the latest in audio and video technology. There was virtually no “audience” participation, because surveys told them that most seekers did not want to feel pressured to do anything. They just wanted to sit and listen.
Surveys had also told them that many seekers viewed the bloody death of Jesus on the cross as a negative, confusing image. So most megachurches did not have crosses displayed anywhere in the worship space. And they learned from those same surveys that people preferred sermons that taught them practical life lessons, rather than deep Biblical truths.
For a while, the megachurches were wildly successful, and some of them are still going strong. But some of them began to wonder if they had simply created giant social gatherings rather than true churches of Jesus Christ.
In 2004, one of the most successful of the megachurches, Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, did an extensive self-study, kind of a “state of the church” survey. What they found astounded them. They discovered that many people at Willow Creek felt that their spiritual growth was stalled. They had thousands of people involved in hundreds of church activities. But lead pastor Bill Hybels said they were learning from their study that, “church activity alone made no direct impact on growing the heart.”
In the congregational surveys, people were begging for “more challenge and depth from the worship services” and “more in-depth Bible teaching.” Hybels admitted that they may have created a church that was “a mile wide, but only an inch deep.” And what was the answer to this very serious problem? Hybels and the leaders of Willow Creek felt that it was important to bring more Biblical teaching into their worship services and get as many people as possible involved in Bible Study.
In other words, they wanted people to hear the voice of Jesus. They didn’t just want to draw large crowds. They wanted to make disciples. They wanted their people to become followers of Jesus. And that is the true mission of every church, from the modern megachurch in the suburbs to the traditional little church in the country. Churches grow when they hear the voice of Jesus. And I’m not talking about numerical growth. I’m talking about spiritual growth. Although, I believe that if the members of a church grow spiritually, their passionate faith will attract others, and the church attendance will grow organically, without a grand strategy.
So how do we make sure that we are hearing the voice of Jesus in our churches? We do that by building our worship around the Word of God. We do that by getting more of our people involved in Sunday school classes and Bible studies. We do that by getting more of our people to read the Bible and pray in our homes. I’ve always said that Worship, Bible Study, and Prayer are the three most important things that happen in any church, of any size. Where these three are strong, the church is strong. Because it is through these three things that we hear the voice of Jesus, our Good Shepherd. Amen and Amen.
https://youtu.be/w572Nk__-34
Day 48 – Sunday, May 3, 2020
Read John 10:1-6 and Psalm 29
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “He who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep…The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” (John 10:2-3)
When I was studying in Israel, in 1981, I visited the city of Bethlehem on two different occasions. The first time was with the whole group that I was traveling with and studying with that summer. We took a bus there and had a guided tour of the Church of the Nativity, built over the traditional site of the birth of Jesus.
But the second time that I went was with three other guys that I became close to that summer. We had a free afternoon one day and we decided to go back to Bethlehem and explore the town on our own. Bethlehem is only about six miles south of Jerusalem, where we were staying. So we decided to split the cost of a taxi, which was only about a dollar and a half per person, each way.
We went back to the Church of the Nativity for another look. We also checked out some of the shops, where we bought some handmade olivewood Christmas ornaments. But another thing that we decided to do was to visit the shepherds’ fields east of the town. These were the fields where the shepherds would have been watching their sheep on the first Christmas Eve, when they were visited by a chorus of angels, announcing the birth of Jesus. And they are still used by Palestinian shepherds today.
The fields were only about two or three miles outside of town, so we decided to walk. We were walking at a pretty good pace and we eventually came up behind a large flock of sheep, with five young Palestinian boys leading them. We slowed down and watched as the shepherd boys carefully kept the sheep on the dirt road and prevented them from wandering away.
Eventually, we came to a spot where another dirt road veered off to the right. One of the shepherd boys stopped at the intersection and shouted something toward the sheep in Arabic. Suddenly, heads popped up in different parts of the flock. The sheep who had responded then started making their way through the whole flock to get to their shepherd. He then led them away down the other road.
We learned a lesson in shepherding that day. We learned that sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd and, when they hear it, they follow. That was exactly the image that Jesus was using when he talked about his own followers in the tenth chapter of the Gospel of John. Jesus was nearing the end of his time on this earth. The cross was very near. He had been preaching and teaching in Galilee and Judea for the past three years.
Large crowds had been following Jesus everywhere that he went. But many of them were not true believers. Many of them followed because they hoped to see a miracle. Many of them followed because they thought that he was going to lead a political uprising against Rome and establish a new kingdom of Israel. Still others followed because they were sure that he was a false prophet, and they wanted to catch him in some illegal action or some violation of the traditions taught by the scribes and Pharisees. How would Jesus ever be able to tell the difference between the true believers and the pretenders?
But Jesus knew the difference. He knew that the true believers were the ones who responded to the sound of his voice. Jesus was the Good Shepherd. And when the Good Shepherd calls, his true sheep respond. He said, “The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”
Back in the 1980’s and 90’s there was a new church phenomenon. It was called the “megachurch” movement. The idea was to create a church model that would attract a large number of people. They wanted to appeal to those who felt that there was something missing in their lives, but who had been turned off by the trappings of traditional churches. They called these people “seekers.”
These new “seeker sensitive” churches welcomed people into beautiful auditoriums that did not look anything like the inside of a church. They had polished musicians playing upbeat worship music. They had the latest in audio and video technology. There was virtually no “audience” participation, because surveys told them that most seekers did not want to feel pressured to do anything. They just wanted to sit and listen.
Surveys had also told them that many seekers viewed the bloody death of Jesus on the cross as a negative, confusing image. So most megachurches did not have crosses displayed anywhere in the worship space. And they learned from those same surveys that people preferred sermons that taught them practical life lessons, rather than deep Biblical truths.
For a while, the megachurches were wildly successful, and some of them are still going strong. But some of them began to wonder if they had simply created giant social gatherings rather than true churches of Jesus Christ.
In 2004, one of the most successful of the megachurches, Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, did an extensive self-study, kind of a “state of the church” survey. What they found astounded them. They discovered that many people at Willow Creek felt that their spiritual growth was stalled. They had thousands of people involved in hundreds of church activities. But lead pastor Bill Hybels said they were learning from their study that, “church activity alone made no direct impact on growing the heart.”
In the congregational surveys, people were begging for “more challenge and depth from the worship services” and “more in-depth Bible teaching.” Hybels admitted that they may have created a church that was “a mile wide, but only an inch deep.” And what was the answer to this very serious problem? Hybels and the leaders of Willow Creek felt that it was important to bring more Biblical teaching into their worship services and get as many people as possible involved in Bible Study.
In other words, they wanted people to hear the voice of Jesus. They didn’t just want to draw large crowds. They wanted to make disciples. They wanted their people to become followers of Jesus. And that is the true mission of every church, from the modern megachurch in the suburbs to the traditional little church in the country. Churches grow when they hear the voice of Jesus. And I’m not talking about numerical growth. I’m talking about spiritual growth. Although, I believe that if the members of a church grow spiritually, their passionate faith will attract others, and the church attendance will grow organically, without a grand strategy.
So how do we make sure that we are hearing the voice of Jesus in our churches? We do that by building our worship around the Word of God. We do that by getting more of our people involved in Sunday school classes and Bible studies. We do that by getting more of our people to read the Bible and pray in our homes. I’ve always said that Worship, Bible Study, and Prayer are the three most important things that happen in any church, of any size. Where these three are strong, the church is strong. Because it is through these three things that we hear the voice of Jesus, our Good Shepherd. Amen and Amen.
https://youtu.be/w572Nk__-34
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 47 – Saturday, May 2, 2020
Read Hebrews 13:7-16 and Joel 2:28-32
Theme Verse: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)
Last October, Lisa and I went to see Bob Dylan in concert at Braden Auditorium, on the campus of Illinois State University. Bob Dylan is one of the greatest singer/songwriters of the last sixty years. I’ve always liked his music. He had lots of big hits in the 60’s, like "Blowin’ In The Wind," "The Times, They Are a-Changin’," "Mr. Tambourine Man," and "Like A Rolling Stone." In the 70’s he had great songs like, "Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door," and "Tangled Up In Blue."
Then, in the late 70’s, Dylan had a spiritual experience. He had been raised in a Jewish home (his real name is Robert Zimmerman), but he had never been particularly spiritual. That all changed in 1978 in a hotel room in Tucson, Arizona. Dylan said that he felt “a presence in the room that couldn’t have been anybody but Jesus.” He said, “The glory of the Lord knocked me down and picked me up.”
Over the next few years, Dylan released several Christian albums. I remember sitting in a dorm room with several other guys during my freshman year of college and listening to his album "Slow Train Coming." It was almost surreal to hear him sing a song like "Gotta Serve Somebody," with lyrics like, “Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.” His next album was even more explicitly Christian, with songs like "Solid Rock" and "Saved."
But, alas, his conversion to Christianity didn’t last. He went back to Judaism in the mid-80’s, although he has become a much more faithful, observant Jew than he was before his Christian phase. I haven’t paid as much attention to his music over the last thirty years, although I have heard his songs pop up on the radio once in a while and I’ve seen him perform on some television specials.
When Lisa and I were heading to the concert in Bloomington, I didn’t know what to expect. Would he play a lot of the older stuff that I knew so well? Or would he mostly play his newer stuff that I was less familiar with? And what would his voice sound like? Dylan was never known for having a great voice in the first place. That’s why so many of his songs have been made into hits by other people (Peter, Paul, & Mary, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, Olivia Newton-John, Eric Clapton, Manfred Mann, and even Garth Brooks!).
So we were prepared for Dylan’s voice to be a little rough. After all, the boy from Hibbing, Minnesota was now seventy-eight years old. But it was a lot worse than we expected. He was really straining to hit the notes and there was very little melody left in his voice. For many of the songs, we only recognized them because of the music being played by his very good backup band. We still enjoyed the concert. But it was a reminder to us that Bob was getting older, and so were we.
Bob Dylan has gone through so many changes in his life. He has experimented with different musical styles. He has changed his appearance many times over. He has explored different spiritual paths. And now he is clearly showing his age. That’s the way it is with all human beings. That’s the way it is with the whole physical world. As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, many centuries ago, “Change is the only constant in life.”
But you and I know that there is one thing in our lives that never changes. Actually, that “one thing” is a person. The writer of Hebrews says that, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” He was telling the early Christians, many of who grew up in the Jewish faith, that Jesus has always been their Lord, even when they did not know him by name.
John’s Gospel tells us that Jesus, the Son, has been God for all eternity. He is one of the three persons, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, who together are the one God who has been worshiped by the true believers since the creation of the world. Even when he was on this earth in a human body, Jesus was still God.
When Jesus died on the cross, he had the power to rise again because he was God. And now, he sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven. He is the victorious Son of God who will come again someday. He will complete the destruction of Satan and all the forces of evil. He will take his faithful believers to heaven, to live with him for all eternity. And he will do all of this because he loves us. He will save all those who will acknowledge him and put their faith and trust in him.
Some people will try to tell you that the Jesus of the Bible has changed. They will have new interpretations of him and new ideas about him. But the writer of Hebrews says, “Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace.” Remember that Jesus loves you. He always has. Remember that Jesus died for you. He sacrificed his life for your sins. Remember that Jesus rose again. And he wants you to live forever with him in heaven. Those truths will never change.
Bob Dylan has changed a lot over the years. But “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” And deep down in his heart, I wonder if Bob Dylan still knows that. At the concert that Lisa and I attended, the last song that Dylan sang before the encore was a blast from the past. He sang "Gotta Serve Somebody." I believe that Jesus is still working on Bob Dylan’s heart. And I hope that I will see him in heaven someday. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that came to mind as I wrote this song. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/tikF2Wg7vlI
Day 47 – Saturday, May 2, 2020
Read Hebrews 13:7-16 and Joel 2:28-32
Theme Verse: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)
Last October, Lisa and I went to see Bob Dylan in concert at Braden Auditorium, on the campus of Illinois State University. Bob Dylan is one of the greatest singer/songwriters of the last sixty years. I’ve always liked his music. He had lots of big hits in the 60’s, like "Blowin’ In The Wind," "The Times, They Are a-Changin’," "Mr. Tambourine Man," and "Like A Rolling Stone." In the 70’s he had great songs like, "Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door," and "Tangled Up In Blue."
Then, in the late 70’s, Dylan had a spiritual experience. He had been raised in a Jewish home (his real name is Robert Zimmerman), but he had never been particularly spiritual. That all changed in 1978 in a hotel room in Tucson, Arizona. Dylan said that he felt “a presence in the room that couldn’t have been anybody but Jesus.” He said, “The glory of the Lord knocked me down and picked me up.”
Over the next few years, Dylan released several Christian albums. I remember sitting in a dorm room with several other guys during my freshman year of college and listening to his album "Slow Train Coming." It was almost surreal to hear him sing a song like "Gotta Serve Somebody," with lyrics like, “Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.” His next album was even more explicitly Christian, with songs like "Solid Rock" and "Saved."
But, alas, his conversion to Christianity didn’t last. He went back to Judaism in the mid-80’s, although he has become a much more faithful, observant Jew than he was before his Christian phase. I haven’t paid as much attention to his music over the last thirty years, although I have heard his songs pop up on the radio once in a while and I’ve seen him perform on some television specials.
When Lisa and I were heading to the concert in Bloomington, I didn’t know what to expect. Would he play a lot of the older stuff that I knew so well? Or would he mostly play his newer stuff that I was less familiar with? And what would his voice sound like? Dylan was never known for having a great voice in the first place. That’s why so many of his songs have been made into hits by other people (Peter, Paul, & Mary, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix, George Harrison, Olivia Newton-John, Eric Clapton, Manfred Mann, and even Garth Brooks!).
So we were prepared for Dylan’s voice to be a little rough. After all, the boy from Hibbing, Minnesota was now seventy-eight years old. But it was a lot worse than we expected. He was really straining to hit the notes and there was very little melody left in his voice. For many of the songs, we only recognized them because of the music being played by his very good backup band. We still enjoyed the concert. But it was a reminder to us that Bob was getting older, and so were we.
Bob Dylan has gone through so many changes in his life. He has experimented with different musical styles. He has changed his appearance many times over. He has explored different spiritual paths. And now he is clearly showing his age. That’s the way it is with all human beings. That’s the way it is with the whole physical world. As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, many centuries ago, “Change is the only constant in life.”
But you and I know that there is one thing in our lives that never changes. Actually, that “one thing” is a person. The writer of Hebrews says that, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” He was telling the early Christians, many of who grew up in the Jewish faith, that Jesus has always been their Lord, even when they did not know him by name.
John’s Gospel tells us that Jesus, the Son, has been God for all eternity. He is one of the three persons, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, who together are the one God who has been worshiped by the true believers since the creation of the world. Even when he was on this earth in a human body, Jesus was still God.
When Jesus died on the cross, he had the power to rise again because he was God. And now, he sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven. He is the victorious Son of God who will come again someday. He will complete the destruction of Satan and all the forces of evil. He will take his faithful believers to heaven, to live with him for all eternity. And he will do all of this because he loves us. He will save all those who will acknowledge him and put their faith and trust in him.
Some people will try to tell you that the Jesus of the Bible has changed. They will have new interpretations of him and new ideas about him. But the writer of Hebrews says, “Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace.” Remember that Jesus loves you. He always has. Remember that Jesus died for you. He sacrificed his life for your sins. Remember that Jesus rose again. And he wants you to live forever with him in heaven. Those truths will never change.
Bob Dylan has changed a lot over the years. But “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” And deep down in his heart, I wonder if Bob Dylan still knows that. At the concert that Lisa and I attended, the last song that Dylan sang before the encore was a blast from the past. He sang "Gotta Serve Somebody." I believe that Jesus is still working on Bob Dylan’s heart. And I hope that I will see him in heaven someday. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that came to mind as I wrote this song. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/tikF2Wg7vlI
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 46 – Friday, May 1, 2020
Read Mark 10:1-9, John 14:25-27, and Psalm 127
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Mark 10:9)
Our son Nathan is getting married today! He and his fiancé Camille live in southern California. Camille lives in Van Nuys and Nate has an apartment near the ocean in Santa Monica. They were supposed to get married at our home church in Newark, Illinois, on April 25th. Then two weeks later, our immediate family was going to fly to California where there would be a second reception for Camille’s extended family.
But, of course, things don’t always work out as planned. When the COVID-19 shelter order was extended to the end of April (and now to the end of May!), they had to postpone the ceremony and both of the receptions. The Illinois ceremony and reception have now been rescheduled for September 18th. The California reception will be held in April of 2021. We hope.
But since they had planned to be married this spring, they decided to go ahead and get married in a civil ceremony as soon as they could. That way they could get their housing and insurance and other things worked out as they had intended. They could start their married life together, quarantined in Santa Monica, and we would do the religious ceremony in September. Both sides of the family gave their blessing and encouragement to the plan.
There was only one problem. How do you get married when the Los Angeles County courthouse is closed? During the shutdown they haven’t issued any marriage licenses and they haven’t given any indication of when they will start up again. Nate and Camille were going to have to wait. But then they heard that Orange County, just to the south, was going to start issuing licenses and doing civil ceremonies. So they decided to check it out.
They went online and filled out an application and paid a fee. Then they waited. A few days later, they got an email telling them that they had an appointment for a civil ceremony on Friday, May 1st, at 1:20 p.m. (3:20 p.m. Central Time). And they got instructions about what they were supposed to do.
They were to drive to Anaheim on the day of their ceremony and pull into the parking lot of the Honda Center (home of the Anaheim Ducks hockey team). At 1:20 p.m., they were to drive up to a booth, where the officiant would be behind a glass barrier. They were to show him their identification and then he would do the brief ceremony and they would be married. It’s a drive through wedding!
So if you’re reading this after 3:20 p.m. Central Time, on Friday, May 1st, Nathan and Camille are now officially Mr. and Mrs. Shields! And they have a crazy story to tell their children and grandchildren (“Hey kids, we got married in a parking lot during a pandemic!”). But you know what? That’s okay. The important thing is that they are making a commitment to each other. They are making vows to each other. They are pledging before God and man that they will love and honor each other, and be faithful to each other, until death parts them in this world. And that’s a powerful promise.
When Jesus was questioned about the sanctity of marriage in the tenth chapter of the Gospel of Mark, he went all the way back to creation for his answer. He said, “From the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
Of course, there are forces in this world which will try to tear their union apart. It is not an easy thing for two people to live in an intimate relationship with each other. And we live in a culture that does not encourage husbands and wives to stay together. The world says, “Stay married as long as you are both happy. Stay married as long as your feelings for each other don’t change. Stay married unless someone else catches your eye.”
But Jesus says, “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” Feelings will go up and down in a marriage. There will be moments when both the husband and the wife will feel happy. There will be other moments when one or both will be unhappy. There will be moments when they will both feel more in love than they did on their wedding day. There will be other moments when they will not feel very much in love at all.
The two things that will hold them together, through all of the ups and downs, are their commitment to each other and their commitment, as a couple, to their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Sure, you can try to tackle the stresses of marriage without Jesus. There are people who don’t believe in Jesus who have long, happy marriages. But there is one thing that Jesus gives to a marriage that the world cannot give. Jesus gives a husband and wife the power of the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus was nearing the end of his time on this earth, he told his disciples that, after he was gone, he would send them “The Helper, the Holy Spirit.” He said, “[The Spirit] will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26) Jesus promises supernatural help to all those who believe in him. And that promise includes supernatural strength for marriages. It is impossible for the world to break up a marriage when it is bound together by a mutual commitment to Christ.
So if you happen to open a bottle of wine on this Friday night, raise a glass to Nathan and Camille. If you are married, give thanks to God for your spouse and pray for the strength of your own marriage. If your spouse has gone to be with the Lord, give thanks for the years that you had together and for the great reunion that you will have in heaven. And may we all, everywhere, thank God for our families tonight. They are God’s greatest gift to us in this world. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Christian musician Steven Curtis Chapman wrote it for his wife Mary Beth on their wedding day. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/Ed6eAXcr-K8
Day 46 – Friday, May 1, 2020
Read Mark 10:1-9, John 14:25-27, and Psalm 127
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Mark 10:9)
Our son Nathan is getting married today! He and his fiancé Camille live in southern California. Camille lives in Van Nuys and Nate has an apartment near the ocean in Santa Monica. They were supposed to get married at our home church in Newark, Illinois, on April 25th. Then two weeks later, our immediate family was going to fly to California where there would be a second reception for Camille’s extended family.
But, of course, things don’t always work out as planned. When the COVID-19 shelter order was extended to the end of April (and now to the end of May!), they had to postpone the ceremony and both of the receptions. The Illinois ceremony and reception have now been rescheduled for September 18th. The California reception will be held in April of 2021. We hope.
But since they had planned to be married this spring, they decided to go ahead and get married in a civil ceremony as soon as they could. That way they could get their housing and insurance and other things worked out as they had intended. They could start their married life together, quarantined in Santa Monica, and we would do the religious ceremony in September. Both sides of the family gave their blessing and encouragement to the plan.
There was only one problem. How do you get married when the Los Angeles County courthouse is closed? During the shutdown they haven’t issued any marriage licenses and they haven’t given any indication of when they will start up again. Nate and Camille were going to have to wait. But then they heard that Orange County, just to the south, was going to start issuing licenses and doing civil ceremonies. So they decided to check it out.
They went online and filled out an application and paid a fee. Then they waited. A few days later, they got an email telling them that they had an appointment for a civil ceremony on Friday, May 1st, at 1:20 p.m. (3:20 p.m. Central Time). And they got instructions about what they were supposed to do.
They were to drive to Anaheim on the day of their ceremony and pull into the parking lot of the Honda Center (home of the Anaheim Ducks hockey team). At 1:20 p.m., they were to drive up to a booth, where the officiant would be behind a glass barrier. They were to show him their identification and then he would do the brief ceremony and they would be married. It’s a drive through wedding!
So if you’re reading this after 3:20 p.m. Central Time, on Friday, May 1st, Nathan and Camille are now officially Mr. and Mrs. Shields! And they have a crazy story to tell their children and grandchildren (“Hey kids, we got married in a parking lot during a pandemic!”). But you know what? That’s okay. The important thing is that they are making a commitment to each other. They are making vows to each other. They are pledging before God and man that they will love and honor each other, and be faithful to each other, until death parts them in this world. And that’s a powerful promise.
When Jesus was questioned about the sanctity of marriage in the tenth chapter of the Gospel of Mark, he went all the way back to creation for his answer. He said, “From the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
Of course, there are forces in this world which will try to tear their union apart. It is not an easy thing for two people to live in an intimate relationship with each other. And we live in a culture that does not encourage husbands and wives to stay together. The world says, “Stay married as long as you are both happy. Stay married as long as your feelings for each other don’t change. Stay married unless someone else catches your eye.”
But Jesus says, “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” Feelings will go up and down in a marriage. There will be moments when both the husband and the wife will feel happy. There will be other moments when one or both will be unhappy. There will be moments when they will both feel more in love than they did on their wedding day. There will be other moments when they will not feel very much in love at all.
The two things that will hold them together, through all of the ups and downs, are their commitment to each other and their commitment, as a couple, to their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Sure, you can try to tackle the stresses of marriage without Jesus. There are people who don’t believe in Jesus who have long, happy marriages. But there is one thing that Jesus gives to a marriage that the world cannot give. Jesus gives a husband and wife the power of the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus was nearing the end of his time on this earth, he told his disciples that, after he was gone, he would send them “The Helper, the Holy Spirit.” He said, “[The Spirit] will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26) Jesus promises supernatural help to all those who believe in him. And that promise includes supernatural strength for marriages. It is impossible for the world to break up a marriage when it is bound together by a mutual commitment to Christ.
So if you happen to open a bottle of wine on this Friday night, raise a glass to Nathan and Camille. If you are married, give thanks to God for your spouse and pray for the strength of your own marriage. If your spouse has gone to be with the Lord, give thanks for the years that you had together and for the great reunion that you will have in heaven. And may we all, everywhere, thank God for our families tonight. They are God’s greatest gift to us in this world. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Christian musician Steven Curtis Chapman wrote it for his wife Mary Beth on their wedding day. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/Ed6eAXcr-K8
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 45 – Thursday, April 30, 2020
Read Ephesians 2:1-10 and Ezekiel 34:11-16
Theme Verse: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8)
A number of years ago, Lisa and I were invited to a fundraising banquet in support of a Christian home for unwed mothers. At the banquet, the keynote speaker was a woman who appeared to be in her mid-thirties. Her name was Allison.
Allison began her story by talking about her very difficult childhood. Her parents divorced when she was young and her mother had a steady stream of boyfriends as she was growing up. Some of her mom’s boyfriends had abused Allison physically and sexually. When Allison was sixteen, she ran away from home. She lived on the streets part of the time and at other times she lived with abusive boyfriends, repeating the mistakes of her mother.
By the time Allison was eighteen years old, she was a drug addict. And because she needed money for drugs, she became a prostitute. After she had been selling herself for about a year or so, she became pregnant. But that didn’t stop her. She continued to use drugs and prostitute herself. And then, one night, she overdosed at a party and passed out. One of the people at the party, she never knew who, drove her to the hospital emergency room and left her there.
The hospital staff put her on a gurney, but the emergency room bays were all full. So she was left on that gurney, in a hallway, until a doctor could look at her. Nurses kept passing by, giving her disgusted looks. They could see that she was pregnant, and they couldn’t believe she would use drugs and put that baby in danger.
All of a sudden, as she lay there, Allison was filled with an overpowering sense of guilt. She suddenly understood that she was ruining her own life. And more importantly, she understood that she was hurting the innocent little baby that was growing inside of her. She cried out in her grief and pain, “God, if you really exist, I don’t care what happens to me, but please save my baby!”
At that very moment, a man and a woman approached her. They were a wonderful couple who ran a local Christian women’s shelter. Earlier that evening, as they were getting ready for bed, the man had said to his wife, “I think God wants me to go to the emergency room tonight.” His wife had seen him get these inner promptings before and she had learned to take them seriously. So she said, “I’ll go with you.”
And that’s why they were there that night, leaning over Allison’s gurney as she cried out to God. They ended up staying with Allison that whole night, as she was treated for the overdose. And when she was released from the hospital, they took her into their shelter.
Over the next few weeks and months, they took care of Allison. They took her to a doctor for prenatal care. They were by her side as she dealt with the effects of drug withdrawal. They hosted daily meetings at the shelter for Allison and several other women who were dealing with addiction. And they introduced Allison to the amazing love and grace of God.
That faithful couple told Allison about what Jesus had done for her on the cross. They talked about how he had died for her sins. They told her that, if she would put her faith in Jesus, all of her sins would be forgiven and she would have the promise of eternal life. It sounded too good to be true, but Allison believed it. She gave her life to Jesus Christ and was saved. And her whole life was changed.
At that point in her talk, Allison called this beautiful young girl to come up on the stage with her. It was the child that she had prayed for on that night in the hospital. She was now a healthy, happy teenager. And then she introduced us to her husband of thirteen years and the two children that they had together.
God had lifted Allison out of a deep, dark hole and introduced her to the brilliant light of his incredible love. That is the grace of God. Allison did nothing to save herself. In fact, she was doing everything that she could to destroy her life. But God came to her. He reached down from heaven for her. He did it through the loving eyes of a beautiful couple who had a heart for women in trouble.
And Allison was saved in the same way that every one of us is saved. Whether we realize it or not, we were all in the same place that Allison was. We were all sinners who could not save ourselves. We were lost and without hope. But God came to us. He came to us all in different ways.
Maybe you had loving Christian parents, who raised you in the faith. Maybe you have known Jesus as your savior for as long as you can remember. Those Christian parents were a gift of God’s grace. Maybe you came to faith as a teenager, through the influence of a friend or a youth leader. Those people who influenced you were instruments of God’s grace.
Maybe you were just living your life at some point and you began to feel that something was missing. Maybe you started searching and that search led you to Jesus. And now that you have Jesus in your life, you realize that the feeling you had was not random. That feeling was the Holy Spirit, calling you to faith.
Or maybe you are like Allison. Maybe you were hurt and abused when you were a child. Maybe you were beaten down and tossed around by the world. Maybe you did some things that made your situation even worse. And then someone came into your life. Some gentle Christian soul helped you out in your time of need and introduced you to Jesus.
No matter how you came to faith in Jesus Christ, there are two things that are true for all believers. We are all loved by God. And we have all been saved by the grace of God. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/cgsbaBIaoVc
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 44 – Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Read Matthew 13:45-46 and Psalm 145
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46)
In July of 1998, we took the kids to Wisconsin for a weekend, and one of the things that we did was to go to a Cubs/Brewers game at the old County Stadium (Miller Park opened in 2001). It was a warm Saturday night and the stadium was packed. There seemed to be more Cubs fans than Brewers fans. We had a great time and we got to see the Cubs win!
As the game was ending, the kids asked if we could hang around afterward, so that they could get some autographs. Since we were staying at a nearby motel, and we weren’t in any hurry, Lisa and I said, “Sure.” So when we left the stadium, we walked around to the north side. That’s where the locker rooms were located. About forty-five minutes after the game ended, players would start coming out of an exit door in that area.
There was a walkway that led to the players’ parking lot. The Brewers players would head to their cars and the Cubs players would head to the team bus, which would take them to their hotel. Stadium staff would put up rope lines on both sides of the walkway and fans would wait for the players to come out. The players could walk straight through if they wanted to, or they could stop at the rope lines and sign some autographs. Most of the players were pretty good about stopping and signing for a few minutes.
Finally, the players started to come out of the doors. Lisa and I stood back a bit as the kids pushed their way up to the rope line and got a few autographs. They saw Sammy Sosa and Mark Grace. They saw Henry Rodriguez, who had two home runs that night. And there was the winning pitcher, Steve Trachsel! They were having a good time.
But then, off to my left, I saw someone coming out of the press exit. He was heading to a different parking lot. I knew who he was the moment I saw him. He was working for the Cubs front office at the time and had probably made the drive up from Chicago in his own car. So he didn’t need to ride on the team bus.
Quickly, I ran up to where my kids were standing at the rope line. I said, “Do you see that old man walking over there? You need to run over to him right now and get his autograph.” They said, “Who is he?” And I said, “That is Billy Williams.”
The kids knew the name, because I talked about him all the time. He was my favorite player when I was growing up. He spent most of his career with the Cubs and was a key member of the famous 1969 team. There were some good players coming out of the locker room door, but none would ever be as good as Billy Williams.
Just then, Brewers star Jeromy Burnitz came out of the locker room door. But my kids were gone. Some of the people in the crowd were shaking their heads, wondering why those kids would leave a great spot on the rope line to run after some old man. But my kids knew what they were doing. They knew that the man they were about to meet was the only guy in the stadium that night who had a plaque in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Jesus tells a similar story in the thirteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. It’s a very short parable called “The Pearl of Great Value.” Jesus said, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” The merchant saw that one magnificent pearl and knew that it was more valuable than all the other pearls he owned, combined. He was willing to give up everything that he had in order to possess that one amazing treasure.
And Jesus says, “That is what the kingdom of heaven is like.” You could take everything on this earth and put it all together, and it would not equal the value of being a member of God’s holy kingdom. That’s because all of the stuff on this earth is temporary. None of it will last forever. But the kingdom of God is eternal. If you are a member of that kingdom, you will live forever in heaven, in the presence of God.
The most important thing that you can possess in this life is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Because Jesus is the only person who can invite you into the kingdom of heaven. When he died on the cross for your sins, he paid the price for your ticket into the kingdom. And when he rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, he proved that he has the power to give you eternal life. All you have to do is believe in him. All you need is faith.
Can you see what Jesus is offering you? Do you understand what it is worth? Are you willing to break away from the rope line, where the world is staring at wealth and fame and pleasure and power? Are you willing to give it all up and follow Jesus? I hope that you are. Some people might shake their heads at you if you give your life to Christ. They shake their heads because they don’t understand. They don’t see what you see. They don’t see the pearl of great value. They don’t see the greatness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. It's a new take on an old classic by a group called Koine. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/73CQ8WVImcE
Day 44 – Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Read Matthew 13:45-46 and Psalm 145
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46)
In July of 1998, we took the kids to Wisconsin for a weekend, and one of the things that we did was to go to a Cubs/Brewers game at the old County Stadium (Miller Park opened in 2001). It was a warm Saturday night and the stadium was packed. There seemed to be more Cubs fans than Brewers fans. We had a great time and we got to see the Cubs win!
As the game was ending, the kids asked if we could hang around afterward, so that they could get some autographs. Since we were staying at a nearby motel, and we weren’t in any hurry, Lisa and I said, “Sure.” So when we left the stadium, we walked around to the north side. That’s where the locker rooms were located. About forty-five minutes after the game ended, players would start coming out of an exit door in that area.
There was a walkway that led to the players’ parking lot. The Brewers players would head to their cars and the Cubs players would head to the team bus, which would take them to their hotel. Stadium staff would put up rope lines on both sides of the walkway and fans would wait for the players to come out. The players could walk straight through if they wanted to, or they could stop at the rope lines and sign some autographs. Most of the players were pretty good about stopping and signing for a few minutes.
Finally, the players started to come out of the doors. Lisa and I stood back a bit as the kids pushed their way up to the rope line and got a few autographs. They saw Sammy Sosa and Mark Grace. They saw Henry Rodriguez, who had two home runs that night. And there was the winning pitcher, Steve Trachsel! They were having a good time.
But then, off to my left, I saw someone coming out of the press exit. He was heading to a different parking lot. I knew who he was the moment I saw him. He was working for the Cubs front office at the time and had probably made the drive up from Chicago in his own car. So he didn’t need to ride on the team bus.
Quickly, I ran up to where my kids were standing at the rope line. I said, “Do you see that old man walking over there? You need to run over to him right now and get his autograph.” They said, “Who is he?” And I said, “That is Billy Williams.”
The kids knew the name, because I talked about him all the time. He was my favorite player when I was growing up. He spent most of his career with the Cubs and was a key member of the famous 1969 team. There were some good players coming out of the locker room door, but none would ever be as good as Billy Williams.
Just then, Brewers star Jeromy Burnitz came out of the locker room door. But my kids were gone. Some of the people in the crowd were shaking their heads, wondering why those kids would leave a great spot on the rope line to run after some old man. But my kids knew what they were doing. They knew that the man they were about to meet was the only guy in the stadium that night who had a plaque in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Jesus tells a similar story in the thirteenth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. It’s a very short parable called “The Pearl of Great Value.” Jesus said, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” The merchant saw that one magnificent pearl and knew that it was more valuable than all the other pearls he owned, combined. He was willing to give up everything that he had in order to possess that one amazing treasure.
And Jesus says, “That is what the kingdom of heaven is like.” You could take everything on this earth and put it all together, and it would not equal the value of being a member of God’s holy kingdom. That’s because all of the stuff on this earth is temporary. None of it will last forever. But the kingdom of God is eternal. If you are a member of that kingdom, you will live forever in heaven, in the presence of God.
The most important thing that you can possess in this life is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Because Jesus is the only person who can invite you into the kingdom of heaven. When he died on the cross for your sins, he paid the price for your ticket into the kingdom. And when he rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, he proved that he has the power to give you eternal life. All you have to do is believe in him. All you need is faith.
Can you see what Jesus is offering you? Do you understand what it is worth? Are you willing to break away from the rope line, where the world is staring at wealth and fame and pleasure and power? Are you willing to give it all up and follow Jesus? I hope that you are. Some people might shake their heads at you if you give your life to Christ. They shake their heads because they don’t understand. They don’t see what you see. They don’t see the pearl of great value. They don’t see the greatness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. It's a new take on an old classic by a group called Koine. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/73CQ8WVImcE
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 43 – Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Read Luke 13:1-5 and Psalm 116
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:2-3)
In most of these Pandemic Pulpit devotions, I have tried to be positive and uplifting. I think we all need some positivity during this long period of sheltering in place. But today I’m going to be a little more serious and sober. The prompting for this came when I was reading responses to a recent post in an online pastors’ forum.
The original post asked the question, “When the COVID-19 crisis is over, and the churches begin to open up again, do you think church attendance will increase, or do you think it will decrease?” The first person to respond said, “I think it will decrease.” His reasoning was that the people who were very committed to the church before the shutdown will come back and be just as committed as they were before. And he thinks that the people who were not committed before the shutdown will continue to be uncommitted after the churches reopen.
His concern is for the people who were partially committed to the church before the shutdown. He believes that these “part time” church members will get so used to not being in church on Sunday morning that, when it is over, they will not come back to worship. Therefore, the loss of these “part time” church attenders will lead to an overall decline in worship attendance once we open up again. Many others who responded to the original post seemed to agree. But I have to say that I respectfully disagree.
I remember what happened after the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. In the weeks after the attack, our church attendance was much higher than normal. In fact, on the Sunday after 9/11, our attendance was nearly double what it had been the week before. Now, of course, it didn’t stay that high for very long. Eventually, attendance settled down to a new normal. But that new normal was a little bit higher than the normal before the attack.
What this indicated to me was that many people took a look at their lives after 9/11 and decided that they needed to draw closer to God in that time of national crisis. Once the crisis died down, many of those people went back to their normal routines, falling back into old patterns of church commitment. But there were some who did not fall back. There were a few who started coming to church regularly after 9/11 and kept on coming. The crisis woke up their faith and many of them became very committed to Jesus Christ and to the church.
Those people who woke up were experiencing what Jesus was talking about in the opening verses of Luke 13. There had been a crisis in Jerusalem. A group of worshipers from Galilee had come to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the temple and they had stirred up some trouble. Maybe they were chanting anti-Roman slogans. Maybe they were calling for revolution. We don’t know. But the Roman Governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, responded by ordering his soldiers to attack the worshipers. The people of Jerusalem were saying that Pilate had “mingled their blood with the blood of their sacrifices.” And they wanted to know what Jesus thought about it. Why did God allow that to happen? Were the people who were killed bad people?
Jesus responded in a strange way. He said, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Then he mentioned another recent tragedy, where a tower had collapsed on a crowd and killed eighteen people. And he made a similar comment to the first. He said, “Do you think they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
Jesus was acknowledging that, when a tragedy occurs, the natural human reaction is to say, “Why did this happen?” And people who believe in God want to know, “Why did God allow this to happen?” But the most important question that we should be asking is, “What if that had been me? What if I had been in the temple courtyard when the soldiers attacked? What if I had been standing under that tower when it collapsed? What if I had died on that day? Would I have been ready to meet my God?” And I think that’s a question that we should all be asking ourselves in the midst of this COVID-19 crisis.
Of course, we’re going to be asking questions about why this happened. We’re going to want answers about how the virus originated. We’re going to want to know what could have been done to better curtail the spread of the virus. And those of us who believe in God are going to be wondering what purpose he might have in the midst of this crisis. But the question that Jesus wants us to ask ourselves is, “If I were to die from the COVID-19 virus, would I be ready to meet my God?”
I told you this was going to be a serious and sober devotion! But it’s an important one. Because I want each and every person who is reading these words right now to be ready to meet your God if something happens to you. And the only way that you can be ready for that meeting is by putting your faith in Jesus Christ. If you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, and if you believe that he rose from the grave on Easter Sunday, then you will be ready to meet God when your time on this earth is over. And God will welcome you into heaven, not because of what you have done, but because of what Jesus has done for you.
I believe that church attendance will increase after the COVID-19 shutdown. I believe that there are many people asking themselves the question, “Am I ready to meet my God?” And I believe that that question is leading many people to surrender their lives to Jesus Christ, in a way that they never have before. And I believe that when this shutdown is over, those people who have come to Christ during these weeks of crisis are going to want to be in worship. They are going to want to give their thanks and praise to Jesus, who gave his life for them.
So I guess, in the end, this really is a positive and hopeful message. I believe that God is working in people’s hearts right now. I believe that many people are going to be saved because of this crisis. And I look forward to welcoming them to First Lutheran Church, where we are all forgiven sinners who owe our lives to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. It also happens to be my all-time favorite hymn. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/w1YBYrJ8Hzg
Day 43 – Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Read Luke 13:1-5 and Psalm 116
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:2-3)
In most of these Pandemic Pulpit devotions, I have tried to be positive and uplifting. I think we all need some positivity during this long period of sheltering in place. But today I’m going to be a little more serious and sober. The prompting for this came when I was reading responses to a recent post in an online pastors’ forum.
The original post asked the question, “When the COVID-19 crisis is over, and the churches begin to open up again, do you think church attendance will increase, or do you think it will decrease?” The first person to respond said, “I think it will decrease.” His reasoning was that the people who were very committed to the church before the shutdown will come back and be just as committed as they were before. And he thinks that the people who were not committed before the shutdown will continue to be uncommitted after the churches reopen.
His concern is for the people who were partially committed to the church before the shutdown. He believes that these “part time” church members will get so used to not being in church on Sunday morning that, when it is over, they will not come back to worship. Therefore, the loss of these “part time” church attenders will lead to an overall decline in worship attendance once we open up again. Many others who responded to the original post seemed to agree. But I have to say that I respectfully disagree.
I remember what happened after the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. In the weeks after the attack, our church attendance was much higher than normal. In fact, on the Sunday after 9/11, our attendance was nearly double what it had been the week before. Now, of course, it didn’t stay that high for very long. Eventually, attendance settled down to a new normal. But that new normal was a little bit higher than the normal before the attack.
What this indicated to me was that many people took a look at their lives after 9/11 and decided that they needed to draw closer to God in that time of national crisis. Once the crisis died down, many of those people went back to their normal routines, falling back into old patterns of church commitment. But there were some who did not fall back. There were a few who started coming to church regularly after 9/11 and kept on coming. The crisis woke up their faith and many of them became very committed to Jesus Christ and to the church.
Those people who woke up were experiencing what Jesus was talking about in the opening verses of Luke 13. There had been a crisis in Jerusalem. A group of worshipers from Galilee had come to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the temple and they had stirred up some trouble. Maybe they were chanting anti-Roman slogans. Maybe they were calling for revolution. We don’t know. But the Roman Governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, responded by ordering his soldiers to attack the worshipers. The people of Jerusalem were saying that Pilate had “mingled their blood with the blood of their sacrifices.” And they wanted to know what Jesus thought about it. Why did God allow that to happen? Were the people who were killed bad people?
Jesus responded in a strange way. He said, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Then he mentioned another recent tragedy, where a tower had collapsed on a crowd and killed eighteen people. And he made a similar comment to the first. He said, “Do you think they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
Jesus was acknowledging that, when a tragedy occurs, the natural human reaction is to say, “Why did this happen?” And people who believe in God want to know, “Why did God allow this to happen?” But the most important question that we should be asking is, “What if that had been me? What if I had been in the temple courtyard when the soldiers attacked? What if I had been standing under that tower when it collapsed? What if I had died on that day? Would I have been ready to meet my God?” And I think that’s a question that we should all be asking ourselves in the midst of this COVID-19 crisis.
Of course, we’re going to be asking questions about why this happened. We’re going to want answers about how the virus originated. We’re going to want to know what could have been done to better curtail the spread of the virus. And those of us who believe in God are going to be wondering what purpose he might have in the midst of this crisis. But the question that Jesus wants us to ask ourselves is, “If I were to die from the COVID-19 virus, would I be ready to meet my God?”
I told you this was going to be a serious and sober devotion! But it’s an important one. Because I want each and every person who is reading these words right now to be ready to meet your God if something happens to you. And the only way that you can be ready for that meeting is by putting your faith in Jesus Christ. If you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, and if you believe that he rose from the grave on Easter Sunday, then you will be ready to meet God when your time on this earth is over. And God will welcome you into heaven, not because of what you have done, but because of what Jesus has done for you.
I believe that church attendance will increase after the COVID-19 shutdown. I believe that there are many people asking themselves the question, “Am I ready to meet my God?” And I believe that that question is leading many people to surrender their lives to Jesus Christ, in a way that they never have before. And I believe that when this shutdown is over, those people who have come to Christ during these weeks of crisis are going to want to be in worship. They are going to want to give their thanks and praise to Jesus, who gave his life for them.
So I guess, in the end, this really is a positive and hopeful message. I believe that God is working in people’s hearts right now. I believe that many people are going to be saved because of this crisis. And I look forward to welcoming them to First Lutheran Church, where we are all forgiven sinners who owe our lives to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. It also happens to be my all-time favorite hymn. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/w1YBYrJ8Hzg
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)*
Day 42 – Monday, April 27, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read John 20:3-9
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
Within the 2700 square feet of our home, this is my space. Down in the far end of the basement I set up my workbench/tool room/man cave. Whether it’s toy repair, working on a mower, or upgrading a sailboat, this is the first place I come to. Here is where I can think, plan, and find all the tools I have available (and plot to borrow or buy the ones that aren’t in hand). You may have a workbench with a more complete set of tools, better quality tools, or with a better layout. My setup will never make the pages of Popular Mechanics, but it is my place, with my tools, and something else more important.
Look at those old tool boxes. The green one on the left belonged to my grandfather who I knew as a hard working wood shop foreman. When he retired, his toolbox came home and eventually came to me. But what also came to me were the accounts of the man he was before my birth. He had survived the Spanish flu pandemic. He and my grandmother married and started a family on their farm. But the farm was lost in the late 20’s. Through the Depression and War years they struggled to have food and shelter. They lived on the margins, working hard, tending their family, and keeping faith. In those hard years, my grandfather had become a man who persevered in hardship and loved his family. Those personal tools, like an old toolbox, have been passed on to me.
Then there’s that gray box on the right – a gift from my father-in-law. Besides the mechanic’s hand tools, there is much else he passed on to me. After he and my mother in law married in 1937, they emigrated from North Dakota’s dust bowl to Oregon, where they found work as farm laborers. They did return to North Dakota and farmed for a number of years, until he moved to Illinois for a less stressful job in a machine shop. In those stories, Alvin and Dorothy gifted me with flexibility in thinking, and taking on life with a sense of adventure. (There is also this wonderful daughter they raised!) Their lives gave me other tools for living.
Then there’s that red box down front, inherited from my Dad. Notice the dents on the top. They came about when he’d just gotten it – and I ran over it with my ‘61 Impala. Trust me, there was a father/son conversation in that moment. And there was forgiveness. His tools of fairness and forgiveness serve me well. I remember how he served for four years in World War II, patiently waiting for the day he would return and marry my mother. But I also remember how a doctor told him to start walking to stave off heart problems. Every night after work, he walked – and grew healthier. That has become important in this time of solitude, as I’ve rediscovered his tool of self-care. We walk four to five miles each day that we can, and my health is the best it’s been in years! His patience, self-care, and forgiveness are wonderful tools in my life.
Throughout my life, I’ve met a parade of people with experiences and qualities that have equipped me for living. I have an extended family who have enriched my life. There are many others from congregations I’ve served, places I’ve worked, and Fire Departments I’ve been part of. The lessons and stories of others teach me how to care for family, survive hard times, build community, and be a person of character. Through what we see and hear in others, God gives a wealth of tools that we can use.
When it’s a difficult time like we are in, being aware of our tools is important. Who has God gifted into your life? What have they given you? Are there qualities in you that someone shaped? Has someone been there to teach you patience or perseverance? Did you have a role model for being compassionate or pragmatic? Did you have someone to teach you about struggling through hard times? What tools came to you through hard learning – or through gentle love? Take some time and reflect on this. Because I believe that God gifts each of us with the tools we need for this day.
But as you reflect on the tools God has given you and the people who’ve passed them on to you, there is one tool every follower of Christ needs in this day: unshakable hope. Psalm 25:4-6 says “Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.” From the riches of God’s Word, through the witness of others, and by the grace of the Spirit, the tool of faith has been given to us. We live each day knowing that since the beginning, God has been merciful and loving. God teaches us truth and shows us a life that is right and just. Those qualities continue for us in these days. We have the faith to see goodness coming from difficulty, to see light come out of darkness, peace from chaos, wholeness from brokenness, and even life out of death. This is what God gives us in the resurrection of Jesus on Easter morning. The world may change radically, life may be very shaky, but Jesus is our risen God and Savior who gives us a hope that will not change or go away.
I cannot promise a happy ending to this era of history, nor an easy road ahead. I cannot predict how this virus will turn out or how an economy will recover. We will all face moments of grace and tears in our future. But in all things, I can proclaim that Christ’s love will be present to carry us through. And we can live each day in confidence and hope, knowing that this steadfast Lord will bring us into His goodness, as He has from of old.
Please reflect on the God who equips and guides you in hope.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJI3NFT5T_c
Day 42 – Monday, April 27, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read John 20:3-9
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
Within the 2700 square feet of our home, this is my space. Down in the far end of the basement I set up my workbench/tool room/man cave. Whether it’s toy repair, working on a mower, or upgrading a sailboat, this is the first place I come to. Here is where I can think, plan, and find all the tools I have available (and plot to borrow or buy the ones that aren’t in hand). You may have a workbench with a more complete set of tools, better quality tools, or with a better layout. My setup will never make the pages of Popular Mechanics, but it is my place, with my tools, and something else more important.
Look at those old tool boxes. The green one on the left belonged to my grandfather who I knew as a hard working wood shop foreman. When he retired, his toolbox came home and eventually came to me. But what also came to me were the accounts of the man he was before my birth. He had survived the Spanish flu pandemic. He and my grandmother married and started a family on their farm. But the farm was lost in the late 20’s. Through the Depression and War years they struggled to have food and shelter. They lived on the margins, working hard, tending their family, and keeping faith. In those hard years, my grandfather had become a man who persevered in hardship and loved his family. Those personal tools, like an old toolbox, have been passed on to me.
Then there’s that gray box on the right – a gift from my father-in-law. Besides the mechanic’s hand tools, there is much else he passed on to me. After he and my mother in law married in 1937, they emigrated from North Dakota’s dust bowl to Oregon, where they found work as farm laborers. They did return to North Dakota and farmed for a number of years, until he moved to Illinois for a less stressful job in a machine shop. In those stories, Alvin and Dorothy gifted me with flexibility in thinking, and taking on life with a sense of adventure. (There is also this wonderful daughter they raised!) Their lives gave me other tools for living.
Then there’s that red box down front, inherited from my Dad. Notice the dents on the top. They came about when he’d just gotten it – and I ran over it with my ‘61 Impala. Trust me, there was a father/son conversation in that moment. And there was forgiveness. His tools of fairness and forgiveness serve me well. I remember how he served for four years in World War II, patiently waiting for the day he would return and marry my mother. But I also remember how a doctor told him to start walking to stave off heart problems. Every night after work, he walked – and grew healthier. That has become important in this time of solitude, as I’ve rediscovered his tool of self-care. We walk four to five miles each day that we can, and my health is the best it’s been in years! His patience, self-care, and forgiveness are wonderful tools in my life.
Throughout my life, I’ve met a parade of people with experiences and qualities that have equipped me for living. I have an extended family who have enriched my life. There are many others from congregations I’ve served, places I’ve worked, and Fire Departments I’ve been part of. The lessons and stories of others teach me how to care for family, survive hard times, build community, and be a person of character. Through what we see and hear in others, God gives a wealth of tools that we can use.
When it’s a difficult time like we are in, being aware of our tools is important. Who has God gifted into your life? What have they given you? Are there qualities in you that someone shaped? Has someone been there to teach you patience or perseverance? Did you have a role model for being compassionate or pragmatic? Did you have someone to teach you about struggling through hard times? What tools came to you through hard learning – or through gentle love? Take some time and reflect on this. Because I believe that God gifts each of us with the tools we need for this day.
But as you reflect on the tools God has given you and the people who’ve passed them on to you, there is one tool every follower of Christ needs in this day: unshakable hope. Psalm 25:4-6 says “Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.” From the riches of God’s Word, through the witness of others, and by the grace of the Spirit, the tool of faith has been given to us. We live each day knowing that since the beginning, God has been merciful and loving. God teaches us truth and shows us a life that is right and just. Those qualities continue for us in these days. We have the faith to see goodness coming from difficulty, to see light come out of darkness, peace from chaos, wholeness from brokenness, and even life out of death. This is what God gives us in the resurrection of Jesus on Easter morning. The world may change radically, life may be very shaky, but Jesus is our risen God and Savior who gives us a hope that will not change or go away.
I cannot promise a happy ending to this era of history, nor an easy road ahead. I cannot predict how this virus will turn out or how an economy will recover. We will all face moments of grace and tears in our future. But in all things, I can proclaim that Christ’s love will be present to carry us through. And we can live each day in confidence and hope, knowing that this steadfast Lord will bring us into His goodness, as He has from of old.
Please reflect on the God who equips and guides you in hope.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJI3NFT5T_c
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 41 – Sunday, April 26, 2020
Read John 21:15-19 and Psalm 103:1-14
Theme Verse: Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” (John 21:15)
Have you ever had a time in your life when you really needed forgiveness from someone? I think we all have. I remember a time, early in my marriage to Lisa, when I needed her forgiveness. I can count on one finger the number of really big arguments that we have had in our thirty-seven plus years together, and this was that argument.
It was the middle of January in St. Paul, Minnesota. We had been married for about a year and a half and we had a new baby. I was in my first year of seminary at the time. Money was tight, so Lisa and I both had to work. Lisa worked during the day, cleaning offices in some of the seminary buildings. I worked at night for a cleaning service that was contracted by several area businesses. At the time, I was cleaning at a factory in an industrial area on the east side of Minneapolis.
We had this weird schedule worked out where Lisa would get up at 5:00 a.m. and go to work. I would wake up with the baby and take care of her. Then at 9:00 a.m., Lisa would come home to take care of the baby and I would go to class. Then I would come home in the afternoon and Lisa would go back to work for a few hours. Then she would come home and we would eat supper together. After supper I would head to the library to study. Then I would come home around 9:00 p.m. and get ready for work. I worked from 10:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. Then I would come home, crawl in bed, and we would start it all over again the next day.
We had been doing this for several months and we were both getting really stressed out. And then one night it just blew up. Shortly after I came home from the library, we started arguing about something small (I don’t even remember what it was). But it just escalated from there. Before I walked out the door at 9:45 p.m., to go to work, I said some really angry, nasty things to Lisa. And then I slammed the door behind me.
The cold air hit me right in the face. It would end up being one of the coldest nights in Twin Cities history, with a real temperature near -30 degrees. Somehow, my car started and I got to work. And as I started to clean, I started to realize how stupid I had been. I had hurt the one person that I loved most in this world. I had cut her down with my words. All I wanted to do was get my work done and get home and ask for her forgiveness.
When I finally crept into the apartment a little after 3:00 a.m., I discovered that Lisa was still awake. She hadn’t been able to sleep at all. The first words out of my mouth were, “I’m so sorry.” And she said, “I’m sorry, too.” And then we hugged each other and cried. And we’ve never had another argument like that—not once. I never want to feel like that again for the rest of my life.
I think about that, and I wonder what Peter must have felt like in the story that is recorded in the 21st chapter of the Gospel of John. The story takes place a couple of weeks after the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus had already appeared to the disciples a couple of times in Jerusalem. Then he told them to go to Galilee and he would appear to them again there. So that’s what they did.
As they were waiting for Jesus to appear, Peter and some of the other disciples decided to go fishing. They fished all night, but they caught nothing. In the morning, as they were getting ready to quit, a man appeared on the shore. He asked them if they had caught any fish and they said that they hadn’t. The man suggested that they throw their net out again, but on the other side of the boat. It didn’t make any sense, but they did it anyway. Suddenly, the net began to fill with fish.
John knew immediately that they mysterious man on the shore was Jesus. Peter was so excited that he jumped right into the water and swam to shore, leaving his friends to haul in the fish. But when he got to Jesus, he didn’t know what to say. There was something standing between them that they hadn’t talked about yet.
You see, back on the morning of Good Friday, when Jesus was on trial for his life, Peter had snuck into the temple courtyard, to see what was happening. Someone there noticed him and thought he looked like one of the followers of Jesus. But Peter denied it. He said, “I do not know the man.” Three times that morning Peter denied that he knew Jesus. The third time he even threw in a few curse words to emphasize his denial. And then Jesus was led out into the courtyard and he looked right at Peter. Peter was devastated. He ran out of temple area and found a private place and wept.
Now, on the seashore, his guilt was eating him up. The disciples all ate breakfast together and then Jesus said to Peter, “Walk with me.” And as they strolled along the shore, Jesus said, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He used Peter’s formal name. He didn’t use the nickname that he had given him. And his question called to mind Peter’s boast at the Last Supper, when he said, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.”
Peter didn’t know how to respond. He simply said, “Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus then said, “Feed my lambs.” Three times Jesus asked the same question, one for each of the three times that Peter had denied him. Each time Peter said, “You know that I love you.” And each time Jesus told him that he wanted him to feed and care for his flock.
Peter’s love for Jesus came straight from his repentant heart. Jesus knew that his sorrow and repentance were real. And Jesus forgave him. He told Peter that he wanted him to be a leader of his flock, his church. And that’s what Peter became. He became a powerful leader in the early church. But it all started with forgiveness. It all started with grace.
If there is someone in your life that you have hurt, and you have never apologized to them for what you did or said, I urge you to do that as soon as possible. If there is someone in your life who has hurt you, and they have asked for your forgiveness, and you have never forgiven them, I urge you to get in touch with that person as soon as possible, and tell them that they are forgiven.
Guilt and bitterness are two of the most destructive of the human emotions. They corrode the soul. But they both go away when there is true repentance and wholehearted forgiveness. And when they’re gone, that’s the best feeling in the universe. I know that from personal experience. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. It’s one of my favorites.
https://youtu.be/G0XjqRZ9W_8
Day 41 – Sunday, April 26, 2020
Read John 21:15-19 and Psalm 103:1-14
Theme Verse: Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” (John 21:15)
Have you ever had a time in your life when you really needed forgiveness from someone? I think we all have. I remember a time, early in my marriage to Lisa, when I needed her forgiveness. I can count on one finger the number of really big arguments that we have had in our thirty-seven plus years together, and this was that argument.
It was the middle of January in St. Paul, Minnesota. We had been married for about a year and a half and we had a new baby. I was in my first year of seminary at the time. Money was tight, so Lisa and I both had to work. Lisa worked during the day, cleaning offices in some of the seminary buildings. I worked at night for a cleaning service that was contracted by several area businesses. At the time, I was cleaning at a factory in an industrial area on the east side of Minneapolis.
We had this weird schedule worked out where Lisa would get up at 5:00 a.m. and go to work. I would wake up with the baby and take care of her. Then at 9:00 a.m., Lisa would come home to take care of the baby and I would go to class. Then I would come home in the afternoon and Lisa would go back to work for a few hours. Then she would come home and we would eat supper together. After supper I would head to the library to study. Then I would come home around 9:00 p.m. and get ready for work. I worked from 10:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. Then I would come home, crawl in bed, and we would start it all over again the next day.
We had been doing this for several months and we were both getting really stressed out. And then one night it just blew up. Shortly after I came home from the library, we started arguing about something small (I don’t even remember what it was). But it just escalated from there. Before I walked out the door at 9:45 p.m., to go to work, I said some really angry, nasty things to Lisa. And then I slammed the door behind me.
The cold air hit me right in the face. It would end up being one of the coldest nights in Twin Cities history, with a real temperature near -30 degrees. Somehow, my car started and I got to work. And as I started to clean, I started to realize how stupid I had been. I had hurt the one person that I loved most in this world. I had cut her down with my words. All I wanted to do was get my work done and get home and ask for her forgiveness.
When I finally crept into the apartment a little after 3:00 a.m., I discovered that Lisa was still awake. She hadn’t been able to sleep at all. The first words out of my mouth were, “I’m so sorry.” And she said, “I’m sorry, too.” And then we hugged each other and cried. And we’ve never had another argument like that—not once. I never want to feel like that again for the rest of my life.
I think about that, and I wonder what Peter must have felt like in the story that is recorded in the 21st chapter of the Gospel of John. The story takes place a couple of weeks after the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus had already appeared to the disciples a couple of times in Jerusalem. Then he told them to go to Galilee and he would appear to them again there. So that’s what they did.
As they were waiting for Jesus to appear, Peter and some of the other disciples decided to go fishing. They fished all night, but they caught nothing. In the morning, as they were getting ready to quit, a man appeared on the shore. He asked them if they had caught any fish and they said that they hadn’t. The man suggested that they throw their net out again, but on the other side of the boat. It didn’t make any sense, but they did it anyway. Suddenly, the net began to fill with fish.
John knew immediately that they mysterious man on the shore was Jesus. Peter was so excited that he jumped right into the water and swam to shore, leaving his friends to haul in the fish. But when he got to Jesus, he didn’t know what to say. There was something standing between them that they hadn’t talked about yet.
You see, back on the morning of Good Friday, when Jesus was on trial for his life, Peter had snuck into the temple courtyard, to see what was happening. Someone there noticed him and thought he looked like one of the followers of Jesus. But Peter denied it. He said, “I do not know the man.” Three times that morning Peter denied that he knew Jesus. The third time he even threw in a few curse words to emphasize his denial. And then Jesus was led out into the courtyard and he looked right at Peter. Peter was devastated. He ran out of temple area and found a private place and wept.
Now, on the seashore, his guilt was eating him up. The disciples all ate breakfast together and then Jesus said to Peter, “Walk with me.” And as they strolled along the shore, Jesus said, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He used Peter’s formal name. He didn’t use the nickname that he had given him. And his question called to mind Peter’s boast at the Last Supper, when he said, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.”
Peter didn’t know how to respond. He simply said, “Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus then said, “Feed my lambs.” Three times Jesus asked the same question, one for each of the three times that Peter had denied him. Each time Peter said, “You know that I love you.” And each time Jesus told him that he wanted him to feed and care for his flock.
Peter’s love for Jesus came straight from his repentant heart. Jesus knew that his sorrow and repentance were real. And Jesus forgave him. He told Peter that he wanted him to be a leader of his flock, his church. And that’s what Peter became. He became a powerful leader in the early church. But it all started with forgiveness. It all started with grace.
If there is someone in your life that you have hurt, and you have never apologized to them for what you did or said, I urge you to do that as soon as possible. If there is someone in your life who has hurt you, and they have asked for your forgiveness, and you have never forgiven them, I urge you to get in touch with that person as soon as possible, and tell them that they are forgiven.
Guilt and bitterness are two of the most destructive of the human emotions. They corrode the soul. But they both go away when there is true repentance and wholehearted forgiveness. And when they’re gone, that’s the best feeling in the universe. I know that from personal experience. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. It’s one of my favorites.
https://youtu.be/G0XjqRZ9W_8
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 40 – Saturday, April 25, 2020
Read Luke 19:1-10 and Psalm 139:1-16
Theme Verse: “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.’” (Luke 19:5)
My favorite movie of all time is Casablanca. It was released in 1942, just after the United States had gotten into World War II. It tells the story of a brooding American expatriate named Rick Blaine, played by Humphrey Bogart. Rick owns a restaurant and nightclub called “Rick’s Café,” in the city of Casablanca, Morocco. It’s early in the war, and the Germans have just taken control of France. Since Morocco was a French colony at the time, Rick starts seeing more and more Nazi military officers hanging out in his club.
At the beginning of the movie, we wonder why Rick seems so depressed and why he is living in such an out-of-the-way place. But then “she” walks into his establishment. “She” is Ilsa Lund, played by Ingrid Bergman. She is Rick’s former lover. They met in Paris before the war and talked about spending the rest of their lives together. But then she left him very suddenly. He never knew why. But he’s about to find out, because Ilsa is not alone. Her husband, Victor Laszlo, is with her.
Victor Laszlo is an inspiring writer and an important figure in the French Resistance. He was arrested once by the Nazis and then released. Now they’re trying to arrest him again. So he’s on the run. He and Ilsa have come to Casablanca because they have heard that they might be able to get a flight from there to Lisbon, Portugal, and from there to England or America. Victor wants to keep on writing and speaking, inspiring his countrymen to fight against the Germans. But the Nazis are on his trail, and they are going to try to prevent him from leaving Casablanca. Pretty exciting stuff, eh?
As the movie goes on, Ilsa begins to realize that she is still very much in love with Rick. And Rick begins to realize that he is not quite as cynical and dispassionate as he thought he was. Ilsa starts thinking that she wants to stay in Casablanca with Rick. But Rick starts realizing that she needs to be with her husband. She inspires Victor and Victor inspires the world.
It all leads to a dramatic moment on the airport tarmac, where Rick says to a weeping Ilsa, “I’m no good at being noble, but it doesn’t take much to see that the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you’ll understand that.” Then he looks in her eyes and says, “Here’s looking at you, kid.” And he sends her off to the plane.
I thought about that movie moment today as I was thinking about the situation that we are in right now. We are all sacrificing in some way, right now, for the greater good. We have given up some of our freedoms. Many people are hurting financially. Some people are risking their own health to take care of those who are sick. Our situation requires that we set aside our own little problems for the time being and concentrate on the bigger issue of defeating this virus. “Here’s looking at you, kid. Now stay in your house!”
But in the midst of our sacrifices and our struggles, God has not forgotten about us. Our God is big enough to deal with a global pandemic and keep his eye on our little “hill of beans” at the same time. That’s why I love the story that we see in the opening verses of Luke 19. Jesus has some big things going on in his life. He is walking through the city of Jericho, on his way to Jerusalem. This will be his last trip to the Holy City. This trip will end up at the cross. So we would understand if Jesus ignored the people who crowded around him as he passed through Jericho. He has more important things on his mind.
But then, suddenly, Jesus stops under a sycamore tree. He looks up at a small man sitting on one of the branches. The man’s name is Zaccheus. Zaccheus wanted to see the famous miracle worker named Jesus, who was passing through his town. But the crowds were too big and everyone was taller than he was. So he raced ahead on the road and climbed into the sycamore tree and waited for Jesus to walk by.
But Jesus didn’t just walk by. Instead, he looked up into the tree and said, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” And Jesus and his disciples followed Zaccheus to his house. They ate dinner with him and his friends. They spent the night under his roof. And Jesus changed his life. In the midst of the most difficult time of his own earthly life, Jesus still had time for the individual people that he met along the way.
David talks about God’s incredible love for us as individuals in Psalm 139. He says, “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.” Later he says, “In your book are written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me.” Even in the midst of big things going on in the world, God still knows us and loves us and takes care of us.
Yes, we are sacrificing right now for the greater good. But our individual thoughts, and needs, and concerns are still important to God. Each one of us is still very precious to him. And no matter where you are, no matter what is going on around you in the world, God is still there. God is still looking at you, kid. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/N-hN740J6qA
Day 40 – Saturday, April 25, 2020
Read Luke 19:1-10 and Psalm 139:1-16
Theme Verse: “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.’” (Luke 19:5)
My favorite movie of all time is Casablanca. It was released in 1942, just after the United States had gotten into World War II. It tells the story of a brooding American expatriate named Rick Blaine, played by Humphrey Bogart. Rick owns a restaurant and nightclub called “Rick’s Café,” in the city of Casablanca, Morocco. It’s early in the war, and the Germans have just taken control of France. Since Morocco was a French colony at the time, Rick starts seeing more and more Nazi military officers hanging out in his club.
At the beginning of the movie, we wonder why Rick seems so depressed and why he is living in such an out-of-the-way place. But then “she” walks into his establishment. “She” is Ilsa Lund, played by Ingrid Bergman. She is Rick’s former lover. They met in Paris before the war and talked about spending the rest of their lives together. But then she left him very suddenly. He never knew why. But he’s about to find out, because Ilsa is not alone. Her husband, Victor Laszlo, is with her.
Victor Laszlo is an inspiring writer and an important figure in the French Resistance. He was arrested once by the Nazis and then released. Now they’re trying to arrest him again. So he’s on the run. He and Ilsa have come to Casablanca because they have heard that they might be able to get a flight from there to Lisbon, Portugal, and from there to England or America. Victor wants to keep on writing and speaking, inspiring his countrymen to fight against the Germans. But the Nazis are on his trail, and they are going to try to prevent him from leaving Casablanca. Pretty exciting stuff, eh?
As the movie goes on, Ilsa begins to realize that she is still very much in love with Rick. And Rick begins to realize that he is not quite as cynical and dispassionate as he thought he was. Ilsa starts thinking that she wants to stay in Casablanca with Rick. But Rick starts realizing that she needs to be with her husband. She inspires Victor and Victor inspires the world.
It all leads to a dramatic moment on the airport tarmac, where Rick says to a weeping Ilsa, “I’m no good at being noble, but it doesn’t take much to see that the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you’ll understand that.” Then he looks in her eyes and says, “Here’s looking at you, kid.” And he sends her off to the plane.
I thought about that movie moment today as I was thinking about the situation that we are in right now. We are all sacrificing in some way, right now, for the greater good. We have given up some of our freedoms. Many people are hurting financially. Some people are risking their own health to take care of those who are sick. Our situation requires that we set aside our own little problems for the time being and concentrate on the bigger issue of defeating this virus. “Here’s looking at you, kid. Now stay in your house!”
But in the midst of our sacrifices and our struggles, God has not forgotten about us. Our God is big enough to deal with a global pandemic and keep his eye on our little “hill of beans” at the same time. That’s why I love the story that we see in the opening verses of Luke 19. Jesus has some big things going on in his life. He is walking through the city of Jericho, on his way to Jerusalem. This will be his last trip to the Holy City. This trip will end up at the cross. So we would understand if Jesus ignored the people who crowded around him as he passed through Jericho. He has more important things on his mind.
But then, suddenly, Jesus stops under a sycamore tree. He looks up at a small man sitting on one of the branches. The man’s name is Zaccheus. Zaccheus wanted to see the famous miracle worker named Jesus, who was passing through his town. But the crowds were too big and everyone was taller than he was. So he raced ahead on the road and climbed into the sycamore tree and waited for Jesus to walk by.
But Jesus didn’t just walk by. Instead, he looked up into the tree and said, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” And Jesus and his disciples followed Zaccheus to his house. They ate dinner with him and his friends. They spent the night under his roof. And Jesus changed his life. In the midst of the most difficult time of his own earthly life, Jesus still had time for the individual people that he met along the way.
David talks about God’s incredible love for us as individuals in Psalm 139. He says, “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.” Later he says, “In your book are written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me.” Even in the midst of big things going on in the world, God still knows us and loves us and takes care of us.
Yes, we are sacrificing right now for the greater good. But our individual thoughts, and needs, and concerns are still important to God. Each one of us is still very precious to him. And no matter where you are, no matter what is going on around you in the world, God is still there. God is still looking at you, kid. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/N-hN740J6qA
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 39 – Friday, April 24, 2020
Read John 14:25-27 and Proverbs 3:1-8
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)
I mentioned in my devotion a couple of days ago that I really love history. And I’m especially interested in the history of the US Civil War. I love to read about the battles and the strategies. But I also love to read about the people. There are the big stories of famous people, like Abraham Lincoln, and Robert E. Lee, and Ulysses S. Grant. But there are also hundreds of smaller stories about ordinary people who simply got caught up in the events that were happening around them. One of the most interesting of these smaller stories is the story of Wilmer McLean.
When the war broke out, Wilmer McLean was a 47 year old farmer and wholesale grocer who lived near the town of Manassas, Virginia, about twenty-five miles west of Washington D.C. He and his wife Virginia lived in a large farmhouse with her two teenage daughters from a previous marriage (her first husband had died) and the two young children that they had together, a seven year old son and a four year old daughter. The McLeans were living a comfortable middle-class southern life.
But all of that changed on July 21, 1861. On that day, the Union Army of the Potomac, led by General Irvin McDowell, marched out of Washington to hunt down the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, led by General P. G. T. Beauregard. The armies came together on Wilmer McLean’s farm in what would become the first major battle of the war, the First Battle of Bull Run, named after a small creek that meandered through the area (it is also sometimes referred to as the First Battle of Manassas).
General Beauregard took over the McLean house as his field headquarters. The battle raged across the farm fields all day, destroying many of the half-grown crops. Late in the day, a Union artillery round hit the farmhouse and destroyed the dining room. When the battle was over and the armies had withdrawn, McLean had a decision to make. If he stayed in northern Virginia, there would probably be more battles in the area and his family would be put at risk. (In fact, there was a Second Battle of Bull Run fought in the same spot just one year later.) So he decided to move his family away from the front.
The McLean household packed up everything that they could carry and moved a hundred and twenty miles southwest to the sleepy little town of Appomattox Court House. There, away from the fighting, McLean continued his work as a wholesaler, eventually becoming one of the biggest sugar brokers in the Confederacy. Life was good again. But four years later, the war would once again find Wilmer McLean.
In early April, 1865, the Confederate capital of Richmond fell to the Union. The Confederate army, now led by General Robert E. Lee, was on the run. And the Union army, now led by General Ulysses S. Grant, was hot on their trail. Grant caught up to Lee in a field just outside of, you guessed it, Appomattox Court House. With his army exhausted and out of ammunition, Lee offered to surrender.
Grant sent one of his officers into the town to find a house where he and Lee could sign the surrender documents. It was Palm Sunday, and church was just letting out. The officer stopped a man in the street and said that they would need to use his house. The man was Wilmer McLean. Wilmer McLean had tried to run away from the war, but the war came to him. He would later say, “The war started in my front yard and ended in my front parlor.”
Whenever I think of Wilmer McLean, I’m reminded that we can’t run away from the troubles of this world. No matter what we do, they always find us. Every family that I know has been touched by heartbreak, illness, and death. Some have suffered more than others. But all have experienced some amount of hardship and suffering in their lives.
So if suffering is inevitable, then how are we to handle it? If we can’t run away from it, then where can we run? The answer, of course, is that we can run to Jesus. Jesus does not promise us that we will not suffer in this life. Only when we get to heaven will we be free from the pain and hardship of this world. But what Jesus does promise us is that he will be with us in the midst of our suffering. And he will give us peace.
During the Last Supper, on the night before his death on the cross, Jesus said to his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” He told them that his peace was not like the peace that the world offers. The peace that the world offers is tentative. It is temporary. We can quarantine ourselves against a virus. But we can’t run away from the suffering of this world. And we surely can’t avoid the inevitability of death.
But the peace that Jesus offers is greater than the peace of this world. The peace that Jesus offers is sure and it is powerful. It is “the peace that passes all understanding.” It is better that the peace of the world because it is eternal. It assures us that no matter what happens to us in this world, we have a better world waiting for us in heaven. So Jesus said to his disciples, and he says to us, “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” We can handle this, because we have the peace of Jesus in our hearts. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. It was written by the great Andrae Crouch. I saw him in concert when I was in college and this was one of my favorites. It's a long video, because he tells a story at the beginning, but I hope you enjoy it!
https://youtu.be/CvIxwc90BEI
Day 39 – Friday, April 24, 2020
Read John 14:25-27 and Proverbs 3:1-8
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)
I mentioned in my devotion a couple of days ago that I really love history. And I’m especially interested in the history of the US Civil War. I love to read about the battles and the strategies. But I also love to read about the people. There are the big stories of famous people, like Abraham Lincoln, and Robert E. Lee, and Ulysses S. Grant. But there are also hundreds of smaller stories about ordinary people who simply got caught up in the events that were happening around them. One of the most interesting of these smaller stories is the story of Wilmer McLean.
When the war broke out, Wilmer McLean was a 47 year old farmer and wholesale grocer who lived near the town of Manassas, Virginia, about twenty-five miles west of Washington D.C. He and his wife Virginia lived in a large farmhouse with her two teenage daughters from a previous marriage (her first husband had died) and the two young children that they had together, a seven year old son and a four year old daughter. The McLeans were living a comfortable middle-class southern life.
But all of that changed on July 21, 1861. On that day, the Union Army of the Potomac, led by General Irvin McDowell, marched out of Washington to hunt down the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, led by General P. G. T. Beauregard. The armies came together on Wilmer McLean’s farm in what would become the first major battle of the war, the First Battle of Bull Run, named after a small creek that meandered through the area (it is also sometimes referred to as the First Battle of Manassas).
General Beauregard took over the McLean house as his field headquarters. The battle raged across the farm fields all day, destroying many of the half-grown crops. Late in the day, a Union artillery round hit the farmhouse and destroyed the dining room. When the battle was over and the armies had withdrawn, McLean had a decision to make. If he stayed in northern Virginia, there would probably be more battles in the area and his family would be put at risk. (In fact, there was a Second Battle of Bull Run fought in the same spot just one year later.) So he decided to move his family away from the front.
The McLean household packed up everything that they could carry and moved a hundred and twenty miles southwest to the sleepy little town of Appomattox Court House. There, away from the fighting, McLean continued his work as a wholesaler, eventually becoming one of the biggest sugar brokers in the Confederacy. Life was good again. But four years later, the war would once again find Wilmer McLean.
In early April, 1865, the Confederate capital of Richmond fell to the Union. The Confederate army, now led by General Robert E. Lee, was on the run. And the Union army, now led by General Ulysses S. Grant, was hot on their trail. Grant caught up to Lee in a field just outside of, you guessed it, Appomattox Court House. With his army exhausted and out of ammunition, Lee offered to surrender.
Grant sent one of his officers into the town to find a house where he and Lee could sign the surrender documents. It was Palm Sunday, and church was just letting out. The officer stopped a man in the street and said that they would need to use his house. The man was Wilmer McLean. Wilmer McLean had tried to run away from the war, but the war came to him. He would later say, “The war started in my front yard and ended in my front parlor.”
Whenever I think of Wilmer McLean, I’m reminded that we can’t run away from the troubles of this world. No matter what we do, they always find us. Every family that I know has been touched by heartbreak, illness, and death. Some have suffered more than others. But all have experienced some amount of hardship and suffering in their lives.
So if suffering is inevitable, then how are we to handle it? If we can’t run away from it, then where can we run? The answer, of course, is that we can run to Jesus. Jesus does not promise us that we will not suffer in this life. Only when we get to heaven will we be free from the pain and hardship of this world. But what Jesus does promise us is that he will be with us in the midst of our suffering. And he will give us peace.
During the Last Supper, on the night before his death on the cross, Jesus said to his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” He told them that his peace was not like the peace that the world offers. The peace that the world offers is tentative. It is temporary. We can quarantine ourselves against a virus. But we can’t run away from the suffering of this world. And we surely can’t avoid the inevitability of death.
But the peace that Jesus offers is greater than the peace of this world. The peace that Jesus offers is sure and it is powerful. It is “the peace that passes all understanding.” It is better that the peace of the world because it is eternal. It assures us that no matter what happens to us in this world, we have a better world waiting for us in heaven. So Jesus said to his disciples, and he says to us, “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” We can handle this, because we have the peace of Jesus in our hearts. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. It was written by the great Andrae Crouch. I saw him in concert when I was in college and this was one of my favorites. It's a long video, because he tells a story at the beginning, but I hope you enjoy it!
https://youtu.be/CvIxwc90BEI
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 38 – Thursday, April 23, 2020
Read Matthew 10:40-42 and Isaiah 58:6-12
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “Whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” (Matthew 10:42)
I thought I would share a story with you that I came across several years ago. It moved me so much that I clipped it out of the magazine I was reading and tossed it into a file of stories and illustrations that I keep in my office. I’ve probably used it in a sermon before, so if you’ve heard it already, I hope you don’t mind hearing it again.
The story is about a Christian teenager named Mark. Mark was walking home from High School one afternoon, in the fall of his freshman year, when he noticed another freshman boy walking ahead of him. The other boy’s name was Kyle. Kyle’s arms were loaded with all of his books and his backpack looked full as well. Mark thought to himself, “What kind of a kid would take all of his books home on a Friday?”
Just then, some other boys went running by Kyle. As they did, one of them gave him a push and Kyle went sprawling out on the sidewalk. His glasses fell off and his books went flying everywhere. Mark watched as several kids, some of whom were from his church, walked right past Kyle, without helping. But Mark’s heart went out to him.
Mark hustled up to where Kyle had fallen. Kyle was on his knees now, reaching out for his glasses, and Mark noticed that there was a terrible sadness in his eyes. Mark said, “Those guys are really a bunch of jerks, aren’t they?” Then he got down on his knees and starting helping Kyle pick up his things. Mark helped Kyle carry his books home from school that day and then he hung out with him the rest of the afternoon.
The next day they played video games together. Then Mark invited Kyle to come to his church youth group on Sunday night. On Monday, Mark met Kyle at the school entrance and introduced him to a whole bunch of people. Then he invited him to sit with him and his buddies at lunch. Over time, Mark and Kyle became good friends.
Kyle was really shy at the beginning of that school year, but he slowly came out of his shell. And over the next four years, he blossomed into a brilliant student, with a wonderful sense of humor and a powerful faith in Jesus Christ. He had all kinds of friends and the girls really liked him. But he always remembered that Mark was the first person who had been kind to him. He knew that Mark would always be his best friend.
Kyle ended up being the valedictorian of their senior class, which meant that he would have to give a speech to all of his classmates at their graduation ceremony. When the moment came, Kyle stepped up to the podium and began his speech. He said, “Graduation is a time to say thank you to those who have helped you make it through four tough years. It’s a time to thank your parents, your teachers, your siblings, and your coaches. And it’s a time to say thank you to your friends.” He paused for a moment and then he said, “I am here tonight to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift that you can give to them. And to illustrate that, I would like to tell you a story.”
Kyle began to tell the story of the day when he first met Mark. He was horribly depressed that day, because his parents had just divorced and he and his mom had moved to a new town. That meant that he also had to go to a new school. And during his very first week at that school, some of the kids had already started picking on him and calling him a nerd. He felt so low on that Friday that he had decided to take his own life that weekend. He had cleaned out his locker so that his mom wouldn’t have to go to the school and do it. That’s why he was carrying so much stuff that day.
Then he said, “But thankfully, I was saved that day, because Jesus Christ sent me a friend.” He went on to talk about how Mark had helped him pick up his things and how that simple act of kindness had changed his life forever. Kyle had never talked about this with anyone—not with his mom, not even with Mark. And until that graduation night, Mark had never realized how his small gesture had made such a big difference.
In Matthew 10:42, Jesus says, “Whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” It is a statement about the power of a small gesture of love, done in the name of Jesus. It may seem insignificant at the time, but God can take your little act of kindness and turn it into a powerful, life-changing miracle.
There are a lot of angry people right now, in the midst of this COVID-19 pandemic. There are accusations flying back and forth. The rhetoric seems to get more heated every day. So I have a suggestion for you. I urge you to turn off the news for an entire day and start thinking about some small act of kindness that you could do for another person. It might be something as simple as a phone call to lift someone’s spirits. It might be something a little more elaborate, depending on your resources and creativity. But do something. Make someone’s day. Make a difference for good in this world. And do it in the name of Jesus. Amen and Amen.
Here is an old gospel song that I was thinking about when I wrote this devotion. I love this version by The Boss. (If you don’t know who The Boss is, you probably won’t like it as much as I do!)
https://youtu.be/R0qAYq1GVec
Day 38 – Thursday, April 23, 2020
Read Matthew 10:40-42 and Isaiah 58:6-12
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “Whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” (Matthew 10:42)
I thought I would share a story with you that I came across several years ago. It moved me so much that I clipped it out of the magazine I was reading and tossed it into a file of stories and illustrations that I keep in my office. I’ve probably used it in a sermon before, so if you’ve heard it already, I hope you don’t mind hearing it again.
The story is about a Christian teenager named Mark. Mark was walking home from High School one afternoon, in the fall of his freshman year, when he noticed another freshman boy walking ahead of him. The other boy’s name was Kyle. Kyle’s arms were loaded with all of his books and his backpack looked full as well. Mark thought to himself, “What kind of a kid would take all of his books home on a Friday?”
Just then, some other boys went running by Kyle. As they did, one of them gave him a push and Kyle went sprawling out on the sidewalk. His glasses fell off and his books went flying everywhere. Mark watched as several kids, some of whom were from his church, walked right past Kyle, without helping. But Mark’s heart went out to him.
Mark hustled up to where Kyle had fallen. Kyle was on his knees now, reaching out for his glasses, and Mark noticed that there was a terrible sadness in his eyes. Mark said, “Those guys are really a bunch of jerks, aren’t they?” Then he got down on his knees and starting helping Kyle pick up his things. Mark helped Kyle carry his books home from school that day and then he hung out with him the rest of the afternoon.
The next day they played video games together. Then Mark invited Kyle to come to his church youth group on Sunday night. On Monday, Mark met Kyle at the school entrance and introduced him to a whole bunch of people. Then he invited him to sit with him and his buddies at lunch. Over time, Mark and Kyle became good friends.
Kyle was really shy at the beginning of that school year, but he slowly came out of his shell. And over the next four years, he blossomed into a brilliant student, with a wonderful sense of humor and a powerful faith in Jesus Christ. He had all kinds of friends and the girls really liked him. But he always remembered that Mark was the first person who had been kind to him. He knew that Mark would always be his best friend.
Kyle ended up being the valedictorian of their senior class, which meant that he would have to give a speech to all of his classmates at their graduation ceremony. When the moment came, Kyle stepped up to the podium and began his speech. He said, “Graduation is a time to say thank you to those who have helped you make it through four tough years. It’s a time to thank your parents, your teachers, your siblings, and your coaches. And it’s a time to say thank you to your friends.” He paused for a moment and then he said, “I am here tonight to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift that you can give to them. And to illustrate that, I would like to tell you a story.”
Kyle began to tell the story of the day when he first met Mark. He was horribly depressed that day, because his parents had just divorced and he and his mom had moved to a new town. That meant that he also had to go to a new school. And during his very first week at that school, some of the kids had already started picking on him and calling him a nerd. He felt so low on that Friday that he had decided to take his own life that weekend. He had cleaned out his locker so that his mom wouldn’t have to go to the school and do it. That’s why he was carrying so much stuff that day.
Then he said, “But thankfully, I was saved that day, because Jesus Christ sent me a friend.” He went on to talk about how Mark had helped him pick up his things and how that simple act of kindness had changed his life forever. Kyle had never talked about this with anyone—not with his mom, not even with Mark. And until that graduation night, Mark had never realized how his small gesture had made such a big difference.
In Matthew 10:42, Jesus says, “Whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” It is a statement about the power of a small gesture of love, done in the name of Jesus. It may seem insignificant at the time, but God can take your little act of kindness and turn it into a powerful, life-changing miracle.
There are a lot of angry people right now, in the midst of this COVID-19 pandemic. There are accusations flying back and forth. The rhetoric seems to get more heated every day. So I have a suggestion for you. I urge you to turn off the news for an entire day and start thinking about some small act of kindness that you could do for another person. It might be something as simple as a phone call to lift someone’s spirits. It might be something a little more elaborate, depending on your resources and creativity. But do something. Make someone’s day. Make a difference for good in this world. And do it in the name of Jesus. Amen and Amen.
Here is an old gospel song that I was thinking about when I wrote this devotion. I love this version by The Boss. (If you don’t know who The Boss is, you probably won’t like it as much as I do!)
https://youtu.be/R0qAYq1GVec
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 37 – Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Read Matthew 6:5-8 and Psalm 5
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6)
I only knew Susie Ersbo for a short time. I started work as a pastor of St. Mark Lutheran Church in Lindenhurst, Illinois, on November 1, 2007. Susie died of cancer on January 22, 2011. So I knew her for just a little over three years. But in that short time she made a powerful impact on my life and on the lives of many young people.
Susie just loved kids. She taught little ones in Sunday School and she always helped out with Vacation Bible School. She also helped out with our confirmation program and got to know the Junior High kids really well. In fact, during the time that I was there, Susie decided that she wanted to actually go through the full two years of instruction with one of the confirmation classes.
Susie had become a Christian later in life and had been received into the church through an adult class. But as she helped with confirmation, she began to feel that she had missed something by not experiencing confirmation when she was in Junior High. So she started attending with one of the seventh grade classes and went all the way through until they had finished in eighth grade. If you look at the picture of the 2010 St. Mark confirmation class, you will see, among the kids, the smiling face of sixty-one year old Susie Ersbo!
But the biggest impact that Susie had on the church was with the High School youth. When I arrived at St. Mark, Susie and her husband Bill had already been helping out with the High School group for several years. They attended every youth event and helped out with all of the planning and preparation. When I said that I wanted to start a weekly High School Bible study, they were all in. We had several great youth leaders at the time, but Susie and Bill were the most consistent. Their own children were all grown up, so those High School kids became their family.
I remember many times when High School students would have problems or crises in their lives, and the first person that they wanted to talk to was Susie. Boys would usually share their struggles with me, but they would often go to Susie as well. And the girls would almost always go straight to Susie. She connected with them in a way that I never could. They called her “Miss Susie” and they would talk to her about boyfriend problems and body issues and feelings of depression.
Susie was an amazing counselor! Many times I would be cleaning up and rearranging tables and chairs after a youth meeting and Bill would be helping me, because Susie was in one of the side rooms, talking to one of the girls about a problem that she was dealing with. Susie would stay as long as she felt she needed to. So Bill and I often had some good, long Sunday night conversations.
But late in 2010, Susie was diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer. She did chemotherapy, but it didn’t seem to slow it down much. I knew that Susie was in bad shape when she stopped attending the Sunday night youth events. She was sick from the chemotherapy and the doctors said that she should avoid being in large groups, due to the suppression of her immune system.
A couple of weeks before Christmas, we were doing our annual youth Christmas caroling at the area nursing homes. We decided to take a side trip over to Bill and Susie’s house in Gurnee. The temperature was in the single digits. But we stood outside in the cold and sang Christmas carols to Susie through her patio door. She sat inside in her chair, wrapped in a blanket, smiling and waving, with tears running down her face. It was a moment that I will never forget.
On Saturday night, January 22nd, I got a call from Bill. Susie had just passed away. So I drove to their home and sat with Bill and a few other family members, as we waited for the funeral director to come. While we were there, Bill said, “I want to show you something.” So I followed him upstairs and he led me to the guest bedroom. He said, “Kneel down right there, next to the bed. Do you feel something?”
I did feel something. I felt two indentations deep in the plush carpeting. And I suddenly began to realize what Bill wanted to show me. He said, “Susie got up early every morning. And before she had breakfast, before she did anything else, she would come in here and kneel down next to the bed, and pray for all of the people on her prayer list. She prayed for at least an hour, sometimes much longer. And she never missed a day, until she physically couldn’t do it anymore.”
I knew that Susie was a woman of prayer. She had often prayed beautiful prayers at the end of our youth Bible studies. But this was a surprise to me. I was never aware that she had such an amazing commitment to the power of prayer. She didn’t want me to know about it. It was between Susie and her God.
Jesus said to his disciples, “When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” And he rewarded Susie’s prayers bountifully. I saw the prayers of Susie rewarded in the many lives that were changed among the young people. I saw the prayers of Susie rewarded in the way that the youth group grew within the church and the way that the kids were bringing their friends from outside the church.
I know that Susie wanted to be healed of her cancer. And I know that she prayed about that. I prayed with her on many occasions in those final months. But Susie knew that the survival of her body was not what was most important. What was most important was knowing Jesus and believing that he would be waiting for her with open arms when she got to heaven. And she wanted everyone that she met to know Jesus in the same way that she did. She especially wanted that for the young people of the church. She wanted to see them all in heaven one day.
That’s why there were dents in the carpet. Like the nail holes in Jesus’ hands and feet, those dents were the marks of love. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about when I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/EwOPwAVDN7s
Day 37 – Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Read Matthew 6:5-8 and Psalm 5
Theme Verse: Jesus said, “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6)
I only knew Susie Ersbo for a short time. I started work as a pastor of St. Mark Lutheran Church in Lindenhurst, Illinois, on November 1, 2007. Susie died of cancer on January 22, 2011. So I knew her for just a little over three years. But in that short time she made a powerful impact on my life and on the lives of many young people.
Susie just loved kids. She taught little ones in Sunday School and she always helped out with Vacation Bible School. She also helped out with our confirmation program and got to know the Junior High kids really well. In fact, during the time that I was there, Susie decided that she wanted to actually go through the full two years of instruction with one of the confirmation classes.
Susie had become a Christian later in life and had been received into the church through an adult class. But as she helped with confirmation, she began to feel that she had missed something by not experiencing confirmation when she was in Junior High. So she started attending with one of the seventh grade classes and went all the way through until they had finished in eighth grade. If you look at the picture of the 2010 St. Mark confirmation class, you will see, among the kids, the smiling face of sixty-one year old Susie Ersbo!
But the biggest impact that Susie had on the church was with the High School youth. When I arrived at St. Mark, Susie and her husband Bill had already been helping out with the High School group for several years. They attended every youth event and helped out with all of the planning and preparation. When I said that I wanted to start a weekly High School Bible study, they were all in. We had several great youth leaders at the time, but Susie and Bill were the most consistent. Their own children were all grown up, so those High School kids became their family.
I remember many times when High School students would have problems or crises in their lives, and the first person that they wanted to talk to was Susie. Boys would usually share their struggles with me, but they would often go to Susie as well. And the girls would almost always go straight to Susie. She connected with them in a way that I never could. They called her “Miss Susie” and they would talk to her about boyfriend problems and body issues and feelings of depression.
Susie was an amazing counselor! Many times I would be cleaning up and rearranging tables and chairs after a youth meeting and Bill would be helping me, because Susie was in one of the side rooms, talking to one of the girls about a problem that she was dealing with. Susie would stay as long as she felt she needed to. So Bill and I often had some good, long Sunday night conversations.
But late in 2010, Susie was diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer. She did chemotherapy, but it didn’t seem to slow it down much. I knew that Susie was in bad shape when she stopped attending the Sunday night youth events. She was sick from the chemotherapy and the doctors said that she should avoid being in large groups, due to the suppression of her immune system.
A couple of weeks before Christmas, we were doing our annual youth Christmas caroling at the area nursing homes. We decided to take a side trip over to Bill and Susie’s house in Gurnee. The temperature was in the single digits. But we stood outside in the cold and sang Christmas carols to Susie through her patio door. She sat inside in her chair, wrapped in a blanket, smiling and waving, with tears running down her face. It was a moment that I will never forget.
On Saturday night, January 22nd, I got a call from Bill. Susie had just passed away. So I drove to their home and sat with Bill and a few other family members, as we waited for the funeral director to come. While we were there, Bill said, “I want to show you something.” So I followed him upstairs and he led me to the guest bedroom. He said, “Kneel down right there, next to the bed. Do you feel something?”
I did feel something. I felt two indentations deep in the plush carpeting. And I suddenly began to realize what Bill wanted to show me. He said, “Susie got up early every morning. And before she had breakfast, before she did anything else, she would come in here and kneel down next to the bed, and pray for all of the people on her prayer list. She prayed for at least an hour, sometimes much longer. And she never missed a day, until she physically couldn’t do it anymore.”
I knew that Susie was a woman of prayer. She had often prayed beautiful prayers at the end of our youth Bible studies. But this was a surprise to me. I was never aware that she had such an amazing commitment to the power of prayer. She didn’t want me to know about it. It was between Susie and her God.
Jesus said to his disciples, “When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” And he rewarded Susie’s prayers bountifully. I saw the prayers of Susie rewarded in the many lives that were changed among the young people. I saw the prayers of Susie rewarded in the way that the youth group grew within the church and the way that the kids were bringing their friends from outside the church.
I know that Susie wanted to be healed of her cancer. And I know that she prayed about that. I prayed with her on many occasions in those final months. But Susie knew that the survival of her body was not what was most important. What was most important was knowing Jesus and believing that he would be waiting for her with open arms when she got to heaven. And she wanted everyone that she met to know Jesus in the same way that she did. She especially wanted that for the young people of the church. She wanted to see them all in heaven one day.
That’s why there were dents in the carpet. Like the nail holes in Jesus’ hands and feet, those dents were the marks of love. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about when I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/EwOPwAVDN7s
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 36 – Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Read Acts 17:22-34 and Psalm 105:1-6
Theme Verse: Paul said, “What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.” (Acts 17:23)
I once spent an entire hour in a cemetery, looking for a gravestone that marked the burial place of a human arm. Not an entire body. Just the arm. It happened in 1997, when we took a family vacation to Washington D.C. Since Washington is just across the Potomac River from the state of Virginia, I also wanted to visit some of the famous Civil War battlefields that are spread all over the northern part of that state. My kids always told people that, whenever we went on vacation, we had to visit at least one battlefield and go to at least one baseball game. That’s a pretty accurate statement.
So I planned out one full day to visit three battlefields. In the morning we went to Manassas, which was only thirty miles west of our motel in Alexandria. We walked the battlefield and I described the battle for my family, based on the many Civil War books that I had read. I pointed to a spot and said, “Over there is where Confederate General Thomas Jackson got his nickname ‘Stonewall.’” I described how the Confederate army was in full retreat, but Jackson rallied his men and got them to turn around. Another general then pointed at Jackson and told his men, “Look! There stands Jackson like a stone wall.” Jackson’s courage inspired the rest of the Confederates and they fought back and won the battle that day. And the nickname stuck.
We then drove about fifty miles south to the Fredericksburg battlefield. There we saw an old stone wall at the foot of a steep hill called Marye’s Heights. I showed the kids where the Union army had tried to climb over the wall and attack the Confederate troops at the top of the hill. It was a terrible defeat for the Union.
After Fredericksburg, we turned west and traveled about ten miles to the Chancellorsville battlefield. There I described how the Confederates took a big chance by dividing their army. General Lee kept half of the army and stayed in front of the Union line. But Stonewall Jackson took the other half and made a big loop around the flank of the Union army and attacked them from the rear. It ended up being a major victory for the Confederates, but they paid a huge price. Late in the day, as the sun was going down, Jackson was accidentally shot in the arm by one of his own men. The shattered arm was amputated on the battlefield and Jackson was moved to a house twenty miles away. He died from the infection just eight days later.
Stonewall Jackson was buried in his hometown of Lexington, Virginia. But the arm was a different story. Most limbs that were amputated during the war were buried together in unmarked holes. But this was the arm of the beloved general. So several soldiers dug a grave nearby and buried the arm by itself, with a temporary marker. A permanent gravestone was erected later and still stands there today. And I wanted to find it.
So that’s how I ended up looking for the burial place of a human arm. I knew the approximate location of the stone marking the grave. But we had gotten to Chancellorsville late in the afternoon, after the visitors center was closed. So there was no ranger to ask. And this was in the days before smart phones. The internet was still in its infancy. I was working off of notes that I had jotted down from a history book. And then, right where I thought it should be, I found a cemetery. I was sure that this must be the place. I enlisted Lisa and all five of the kids to walk around and look for the grave marking the final resting place of the great general’s left arm. After about an hour of searching, we were losing the light and I decided to give up.
I eventually learned that the cemetery where we were searching was only about a hundred yards away from the actual burial site of the arm. I was soooo close. But I missed it. And now my kids have a great vacation story to tell, because they get to have a laugh at Dad’s expense. And a couple of years later, the secretary of my church went to visit her son in Virginia. And they went to the battlefield. And they found the arm. And she took pictures and taped them to my office door when she came back!
When I think about how frustrated I was about not being able to find Stonewall Jackson’s arm, it makes me think about how frustrated Paul must have been when he talked to some of the leading men of Athens at the Areopagus (also known as Mars Hill). Paul knew that they were very educated and inquisitive. They were trying to understand the secrets of the universe. They were searching for eternal truth. But they were looking in the wrong place.
Paul had noticed all of the statues around the city, honoring the many gods and goddesses of the Greek pantheon. And then he came across a statue with an interesting inscription. It said, “To the unknown god.” The Athenians were trying to cover their bases. They didn’t want to leave out any god. So Paul used this as his opening. He said, “What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.” And then he went on to talk to them about Jesus.
The men of Athens listened. They were interested to find the one true god, if such a god existed. They were searching. They were soooo close. But they were wondering what made Jesus different from all of the other gods. Why should they follow him and only him? And Paul gave them the answer. He said that God “has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
There it was—the most important truth of all. Jesus rose from the dead. He conquered death. And because he conquered death, he has the power and the right to offer eternal life to all who will believe in him. Paul proclaimed this truth to the men of Athens. He put it right in front of them. And most of them turned away. Only a handful believed. The rest continued to walk through the graveyards of false gods and false philosophies, looking for a truth that they would never find. Because it is only found in Jesus Christ.
I pray that you will always search for truth in Jesus. Surrender your life to him. Spend time in the Word of God. Ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And your search will be rewarded with eternal life in heaven with your resurrected Lord!
And if you ever get to Chancellorsville, Virginia, I hope you’ll visit the battlefield and find the arm. Just don’t send me a picture. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/rDeiy9-t2GE
Day 36 – Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Read Acts 17:22-34 and Psalm 105:1-6
Theme Verse: Paul said, “What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.” (Acts 17:23)
I once spent an entire hour in a cemetery, looking for a gravestone that marked the burial place of a human arm. Not an entire body. Just the arm. It happened in 1997, when we took a family vacation to Washington D.C. Since Washington is just across the Potomac River from the state of Virginia, I also wanted to visit some of the famous Civil War battlefields that are spread all over the northern part of that state. My kids always told people that, whenever we went on vacation, we had to visit at least one battlefield and go to at least one baseball game. That’s a pretty accurate statement.
So I planned out one full day to visit three battlefields. In the morning we went to Manassas, which was only thirty miles west of our motel in Alexandria. We walked the battlefield and I described the battle for my family, based on the many Civil War books that I had read. I pointed to a spot and said, “Over there is where Confederate General Thomas Jackson got his nickname ‘Stonewall.’” I described how the Confederate army was in full retreat, but Jackson rallied his men and got them to turn around. Another general then pointed at Jackson and told his men, “Look! There stands Jackson like a stone wall.” Jackson’s courage inspired the rest of the Confederates and they fought back and won the battle that day. And the nickname stuck.
We then drove about fifty miles south to the Fredericksburg battlefield. There we saw an old stone wall at the foot of a steep hill called Marye’s Heights. I showed the kids where the Union army had tried to climb over the wall and attack the Confederate troops at the top of the hill. It was a terrible defeat for the Union.
After Fredericksburg, we turned west and traveled about ten miles to the Chancellorsville battlefield. There I described how the Confederates took a big chance by dividing their army. General Lee kept half of the army and stayed in front of the Union line. But Stonewall Jackson took the other half and made a big loop around the flank of the Union army and attacked them from the rear. It ended up being a major victory for the Confederates, but they paid a huge price. Late in the day, as the sun was going down, Jackson was accidentally shot in the arm by one of his own men. The shattered arm was amputated on the battlefield and Jackson was moved to a house twenty miles away. He died from the infection just eight days later.
Stonewall Jackson was buried in his hometown of Lexington, Virginia. But the arm was a different story. Most limbs that were amputated during the war were buried together in unmarked holes. But this was the arm of the beloved general. So several soldiers dug a grave nearby and buried the arm by itself, with a temporary marker. A permanent gravestone was erected later and still stands there today. And I wanted to find it.
So that’s how I ended up looking for the burial place of a human arm. I knew the approximate location of the stone marking the grave. But we had gotten to Chancellorsville late in the afternoon, after the visitors center was closed. So there was no ranger to ask. And this was in the days before smart phones. The internet was still in its infancy. I was working off of notes that I had jotted down from a history book. And then, right where I thought it should be, I found a cemetery. I was sure that this must be the place. I enlisted Lisa and all five of the kids to walk around and look for the grave marking the final resting place of the great general’s left arm. After about an hour of searching, we were losing the light and I decided to give up.
I eventually learned that the cemetery where we were searching was only about a hundred yards away from the actual burial site of the arm. I was soooo close. But I missed it. And now my kids have a great vacation story to tell, because they get to have a laugh at Dad’s expense. And a couple of years later, the secretary of my church went to visit her son in Virginia. And they went to the battlefield. And they found the arm. And she took pictures and taped them to my office door when she came back!
When I think about how frustrated I was about not being able to find Stonewall Jackson’s arm, it makes me think about how frustrated Paul must have been when he talked to some of the leading men of Athens at the Areopagus (also known as Mars Hill). Paul knew that they were very educated and inquisitive. They were trying to understand the secrets of the universe. They were searching for eternal truth. But they were looking in the wrong place.
Paul had noticed all of the statues around the city, honoring the many gods and goddesses of the Greek pantheon. And then he came across a statue with an interesting inscription. It said, “To the unknown god.” The Athenians were trying to cover their bases. They didn’t want to leave out any god. So Paul used this as his opening. He said, “What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.” And then he went on to talk to them about Jesus.
The men of Athens listened. They were interested to find the one true god, if such a god existed. They were searching. They were soooo close. But they were wondering what made Jesus different from all of the other gods. Why should they follow him and only him? And Paul gave them the answer. He said that God “has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
There it was—the most important truth of all. Jesus rose from the dead. He conquered death. And because he conquered death, he has the power and the right to offer eternal life to all who will believe in him. Paul proclaimed this truth to the men of Athens. He put it right in front of them. And most of them turned away. Only a handful believed. The rest continued to walk through the graveyards of false gods and false philosophies, looking for a truth that they would never find. Because it is only found in Jesus Christ.
I pray that you will always search for truth in Jesus. Surrender your life to him. Spend time in the Word of God. Ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And your search will be rewarded with eternal life in heaven with your resurrected Lord!
And if you ever get to Chancellorsville, Virginia, I hope you’ll visit the battlefield and find the arm. Just don’t send me a picture. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/rDeiy9-t2GE
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)*
Day 35 – Monday, April 20, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read John 20:3-9
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
I hate to admit it, but a lot of my life this past week or so goes back to this image. In the spring of 2016, I had plans for this orderly move to Valparaiso that would smoothly integrate with my retirement. My plans didn’t include fixing some major problems in our new house – or dealing with Karen’s cancer. Thanks to some great help from the people of First Lutheran, we still managed to pack everything up and ship it out. But I must confess that my packing methods were rather crude. I’d make a box, fill it up, tape it shut, and get it stacked someplace in our house. Unfortunately, careful sorting and throwing out was not part of the routine. I just packed and moved.
In retirement we have a lot of time on our hands, and Karen has developed a new hobby: “Döstädning” - also known as “Swedish Death Cleaning.” It simply involves going through everything in your possession and selling, donating, gifting, or tossing anything not needed for daily living. It is minimalism on steroids. It is also a positive way of correcting my “pack it and move it” box collection. I don’t know how many trips to thrift stores we’ve made. We’ve nearly worn out a shredder, ridding ourselves of everything from 1979 tax returns to student aid applications for our sons. I unpacked one box and discovered a jacket I’d thought was lost (coats will be sorted in May). Our closet is once again a walk-in affair. I brought much to Indiana that really should have been left behind.
That idea of leaving behind what really isn’t needed for daily living has application to the Easter story. Both Luke and John report an interesting detail. John 20:6-7 says, “Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen.” Jesus had been buried with his body anointed with 75 pounds of spices and wrapped in linen, and another cloth covering his head. That linen was the final act of a horrific day – a covering for a body battered and broken. The linen had been given by Nicodemus out of love and respect for the dead Jesus. Once Jesus was taken down from the cross, he had been buried properly. Now those elements of burial are folded up, laid aside, and left behind.
Let’s marvel at that detail for a moment. Most times I’m so busy celebrating that Jesus is risen that I forget to marvel at the abandoned grave cloths. Those linen cloths declare that there is no longer a broken body in need of covering. The spices no longer need to be held onto Christ’s body. Burial custom no longer needs to be observed. These cloths belong to a dead man – but not to a living Lord. The grave cloths belong to death, and death for Jesus is over. It is time to leave behind the things that don’t belong in a resurrection life.
Once Jesus lives, the things that belong to death, sin, injustice, and all else that put him in the grave – those things need to be left behind. For us to live as Easter people, we need to leave behind our “grave cloths” as well. When we forgive, anger and resentment are to be put aside. If we’re anxious, and place our cares in God’s hands, then at least some of that worry can be left behind. Our way of looking at others is through the lens of their being ones for whom Christ died. Old hatreds and suspicions need to be left behind. We wash feet and seek to heal because all the old games of power politics and status have been left in a grave. If we’re going to follow this risen Jesus, we need to leave behind anything that would tie us to sin and fear, anger and hatred, death and destruction. Leave those things piled up next to those linen cloths – and go live in the light of Easter morning!
We live in a time with anxiety, uncertainty, and fear. I can’t give a quick one liner that will take that all away. But what I can give you is this: we no longer have to live like the world’s powers always win. We do not have to keep on being broken by sin, cowering in fear. And we do not believe that death gets the last word. So we live with confidence in Christ’s power, with healing flowing from his love, and unshakable hope in a life beyond anything we now know. We are the people who know the grave cloths have been left behind.
Please reflect and listen to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsNDxIBVEx8
Day 35 – Monday, April 20, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read John 20:3-9
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
I hate to admit it, but a lot of my life this past week or so goes back to this image. In the spring of 2016, I had plans for this orderly move to Valparaiso that would smoothly integrate with my retirement. My plans didn’t include fixing some major problems in our new house – or dealing with Karen’s cancer. Thanks to some great help from the people of First Lutheran, we still managed to pack everything up and ship it out. But I must confess that my packing methods were rather crude. I’d make a box, fill it up, tape it shut, and get it stacked someplace in our house. Unfortunately, careful sorting and throwing out was not part of the routine. I just packed and moved.
In retirement we have a lot of time on our hands, and Karen has developed a new hobby: “Döstädning” - also known as “Swedish Death Cleaning.” It simply involves going through everything in your possession and selling, donating, gifting, or tossing anything not needed for daily living. It is minimalism on steroids. It is also a positive way of correcting my “pack it and move it” box collection. I don’t know how many trips to thrift stores we’ve made. We’ve nearly worn out a shredder, ridding ourselves of everything from 1979 tax returns to student aid applications for our sons. I unpacked one box and discovered a jacket I’d thought was lost (coats will be sorted in May). Our closet is once again a walk-in affair. I brought much to Indiana that really should have been left behind.
That idea of leaving behind what really isn’t needed for daily living has application to the Easter story. Both Luke and John report an interesting detail. John 20:6-7 says, “Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen.” Jesus had been buried with his body anointed with 75 pounds of spices and wrapped in linen, and another cloth covering his head. That linen was the final act of a horrific day – a covering for a body battered and broken. The linen had been given by Nicodemus out of love and respect for the dead Jesus. Once Jesus was taken down from the cross, he had been buried properly. Now those elements of burial are folded up, laid aside, and left behind.
Let’s marvel at that detail for a moment. Most times I’m so busy celebrating that Jesus is risen that I forget to marvel at the abandoned grave cloths. Those linen cloths declare that there is no longer a broken body in need of covering. The spices no longer need to be held onto Christ’s body. Burial custom no longer needs to be observed. These cloths belong to a dead man – but not to a living Lord. The grave cloths belong to death, and death for Jesus is over. It is time to leave behind the things that don’t belong in a resurrection life.
Once Jesus lives, the things that belong to death, sin, injustice, and all else that put him in the grave – those things need to be left behind. For us to live as Easter people, we need to leave behind our “grave cloths” as well. When we forgive, anger and resentment are to be put aside. If we’re anxious, and place our cares in God’s hands, then at least some of that worry can be left behind. Our way of looking at others is through the lens of their being ones for whom Christ died. Old hatreds and suspicions need to be left behind. We wash feet and seek to heal because all the old games of power politics and status have been left in a grave. If we’re going to follow this risen Jesus, we need to leave behind anything that would tie us to sin and fear, anger and hatred, death and destruction. Leave those things piled up next to those linen cloths – and go live in the light of Easter morning!
We live in a time with anxiety, uncertainty, and fear. I can’t give a quick one liner that will take that all away. But what I can give you is this: we no longer have to live like the world’s powers always win. We do not have to keep on being broken by sin, cowering in fear. And we do not believe that death gets the last word. So we live with confidence in Christ’s power, with healing flowing from his love, and unshakable hope in a life beyond anything we now know. We are the people who know the grave cloths have been left behind.
Please reflect and listen to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsNDxIBVEx8
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 34 – Sunday, April 19, 2020
Read 2 Timothy 3:14-17 and Psalm 119:105-112
Theme Verse: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
I thought I would share one more story from our epic cross country family trip in 1993. This one occurred during our visit to the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona. We stopped there on our way out to California. As we approached the area, we decided to go to the north rim of the canyon first. The north rim is harder to get to because it is a couple of hundred miles out of the way. For that reason, there are far fewer tourists on the north rim than there are at the very popular visitor center on the south rim.
When we arrived at the north rim visitor center, we were pleasantly surprised. It was a beautiful area and there were no crowds. I pulled the van into the parking lot and came to a stop. But before I could even turn the engine off, the side door of the van slid open and our kids just jumped out and started running! They had been cooped up in the van for several hours, so they were full of pent-up energy. And I had talked up the canyon so much that they were eager to see the big, magnificent hole in the ground.
But as they started running across a grassy area toward the rim of the canyon, I could see that the spot they were headed for had no protective fence. The official trail, with guard rails and wire fencing, was to our left, in the other direction. So the kids were running right toward a ledge with a one mile drop, straight down.
Well, I didn’t even bother to turn off the ignition. I just hopped out of the van and ran after them! I was yelling at them to stop, but they either couldn’t hear me or they thought I was goofing around. I finally caught up with them about twenty or thirty yards from the rim. I got in front of them and put my hands out and yelled, “Stop!” And they came to an immediate halt.
Now that I had their attention, I gave them a little lecture about the dangers of just running off on their own, without waiting for Mom and Dad. Then I carefully walked them up to a spot near the edge, and explained to them that, if they had accidentally run off the rim of the canyon, it would have been a long way down! From there we walked back to where Lisa was waiting and then we had a great afternoon exploring the safe trail with the protective fencing.
As I think about that little episode from many years ago, it makes me think about the importance of the Bible in our lives. So many people think of the Bible as an old book that is trying to take all the fun out of their lives. They want to live their lives like my kids bursting out of that van. They want to just take off in any direction that strikes their fancy. They want be free! And they see the God of the Bible as a stodgy old dad, yelling at them to stop, and lecturing them about what they can and can’t do.
But the people who think that way about the Bible don’t know how wrong they are. The Bible is not just a list of arbitrary rules that are designed to take all the fun out of our lives. The Bible is the living, breathing Word of a God who loves us very much! Yes, there are laws and commandments in the Bible. But those laws and commandments are there to show us where the dangers are in this world. They are there to prevent us from running headlong off the cliff and plunging into the canyon. In other words, they are there because God loves us. I didn’t run after my kids and scold them because I was trying to ruin their fun. I did it because I loved them.
Paul says in 2 Timothy that, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16) God gave us the Bible because he loves us and he wants us to live our best lives in this world. The writer of Psalm 119 understands this very well. He says to God, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105) He says that the Word of God is like a lamp on a dark night. You hold it out in front of you and it shows you where to take your next step. It alerts you to dangers that might be in your path. It is a good thing. It is a blessing.
I am so glad that none of my kids ran off the rim of the Grand Canyon twenty-seven years ago. I’m so glad that they listened to my voice and stopped running. And I was so happy to be able to lead them over to the better path, the path that would allow them to enjoy their day without endangering their lives.
I hope that you are spending time in the Word of God every day. The Bible is an amazing book, filled with the wisdom of God. But it’s so much more than that. It is also God’s love letter to his people. It is the story of a God who loves us so much that he was willing to give his life for us, so that we could live forever with him in heaven. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking of when I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/a6LC8cu03Ig
Day 34 – Sunday, April 19, 2020
Read 2 Timothy 3:14-17 and Psalm 119:105-112
Theme Verse: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
I thought I would share one more story from our epic cross country family trip in 1993. This one occurred during our visit to the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona. We stopped there on our way out to California. As we approached the area, we decided to go to the north rim of the canyon first. The north rim is harder to get to because it is a couple of hundred miles out of the way. For that reason, there are far fewer tourists on the north rim than there are at the very popular visitor center on the south rim.
When we arrived at the north rim visitor center, we were pleasantly surprised. It was a beautiful area and there were no crowds. I pulled the van into the parking lot and came to a stop. But before I could even turn the engine off, the side door of the van slid open and our kids just jumped out and started running! They had been cooped up in the van for several hours, so they were full of pent-up energy. And I had talked up the canyon so much that they were eager to see the big, magnificent hole in the ground.
But as they started running across a grassy area toward the rim of the canyon, I could see that the spot they were headed for had no protective fence. The official trail, with guard rails and wire fencing, was to our left, in the other direction. So the kids were running right toward a ledge with a one mile drop, straight down.
Well, I didn’t even bother to turn off the ignition. I just hopped out of the van and ran after them! I was yelling at them to stop, but they either couldn’t hear me or they thought I was goofing around. I finally caught up with them about twenty or thirty yards from the rim. I got in front of them and put my hands out and yelled, “Stop!” And they came to an immediate halt.
Now that I had their attention, I gave them a little lecture about the dangers of just running off on their own, without waiting for Mom and Dad. Then I carefully walked them up to a spot near the edge, and explained to them that, if they had accidentally run off the rim of the canyon, it would have been a long way down! From there we walked back to where Lisa was waiting and then we had a great afternoon exploring the safe trail with the protective fencing.
As I think about that little episode from many years ago, it makes me think about the importance of the Bible in our lives. So many people think of the Bible as an old book that is trying to take all the fun out of their lives. They want to live their lives like my kids bursting out of that van. They want to just take off in any direction that strikes their fancy. They want be free! And they see the God of the Bible as a stodgy old dad, yelling at them to stop, and lecturing them about what they can and can’t do.
But the people who think that way about the Bible don’t know how wrong they are. The Bible is not just a list of arbitrary rules that are designed to take all the fun out of our lives. The Bible is the living, breathing Word of a God who loves us very much! Yes, there are laws and commandments in the Bible. But those laws and commandments are there to show us where the dangers are in this world. They are there to prevent us from running headlong off the cliff and plunging into the canyon. In other words, they are there because God loves us. I didn’t run after my kids and scold them because I was trying to ruin their fun. I did it because I loved them.
Paul says in 2 Timothy that, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16) God gave us the Bible because he loves us and he wants us to live our best lives in this world. The writer of Psalm 119 understands this very well. He says to God, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105) He says that the Word of God is like a lamp on a dark night. You hold it out in front of you and it shows you where to take your next step. It alerts you to dangers that might be in your path. It is a good thing. It is a blessing.
I am so glad that none of my kids ran off the rim of the Grand Canyon twenty-seven years ago. I’m so glad that they listened to my voice and stopped running. And I was so happy to be able to lead them over to the better path, the path that would allow them to enjoy their day without endangering their lives.
I hope that you are spending time in the Word of God every day. The Bible is an amazing book, filled with the wisdom of God. But it’s so much more than that. It is also God’s love letter to his people. It is the story of a God who loves us so much that he was willing to give his life for us, so that we could live forever with him in heaven. Amen and Amen.
Here is a song that I was thinking of when I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/a6LC8cu03Ig
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 33 – Saturday, April 18, 2020
Read Philippians 4:10-13 and Psalm 131
Theme Verse: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
Yesterday I talked about the cross country trip that Lisa and I undertook with our five kids in 1993. We drove round trip to southern California and back—six thousand miles in sixteen days—all crammed together in our blue 1990 Ford Aerostar. It was an epic adventure!
One of the things that we did in California was to visit Hollywood. I wanted to show the kids the stars on the Walk of Fame and the imprints of famous hands and feet in the cement outside of Grauman’s Chinese Theater. So one day, in the early evening, we parked our car in a nearby lot, ate some supper at a fast food place, and then started walking down Hollywood Boulevard toward the theater.
But as we got within a couple of blocks, we saw that the street ahead was blocked off and the sidewalks were packed with people. I asked someone what was going on and they told me that it was the premiere of the 1993 movie “Coneheads.” So we found a place on the sidewalk and watched some of the limos pull up and drop off the stars. We saw people like Adam Sandler, Phil Hartman, Jason Alexander, and Kevin Nealon.
But we were standing on the theater side of the street, trying to look down toward the entrance. So I said, “Let’s go to the other side of the street. We’ll be able to see better over there.” So we crossed the street, and as we did, I happened to bump into Michael Richards, who was heading across in the other direction. I was a big fan of the show “Seinfeld,” so our kids knew who he was. They all pointed at him and said, “Kramer!”
Once we got to the other side, we had a good view of the front of the theater, as more actors arrived. We saw Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin. Roseanne and Tom Arnold drove up in a beautiful old roadster. Chris Farley and David Spade were there. Steve Martin showed up, and he wasn’t even in the movie!
It was fun to see so many celebrities. It was kind of a Who’s Who of comedy in the early 1990’s. But as we watched all of the famous people get out of their cars, I was struck by how ordinary they seemed. When you see people on the movie screen or even on TV, they seem to be larger than life. But when you see them up close, you realize that they are just people like you and me. They live glamorous lives and many of them make a lot of money, but they have the same hopes and dreams as the rest of us. They also have the same problems and tragedies.
Roseanne and Tom Arnold were divorced a year and a half after that night. Chris Farley died of a drug overdose in 1997. Phil Hartman was shot and killed by his wife in 1998. Michael Richards destroyed his career in 2006, when he went on a racist rant against a heckler during a standup comedy routine. It just goes to show you that being a celebrity on the outside is no guarantee of peace and contentment on the inside. Jimmy Stewart was once quoted as saying, “If fame and fortune could bring happiness, Hollywood would be the happiest place on earth.”
So where does true happiness come from? What is the formula for having peace and contentment on the inside, in our hearts? The Apostle Paul has the answer in his letter to the Philippians. He says, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.”
So tell us, Paul. Tell us how we can find peace and contentment and happiness, whether we are rich and famous celebrities in Hollywood, California, or regular Joes and Janes in Princeton, Illinois. Tell us the secret! And Paul does tell us in Philippians 4:13. He says, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” The “him” that Paul is talking about is Jesus. Paul can handle anything that comes his way in this life if Jesus is with him.
And the same is true for all of us today. We are all going through the stress and strain of the pandemic shutdown right now. For some people, it’s a minor setback in an otherwise happy and peaceful time of their lives. For others, it’s another problem on top of several others that they were already dealing with. Life has its ups and downs, and some people seem to get more of the downs than other people do. But we all need the same thing to keep us grounded when life is good and to lift us up when life is a struggle. We all need Jesus.
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me” is not a cliché about the power of positive thinking. It is statement of faith. It is a firm belief that I can endure whatever this life can throw at me, as long as Jesus Christ is by my side. And I hope you have that same faith. I hope you have peace in your heart, right now, no matter what you are facing. I hope you know that Jesus loves you very much. And he will never leave you or forsake you. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/Hoog1LA-oA0
Day 33 – Saturday, April 18, 2020
Read Philippians 4:10-13 and Psalm 131
Theme Verse: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
Yesterday I talked about the cross country trip that Lisa and I undertook with our five kids in 1993. We drove round trip to southern California and back—six thousand miles in sixteen days—all crammed together in our blue 1990 Ford Aerostar. It was an epic adventure!
One of the things that we did in California was to visit Hollywood. I wanted to show the kids the stars on the Walk of Fame and the imprints of famous hands and feet in the cement outside of Grauman’s Chinese Theater. So one day, in the early evening, we parked our car in a nearby lot, ate some supper at a fast food place, and then started walking down Hollywood Boulevard toward the theater.
But as we got within a couple of blocks, we saw that the street ahead was blocked off and the sidewalks were packed with people. I asked someone what was going on and they told me that it was the premiere of the 1993 movie “Coneheads.” So we found a place on the sidewalk and watched some of the limos pull up and drop off the stars. We saw people like Adam Sandler, Phil Hartman, Jason Alexander, and Kevin Nealon.
But we were standing on the theater side of the street, trying to look down toward the entrance. So I said, “Let’s go to the other side of the street. We’ll be able to see better over there.” So we crossed the street, and as we did, I happened to bump into Michael Richards, who was heading across in the other direction. I was a big fan of the show “Seinfeld,” so our kids knew who he was. They all pointed at him and said, “Kramer!”
Once we got to the other side, we had a good view of the front of the theater, as more actors arrived. We saw Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin. Roseanne and Tom Arnold drove up in a beautiful old roadster. Chris Farley and David Spade were there. Steve Martin showed up, and he wasn’t even in the movie!
It was fun to see so many celebrities. It was kind of a Who’s Who of comedy in the early 1990’s. But as we watched all of the famous people get out of their cars, I was struck by how ordinary they seemed. When you see people on the movie screen or even on TV, they seem to be larger than life. But when you see them up close, you realize that they are just people like you and me. They live glamorous lives and many of them make a lot of money, but they have the same hopes and dreams as the rest of us. They also have the same problems and tragedies.
Roseanne and Tom Arnold were divorced a year and a half after that night. Chris Farley died of a drug overdose in 1997. Phil Hartman was shot and killed by his wife in 1998. Michael Richards destroyed his career in 2006, when he went on a racist rant against a heckler during a standup comedy routine. It just goes to show you that being a celebrity on the outside is no guarantee of peace and contentment on the inside. Jimmy Stewart was once quoted as saying, “If fame and fortune could bring happiness, Hollywood would be the happiest place on earth.”
So where does true happiness come from? What is the formula for having peace and contentment on the inside, in our hearts? The Apostle Paul has the answer in his letter to the Philippians. He says, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.”
So tell us, Paul. Tell us how we can find peace and contentment and happiness, whether we are rich and famous celebrities in Hollywood, California, or regular Joes and Janes in Princeton, Illinois. Tell us the secret! And Paul does tell us in Philippians 4:13. He says, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” The “him” that Paul is talking about is Jesus. Paul can handle anything that comes his way in this life if Jesus is with him.
And the same is true for all of us today. We are all going through the stress and strain of the pandemic shutdown right now. For some people, it’s a minor setback in an otherwise happy and peaceful time of their lives. For others, it’s another problem on top of several others that they were already dealing with. Life has its ups and downs, and some people seem to get more of the downs than other people do. But we all need the same thing to keep us grounded when life is good and to lift us up when life is a struggle. We all need Jesus.
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me” is not a cliché about the power of positive thinking. It is statement of faith. It is a firm belief that I can endure whatever this life can throw at me, as long as Jesus Christ is by my side. And I hope you have that same faith. I hope you have peace in your heart, right now, no matter what you are facing. I hope you know that Jesus loves you very much. And he will never leave you or forsake you. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/Hoog1LA-oA0
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 32 – Friday, April 17, 2020
Read John 15:1-11 and Psalm 1
Theme Verse: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
In my life, I’ve had a number of opportunities to drive out west. My first time was a true Clark Griswold family vacation to Wally World. We packed all five kids in the car and drove all the way to Los Angeles, hitting every tourist destination along the way. We stayed with relatives in Nebraska, we drove to the top of Pike’s Peak, near Colorado Springs, we saw the Grand Canyon and the Hoover Dam, and we spent a night in Las Vegas. When we finally got to Los Angeles, we did some touristy things in Hollywood and then, of course, we went to Disneyland!
In addition to that monumental trip, I’ve also driven from Lindenhurst, Illinois, to Los Angeles, with my son Nate, when he was moving out there. And I’ve driven from Lodi, California, to Pontiac, Illinois, with my son Matt, when he was moving back here. Throw in two youth mission trips to Montana and one to Wyoming, and I would say I’ve seen a good deal of the American west. And I love it. I love the mountains and the wildlife and the wide open spaces.
One of the many interesting things that I’ve seen out west are the tumbleweeds. You can be driving along when, all of a sudden, a big dried-out bush just bounces across the road in front of you. There are a number of different plants that can form tumbleweeds. The tumbler is formed when the plant breaks away from its root system. The plant then quickly dies in the arid climate, and the strong winds blow it across the plains and deserts of the west.
The plants that form most of the tumbleweeds are invasive species, meaning that they are not native to North America. In fact, they can really damage the native ecosystem in the west. They cause native plant extinction, soil erosion, and wildfires. That’s why the U.S., Mexico, and Canada have been working together for nearly a century to figure out ways to stop the spread of the plants that create tumbleweeds. But they haven’t had much success. The tumbleweeds continue to bounce around, doing a great deal of damage and contributing nothing of value to the environment.
When I think of the tumbleweeds, it makes me think of the words of Jesus in John 15. Jesus is talking to his disciples at the Last Supper and he suddenly launches into a long metaphor about a grapevine. A healthy grapevine is connected to a strong root system that can go down as far as twenty feet into the soil. Even in dry climates, it can usually find enough moisture to survive and thrive.
Above the soil line, the thick central vine puts out smaller branches. The branches will eventually produce the grapes, which will be harvested and used for food, juice, and wine. But if one of those branches happens to break away from the central vine, it is in big trouble. Without the connection to the vine and its root system, the branch will begin to dry out. Its leaves will turn brown. If there were any grapes beginning to form on the branch, those grapes will shrivel up and die. At the end of the growing season, those dead branches will be gathered up and thrown into a pile and burned.
Jesus warns his disciples that the same thing will happen to them, if they break away from him and try to live their lives on their own. That’s why he implores them to stay connected to him. He says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.” Jesus is the source of life. He is the vine. He is firmly connected to the root system of the Triune God.
Through Jesus we receive all of the things that we need to survive and thrive. We receive the forgiveness of all our sins and the promise of eternal life in heaven. And while we are on this earth, we receive the strength that we need to meet all of our challenges without fear. We receive the peace that we need to endure all of our anxious moments. We receive the hope that we need to overcome the grief of losing loved ones. And we receive the faith that we need to place all of our concerns in the hands of God.
And when we are freed from all of our fears, we are then able to bear good fruit. We are able to love our neighbors with the love of Christ. We are able to be generous toward those in need. We are able to be joyful in the midst of difficult times. And we are able to be the strong supporters of those who are suffering.
But if we cut ourselves off from Jesus, we lose all of these things. We become like tumbleweeds. We wander through our lives, looking for happiness, but never really finding it. We may achieve some small victories and find some fleeting pleasures, but nothing that we do will have any lasting value. That’s why Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing.”
So don’t be a tumbleweed in this world! Don’t just take up space. Stay connected to the vine. Bear good fruit. Share the love of Jesus and lead others to him. Make a real difference in the world—an eternal difference! Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/_7rrg_jP-Hc
Day 32 – Friday, April 17, 2020
Read John 15:1-11 and Psalm 1
Theme Verse: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
In my life, I’ve had a number of opportunities to drive out west. My first time was a true Clark Griswold family vacation to Wally World. We packed all five kids in the car and drove all the way to Los Angeles, hitting every tourist destination along the way. We stayed with relatives in Nebraska, we drove to the top of Pike’s Peak, near Colorado Springs, we saw the Grand Canyon and the Hoover Dam, and we spent a night in Las Vegas. When we finally got to Los Angeles, we did some touristy things in Hollywood and then, of course, we went to Disneyland!
In addition to that monumental trip, I’ve also driven from Lindenhurst, Illinois, to Los Angeles, with my son Nate, when he was moving out there. And I’ve driven from Lodi, California, to Pontiac, Illinois, with my son Matt, when he was moving back here. Throw in two youth mission trips to Montana and one to Wyoming, and I would say I’ve seen a good deal of the American west. And I love it. I love the mountains and the wildlife and the wide open spaces.
One of the many interesting things that I’ve seen out west are the tumbleweeds. You can be driving along when, all of a sudden, a big dried-out bush just bounces across the road in front of you. There are a number of different plants that can form tumbleweeds. The tumbler is formed when the plant breaks away from its root system. The plant then quickly dies in the arid climate, and the strong winds blow it across the plains and deserts of the west.
The plants that form most of the tumbleweeds are invasive species, meaning that they are not native to North America. In fact, they can really damage the native ecosystem in the west. They cause native plant extinction, soil erosion, and wildfires. That’s why the U.S., Mexico, and Canada have been working together for nearly a century to figure out ways to stop the spread of the plants that create tumbleweeds. But they haven’t had much success. The tumbleweeds continue to bounce around, doing a great deal of damage and contributing nothing of value to the environment.
When I think of the tumbleweeds, it makes me think of the words of Jesus in John 15. Jesus is talking to his disciples at the Last Supper and he suddenly launches into a long metaphor about a grapevine. A healthy grapevine is connected to a strong root system that can go down as far as twenty feet into the soil. Even in dry climates, it can usually find enough moisture to survive and thrive.
Above the soil line, the thick central vine puts out smaller branches. The branches will eventually produce the grapes, which will be harvested and used for food, juice, and wine. But if one of those branches happens to break away from the central vine, it is in big trouble. Without the connection to the vine and its root system, the branch will begin to dry out. Its leaves will turn brown. If there were any grapes beginning to form on the branch, those grapes will shrivel up and die. At the end of the growing season, those dead branches will be gathered up and thrown into a pile and burned.
Jesus warns his disciples that the same thing will happen to them, if they break away from him and try to live their lives on their own. That’s why he implores them to stay connected to him. He says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.” Jesus is the source of life. He is the vine. He is firmly connected to the root system of the Triune God.
Through Jesus we receive all of the things that we need to survive and thrive. We receive the forgiveness of all our sins and the promise of eternal life in heaven. And while we are on this earth, we receive the strength that we need to meet all of our challenges without fear. We receive the peace that we need to endure all of our anxious moments. We receive the hope that we need to overcome the grief of losing loved ones. And we receive the faith that we need to place all of our concerns in the hands of God.
And when we are freed from all of our fears, we are then able to bear good fruit. We are able to love our neighbors with the love of Christ. We are able to be generous toward those in need. We are able to be joyful in the midst of difficult times. And we are able to be the strong supporters of those who are suffering.
But if we cut ourselves off from Jesus, we lose all of these things. We become like tumbleweeds. We wander through our lives, looking for happiness, but never really finding it. We may achieve some small victories and find some fleeting pleasures, but nothing that we do will have any lasting value. That’s why Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing.”
So don’t be a tumbleweed in this world! Don’t just take up space. Stay connected to the vine. Bear good fruit. Share the love of Jesus and lead others to him. Make a real difference in the world—an eternal difference! Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/_7rrg_jP-Hc
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 31 – Thursday, April 16, 2020
Read Romans 12:1-2 and Psalm 119:1-8
Theme Verse: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
Some of you have heard me talk before about my experience of being on the game show Jeopardy! In the spring of 1999, I was watching an episode of the show and I saw a crawl across the bottom of the screen. It said that they would be conducting a contestant search in Chicago and it gave an 800 number to call. I decided to call the number and, to make a long story short, I ended up taking a test and I was eventually invited to come to California in August of 2000, to be a contestant on the show. More than 100,000 people take the Jeopardy! test every year, but only about 400 of those people end up on the show. So it was pretty cool to be one of the few people who made it all the way to the stage!
Jeopardy! was and still is filmed in front of a live audience at the Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California. In the heyday of Hollywood, it was the MGM Studios, turning out classic movies like The Wizard Of Oz and Ben Hur. Lisa dropped me off at the front gate early on a Wednesday morning (she would come back later and sit in the audience). From there, I was picked up by a guy in a golf cart and taken to the building where Jeopardy! was filmed. It’s the same building where they film Wheel Of Fortune.
The first thing that struck me when I walked into the building was how plain and unfinished everything looked. We walked past the back of the Jeopardy! set and it just looked like a bunch of plywood and two-by-fours. I was taken to an area where several rooms and offices were constructed out of similar materials. One of those rooms was the contestant waiting room. When I walked in, I saw that there were already several people there.
The room was, to put it nicely, kind of dumpy. The walls were painted a dull green and had lots of scuffs and stains. The floor was covered with a thin, threadbare carpet. And the furniture looked like stuff you would pick up at a yard sale. Actually, it might not have been good enough for a yard sale. I sat on a sofa and my rear end almost sank to the floor. So I got back up and took a seat on a rusty metal folding chair. We spent about three hours in that room, filling out paperwork, getting our makeup put on, and getting some last-minute instructions and advice from the contestant coordinator. Then we were taken over to the Jeopardy! set to play a few practice rounds.
When I walked out on the stage, the transformation was amazing! Everything was bright and clean and sparkling. It was so different from the drab, slapped-together look of everything behind the scenes. When we were back in the waiting room, I made a remark about the contrast between the two areas. The contestant coordinator (who was a former actor himself) said, “Yeah, in Hollywood, all of the money is in front of the camera.”
Over the years, I’ve thought about how that coordinator’s comment could easily be a metaphor for the way that many people live their lives. To a certain extent, we all want to put our best face on the outside. We want to put all of the money in front of the camera. And we want to hide the drab and less appealing parts of ourselves behind the scenes, where no one can see them. That’s just human nature. But as Christians, we are called by God to bring those two parts of ourselves, the outside and the inside, as close together as we possibly can. We are called live “authentic” lives. And the only way that we can do that is by letting God change us from the inside out.
In Romans 12:2, the Apostle Paul says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Paul is talking about surrendering our lives to Jesus Christ, so that the Holy Spirit can come into our hearts and begin to transform us. The Spirit wants to change our thoughts and our desires and our emotions, so that the good faces that we show to people on the outside are a true reflection of the good hearts that are on the inside.
There is a theological word that describes this transformation that the Holy Spirit makes in the hearts of those who believe in Jesus. The word is “sanctification.” It means to be “set apart” by God for his purposes in the world. The world can spot a phony. People can tell when a person claims to be a follower of Jesus on the outside but doesn’t have the heart of Jesus on the inside. That’s why the Holy Spirit is working inside of us. He is turning us into “authentic” Christians, so that God can use us to change the world, one heart at a time. Amen and Amen
*And in case you were wondering how I did on Jeopardy!, I actually did alright. I won two games and won a little over $25,000. On the third day, I finished in second place and won a trip to Hawaii (which Lisa and I enjoyed the following spring). It was a great experience and I got to see a little bit of Hollywood behind the scenes!
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/IlSmG-_eJTU
Day 31 – Thursday, April 16, 2020
Read Romans 12:1-2 and Psalm 119:1-8
Theme Verse: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
Some of you have heard me talk before about my experience of being on the game show Jeopardy! In the spring of 1999, I was watching an episode of the show and I saw a crawl across the bottom of the screen. It said that they would be conducting a contestant search in Chicago and it gave an 800 number to call. I decided to call the number and, to make a long story short, I ended up taking a test and I was eventually invited to come to California in August of 2000, to be a contestant on the show. More than 100,000 people take the Jeopardy! test every year, but only about 400 of those people end up on the show. So it was pretty cool to be one of the few people who made it all the way to the stage!
Jeopardy! was and still is filmed in front of a live audience at the Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California. In the heyday of Hollywood, it was the MGM Studios, turning out classic movies like The Wizard Of Oz and Ben Hur. Lisa dropped me off at the front gate early on a Wednesday morning (she would come back later and sit in the audience). From there, I was picked up by a guy in a golf cart and taken to the building where Jeopardy! was filmed. It’s the same building where they film Wheel Of Fortune.
The first thing that struck me when I walked into the building was how plain and unfinished everything looked. We walked past the back of the Jeopardy! set and it just looked like a bunch of plywood and two-by-fours. I was taken to an area where several rooms and offices were constructed out of similar materials. One of those rooms was the contestant waiting room. When I walked in, I saw that there were already several people there.
The room was, to put it nicely, kind of dumpy. The walls were painted a dull green and had lots of scuffs and stains. The floor was covered with a thin, threadbare carpet. And the furniture looked like stuff you would pick up at a yard sale. Actually, it might not have been good enough for a yard sale. I sat on a sofa and my rear end almost sank to the floor. So I got back up and took a seat on a rusty metal folding chair. We spent about three hours in that room, filling out paperwork, getting our makeup put on, and getting some last-minute instructions and advice from the contestant coordinator. Then we were taken over to the Jeopardy! set to play a few practice rounds.
When I walked out on the stage, the transformation was amazing! Everything was bright and clean and sparkling. It was so different from the drab, slapped-together look of everything behind the scenes. When we were back in the waiting room, I made a remark about the contrast between the two areas. The contestant coordinator (who was a former actor himself) said, “Yeah, in Hollywood, all of the money is in front of the camera.”
Over the years, I’ve thought about how that coordinator’s comment could easily be a metaphor for the way that many people live their lives. To a certain extent, we all want to put our best face on the outside. We want to put all of the money in front of the camera. And we want to hide the drab and less appealing parts of ourselves behind the scenes, where no one can see them. That’s just human nature. But as Christians, we are called by God to bring those two parts of ourselves, the outside and the inside, as close together as we possibly can. We are called live “authentic” lives. And the only way that we can do that is by letting God change us from the inside out.
In Romans 12:2, the Apostle Paul says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Paul is talking about surrendering our lives to Jesus Christ, so that the Holy Spirit can come into our hearts and begin to transform us. The Spirit wants to change our thoughts and our desires and our emotions, so that the good faces that we show to people on the outside are a true reflection of the good hearts that are on the inside.
There is a theological word that describes this transformation that the Holy Spirit makes in the hearts of those who believe in Jesus. The word is “sanctification.” It means to be “set apart” by God for his purposes in the world. The world can spot a phony. People can tell when a person claims to be a follower of Jesus on the outside but doesn’t have the heart of Jesus on the inside. That’s why the Holy Spirit is working inside of us. He is turning us into “authentic” Christians, so that God can use us to change the world, one heart at a time. Amen and Amen
*And in case you were wondering how I did on Jeopardy!, I actually did alright. I won two games and won a little over $25,000. On the third day, I finished in second place and won a trip to Hawaii (which Lisa and I enjoyed the following spring). It was a great experience and I got to see a little bit of Hollywood behind the scenes!
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/IlSmG-_eJTU
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 30 – Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Read Philippians 1:3-11 and Psalm 133
Theme Verse: “For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:8)
I’ve mentioned before that, in 1981, I had the opportunity to spend the summer studying in Israel with a group of about forty other students. During that time, we also went on a few side trips to other countries. One of those countries was Turkey. We spent several days there, visiting the sites of the seven churches of Asia Minor that are mentioned by the Apostle John in the early chapters of the book of Revelation.
One of those seven churches was in the city of Philadelphia, which is now known as Alasehir. We traveled there to see the ruins of the Basilica of St. John, built by Christians in the 6th Century A.D. The basilica had an enormous arched entrance which is now broken down in the center. But the two sides of the arch are still standing after more than 1400 years!
As we were looking at the ruins and listening to a lecture from our guide, we were suddenly surrounded by little children. Our guide explained to us that there was an elementary school across the street from the ancient church site. He said that the town did not get many western visitors, so whenever a bus pulled up to see the ruins, the teachers would allow the kids to leave school and run across the street, to mingle with the tourists. We had a lot of fun handing out candy and gum and taking pictures with the kids.
But then a man who looked to be about thirty years old approached us. He was weeping. He asked if we were from America. We said that we were. Then he asked if we were Christians. We said that we were students from Wheaton College near Chicago, Illinois, and that we were all Christians. He started saying, “Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!” Then he explained to us that he had grown up as a Muslim, but he had gone to college in the United States. And while he was there, he became involved in a Christian group on campus and he gave his life to Jesus Christ.
But when he came home to Alasehir, he felt so alone. He owned a small business on a street near the basilica ruins. So he had some social interactions through his work. But there were no other Christians in town. And he longed for Christian fellowship. So whenever he heard a bus pull up to the basilica, he would run down from his shop to see if there were any Christians on it. And on that day, he was so thrilled to be able to visit with a whole busload of Christians from America! He was laughing and weeping and shaking all of our hands.
When the time came for us to leave, he gathered us together and prayed for us. And then several of us crowded around him, placed our hands on his head, and prayed for him. Then he stood by the door of the bus and hugged each one of us as we got on. As we pulled away, he ran alongside the bus, waving at us until he couldn’t keep up anymore. Then he stood and waved until we were out of sight.
That was nearly forty years ago, but I’ve never forgotten that Christian man in Alasehir. And I’ve never forgotten how blessed I am to have the wonderful fellowship of so many Christians in my own life. I have the love of a Christian wife and family. And I also have the privilege of being the pastor of an amazing group of believers at First Lutheran Church!
It has been so hard to be separated from all of you during this coronavirus shutdown. I miss worshiping with you. I miss Sunday school, and Bible studies, and prayer groups, and committee meetings, and home visits, and special events. I miss the constant flow of people through the office during the week, coming in to do some task at the church or just stopping by to say hello.
In other words, I miss all of you. I miss you very much. I feel exactly the way that Paul felt as he wrote his letter to the Philippians. Paul said, “For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:8) And I say the same thing to you. I can hardly wait for the day when we will all be together again in worship!
My heart still aches for that young Christian man in Alasehir. I wish that I had been thoughtful enough as a 19-year-old to get his name and address, so that I could start a correspondence with him. I hope and pray that he was able to find some Christian fellowship in his area. Because I know how important it is to have Christian friends. I know how blessed I am to have all of you in my life. May God bless you all and may this shutdown end soon, so that we can come back together and rejoice that we are sons and daughters of our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/GZHrtHdbdOE
Day 30 – Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Read Philippians 1:3-11 and Psalm 133
Theme Verse: “For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:8)
I’ve mentioned before that, in 1981, I had the opportunity to spend the summer studying in Israel with a group of about forty other students. During that time, we also went on a few side trips to other countries. One of those countries was Turkey. We spent several days there, visiting the sites of the seven churches of Asia Minor that are mentioned by the Apostle John in the early chapters of the book of Revelation.
One of those seven churches was in the city of Philadelphia, which is now known as Alasehir. We traveled there to see the ruins of the Basilica of St. John, built by Christians in the 6th Century A.D. The basilica had an enormous arched entrance which is now broken down in the center. But the two sides of the arch are still standing after more than 1400 years!
As we were looking at the ruins and listening to a lecture from our guide, we were suddenly surrounded by little children. Our guide explained to us that there was an elementary school across the street from the ancient church site. He said that the town did not get many western visitors, so whenever a bus pulled up to see the ruins, the teachers would allow the kids to leave school and run across the street, to mingle with the tourists. We had a lot of fun handing out candy and gum and taking pictures with the kids.
But then a man who looked to be about thirty years old approached us. He was weeping. He asked if we were from America. We said that we were. Then he asked if we were Christians. We said that we were students from Wheaton College near Chicago, Illinois, and that we were all Christians. He started saying, “Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!” Then he explained to us that he had grown up as a Muslim, but he had gone to college in the United States. And while he was there, he became involved in a Christian group on campus and he gave his life to Jesus Christ.
But when he came home to Alasehir, he felt so alone. He owned a small business on a street near the basilica ruins. So he had some social interactions through his work. But there were no other Christians in town. And he longed for Christian fellowship. So whenever he heard a bus pull up to the basilica, he would run down from his shop to see if there were any Christians on it. And on that day, he was so thrilled to be able to visit with a whole busload of Christians from America! He was laughing and weeping and shaking all of our hands.
When the time came for us to leave, he gathered us together and prayed for us. And then several of us crowded around him, placed our hands on his head, and prayed for him. Then he stood by the door of the bus and hugged each one of us as we got on. As we pulled away, he ran alongside the bus, waving at us until he couldn’t keep up anymore. Then he stood and waved until we were out of sight.
That was nearly forty years ago, but I’ve never forgotten that Christian man in Alasehir. And I’ve never forgotten how blessed I am to have the wonderful fellowship of so many Christians in my own life. I have the love of a Christian wife and family. And I also have the privilege of being the pastor of an amazing group of believers at First Lutheran Church!
It has been so hard to be separated from all of you during this coronavirus shutdown. I miss worshiping with you. I miss Sunday school, and Bible studies, and prayer groups, and committee meetings, and home visits, and special events. I miss the constant flow of people through the office during the week, coming in to do some task at the church or just stopping by to say hello.
In other words, I miss all of you. I miss you very much. I feel exactly the way that Paul felt as he wrote his letter to the Philippians. Paul said, “For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:8) And I say the same thing to you. I can hardly wait for the day when we will all be together again in worship!
My heart still aches for that young Christian man in Alasehir. I wish that I had been thoughtful enough as a 19-year-old to get his name and address, so that I could start a correspondence with him. I hope and pray that he was able to find some Christian fellowship in his area. Because I know how important it is to have Christian friends. I know how blessed I am to have all of you in my life. May God bless you all and may this shutdown end soon, so that we can come back together and rejoice that we are sons and daughters of our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/GZHrtHdbdOE
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 29 – Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Read Luke 23:13-27 and Jeremiah 29:10-14
Theme Verse: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
As I’m writing this devotion on April 14th, I’m reminded of two tragic events that occurred on this day in history. One of those events happened on April 14, 1865. The U.S. Civil War had just ended five days earlier, when Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant in the little town of Appomattox Court House, Virginia. President Lincoln, who had recently been inaugurated for a second term, decided to take his wife Mary to Ford’s Theater to relax and enjoy some entertainment, now that the horrible war and the stressful reelection campaign were over.
Lincoln had already begun to devise his strategy for bringing the United States back together after the war. He knew that Congress would probably fight against some of his proposals, but he believed that he could persuade them to pursue his vision for a peaceful and just reunification of the States. But, of course, Lincoln’s vision for America would never be realized. John Wilkes Booth entered the President’s box that night and shot Lincoln. He would die in the early morning hours of April 15th and the country would take a very different road to reconstruction under President Andrew Johnson.
The second event that I was reminded of occurred on April 14, 1912. On that night, just before midnight, the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Less than three hours later, in the early morning darkness of April 15th, the ship went under. There were a total of 2224 people on board. Every one of them had hopes and dreams and plans. But only 710 survived. The plans of the other 1,514 people went to the bottom of the ocean with them. And the lives of the survivors were changed forever.
That’s the way it is with human plans and schemes. We create grand visions of how we want the future to play out. But sometimes we forget that we are not really in control of the future. God is in control. Two followers of Jesus were reminded of this as they walked along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus on the afternoon of the first Easter Sunday. One of the men was named Cleopas and the other is not identified. They were not part of the inner circle of twelve disciples who been chosen by Jesus. But they were part of the larger group of devoted followers who were with Jesus at many of his most important moments.
The two followers had witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday and they were feeling lost and dejected. The Jesus movement was over. They may have been walking to Emmaus because they lived there. They were going home. But on the road they met a mysterious man. The man, of course, was Jesus. He had risen from the dead that morning. He had appeared to Mary Magdalene and to another woman named Mary. And now he was joining these two on the road. The men did not recognize that it was Jesus. In some way, Jesus was hiding his identity from them.
Jesus asked the men what they were talking about as they walked. They answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” Jesus asked, “What things?” So they told him the whole story of the crucifixion, a story that Jesus was painfully familiar with. And they said, “But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.” Yes, they had hopes and dreams for Jesus. They had hoped that he would lead a revolution in Israel. They had hoped that he would use his great power to defeat the mighty Roman army and drive them out of the country. They had hoped that he would set up a new Jewish dynasty in Jerusalem. And they had hoped that they would be given positions of power and glory, because they were faithful followers of the Messiah.
But Jesus had other plans. Hints of that plan were already emerging. The two men said, “But some of our own women told an amazing story. They were at Jesus’ tomb early this morning and they claim that they saw him alive! Some of the rest of us ran to the tomb and found it empty, but we didn’t see Jesus.” They didn’t really know what to make of these events. None of it fit their plan. None of it was consistent with their vision. But Jesus was about to give them a new vision, one that came from God.
The story says that, “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, Jesus interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” Jesus showed them the plan of God. And he helped them to understand that everything that had happened, including his horrible death on the cross, was part of that plan. And over the next several weeks, Jesus would show all of his followers that the plan of God was much better than any plans they had hoped for. They were hoping to defeat the Roman army. But Jesus had already defeated the army of Satan. They were hoping to throw off the shackles of Roman occupation. But Jesus had already removed the shackles of sin and condemnation. They were hoping to be a part of a new earthly kingdom of Israel. But Jesus had made it possible for them to live forever in the heavenly kingdom of God!
Right now, we are living in the middle of a coronavirus pandemic which has affected many of the regular activities of our lives. Many businesses are closed, restaurants are either closed or open for carryout only, people are wearing masks to the grocery store, worship services are being watched online. And many of the special events that we had planned, things like weddings, graduations, vacations, sporting events, and family gatherings have been canceled or postponed indefinitely. Our plans have been changed. But God’s plan continues.
When the people of Israel endured the Babylonian exile in the sixth century B.C., the people were feeling dejected and defeated. All of their plans and schemes had gone up in smoke. All of their hopes and dreams had been dashed. But in the middle of their loss and confusion, God spoke to them through the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah wrote, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
All we have to do is trust in God. All we have to do is believe that he is in control. All we have to do is remember that he loves us. All we have to do is put our future in his hands. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/oPW9xYEyijQ
Day 29 – Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Read Luke 23:13-27 and Jeremiah 29:10-14
Theme Verse: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
As I’m writing this devotion on April 14th, I’m reminded of two tragic events that occurred on this day in history. One of those events happened on April 14, 1865. The U.S. Civil War had just ended five days earlier, when Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Union General Ulysses S. Grant in the little town of Appomattox Court House, Virginia. President Lincoln, who had recently been inaugurated for a second term, decided to take his wife Mary to Ford’s Theater to relax and enjoy some entertainment, now that the horrible war and the stressful reelection campaign were over.
Lincoln had already begun to devise his strategy for bringing the United States back together after the war. He knew that Congress would probably fight against some of his proposals, but he believed that he could persuade them to pursue his vision for a peaceful and just reunification of the States. But, of course, Lincoln’s vision for America would never be realized. John Wilkes Booth entered the President’s box that night and shot Lincoln. He would die in the early morning hours of April 15th and the country would take a very different road to reconstruction under President Andrew Johnson.
The second event that I was reminded of occurred on April 14, 1912. On that night, just before midnight, the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Less than three hours later, in the early morning darkness of April 15th, the ship went under. There were a total of 2224 people on board. Every one of them had hopes and dreams and plans. But only 710 survived. The plans of the other 1,514 people went to the bottom of the ocean with them. And the lives of the survivors were changed forever.
That’s the way it is with human plans and schemes. We create grand visions of how we want the future to play out. But sometimes we forget that we are not really in control of the future. God is in control. Two followers of Jesus were reminded of this as they walked along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus on the afternoon of the first Easter Sunday. One of the men was named Cleopas and the other is not identified. They were not part of the inner circle of twelve disciples who been chosen by Jesus. But they were part of the larger group of devoted followers who were with Jesus at many of his most important moments.
The two followers had witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday and they were feeling lost and dejected. The Jesus movement was over. They may have been walking to Emmaus because they lived there. They were going home. But on the road they met a mysterious man. The man, of course, was Jesus. He had risen from the dead that morning. He had appeared to Mary Magdalene and to another woman named Mary. And now he was joining these two on the road. The men did not recognize that it was Jesus. In some way, Jesus was hiding his identity from them.
Jesus asked the men what they were talking about as they walked. They answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” Jesus asked, “What things?” So they told him the whole story of the crucifixion, a story that Jesus was painfully familiar with. And they said, “But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.” Yes, they had hopes and dreams for Jesus. They had hoped that he would lead a revolution in Israel. They had hoped that he would use his great power to defeat the mighty Roman army and drive them out of the country. They had hoped that he would set up a new Jewish dynasty in Jerusalem. And they had hoped that they would be given positions of power and glory, because they were faithful followers of the Messiah.
But Jesus had other plans. Hints of that plan were already emerging. The two men said, “But some of our own women told an amazing story. They were at Jesus’ tomb early this morning and they claim that they saw him alive! Some of the rest of us ran to the tomb and found it empty, but we didn’t see Jesus.” They didn’t really know what to make of these events. None of it fit their plan. None of it was consistent with their vision. But Jesus was about to give them a new vision, one that came from God.
The story says that, “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, Jesus interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” Jesus showed them the plan of God. And he helped them to understand that everything that had happened, including his horrible death on the cross, was part of that plan. And over the next several weeks, Jesus would show all of his followers that the plan of God was much better than any plans they had hoped for. They were hoping to defeat the Roman army. But Jesus had already defeated the army of Satan. They were hoping to throw off the shackles of Roman occupation. But Jesus had already removed the shackles of sin and condemnation. They were hoping to be a part of a new earthly kingdom of Israel. But Jesus had made it possible for them to live forever in the heavenly kingdom of God!
Right now, we are living in the middle of a coronavirus pandemic which has affected many of the regular activities of our lives. Many businesses are closed, restaurants are either closed or open for carryout only, people are wearing masks to the grocery store, worship services are being watched online. And many of the special events that we had planned, things like weddings, graduations, vacations, sporting events, and family gatherings have been canceled or postponed indefinitely. Our plans have been changed. But God’s plan continues.
When the people of Israel endured the Babylonian exile in the sixth century B.C., the people were feeling dejected and defeated. All of their plans and schemes had gone up in smoke. All of their hopes and dreams had been dashed. But in the middle of their loss and confusion, God spoke to them through the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah wrote, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
All we have to do is trust in God. All we have to do is believe that he is in control. All we have to do is remember that he loves us. All we have to do is put our future in his hands. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/oPW9xYEyijQ
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)*
Day 28 – Monday, April 13, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read John 20:19-23
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
There are four men in the congregation who should immediately recognize this picture. We met this critter in 2014, way up north—close to Lake Superior—while riding around in Rick Cook’s van. Rick, Dave, Glenn, Dale, and I had a day off from our work at Red Cliff. Riding through the woods, we spotted him. And we quickly agreed: First of all, this was a nice sized black bear. Second, it would be better to watch that bear from the safety of the van, and we’d better take pictures because we weren’t sure if anyone back in Princeton would believe us (Not that any of the five are prone to “story telling”). It’s just that some people aren’t going to see what is clearly in front of them.
That’s the situation on the evening of the resurrection (see John 20:19-23). The disciples (except for Thomas) were together behind locked doors “for fear of the Jewish leaders.” They were still in “run and hide” mode—or as we might say now, “sheltering in place.” The word of the empty tomb is out, but that Good News doesn’t seem to be changing any lives. They sit behind locked doors in fear. And I am uncomfortably familiar with that. We’ve been behind closed doors for a month now. And just as those disciples still saw powerful enemies around them (Romans, the establishment, and death itself), we still have powerful things circling us. Fear and flight usually have a basis in fact. And if we can’t clearly see what’s in front of us, fear will overpower faith.
But we disciples also have a problem with language. We’ll talk about how the tomb was empty or how Jesus rose from death. Speaking of Easter in the past tense can cripple faith. Speaking of something that happened back then leaves it to gather dust on the pages of history. It becomes something long ago and far away. The past tense keeps us from clearly seeing resurrection as happening today. The disciples in that locked room learn that Jesus is risen, Jesus is alive. Jesus’ resurrection is always in the present tense. Our living Savior is in our fear-filled spaces and locked rooms right now!
The first part of thinking about Easter as a here and now event is that faith celebrates a living Jesus. He is alive for us now. And by His Spirit, the work of calling, gathering, and enlightening us in faith continues. The Lord who made the blind see and the lame walk is living to bring us to a fullness of life in Him. He grants his disciples “peace”—a wholeness that only God can truly give. He is with them to give what the world cannot give. And in the same way, Jesus is with us. As the old hymn says, this living Jesus walks with us, talks with us, and tells us we are his own. By looking at resurrection as today’s event, I expect Jesus to release me from my locked rooms and deep fears. Speaking of Jesus in the present creates hope today.
The second thing that happens as disciples trust that Jesus is living in this post-Easter world, is that they experience his grace and presence. Okay. We know that Jesus ascends after 40 days—but the power of his resurrection keeps breaking into peoples’ lives. People are surviving Covid-19. An alcoholic gets clean and sober. A failed marriage heals. An unbelieving heart opens up to Jesus. As surely as we see budding trees as a sign of spring, we can see “God moments”—signs of resurrection hope in front of us.
When I look back on this year, I see a bunch of God moments in my life. A month in Florida forced us to move our lives online—a vital skill for self-isolation. It seemed like a frivolous decision to pick up a new laptop, but the Lord handed us a lifeline. What started as long walks on the beach has become four or five miles in our country neighborhood each day—and God’s way of giving better diabetes control, some needed weight loss, and new friends. The risen healer still gives new health! Like a kid turned loose on a yard full of Easter eggs, I keep searching for those moments where a risen Jesus pops into my life to give me His peace. And He does.
Here’s a song to reflect on in this season of Easter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifDdXCn_D1w
Day 28 – Monday, April 13, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read John 20:19-23
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
There are four men in the congregation who should immediately recognize this picture. We met this critter in 2014, way up north—close to Lake Superior—while riding around in Rick Cook’s van. Rick, Dave, Glenn, Dale, and I had a day off from our work at Red Cliff. Riding through the woods, we spotted him. And we quickly agreed: First of all, this was a nice sized black bear. Second, it would be better to watch that bear from the safety of the van, and we’d better take pictures because we weren’t sure if anyone back in Princeton would believe us (Not that any of the five are prone to “story telling”). It’s just that some people aren’t going to see what is clearly in front of them.
That’s the situation on the evening of the resurrection (see John 20:19-23). The disciples (except for Thomas) were together behind locked doors “for fear of the Jewish leaders.” They were still in “run and hide” mode—or as we might say now, “sheltering in place.” The word of the empty tomb is out, but that Good News doesn’t seem to be changing any lives. They sit behind locked doors in fear. And I am uncomfortably familiar with that. We’ve been behind closed doors for a month now. And just as those disciples still saw powerful enemies around them (Romans, the establishment, and death itself), we still have powerful things circling us. Fear and flight usually have a basis in fact. And if we can’t clearly see what’s in front of us, fear will overpower faith.
But we disciples also have a problem with language. We’ll talk about how the tomb was empty or how Jesus rose from death. Speaking of Easter in the past tense can cripple faith. Speaking of something that happened back then leaves it to gather dust on the pages of history. It becomes something long ago and far away. The past tense keeps us from clearly seeing resurrection as happening today. The disciples in that locked room learn that Jesus is risen, Jesus is alive. Jesus’ resurrection is always in the present tense. Our living Savior is in our fear-filled spaces and locked rooms right now!
The first part of thinking about Easter as a here and now event is that faith celebrates a living Jesus. He is alive for us now. And by His Spirit, the work of calling, gathering, and enlightening us in faith continues. The Lord who made the blind see and the lame walk is living to bring us to a fullness of life in Him. He grants his disciples “peace”—a wholeness that only God can truly give. He is with them to give what the world cannot give. And in the same way, Jesus is with us. As the old hymn says, this living Jesus walks with us, talks with us, and tells us we are his own. By looking at resurrection as today’s event, I expect Jesus to release me from my locked rooms and deep fears. Speaking of Jesus in the present creates hope today.
The second thing that happens as disciples trust that Jesus is living in this post-Easter world, is that they experience his grace and presence. Okay. We know that Jesus ascends after 40 days—but the power of his resurrection keeps breaking into peoples’ lives. People are surviving Covid-19. An alcoholic gets clean and sober. A failed marriage heals. An unbelieving heart opens up to Jesus. As surely as we see budding trees as a sign of spring, we can see “God moments”—signs of resurrection hope in front of us.
When I look back on this year, I see a bunch of God moments in my life. A month in Florida forced us to move our lives online—a vital skill for self-isolation. It seemed like a frivolous decision to pick up a new laptop, but the Lord handed us a lifeline. What started as long walks on the beach has become four or five miles in our country neighborhood each day—and God’s way of giving better diabetes control, some needed weight loss, and new friends. The risen healer still gives new health! Like a kid turned loose on a yard full of Easter eggs, I keep searching for those moments where a risen Jesus pops into my life to give me His peace. And He does.
Here’s a song to reflect on in this season of Easter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifDdXCn_D1w
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 27 – Sunday, April 12, 2020 - Easter Sunday
Read Matthew 28:1-10 and Job 19:23-27
Theme Verse: But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” (Matthew 28:5-6)
Well, I was talking to my good old Uncle Ole the other day, and it seems that they had some excitement recently at their place up there in Minnesota. Ole and his wife Lena were sitting at the breakfast table last Saturday morning when their dog started scratching at the back door, wanting to go out. Ole and Lena have this big Black Labrador. His name is Luther. And when Luther wants to go out, you’d better let him out. So Ole got up and opened the back door and Luther raced outside.
About a half hour later, Ole was still at the table, reading the morning paper, when he heard Luther at the back door again. So he got up to let him in. But when he opened the door, he got a big surprise. Luther was there all right, but he had something in his mouth. It was a big white rabbit and it was dead as a doornail.
Ole called out to Lena. He said, “Lena, come here. We got a problem!” Lena came in and said, “What’s that?” Ole said, “I think Luther was running around in Sven and Helga’s yard next door. And you know how their daughter sometimes forgets to fasten the latch on the door of her rabbit hutch? Well, I think Luther killed their little girl’s pet rabbit!”
Lena said, “Don’t panic Ole. I happen to know that Sven and Helga are gone for the day and they won’t be back until suppertime. Maybe we could take this dead rabbit down to the pet store and find one that looks just like it. We could slip the new rabbit into the hutch before they get home and they’ll never know the difference.” So that’s what they did. They found a rabbit that was the same size and color and they took it next door and put it in the rabbit hutch, with plenty of time to spare.
Late that afternoon, Ole was working in his backyard, when he heard Sven’s car pull in next door. About 20 minutes later, he heard a bloodcurdling scream from Sven’s backyard. He raced over to the fence and saw Sven comforting his little girl. Ole said, “Hey Sven, what happened?” Sven said, “I don’t know Ole! Yesterday, my daughter’s rabbit died and we buried him in the backyard. But now he’s back in the cage and he’s alive again!”
I couldn’t resist. It’s Easter Sunday and I’m feeling joyful, so I decided to tell a story about Ole and Lena. But the story has a point. Sven and Helga’s little girl got a big surprise. No one expects a rabbit to come back to life after it has died. And no one expects a human being to come back to life after he or she has died. It never happens. Or I should say it almost never happens. Because it happened once, about 2,000 years ago. It happened on the very first Easter Sunday.
Matthew’s Gospel tells us that, early in the morning, on the Sunday after Jesus died on the cross, two women went to the tomb where Jesus had been laid. The two women were Mary Magdalene and another woman who was also named Mary. On Friday night, Jesus had to be buried quickly, because the sun was going down and the Sabbath was about to begin. There had not been enough time to anoint the body of Jesus with the fragrant oils that would help to cover the stench of his decomposition.
The two women had waited throughout the Sabbath day, probably staying in a house with several other dejected followers of Jesus. No one could leave their house on the Sabbath except to do certain necessary chores. It was like being quarantined for one day every week. So they waited. At sundown on Saturday, when the Sabbath ended, they probably thought about going to the tomb. But common sense prevailed and they waited until Sunday morning.
The next morning, before dawn, they headed for the tomb. But as they were approaching the garden where the tomb was, the earth started shaking. And suddenly, an angel appeared and rolled back the giant stone by himself. An angel in all of his glory is a frightening sight. The guards who were watching the tomb trembled and ran away. But the women did not run. They waited for the angel to speak. The angel said, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.”
The women looked inside the tomb and they got the surprise of their lives. It was empty! Jesus wasn’t there! And what did the angel say? He said that Jesus had risen from the dead! The women ran from the tomb, intending to tell the disciples what they had seen. But then they were surprised a second time. As they were leaving the garden, they encountered Jesus. And he was alive! He said, “Greetings!” And they fell at his feet, and wrapped their arms around his ankles, and worshiped him.
It was an incredible surprise, but it was a wonderful surprise. In an instant, all of their fears were gone. The darkness of Good Friday was washed away by the brilliant light of Easter Sunday. And that light still shines today. The darkness of death is all around us. The coronavirus has made us think about death more than we want to. But the light of the resurrection is greater than the darkness of death. No matter what happens to us in this life, we don’t have to live in fear. Jesus is alive. And because he lives, we also will live. And if we will put our faith in him, then when it comes our time to leave this world, there is going to be a big surprise waiting for us. And it will be spectacular! Amen and Amen.
Have a blessed Easter Sunday! Here is an Easter hymn that I love. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/_6sj9ljVsfk
Day 27 – Sunday, April 12, 2020 - Easter Sunday
Read Matthew 28:1-10 and Job 19:23-27
Theme Verse: But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.” (Matthew 28:5-6)
Well, I was talking to my good old Uncle Ole the other day, and it seems that they had some excitement recently at their place up there in Minnesota. Ole and his wife Lena were sitting at the breakfast table last Saturday morning when their dog started scratching at the back door, wanting to go out. Ole and Lena have this big Black Labrador. His name is Luther. And when Luther wants to go out, you’d better let him out. So Ole got up and opened the back door and Luther raced outside.
About a half hour later, Ole was still at the table, reading the morning paper, when he heard Luther at the back door again. So he got up to let him in. But when he opened the door, he got a big surprise. Luther was there all right, but he had something in his mouth. It was a big white rabbit and it was dead as a doornail.
Ole called out to Lena. He said, “Lena, come here. We got a problem!” Lena came in and said, “What’s that?” Ole said, “I think Luther was running around in Sven and Helga’s yard next door. And you know how their daughter sometimes forgets to fasten the latch on the door of her rabbit hutch? Well, I think Luther killed their little girl’s pet rabbit!”
Lena said, “Don’t panic Ole. I happen to know that Sven and Helga are gone for the day and they won’t be back until suppertime. Maybe we could take this dead rabbit down to the pet store and find one that looks just like it. We could slip the new rabbit into the hutch before they get home and they’ll never know the difference.” So that’s what they did. They found a rabbit that was the same size and color and they took it next door and put it in the rabbit hutch, with plenty of time to spare.
Late that afternoon, Ole was working in his backyard, when he heard Sven’s car pull in next door. About 20 minutes later, he heard a bloodcurdling scream from Sven’s backyard. He raced over to the fence and saw Sven comforting his little girl. Ole said, “Hey Sven, what happened?” Sven said, “I don’t know Ole! Yesterday, my daughter’s rabbit died and we buried him in the backyard. But now he’s back in the cage and he’s alive again!”
I couldn’t resist. It’s Easter Sunday and I’m feeling joyful, so I decided to tell a story about Ole and Lena. But the story has a point. Sven and Helga’s little girl got a big surprise. No one expects a rabbit to come back to life after it has died. And no one expects a human being to come back to life after he or she has died. It never happens. Or I should say it almost never happens. Because it happened once, about 2,000 years ago. It happened on the very first Easter Sunday.
Matthew’s Gospel tells us that, early in the morning, on the Sunday after Jesus died on the cross, two women went to the tomb where Jesus had been laid. The two women were Mary Magdalene and another woman who was also named Mary. On Friday night, Jesus had to be buried quickly, because the sun was going down and the Sabbath was about to begin. There had not been enough time to anoint the body of Jesus with the fragrant oils that would help to cover the stench of his decomposition.
The two women had waited throughout the Sabbath day, probably staying in a house with several other dejected followers of Jesus. No one could leave their house on the Sabbath except to do certain necessary chores. It was like being quarantined for one day every week. So they waited. At sundown on Saturday, when the Sabbath ended, they probably thought about going to the tomb. But common sense prevailed and they waited until Sunday morning.
The next morning, before dawn, they headed for the tomb. But as they were approaching the garden where the tomb was, the earth started shaking. And suddenly, an angel appeared and rolled back the giant stone by himself. An angel in all of his glory is a frightening sight. The guards who were watching the tomb trembled and ran away. But the women did not run. They waited for the angel to speak. The angel said, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.”
The women looked inside the tomb and they got the surprise of their lives. It was empty! Jesus wasn’t there! And what did the angel say? He said that Jesus had risen from the dead! The women ran from the tomb, intending to tell the disciples what they had seen. But then they were surprised a second time. As they were leaving the garden, they encountered Jesus. And he was alive! He said, “Greetings!” And they fell at his feet, and wrapped their arms around his ankles, and worshiped him.
It was an incredible surprise, but it was a wonderful surprise. In an instant, all of their fears were gone. The darkness of Good Friday was washed away by the brilliant light of Easter Sunday. And that light still shines today. The darkness of death is all around us. The coronavirus has made us think about death more than we want to. But the light of the resurrection is greater than the darkness of death. No matter what happens to us in this life, we don’t have to live in fear. Jesus is alive. And because he lives, we also will live. And if we will put our faith in him, then when it comes our time to leave this world, there is going to be a big surprise waiting for us. And it will be spectacular! Amen and Amen.
Have a blessed Easter Sunday! Here is an Easter hymn that I love. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/_6sj9ljVsfk
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 26 – Saturday, April 11, 2020 - Holy Saturday
Read John 19:38-42 and Isaiah 53:4-9
Theme Verse: “And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:9)
Holy Saturday was a dark day for the disciples, but it was the beginning of the victory of Jesus.
Jesus died on Good Friday at three o’clock in the afternoon. The Jewish Sabbath began at six o’clock, and the Jews had an agreement with the Romans that no dead bodies would be left hanging on crosses during the Sabbath. So the Roman soldiers came to the three men who were being crucified, planning to break the bones in their legs. Breaking the legs would make it impossible to push up from the feet, in order to draw more air into the lungs. Once the legs were broken, the body would simply hang from the arms. The chest compression would increase and squeeze the heart and lungs. Death would come quickly.
But when they came to Jesus, they were surprised to find that he was already dead. Jesus chose the moment of his death when he said, “It is finished.” So his legs were never broken. But just to make sure that he was dead, one of the soldiers jabbed a spear into his side. It pierced one of his lungs and bloody fluid ran out. He was dead. But what would be done with the body? The bodies of the crucified were usually thrown into an unmarked hole that the soldiers would dig near the crucifixion site. They were not allowed to be claimed by family and buried in cemeteries.
But the burial of Jesus would be different. Two prominent men went to Pontius Pilate to ask if they could take the body of Jesus. One was Joseph of Arimathea. This is the first time that Joseph appears in the story, but he is mentioned in all four of the Gospels. We’re told that he was a rich man. He was also a prominent man in the community, because he was a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. Joseph was a good and righteous man, who had not consented to the arrest and condemnation of Jesus. John’s gospel tells us that he was a secret follower of Jesus, but that he had not yet supported Jesus publicly, because he was afraid of the Jewish leaders. Mark’s Gospel tells us that Joseph “took courage” and went to Pilate to ask him for the body.
The other man who was part of the burial of Jesus was Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and, like Joseph, he was also a member of the Sanhedrin. This is the third time that Nicodemus is mentioned in the gospel narrative. Early in the ministry of Jesus, Nicodemus came to him at night (because he was afraid of the other Jewish leaders) and questioned him about his teachings. Then later, when the High Priest and the other leaders were cursing Jesus and plotting to arrest him, Nicodemus stood up for him. He said, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing?” But the other leaders rebuked Nicodemus and he backed down. Finally, after the crucifixion, Nicodemus stepped up publicly and helped Joseph with the body of Jesus.
Joseph owned a garden near the hill where the crucifixion took place. And in that garden, he had a new tomb. The tomb was not a natural cave. The Bible says that it was cut out of a rocky hillside. That required a lot of labor. Which means that the tomb was very expensive to build. Joseph had intended it to be for his family. But he decided to bury Jesus there instead. That meant that he could never use it for his family, because Jewish law allowed only relatives by blood or marriage to be buried in the same tomb. So Joseph was giving an extravagant gift to the crucified Jesus.
The Sabbath was about to begin, so Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped Jesus' body in a linen shroud, with a separate cloth for his head, and they laid him on the slab in the tomb. Some of the women who followed Jesus wanted to anoint his body with burial oils and fragrances. But there was no time. Joseph told the women to come back on Sunday morning, after the Sabbath. There were some soldiers at the tomb, sent there by Pilate to guard the entrance. The Jewish leaders had requested the soldiers, because they were afraid that the followers of Jesus might steal his body and claim that he was alive. Pilate granted their request. The soldiers helped Joseph and Nicodemus roll a large round stone in front of the entrance to the tomb. Then the soldiers settled in for the night, probably not very thrilled about having to guard a dead man.
All through that Sabbath Saturday, the garden was quiet and the tomb was undisturbed. Most Christian theologians believe that, during this time, Jesus went to hell, to complete the punishment that we deserved and to proclaim his victory over those who had opposed and rejected God. This is based upon the most common interpretation of a passage in 1 Peter 3 and possibly another passage in Ephesians 4. That’s the reason for the phrase in the Apostles’ Creed, “He descended into hell.” But no matter what Jesus was doing on that day, we know that it was a dark and sad day for his disciples and his other followers. They believed that Jesus was dead and gone forever. His messianic movement was over. Their hopes and dreams were crushed.
Holy Saturday is a reminder to me that, even though we have the promise of the resurrection, death is still a sad and heartbreaking event. Even though I know that I will see my loved ones in heaven, it is still painful to be separated from them for the rest of my time on this earth. But if I did not have the promise of the resurrection, the pain of death would be much, much worse. In fact, it would be hopeless. I would be crushed and defeated like the followers of Jesus on that Saturday. The reason that I can live with joy in my heart and hope in my soul is because I know that the darkness of Saturday is not the end of the story. I know that Sunday is coming. And knowing that fact makes all the difference. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/fpSScICWJ9M
Day 26 – Saturday, April 11, 2020 - Holy Saturday
Read John 19:38-42 and Isaiah 53:4-9
Theme Verse: “And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:9)
Holy Saturday was a dark day for the disciples, but it was the beginning of the victory of Jesus.
Jesus died on Good Friday at three o’clock in the afternoon. The Jewish Sabbath began at six o’clock, and the Jews had an agreement with the Romans that no dead bodies would be left hanging on crosses during the Sabbath. So the Roman soldiers came to the three men who were being crucified, planning to break the bones in their legs. Breaking the legs would make it impossible to push up from the feet, in order to draw more air into the lungs. Once the legs were broken, the body would simply hang from the arms. The chest compression would increase and squeeze the heart and lungs. Death would come quickly.
But when they came to Jesus, they were surprised to find that he was already dead. Jesus chose the moment of his death when he said, “It is finished.” So his legs were never broken. But just to make sure that he was dead, one of the soldiers jabbed a spear into his side. It pierced one of his lungs and bloody fluid ran out. He was dead. But what would be done with the body? The bodies of the crucified were usually thrown into an unmarked hole that the soldiers would dig near the crucifixion site. They were not allowed to be claimed by family and buried in cemeteries.
But the burial of Jesus would be different. Two prominent men went to Pontius Pilate to ask if they could take the body of Jesus. One was Joseph of Arimathea. This is the first time that Joseph appears in the story, but he is mentioned in all four of the Gospels. We’re told that he was a rich man. He was also a prominent man in the community, because he was a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. Joseph was a good and righteous man, who had not consented to the arrest and condemnation of Jesus. John’s gospel tells us that he was a secret follower of Jesus, but that he had not yet supported Jesus publicly, because he was afraid of the Jewish leaders. Mark’s Gospel tells us that Joseph “took courage” and went to Pilate to ask him for the body.
The other man who was part of the burial of Jesus was Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and, like Joseph, he was also a member of the Sanhedrin. This is the third time that Nicodemus is mentioned in the gospel narrative. Early in the ministry of Jesus, Nicodemus came to him at night (because he was afraid of the other Jewish leaders) and questioned him about his teachings. Then later, when the High Priest and the other leaders were cursing Jesus and plotting to arrest him, Nicodemus stood up for him. He said, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing?” But the other leaders rebuked Nicodemus and he backed down. Finally, after the crucifixion, Nicodemus stepped up publicly and helped Joseph with the body of Jesus.
Joseph owned a garden near the hill where the crucifixion took place. And in that garden, he had a new tomb. The tomb was not a natural cave. The Bible says that it was cut out of a rocky hillside. That required a lot of labor. Which means that the tomb was very expensive to build. Joseph had intended it to be for his family. But he decided to bury Jesus there instead. That meant that he could never use it for his family, because Jewish law allowed only relatives by blood or marriage to be buried in the same tomb. So Joseph was giving an extravagant gift to the crucified Jesus.
The Sabbath was about to begin, so Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped Jesus' body in a linen shroud, with a separate cloth for his head, and they laid him on the slab in the tomb. Some of the women who followed Jesus wanted to anoint his body with burial oils and fragrances. But there was no time. Joseph told the women to come back on Sunday morning, after the Sabbath. There were some soldiers at the tomb, sent there by Pilate to guard the entrance. The Jewish leaders had requested the soldiers, because they were afraid that the followers of Jesus might steal his body and claim that he was alive. Pilate granted their request. The soldiers helped Joseph and Nicodemus roll a large round stone in front of the entrance to the tomb. Then the soldiers settled in for the night, probably not very thrilled about having to guard a dead man.
All through that Sabbath Saturday, the garden was quiet and the tomb was undisturbed. Most Christian theologians believe that, during this time, Jesus went to hell, to complete the punishment that we deserved and to proclaim his victory over those who had opposed and rejected God. This is based upon the most common interpretation of a passage in 1 Peter 3 and possibly another passage in Ephesians 4. That’s the reason for the phrase in the Apostles’ Creed, “He descended into hell.” But no matter what Jesus was doing on that day, we know that it was a dark and sad day for his disciples and his other followers. They believed that Jesus was dead and gone forever. His messianic movement was over. Their hopes and dreams were crushed.
Holy Saturday is a reminder to me that, even though we have the promise of the resurrection, death is still a sad and heartbreaking event. Even though I know that I will see my loved ones in heaven, it is still painful to be separated from them for the rest of my time on this earth. But if I did not have the promise of the resurrection, the pain of death would be much, much worse. In fact, it would be hopeless. I would be crushed and defeated like the followers of Jesus on that Saturday. The reason that I can live with joy in my heart and hope in my soul is because I know that the darkness of Saturday is not the end of the story. I know that Sunday is coming. And knowing that fact makes all the difference. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/fpSScICWJ9M
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 25 – Friday, April 10, 2020 - Good Friday
Read Luke 23:32-34 and Psalm 32
Theme Verse: And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
Good Friday was good for us…but it was a horrible, agonizing day for Jesus.
Several days ago, in one of my Pandemic Pulpit devotions, I told the story of the day that my best friend Scott died. I was with him when it happened and I was nearly buried in the same sand slide that killed him. Looking back on it now, as an adult, I know that it was simply a tragic accident. None of us should have been in that sand and gravel pit that day. But we were kids, and we all made a dumb, immature decision that ended up costing Scott his life. But in the days following the accident, I couldn’t see the big picture. All I could see was my small part in it. All I could feel was my guilt and shame.
First, I felt guilty because I went with the group on the bike ride that day. Scott had told me that a bunch of guys were going to ride their bikes out to the dunes on Friday morning and he asked me if I wanted to go along. If I had said no, that I didn’t want to go, then Scott wouldn’t have gone either. He would have stayed behind and hung out with me, since it was just a few days after my dad had died and he was my best friend. He wouldn’t have gone without me.
Second, I felt guilty because, when one of the guys suggested that we take our bikes down into the pit, I didn’t say anything. I just went along. The truth is, I was just as eager to go down into the pit as the other guys were. It was an adventure! But I knew later that if I had protested and refused to go down, Scott wouldn’t have gone down either. In fact, if I had spoken up, maybe no one would have gone down.
And third, I felt guilty because I had not actually saved Scott from the sand slide. I was standing right next to him, maybe eight or ten feet away. I was looking up at the wall of sand when, suddenly, it began to crack. My instincts kicked in. I turned and ran away from the wall, just before the sand came crashing down. In that moment of danger, I thought only of myself. Later that day, I was beating myself up, wondering why I hadn’t grabbed Scott and pulled him with me as I ran from the wall. Of course, if I had done that, we both would have died. There wasn’t enough time to save Scott. I’m alive today because I simply reacted.
I wish I could go back to that day and tell my fourteen year old self, “It wasn’t your fault.” But as I sat in the storage barn in our back yard, sobbing, I really believed that it was. I felt that Scott was dead because of me. A few days later, the dark cloud of guilt was still hanging over me. I didn’t want to go to the visitation. I didn’t think I could face Scott’s family. But I knew that I had to go.
The line at the funeral home was long. As our family inched along, the weight that I was carrying got heavier and heavier. When I finally got up to the casket, the first person in the family line was Scott’s mom. When I stepped up to her, I burst into tears. I said to her, “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I should have done something. I should have saved Scott.” And then she did the most amazing thing. She wrapped her arms around me and hugged me. She said, “It’s not your fault, Bill. It was an accident.” I said, “But we shouldn’t have even been there.” And she said, “Whatever you did wrong, whatever any of you did wrong, I forgive you.” Then she hugged me tighter for a moment and let me go. I moved on down the line.
But the words, “I forgive you,” were still dancing in my ears. I felt like the weight was lifted off my shoulders. The dark cloud was gone. It’s hard to explain the change that came over me in that moment when Scott’s mom said, “I forgive you.” That’s why, on Good Friday, the words of Jesus that always move me the most are, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” We were dumb kids, doing a stupid thing, and yet Scott’s mom did not hold it against us. She forgave us. And she still loved us and cared about us.
As Jesus looked down from the cross, in the midst of his agony, he wasn’t holding a grudge against the people who had nailed him to that piece of wood. He wasn’t plotting his revenge against those who were mocking him and taunting him. He wasn’t cursing his disciples because they had abandoned him in his hour of suffering. No. He was loving them. He was loving them all. And he was loving us. Our sin was the very reason that he went to the cross. He died there for our sins. He died there for us.
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” If you believe in Jesus right now, if you believe that he died on the cross for your sins, then you are forgiven. God the Father heard the cry of Jesus from the cross. And he forgave all of our sins, for Jesus’ sake. You don’t have to carry a weight on your shoulders. You don’t have to walk under a dark cloud. You can be free of guilt. You are forgiven. That’s why we call this day “Good” Friday. And that’s why I love Jesus so much. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/UgkVTtT-0xg
Day 25 – Friday, April 10, 2020 - Good Friday
Read Luke 23:32-34 and Psalm 32
Theme Verse: And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
Good Friday was good for us…but it was a horrible, agonizing day for Jesus.
Several days ago, in one of my Pandemic Pulpit devotions, I told the story of the day that my best friend Scott died. I was with him when it happened and I was nearly buried in the same sand slide that killed him. Looking back on it now, as an adult, I know that it was simply a tragic accident. None of us should have been in that sand and gravel pit that day. But we were kids, and we all made a dumb, immature decision that ended up costing Scott his life. But in the days following the accident, I couldn’t see the big picture. All I could see was my small part in it. All I could feel was my guilt and shame.
First, I felt guilty because I went with the group on the bike ride that day. Scott had told me that a bunch of guys were going to ride their bikes out to the dunes on Friday morning and he asked me if I wanted to go along. If I had said no, that I didn’t want to go, then Scott wouldn’t have gone either. He would have stayed behind and hung out with me, since it was just a few days after my dad had died and he was my best friend. He wouldn’t have gone without me.
Second, I felt guilty because, when one of the guys suggested that we take our bikes down into the pit, I didn’t say anything. I just went along. The truth is, I was just as eager to go down into the pit as the other guys were. It was an adventure! But I knew later that if I had protested and refused to go down, Scott wouldn’t have gone down either. In fact, if I had spoken up, maybe no one would have gone down.
And third, I felt guilty because I had not actually saved Scott from the sand slide. I was standing right next to him, maybe eight or ten feet away. I was looking up at the wall of sand when, suddenly, it began to crack. My instincts kicked in. I turned and ran away from the wall, just before the sand came crashing down. In that moment of danger, I thought only of myself. Later that day, I was beating myself up, wondering why I hadn’t grabbed Scott and pulled him with me as I ran from the wall. Of course, if I had done that, we both would have died. There wasn’t enough time to save Scott. I’m alive today because I simply reacted.
I wish I could go back to that day and tell my fourteen year old self, “It wasn’t your fault.” But as I sat in the storage barn in our back yard, sobbing, I really believed that it was. I felt that Scott was dead because of me. A few days later, the dark cloud of guilt was still hanging over me. I didn’t want to go to the visitation. I didn’t think I could face Scott’s family. But I knew that I had to go.
The line at the funeral home was long. As our family inched along, the weight that I was carrying got heavier and heavier. When I finally got up to the casket, the first person in the family line was Scott’s mom. When I stepped up to her, I burst into tears. I said to her, “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I should have done something. I should have saved Scott.” And then she did the most amazing thing. She wrapped her arms around me and hugged me. She said, “It’s not your fault, Bill. It was an accident.” I said, “But we shouldn’t have even been there.” And she said, “Whatever you did wrong, whatever any of you did wrong, I forgive you.” Then she hugged me tighter for a moment and let me go. I moved on down the line.
But the words, “I forgive you,” were still dancing in my ears. I felt like the weight was lifted off my shoulders. The dark cloud was gone. It’s hard to explain the change that came over me in that moment when Scott’s mom said, “I forgive you.” That’s why, on Good Friday, the words of Jesus that always move me the most are, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” We were dumb kids, doing a stupid thing, and yet Scott’s mom did not hold it against us. She forgave us. And she still loved us and cared about us.
As Jesus looked down from the cross, in the midst of his agony, he wasn’t holding a grudge against the people who had nailed him to that piece of wood. He wasn’t plotting his revenge against those who were mocking him and taunting him. He wasn’t cursing his disciples because they had abandoned him in his hour of suffering. No. He was loving them. He was loving them all. And he was loving us. Our sin was the very reason that he went to the cross. He died there for our sins. He died there for us.
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” If you believe in Jesus right now, if you believe that he died on the cross for your sins, then you are forgiven. God the Father heard the cry of Jesus from the cross. And he forgave all of our sins, for Jesus’ sake. You don’t have to carry a weight on your shoulders. You don’t have to walk under a dark cloud. You can be free of guilt. You are forgiven. That’s why we call this day “Good” Friday. And that’s why I love Jesus so much. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion.
https://youtu.be/UgkVTtT-0xg
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 24 – Thursday, April 9, 2020 - Maundy Thursday
Read John 13:1-20, 34-35
Theme Verse: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” (John 13:34)
Maundy Thursday was a very intense and personal day for Jesus.
After a quiet day of rest on Wednesday, Jesus was ready to celebrate the Passover with his disciples on Thursday night. It would be the last Passover that he would celebrate on this earth. And it would be his last night with his closest friends before their whole world would be turned upside down. When the disciples asked him where he would like to celebrate the Passover supper, he told them to go to a certain man in Jerusalem, another unnamed follower of Jesus, and tell him that the Teacher would like to use his “upper room” that night.
Most homes in that day were just one large room. During the day it was a community living space. Then at night they would roll out mats and it would become a community sleeping area. But some people, who were a little more well off, would have an extra room on their house. Sometimes it was on the ground floor. But in a city like Jerusalem, where the houses were close together, the extra room was usually an upper room, built on top of the main room. There was usually an outdoor staircase to access the room. And that was the likely setting for The Last Supper.
When Jesus and the disciples arrived at the room that night, their gracious hosts had set out a table for them. It wasn’t a banquet table like we see in the Da Vinci painting. It was a low table, no more than two feet high. There were cushions on the floor, all around the outside edge of the table. The diners would take off their sandals and recline on the cushions sideways, with one elbow on the table. Their feet would hang off the sides of the cushions, pointing away from the table.
If the family was wealthy enough to have servants, the lowest ranking servant would then take a basin of water and a towel and go around the outside of the table, washing the feet of each person at the table. After a long day of working or walking in the dirt and dust, foot washing was a soothing little extra offered by a host to his guests, to help them relax for a pleasant evening of dinner and conversation. But there was no servant in the upper room that night. So the disciples were content to eat with dirty feet. It was something that they had done many times before.
But once they were all seated around the table, Jesus did a remarkable thing. He got up from the table and took off his coat. He was now just wearing his linen tunic. He looked like a household servant. He walked to a corner of the room. There he picked up a long towel and tied it around his waist, letting the extra fabric hang in front of him. Then he took a large pitcher of water and poured the water into a basin. He came back to the table and knelt down behind one of the disciples and began to wash his feet, drying them with the towel that was tied around his waist.
The disciples were aghast! Jesus was their teacher, their leader, their Lord. They tried to protest, but Jesus just kept washing, moving from one disciple to the next. When he came to Peter, there was no way that he was going to allow Jesus to wash his feet. But Jesus said, “If I do not wash you, you have no share in me.” Jesus was talking about more than just dirty feet. He was talking about the spiritual cleansing that would be given to every person who believed in him. He was talking about washing their souls with his blood, shed on the cross.
When he was finished washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus rejoined them at the table. Then he said, “Do you understand what I have done to you?” They all looked at him with blank faces. They had no idea what he was talking about. So he said, “You call me Teacher and Lord and you are right, because that’s what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, then you should also wash one another’s feet.” He was giving them an example that they would carry throughout the rest of their lives. He was telling them that the people who are great in the Kingdom of God are the ones who serve other people. There is no place for arrogance and elitism among the followers of Jesus. To be a follower of Jesus is to be a servant.
Just a few minutes later, Jesus would speak the words that would give this night its name. The word “maundy” is derived from the Latin word “mandatum,” which means “commandment.” So “Maundy Thursday” is “Commandment Thursday.” And what was the commandment that Jesus gave to the disciples that night? In John 13:34 he said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”
If you learn that commandment, and learn it well, then you will be living your life the way that Jesus wants you to live it. Remember that Jesus went to the cross for you. When you believe in Jesus, you are bathed in his blood. Your sins are washed away. You are clean and perfect and welcomed into heaven. Jesus has done this for you. The only way to respond to such an incredible gift is to love and serve other people, as Jesus has loved and served us. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. It was written by a Methodist missionary named Tom Colvin, who served in Ghana and Malawi in the 1950’s and 60’s. So it has an African feel to it. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/jX3T5sL0pzY
Click Here for a Bonus Family Resource.
Day 24 – Thursday, April 9, 2020 - Maundy Thursday
Read John 13:1-20, 34-35
Theme Verse: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” (John 13:34)
Maundy Thursday was a very intense and personal day for Jesus.
After a quiet day of rest on Wednesday, Jesus was ready to celebrate the Passover with his disciples on Thursday night. It would be the last Passover that he would celebrate on this earth. And it would be his last night with his closest friends before their whole world would be turned upside down. When the disciples asked him where he would like to celebrate the Passover supper, he told them to go to a certain man in Jerusalem, another unnamed follower of Jesus, and tell him that the Teacher would like to use his “upper room” that night.
Most homes in that day were just one large room. During the day it was a community living space. Then at night they would roll out mats and it would become a community sleeping area. But some people, who were a little more well off, would have an extra room on their house. Sometimes it was on the ground floor. But in a city like Jerusalem, where the houses were close together, the extra room was usually an upper room, built on top of the main room. There was usually an outdoor staircase to access the room. And that was the likely setting for The Last Supper.
When Jesus and the disciples arrived at the room that night, their gracious hosts had set out a table for them. It wasn’t a banquet table like we see in the Da Vinci painting. It was a low table, no more than two feet high. There were cushions on the floor, all around the outside edge of the table. The diners would take off their sandals and recline on the cushions sideways, with one elbow on the table. Their feet would hang off the sides of the cushions, pointing away from the table.
If the family was wealthy enough to have servants, the lowest ranking servant would then take a basin of water and a towel and go around the outside of the table, washing the feet of each person at the table. After a long day of working or walking in the dirt and dust, foot washing was a soothing little extra offered by a host to his guests, to help them relax for a pleasant evening of dinner and conversation. But there was no servant in the upper room that night. So the disciples were content to eat with dirty feet. It was something that they had done many times before.
But once they were all seated around the table, Jesus did a remarkable thing. He got up from the table and took off his coat. He was now just wearing his linen tunic. He looked like a household servant. He walked to a corner of the room. There he picked up a long towel and tied it around his waist, letting the extra fabric hang in front of him. Then he took a large pitcher of water and poured the water into a basin. He came back to the table and knelt down behind one of the disciples and began to wash his feet, drying them with the towel that was tied around his waist.
The disciples were aghast! Jesus was their teacher, their leader, their Lord. They tried to protest, but Jesus just kept washing, moving from one disciple to the next. When he came to Peter, there was no way that he was going to allow Jesus to wash his feet. But Jesus said, “If I do not wash you, you have no share in me.” Jesus was talking about more than just dirty feet. He was talking about the spiritual cleansing that would be given to every person who believed in him. He was talking about washing their souls with his blood, shed on the cross.
When he was finished washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus rejoined them at the table. Then he said, “Do you understand what I have done to you?” They all looked at him with blank faces. They had no idea what he was talking about. So he said, “You call me Teacher and Lord and you are right, because that’s what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, then you should also wash one another’s feet.” He was giving them an example that they would carry throughout the rest of their lives. He was telling them that the people who are great in the Kingdom of God are the ones who serve other people. There is no place for arrogance and elitism among the followers of Jesus. To be a follower of Jesus is to be a servant.
Just a few minutes later, Jesus would speak the words that would give this night its name. The word “maundy” is derived from the Latin word “mandatum,” which means “commandment.” So “Maundy Thursday” is “Commandment Thursday.” And what was the commandment that Jesus gave to the disciples that night? In John 13:34 he said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”
If you learn that commandment, and learn it well, then you will be living your life the way that Jesus wants you to live it. Remember that Jesus went to the cross for you. When you believe in Jesus, you are bathed in his blood. Your sins are washed away. You are clean and perfect and welcomed into heaven. Jesus has done this for you. The only way to respond to such an incredible gift is to love and serve other people, as Jesus has loved and served us. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. It was written by a Methodist missionary named Tom Colvin, who served in Ghana and Malawi in the 1950’s and 60’s. So it has an African feel to it. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/jX3T5sL0pzY
Click Here for a Bonus Family Resource.
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 23 – Wednesday, April 8, 2020 - Wednesday of Holy Week
Read John 12:1-8, Matthew 26:1-13, and Psalm 62
Theme Verse: “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.” (Psalm 62:1)
Wednesday of Holy Week was a quiet day for Jesus.
On Tuesday night, after a tough day of confrontation with the Pharisees and Sadducees in Jerusalem, Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the little town of Bethany. Bethany was about two miles east of Jerusalem, just over the top of the Mount of Olives. Jesus had many friends and supporters there. Among them were three siblings, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Just a few weeks earlier, Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, and many of the people of Bethany had witnessed that incredible miracle.
Jesus and his disciples had stayed in the home of Lazarus and his sisters on Saturday night, just before he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey on Palm Sunday. On that night, Mary had taken a jar of expensive ointment and used the fragrant oil to anoint the feet of Jesus. Judas Iscariot had complained, saying that the oil could have been sold and the money used to help the poor. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial.” Jesus was hinting that his death was coming very soon, and that this memory would be very important for Mary. But no one in the room really understood what he was saying.
Then on Tuesday night, it happened again. This time, Jesus and his disciples were in the home of another friend from Bethany, a man named Simon the leper. Of course, Simon was not a leper any longer. A leper would be separated from his community. He would not be hosting Jesus and his disciples in his home. So most Bible scholars assume that he was a leper who had been cleansed by Jesus. The story is not in the Bible. But as John says near the end of his Gospel, if he tried to record all of the stories about Jesus, “the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”
So Jesus and his disciples were in the home of Simon the (ex)-leper when, all of a sudden, a woman entered the home with a jar of anointing oil. Maybe she had heard about what Mary did three nights earlier and she wanted to honor Jesus in the same way. But she went one step further. Mary had anointed the feet of Jesus, but this woman poured the ointment over his head. It ran down his hair and dripped off his beard. This was the same way that kings were anointed in ancient Israel on the day that they took the throne.
Once again, the disciples didn’t understand. On Saturday night, Judas had complained. But Judas was not here on Tuesday night. He was out making his deal with the chief priests to betray Jesus. So the others started grumbling, saying, “Why this waste?” And again, Jesus defended the woman. He said, “She has done a beautiful thing to me.” He said that she had done it, “to prepare me for my burial.” And then he added a poignant prediction. He said, “Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” And here we are reading about it two thousand years later!
So Jesus was clearly thinking about his death on that Tuesday night. His disciples did not know that the cross was coming on Friday, but Jesus knew. And it was weighing heavily on his mind. And then the gospels go silent on Wednesday. Nothing is recorded about that day. It’s possible that Jesus just spent the entire day resting and praying in preparation for the events that were about to unfold.
I remember once when Lisa and I were going through a very stressful time in our lives. Right about that time, someone in our church offered us the use of their vacation home in northern Wisconsin. We couldn’t get away for very long, but we decided to take them up on their offer anyway. We spent a full day driving up there, two days at the house, and a full day driving back. But those two days of rest and relaxation were just what we needed to recharge our batteries and prepare our hearts and minds for the challenge that God was laying out before us.
Of course, Jesus was facing a challenge far greater than anything that we have faced in our lives. But he understood the need to pause for a moment and rest his mind, before meeting that challenge head on. And I think there is a lesson in that for us. In the midst of all the stresses of our lives, we need to pause from time to time and rest our minds. We need to recharge our spiritual batteries so that we can meet the challenges that we face in our lives. Even in the midst of this coronavirus quarantine, we need to find moments when we can separate ourselves from all of the outside distractions and be filled with the special spiritual strength that comes only from God.
I pray that you will find those times in your life right now. May you rest and recharge and be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/mq59iE3MhXM
Day 23 – Wednesday, April 8, 2020 - Wednesday of Holy Week
Read John 12:1-8, Matthew 26:1-13, and Psalm 62
Theme Verse: “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.” (Psalm 62:1)
Wednesday of Holy Week was a quiet day for Jesus.
On Tuesday night, after a tough day of confrontation with the Pharisees and Sadducees in Jerusalem, Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the little town of Bethany. Bethany was about two miles east of Jerusalem, just over the top of the Mount of Olives. Jesus had many friends and supporters there. Among them were three siblings, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Just a few weeks earlier, Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, and many of the people of Bethany had witnessed that incredible miracle.
Jesus and his disciples had stayed in the home of Lazarus and his sisters on Saturday night, just before he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey on Palm Sunday. On that night, Mary had taken a jar of expensive ointment and used the fragrant oil to anoint the feet of Jesus. Judas Iscariot had complained, saying that the oil could have been sold and the money used to help the poor. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial.” Jesus was hinting that his death was coming very soon, and that this memory would be very important for Mary. But no one in the room really understood what he was saying.
Then on Tuesday night, it happened again. This time, Jesus and his disciples were in the home of another friend from Bethany, a man named Simon the leper. Of course, Simon was not a leper any longer. A leper would be separated from his community. He would not be hosting Jesus and his disciples in his home. So most Bible scholars assume that he was a leper who had been cleansed by Jesus. The story is not in the Bible. But as John says near the end of his Gospel, if he tried to record all of the stories about Jesus, “the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”
So Jesus and his disciples were in the home of Simon the (ex)-leper when, all of a sudden, a woman entered the home with a jar of anointing oil. Maybe she had heard about what Mary did three nights earlier and she wanted to honor Jesus in the same way. But she went one step further. Mary had anointed the feet of Jesus, but this woman poured the ointment over his head. It ran down his hair and dripped off his beard. This was the same way that kings were anointed in ancient Israel on the day that they took the throne.
Once again, the disciples didn’t understand. On Saturday night, Judas had complained. But Judas was not here on Tuesday night. He was out making his deal with the chief priests to betray Jesus. So the others started grumbling, saying, “Why this waste?” And again, Jesus defended the woman. He said, “She has done a beautiful thing to me.” He said that she had done it, “to prepare me for my burial.” And then he added a poignant prediction. He said, “Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” And here we are reading about it two thousand years later!
So Jesus was clearly thinking about his death on that Tuesday night. His disciples did not know that the cross was coming on Friday, but Jesus knew. And it was weighing heavily on his mind. And then the gospels go silent on Wednesday. Nothing is recorded about that day. It’s possible that Jesus just spent the entire day resting and praying in preparation for the events that were about to unfold.
I remember once when Lisa and I were going through a very stressful time in our lives. Right about that time, someone in our church offered us the use of their vacation home in northern Wisconsin. We couldn’t get away for very long, but we decided to take them up on their offer anyway. We spent a full day driving up there, two days at the house, and a full day driving back. But those two days of rest and relaxation were just what we needed to recharge our batteries and prepare our hearts and minds for the challenge that God was laying out before us.
Of course, Jesus was facing a challenge far greater than anything that we have faced in our lives. But he understood the need to pause for a moment and rest his mind, before meeting that challenge head on. And I think there is a lesson in that for us. In the midst of all the stresses of our lives, we need to pause from time to time and rest our minds. We need to recharge our spiritual batteries so that we can meet the challenges that we face in our lives. Even in the midst of this coronavirus quarantine, we need to find moments when we can separate ourselves from all of the outside distractions and be filled with the special spiritual strength that comes only from God.
I pray that you will find those times in your life right now. May you rest and recharge and be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/mq59iE3MhXM
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 22 – Tuesday, April 7, 2020 - Tuesday of Holy Week
Read Matthew 21:23-27, 22:15-46, 23:27-28, and 26:14-16
Theme Verse: “Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?’ And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.” (Matthew 26:14-15)
Tuesday of Holy Week was a tough day for Jesus.
On the Monday before, when he came into the temple area, he was disgusted by what he saw. In the outer courtyard, the area where the Gentile believers were supposed to worship, there were dozens of temple employees selling sacrificial animals to the public at inflated prices. And right next to the animal merchants were the money changers. You see, you couldn’t buy an animal with Roman coins. You had to exchange those coins for temple shekels in order to make your purchase. And the exchange rate was exorbitant.
So when Jesus saw the corruption of the sacrificial system and the exploitation of the people, a wave of righteous anger came over him. He went down the line, opening the animal cages, tipping over the money tables, and driving the crooked merchants out of the area. And there wasn’t anything they could do about it, because the crowds were on the side of Jesus, cheering him on.
But Tuesday was different. When Jesus entered the temple area that morning, all of the religious leaders were on the lookout for him. And when they saw him, they went after him. They could not arrest him because of the sympathetic crowds, so they tried to discredit him. They asked him by whose authority he was preaching. Jesus sidestepped that question by asking them where John the Baptist got his authority to preach. They couldn’t answer him, because the crowds considered John to be a hero.
A group of Pharisees tried to get the crowds on their side. They asked Jesus if it was lawful to pay taxes to Rome. Everyone hated Rome. But Jesus made his famous statement, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” In other words, “Yes, we have to pay our taxes, but our true loyalty and worship belongs to God.” So the Sadducees jumped in. They asked Jesus a ridiculous hypothetical question about a woman who had been married to seven different men who had all died (I wonder what she was putting in their coffee!). The Sadducees wanted to know whose wife she would be in heaven. Jesus responded by saying that there would be no marriage in heaven. And he would know, because that’s where he came from!
Then the Pharisees came back at him. They asked him to name the greatest commandment of the Bible. They thought that if they could get him to commit to one commandment, they could then argue with him and show the crowds their intellectual superiority. But Jesus fooled them. He quoted the most important Bible verse in the Jewish faith, Deuteronomy 6:5, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” He said, “This is the great and first commandment.” How could they argue with that?
Then Jesus turned the tables on the religious leaders. Jesus knew that everyone in the crowd was wondering if he was the Christ (in Hebrew, the word is Messiah). And he knew that the religious leaders were trying to prove that he was not. So he asked them, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They gave him the standard answer, “He is the son of David.” So Jesus asked, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord?” Jesus then quotes the first verse of Psalm 110, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.’” The Pharisees all believed that David was talking about the Messiah in that verse. So if David calls the Messiah “My Lord,” it means that the Messiah is greater than David. It also means that the Messiah sits at the right hand of the Father. The Pharisees had never interpreted the verse that way. And yet it made sense. Jesus showed the crowds that he understood the Scriptures better than their religious leaders did!
And then Jesus went on the attack. He called the religious leaders “hypocrites.” He said they were like whitewashed tombs—clean and shiny on the outside, but full of dead men’s bones on the inside. He said, “You outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” When the leaders heard this, they were incensed. They would’ve loved to arrest Jesus on the spot, but they knew that the crowds were on his side. So they held their tongues and backed away. And they started plotting how they could catch Jesus alone, so that they could arrest him without provoking a riot.
Their answer would come later that same day. One of Jesus' disciples, Judas Iscariot, left the rest of the group that evening and went to talk to the chief priests. Judas knew that Jesus often liked to slip away to some quiet place at night and pray. He knew that if Jesus were to do that this week, he could go and get the temple guards and they could arrest him in the dark, away from the crowds. Judas asked the chief priests, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” They agreed to give him thirty pieces of silver. And the deal was done. Judas would now start looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
Yes, Tuesday of Holy Week was a tough day for Jesus. But things were about to get a lot tougher. As we face some tough times in our lives right now, I pray that we will all turn our hearts to Jesus. May we give thanks for all that he endured on our behalf. And may we put our trust in him, no matter what the future holds. If he loved us enough to die on the cross for our sins, then we know that he will be with us through all of the tough days that we are enduring right now. You can count on that. You can count on Him. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/PrIj8zZd21E
Day 22 – Tuesday, April 7, 2020 - Tuesday of Holy Week
Read Matthew 21:23-27, 22:15-46, 23:27-28, and 26:14-16
Theme Verse: “Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?’ And they paid him thirty pieces of silver.” (Matthew 26:14-15)
Tuesday of Holy Week was a tough day for Jesus.
On the Monday before, when he came into the temple area, he was disgusted by what he saw. In the outer courtyard, the area where the Gentile believers were supposed to worship, there were dozens of temple employees selling sacrificial animals to the public at inflated prices. And right next to the animal merchants were the money changers. You see, you couldn’t buy an animal with Roman coins. You had to exchange those coins for temple shekels in order to make your purchase. And the exchange rate was exorbitant.
So when Jesus saw the corruption of the sacrificial system and the exploitation of the people, a wave of righteous anger came over him. He went down the line, opening the animal cages, tipping over the money tables, and driving the crooked merchants out of the area. And there wasn’t anything they could do about it, because the crowds were on the side of Jesus, cheering him on.
But Tuesday was different. When Jesus entered the temple area that morning, all of the religious leaders were on the lookout for him. And when they saw him, they went after him. They could not arrest him because of the sympathetic crowds, so they tried to discredit him. They asked him by whose authority he was preaching. Jesus sidestepped that question by asking them where John the Baptist got his authority to preach. They couldn’t answer him, because the crowds considered John to be a hero.
A group of Pharisees tried to get the crowds on their side. They asked Jesus if it was lawful to pay taxes to Rome. Everyone hated Rome. But Jesus made his famous statement, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” In other words, “Yes, we have to pay our taxes, but our true loyalty and worship belongs to God.” So the Sadducees jumped in. They asked Jesus a ridiculous hypothetical question about a woman who had been married to seven different men who had all died (I wonder what she was putting in their coffee!). The Sadducees wanted to know whose wife she would be in heaven. Jesus responded by saying that there would be no marriage in heaven. And he would know, because that’s where he came from!
Then the Pharisees came back at him. They asked him to name the greatest commandment of the Bible. They thought that if they could get him to commit to one commandment, they could then argue with him and show the crowds their intellectual superiority. But Jesus fooled them. He quoted the most important Bible verse in the Jewish faith, Deuteronomy 6:5, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” He said, “This is the great and first commandment.” How could they argue with that?
Then Jesus turned the tables on the religious leaders. Jesus knew that everyone in the crowd was wondering if he was the Christ (in Hebrew, the word is Messiah). And he knew that the religious leaders were trying to prove that he was not. So he asked them, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They gave him the standard answer, “He is the son of David.” So Jesus asked, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord?” Jesus then quotes the first verse of Psalm 110, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.’” The Pharisees all believed that David was talking about the Messiah in that verse. So if David calls the Messiah “My Lord,” it means that the Messiah is greater than David. It also means that the Messiah sits at the right hand of the Father. The Pharisees had never interpreted the verse that way. And yet it made sense. Jesus showed the crowds that he understood the Scriptures better than their religious leaders did!
And then Jesus went on the attack. He called the religious leaders “hypocrites.” He said they were like whitewashed tombs—clean and shiny on the outside, but full of dead men’s bones on the inside. He said, “You outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” When the leaders heard this, they were incensed. They would’ve loved to arrest Jesus on the spot, but they knew that the crowds were on his side. So they held their tongues and backed away. And they started plotting how they could catch Jesus alone, so that they could arrest him without provoking a riot.
Their answer would come later that same day. One of Jesus' disciples, Judas Iscariot, left the rest of the group that evening and went to talk to the chief priests. Judas knew that Jesus often liked to slip away to some quiet place at night and pray. He knew that if Jesus were to do that this week, he could go and get the temple guards and they could arrest him in the dark, away from the crowds. Judas asked the chief priests, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” They agreed to give him thirty pieces of silver. And the deal was done. Judas would now start looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
Yes, Tuesday of Holy Week was a tough day for Jesus. But things were about to get a lot tougher. As we face some tough times in our lives right now, I pray that we will all turn our hearts to Jesus. May we give thanks for all that he endured on our behalf. And may we put our trust in him, no matter what the future holds. If he loved us enough to die on the cross for our sins, then we know that he will be with us through all of the tough days that we are enduring right now. You can count on that. You can count on Him. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/PrIj8zZd21E
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)*
Day 21 – Monday, April 6, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
After retiring as your pastor, plans had to be put on hold as we worked and waited for God’s healing to come into Karen’s life. Prayers were answered. She is doing well. So in this 4th year of retirement, we had a big plan. In addition to our usual summer sailing, we decided to take that teardrop trailer I had built 17 years ago out camping again. That trailer is still my pride and joy – and a delight to take on the road. In mid-February I began preparations. We bought a new mattress. I started going through all the storage areas and cleaning it up from hitch to back bumper. We scouted out camping areas we would use. The side tent was gone over and updated just before March 1st. All those plans were on track until……...the Coronavirus crashed into our lives. I remember leading worship with you on March 8. It was a joy to be with you, worshiping, singing with the choir, greeting you (even shaking hands and exchanging hugs), and visiting over coffee. Then the very next Sunday, we deliberately chose the smaller late service at our Valpo church – slipping into the back row late and out the back door early. Two days later, we elected to shelter in place. We stocked up supplies like we were in for a North Dakota winter and proceeded to live a near monastic existence for the past month. The trailer of many plans just sits in the garage for the duration. It is amazing how suddenly Covid-19 has changed life, bringing the many plans of the globe to a halt.
This Monday after Palm Sunday is a day to contemplate such sudden and cataclysmic change. Just yesterday we remember Jesus coming into Jerusalem in complete triumph. The crowds shout their adoration. They hail him as the fulfillment of centuries of hope. The cheers and victory parade are worthy of this longed for king. But on this week, in the space of a few days, everything unravels. No power on earth is ready to step aside for a new king – not the religious elite, not Pilate, not Herod, and certainly not the powers responsible for the sin, brokenness, and death in this world. The more Jesus tries to establish his Kingdom, the harder they hit back. And those disciples whom he’d handpicked – who’ve been absolutely in love with him – they fail him miserably. One denies him, ten run in fear for their lives, and one betrays him. Human frailty is no match for what’s coming at Jesus.
Now at this point it would be easy to empathize with Jerusalem’s new king having his plans halted. But what really were his plans? Didn’t he say that he would go to Jerusalem, be handed over to authorities who would make him suffer and die? Didn’t Isaiah speak of a suffering servant who would bear our griefs and carry our sorrows – and that by his wounds, we would be healed? Jesus has one plan in mind: that all peoples would be drawn into an enduring relationship with God where they would rest secure in His love, mercy, and restoration.
This week is about how everything that could stop that plan goes after Jesus – and this week is about how, no matter what, Jesus keeps going after us. Think about that in our sudden turn of events. Consider Christ’s mission in the middle of our uncertainties and fears. And know this: Jesus isn’t in this for the glory and the victory parades. He’s in it to love us – to be with us no matter what the world brings. In this week, Jesus is walking with us (knowing our anxieties and fears in this pandemic). In this week Jesus suffers for us (and suffers with those who suffer and die in this broken world). In this week Jesus chooses dying our death so that we can be in relationship with God in all things. As everything changes in this week, we see an unchanging love that will give us hope and a future in all things.
Please pray: Father, this world seems suddenly different. A disease seems in control. What I want to do can’t happen. My plans have been halted. I’m angry, afraid, confused, and uncertain. But I also trust you. I know that Jesus is with me in all things – even my suffering and death. Let me take this journey of Holy Week with Him to the cross. And from that vantage point, let me see a love that is stronger than anything on earth. Amen.
Remember, my friends: God is faithful. And God is good – all the time.
Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiukM6WHQEQ
Day 21 – Monday, April 6, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
After retiring as your pastor, plans had to be put on hold as we worked and waited for God’s healing to come into Karen’s life. Prayers were answered. She is doing well. So in this 4th year of retirement, we had a big plan. In addition to our usual summer sailing, we decided to take that teardrop trailer I had built 17 years ago out camping again. That trailer is still my pride and joy – and a delight to take on the road. In mid-February I began preparations. We bought a new mattress. I started going through all the storage areas and cleaning it up from hitch to back bumper. We scouted out camping areas we would use. The side tent was gone over and updated just before March 1st. All those plans were on track until……...the Coronavirus crashed into our lives. I remember leading worship with you on March 8. It was a joy to be with you, worshiping, singing with the choir, greeting you (even shaking hands and exchanging hugs), and visiting over coffee. Then the very next Sunday, we deliberately chose the smaller late service at our Valpo church – slipping into the back row late and out the back door early. Two days later, we elected to shelter in place. We stocked up supplies like we were in for a North Dakota winter and proceeded to live a near monastic existence for the past month. The trailer of many plans just sits in the garage for the duration. It is amazing how suddenly Covid-19 has changed life, bringing the many plans of the globe to a halt.
This Monday after Palm Sunday is a day to contemplate such sudden and cataclysmic change. Just yesterday we remember Jesus coming into Jerusalem in complete triumph. The crowds shout their adoration. They hail him as the fulfillment of centuries of hope. The cheers and victory parade are worthy of this longed for king. But on this week, in the space of a few days, everything unravels. No power on earth is ready to step aside for a new king – not the religious elite, not Pilate, not Herod, and certainly not the powers responsible for the sin, brokenness, and death in this world. The more Jesus tries to establish his Kingdom, the harder they hit back. And those disciples whom he’d handpicked – who’ve been absolutely in love with him – they fail him miserably. One denies him, ten run in fear for their lives, and one betrays him. Human frailty is no match for what’s coming at Jesus.
Now at this point it would be easy to empathize with Jerusalem’s new king having his plans halted. But what really were his plans? Didn’t he say that he would go to Jerusalem, be handed over to authorities who would make him suffer and die? Didn’t Isaiah speak of a suffering servant who would bear our griefs and carry our sorrows – and that by his wounds, we would be healed? Jesus has one plan in mind: that all peoples would be drawn into an enduring relationship with God where they would rest secure in His love, mercy, and restoration.
This week is about how everything that could stop that plan goes after Jesus – and this week is about how, no matter what, Jesus keeps going after us. Think about that in our sudden turn of events. Consider Christ’s mission in the middle of our uncertainties and fears. And know this: Jesus isn’t in this for the glory and the victory parades. He’s in it to love us – to be with us no matter what the world brings. In this week, Jesus is walking with us (knowing our anxieties and fears in this pandemic). In this week Jesus suffers for us (and suffers with those who suffer and die in this broken world). In this week Jesus chooses dying our death so that we can be in relationship with God in all things. As everything changes in this week, we see an unchanging love that will give us hope and a future in all things.
Please pray: Father, this world seems suddenly different. A disease seems in control. What I want to do can’t happen. My plans have been halted. I’m angry, afraid, confused, and uncertain. But I also trust you. I know that Jesus is with me in all things – even my suffering and death. Let me take this journey of Holy Week with Him to the cross. And from that vantage point, let me see a love that is stronger than anything on earth. Amen.
Remember, my friends: God is faithful. And God is good – all the time.
Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiukM6WHQEQ
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 20 – Sunday, April 5, 2020 - Palm Sunday
Read Luke 19:28-44
Theme Verse: “And when Jesus drew near and saw the city, he wept over it.” (Luke 19:41)
In the summer of 1981 (the summer between my sophomore and junior years of college), I had the opportunity to study and travel throughout the land of Israel. I stayed with a group of students at the American Institute of Holy Land Studies (now known as Jerusalem University College), which is just outside the southern wall of the Old City of Jerusalem. We took classes at the Institute in Biblical Theology and Archaeology, and we also traveled by bus to all of the important sites in Israel, from Galilee to Gaza to the Red Sea. It was an amazing summer that changed my life forever.
But one of my most powerful memories was a little side adventure that I went on with three other guys that I became good friends with that summer. We had heard from several people that the best view of the Old City was from the top of the Mount of Olives at sunrise. The Mount of Olives is on the east side of the city, so if you climb to the top and turn toward the city, the sun comes up behind you and gradually lights up the beige-colored limestone. That limestone is called “Jerusalem Stone.” It is still quarried nearby and it has been used on every building in the Old City since ancient times. When the sun comes over the Mount of Olives at sunrise, the rays hit that limestone at just the right angle, and the whole city seems to have a golden glow for several minutes. That glow gives Jerusalem one of its most famous nicknames, “The Golden City.”
So my three friends and I got up one morning at 3:00 a.m. We went to the Institute kitchen and made ourselves some peanut butter sandwiches and filled our water bottles. Then we slipped out the back door of the Institute and headed for the Mount of Olives. We walked east along the southern wall of the city, crossed the Kidron Valley, and then began the long trek up the mountain. We had been hiking all summer, so we were in pretty good shape. But it was still an exhausting climb. We got near the top just before sunrise, found a stone wall that we could sit on, and ate our peanut butter breakfast as we looked out over the dark city.
Gradually, the sky began to lighten. And then, suddenly, the first rays of sunshine peeked over the mountaintop and hit the city walls. Over the next several minutes, the whole city just lit up! It was a spectacular sight, one that I will never forget. And that beautiful memory is on my mind on this Palm Sunday. As Jesus sat on the donkey, on the top of the Mount of Olives, and prepared to make his triumphal ride into Jerusalem, the view must have been very much like what I saw on that summer morning in 1981. It was breathtakingly beautiful and peaceful. But Jesus saw something more. He saw a city filled with people that he loved.
As Jesus drew close to the city, Luke says that he paused and “wept over it.” And with tears in his eyes, he said to the people of Jerusalem, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” Jesus knew that, later that week, he was going to die on the cross for the sins of the people. He was going to restore their relationship with God. And he was going to rise from the dead as a promise to them that they, too, could rise again and live forever in heaven. But the people could not see it. They were looking for a different kind of salvation. They were looking for an earthly king, who would lead an army against the Romans and win a great victory and restore the glory days of Israel, just like in the time of David and Solomon.
And that’s why Jesus was weeping. He knew that the people were chasing after an earthly dream, a dream that would lead to death and destruction. Jesus could see into the future. He knew that, in just forty years, there would be a great Jewish uprising against the Romans. And he knew that the Romans would brutally crush that revolt. And he knew that, in the year 70 A.D., Rome would tear down that beautiful city and its beautiful temple, stone by stone. Jesus could see it all. And it broke his heart.
But Jesus also knew that his resurrection was going to start a movement that would eventually come to be known as the Christian Church. And he knew that, no matter what happened in this world, the Gospel message of the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life would be preached everywhere. No earthly power would be able to destroy it. And as long as the Gospel was in the world, people would come to Jesus, and believe in him, and be saved. And the same thing is true for us today.
There is great pain and suffering in the world right now. But the message of Palm Sunday is that, no matter what happens to us in this life, we have hope, breathtakingly beautiful and peaceful hope. We know that if we put our faith in Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven. Our relationship with God is restored. And when we close our eyes in this world, we will open them again in heaven, in that place that the Bible calls “The New Jerusalem.” And we will see Jesus face to face, and he will weep over us. But his tears will not be tears of sorrow. They will be tears of joy. I long for that day. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/-nq7ZLofnpk
Day 20 – Sunday, April 5, 2020 - Palm Sunday
Read Luke 19:28-44
Theme Verse: “And when Jesus drew near and saw the city, he wept over it.” (Luke 19:41)
In the summer of 1981 (the summer between my sophomore and junior years of college), I had the opportunity to study and travel throughout the land of Israel. I stayed with a group of students at the American Institute of Holy Land Studies (now known as Jerusalem University College), which is just outside the southern wall of the Old City of Jerusalem. We took classes at the Institute in Biblical Theology and Archaeology, and we also traveled by bus to all of the important sites in Israel, from Galilee to Gaza to the Red Sea. It was an amazing summer that changed my life forever.
But one of my most powerful memories was a little side adventure that I went on with three other guys that I became good friends with that summer. We had heard from several people that the best view of the Old City was from the top of the Mount of Olives at sunrise. The Mount of Olives is on the east side of the city, so if you climb to the top and turn toward the city, the sun comes up behind you and gradually lights up the beige-colored limestone. That limestone is called “Jerusalem Stone.” It is still quarried nearby and it has been used on every building in the Old City since ancient times. When the sun comes over the Mount of Olives at sunrise, the rays hit that limestone at just the right angle, and the whole city seems to have a golden glow for several minutes. That glow gives Jerusalem one of its most famous nicknames, “The Golden City.”
So my three friends and I got up one morning at 3:00 a.m. We went to the Institute kitchen and made ourselves some peanut butter sandwiches and filled our water bottles. Then we slipped out the back door of the Institute and headed for the Mount of Olives. We walked east along the southern wall of the city, crossed the Kidron Valley, and then began the long trek up the mountain. We had been hiking all summer, so we were in pretty good shape. But it was still an exhausting climb. We got near the top just before sunrise, found a stone wall that we could sit on, and ate our peanut butter breakfast as we looked out over the dark city.
Gradually, the sky began to lighten. And then, suddenly, the first rays of sunshine peeked over the mountaintop and hit the city walls. Over the next several minutes, the whole city just lit up! It was a spectacular sight, one that I will never forget. And that beautiful memory is on my mind on this Palm Sunday. As Jesus sat on the donkey, on the top of the Mount of Olives, and prepared to make his triumphal ride into Jerusalem, the view must have been very much like what I saw on that summer morning in 1981. It was breathtakingly beautiful and peaceful. But Jesus saw something more. He saw a city filled with people that he loved.
As Jesus drew close to the city, Luke says that he paused and “wept over it.” And with tears in his eyes, he said to the people of Jerusalem, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.” Jesus knew that, later that week, he was going to die on the cross for the sins of the people. He was going to restore their relationship with God. And he was going to rise from the dead as a promise to them that they, too, could rise again and live forever in heaven. But the people could not see it. They were looking for a different kind of salvation. They were looking for an earthly king, who would lead an army against the Romans and win a great victory and restore the glory days of Israel, just like in the time of David and Solomon.
And that’s why Jesus was weeping. He knew that the people were chasing after an earthly dream, a dream that would lead to death and destruction. Jesus could see into the future. He knew that, in just forty years, there would be a great Jewish uprising against the Romans. And he knew that the Romans would brutally crush that revolt. And he knew that, in the year 70 A.D., Rome would tear down that beautiful city and its beautiful temple, stone by stone. Jesus could see it all. And it broke his heart.
But Jesus also knew that his resurrection was going to start a movement that would eventually come to be known as the Christian Church. And he knew that, no matter what happened in this world, the Gospel message of the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life would be preached everywhere. No earthly power would be able to destroy it. And as long as the Gospel was in the world, people would come to Jesus, and believe in him, and be saved. And the same thing is true for us today.
There is great pain and suffering in the world right now. But the message of Palm Sunday is that, no matter what happens to us in this life, we have hope, breathtakingly beautiful and peaceful hope. We know that if we put our faith in Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven. Our relationship with God is restored. And when we close our eyes in this world, we will open them again in heaven, in that place that the Bible calls “The New Jerusalem.” And we will see Jesus face to face, and he will weep over us. But his tears will not be tears of sorrow. They will be tears of joy. I long for that day. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/-nq7ZLofnpk
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 19 – Saturday, April 4, 2020
Read 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 and Psalm 96
Theme Verse: “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.” (2 Corinthians 5:20)
Many years ago, when I was in my first church in Rantoul, Illinois, there was a woman in the congregation named Elfrieda. Elfrieda was born and raised in Germany and she still had a heavy German accent. As a young woman, she met an American airman who was stationed at Ramstein Air Force Base near Frankfurt. They fell in love and got married. Eventually, her husband was transferred back to the United States. That’s how they came to be in Rantoul. Her husband had been assigned to Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, where he was an instructor at one of the technical schools.
During their time in Rantoul, Elfrieda met another German woman who was also married to an American airman at Chanute. The woman’s name was Katherine, and because of their common backgrounds, the two women became close friends. They did almost everything together. But the one thing that they did not do together was go to church. Katherine wanted nothing to do with church. No matter how many times Elfrieda invited her, she always refused to go. But she would never give a reason. She just said, “No, I’m not interested.” And that was it.
But one day, Elfreida called the church and talked to our Senior Pastor, Pastor Remmers (I was the Associate Pastor at the time). Elfrieda said that her friend Katherine was in the hospital and she was not doing very well. She had asked Katherine if she would like a visit from one of the pastors of her church, and Katherine surprised her by saying, “Yes, I would like that.” So Elfrieda was calling to ask if one of us would come to visit her. Pastor Remmers said that we would both come. So he stopped by my office door and said, “Come with me. We’re finally going to meet Elfrieda’s friend Katherine.”
When we walked into the hospital room, Elfrieda was sitting in a chair next to the bed. She stood up and greeted us and then she introduced us to Katherine. We both shook Katherine’s hand and she smiled and responded very warmly. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next. I was wondering if Pastor Remmers was going to say something. But Elfrieda spoke first. She said, “Pastor, please tell Katherine that she needs to go to church!” Elfrieda could be pretty blunt sometimes. Katherine got an embarrassed look on her face. But Pastor Remmers said to her, “Katherine, Elfrieda tells us that you have no interest in going to church. I wonder if you might tell us why?” Katherine hesitated for a moment and then she told her story.
After Katherine and her husband got married in Germany, he was transferred to Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was the first time that Katherine had ever been out of Germany. Now she was in a strange place, she was far away from her family, and she had no friends. And then she got pregnant. Katherine and her husband were both very excited about the baby. The pregnancy went very well and the birth seemed normal. But then, shortly after their little boy was born, it became obvious that there were serious problems. Within a few days, the baby died. They were heartbroken.
Katherine had grown up in a Lutheran church in Germany, so she wanted to find a Lutheran pastor who would do a funeral service for their baby boy. They looked in the phone book and found a Lutheran church near the base. Then they hopped in their car and went to talk to the pastor. When they explained their situation to the pastor, and asked him if he would do the funeral, the first thing that he asked them was, “Are either of you a member of my denomination?”
Katherine and her husband looked at each other. Her husband just shrugged. He had grown up in a Methodist family. And she had grown up in Germany, where there was only one Lutheran church body. Katherine said to the pastor, “We don’t really know anything about Lutheran denominations.” And the pastor said, “Well, then, I’m sorry to say that, if you are not a member of my denomination, I can’t do your son’s funeral.” Without another word, Katherine and her husband got up and left. Katherine said, “We ended up doing the funeral at the base chapel and then I never set foot in a church ever again.”
When she finished her story, the hospital room was quiet. No one knew what to say. Of course it was Elfrieda who broke the silence. She looked at her friend and said, “Oh, Katherine! Just because some Lutheran pastor in Mississippi is going to Hell, it doesn’t mean that you have to follow him there!” We were all stunned for a moment. And then Katherine burst out laughing, and we all laughed with her. She said, “I suppose you’re right, Elfrieda. Maybe I should start going to church with you.” It was a beautiful, grace-filled God moment. We all laughed a little more, then we talked for a while, then we prayed with Katherine and we left. Katherine eventually recovered from her illness and became a regular attender of our church.
I’ve never forgotten that day in Katherine’s hospital room. On that day, I learned how one thoughtless comment by a pastor had driven a woman away from the church for decades. I learned how important it was to be careful and caring with my words, especially with people who were going through a crisis. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:20 that we are “ambassadors for Christ.” When we call ourselves Christians, we have to remember that we are representing Jesus to the world. Our compassion at the right moment can be the one thing that the Holy Spirit will use to draw someone to Jesus for a lifetime. But an unkind word or action at the wrong moment can be the one thing that will turn someone away from Jesus.
In this time of national crisis, remember that you are an ambassador for the King of the universe. You are an ambassador for Jesus Christ. Don’t get caught up in the negativity and name calling of the world. Be a positive force for love and compassion. And may other people be drawn to Jesus through the light that they see in your soul. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/J3iB30gCqAc
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 19 – Saturday, April 4, 2020
Read 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 and Psalm 96
Theme Verse: “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.” (2 Corinthians 5:20)
Many years ago, when I was in my first church in Rantoul, Illinois, there was a woman in the congregation named Elfrieda. Elfrieda was born and raised in Germany and she still had a heavy German accent. As a young woman, she met an American airman who was stationed at Ramstein Air Force Base near Frankfurt. They fell in love and got married. Eventually, her husband was transferred back to the United States. That’s how they came to be in Rantoul. Her husband had been assigned to Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, where he was an instructor at one of the technical schools.
During their time in Rantoul, Elfrieda met another German woman who was also married to an American airman at Chanute. The woman’s name was Katherine, and because of their common backgrounds, the two women became close friends. They did almost everything together. But the one thing that they did not do together was go to church. Katherine wanted nothing to do with church. No matter how many times Elfrieda invited her, she always refused to go. But she would never give a reason. She just said, “No, I’m not interested.” And that was it.
But one day, Elfreida called the church and talked to our Senior Pastor, Pastor Remmers (I was the Associate Pastor at the time). Elfrieda said that her friend Katherine was in the hospital and she was not doing very well. She had asked Katherine if she would like a visit from one of the pastors of her church, and Katherine surprised her by saying, “Yes, I would like that.” So Elfrieda was calling to ask if one of us would come to visit her. Pastor Remmers said that we would both come. So he stopped by my office door and said, “Come with me. We’re finally going to meet Elfrieda’s friend Katherine.”
When we walked into the hospital room, Elfrieda was sitting in a chair next to the bed. She stood up and greeted us and then she introduced us to Katherine. We both shook Katherine’s hand and she smiled and responded very warmly. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next. I was wondering if Pastor Remmers was going to say something. But Elfrieda spoke first. She said, “Pastor, please tell Katherine that she needs to go to church!” Elfrieda could be pretty blunt sometimes. Katherine got an embarrassed look on her face. But Pastor Remmers said to her, “Katherine, Elfrieda tells us that you have no interest in going to church. I wonder if you might tell us why?” Katherine hesitated for a moment and then she told her story.
After Katherine and her husband got married in Germany, he was transferred to Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was the first time that Katherine had ever been out of Germany. Now she was in a strange place, she was far away from her family, and she had no friends. And then she got pregnant. Katherine and her husband were both very excited about the baby. The pregnancy went very well and the birth seemed normal. But then, shortly after their little boy was born, it became obvious that there were serious problems. Within a few days, the baby died. They were heartbroken.
Katherine had grown up in a Lutheran church in Germany, so she wanted to find a Lutheran pastor who would do a funeral service for their baby boy. They looked in the phone book and found a Lutheran church near the base. Then they hopped in their car and went to talk to the pastor. When they explained their situation to the pastor, and asked him if he would do the funeral, the first thing that he asked them was, “Are either of you a member of my denomination?”
Katherine and her husband looked at each other. Her husband just shrugged. He had grown up in a Methodist family. And she had grown up in Germany, where there was only one Lutheran church body. Katherine said to the pastor, “We don’t really know anything about Lutheran denominations.” And the pastor said, “Well, then, I’m sorry to say that, if you are not a member of my denomination, I can’t do your son’s funeral.” Without another word, Katherine and her husband got up and left. Katherine said, “We ended up doing the funeral at the base chapel and then I never set foot in a church ever again.”
When she finished her story, the hospital room was quiet. No one knew what to say. Of course it was Elfrieda who broke the silence. She looked at her friend and said, “Oh, Katherine! Just because some Lutheran pastor in Mississippi is going to Hell, it doesn’t mean that you have to follow him there!” We were all stunned for a moment. And then Katherine burst out laughing, and we all laughed with her. She said, “I suppose you’re right, Elfrieda. Maybe I should start going to church with you.” It was a beautiful, grace-filled God moment. We all laughed a little more, then we talked for a while, then we prayed with Katherine and we left. Katherine eventually recovered from her illness and became a regular attender of our church.
I’ve never forgotten that day in Katherine’s hospital room. On that day, I learned how one thoughtless comment by a pastor had driven a woman away from the church for decades. I learned how important it was to be careful and caring with my words, especially with people who were going through a crisis. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:20 that we are “ambassadors for Christ.” When we call ourselves Christians, we have to remember that we are representing Jesus to the world. Our compassion at the right moment can be the one thing that the Holy Spirit will use to draw someone to Jesus for a lifetime. But an unkind word or action at the wrong moment can be the one thing that will turn someone away from Jesus.
In this time of national crisis, remember that you are an ambassador for the King of the universe. You are an ambassador for Jesus Christ. Don’t get caught up in the negativity and name calling of the world. Be a positive force for love and compassion. And may other people be drawn to Jesus through the light that they see in your soul. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/J3iB30gCqAc
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 18 – Friday, April 3, 2020
Read Philippians 4:4-7 and Psalm 4
Theme Verse: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)
Many of you know that, for the past eleven years, I have been traveling to Africa with my friend Bob Yarbrough, who is a seminary professor and highly respected New Testament scholar. Together, we teach at training events for pastors. Bob teaches Biblical theology while I share practical insights from my years as a pastor. In the past few years, we have been teaching in the Cape Town region of South Africa. But when I first started traveling with Bob, our destination was a bit more adventurous. We were teaching at two conferences per year in the city of Khartoum, Sudan.
Sudan is a Muslim majority nation. And even though Christianity is officially tolerated, the Christian churches there have often been harassed and the believers have often been persecuted. Bob had some good relationships with Christians in Sudan and had been traveling there and teaching for more than a decade when I made my first trip with him. The week-long conferences that Bob and I led were hosted by a faithful church in the heart of the capital city. The leaders of that church were devoted Christians who were wonderful hosts to the pastors who attended the events.
There was such a need for pastoral training in Sudan, and such a hunger for Christian fellowship, that pastors were traveling from all over the country to attend the events. Some were riding buses for two or three days to get there. And so the conferences continued to grow. In the fall of 2012, we had about 160 pastors in attendance. The walled church compound was at full capacity. Pastors were rolling out bedrolls on the floor to sleep at night. The big open-air kitchen was struggling to feed such a large group. It was busy, and crazy, and incredible! But it also caught the attention of the government.
During the closing worship of that 2012 fall conference, two uniformed government officials showed up at the side door of the church. I was preaching at the time, but I saw the pastor of the church go out to talk to them. He was still talking with them when the worship service ended. As that conversation continued, Bob and I said our goodbyes to the pastors, and they all started to leave the church to begin the journey home. By the time Bob and I were ready to leave, the government officials were gone. So we gathered up our things and headed back to the place where we were staying. We had just enough time to shower and pack and head to the airport.
But when one of our friends from the church arrived to pick us up, he had some disturbing news. After we had left the church, the government officials had returned. They had arrested the pastor of the church and were questioning him about the conference. We had about three hours until we were supposed to board our flight, and our friend was hoping and praying that we could get out of the country before they came looking for us. We said a brief prayer together before he left us at the terminal.
The next three hours were a little tense. Bob and I sat apart from each other, because we knew that the authorities would be looking for two Americans traveling together. Finally, we heard the boarding call for our flight. Bob was closer to the gate, so he was near the front of the line. I was farther back, with about fifty or sixty people between us. Suddenly, I heard an announcement over the airport speakers. In broken English, it went something like this: “Will Bob Yabo and Bill Sheel please report to security.” I froze. I didn’t know what I should do. So I looked at Bob, up ahead. I was sure that he had heard the announcement. But he never moved. He never even turned his head. So I didn’t move either. I stayed in line as we slowly made our way to the gate, where there would be a final passport check.
Bob got to the gate, and they checked his passport, and they waved him on through. He hopped on the first shuttle that was taking passengers to the plane. There were no jetways in Khartoum. We were always shuttled out to the plane and dropped on the tarmac. We boarded by climbing a tall staircase. So Bob was free and clear. Now it was my turn. The line moved forward until there were about twenty people between me and the gate.
Suddenly, there was a commotion. A man in a military style uniform, who I assumed was a government security agent, pushed his way through the crowd until he reached the gate. He spoke to the gate agent, and then he began inspecting passports himself. I was sure that I was going to be detained. I prayed quietly to myself, asking for God’s protection. But I wasn’t afraid. There was a very real possibility that I was about to be arrested. But I suddenly felt very calm. At that moment, I experienced the “peace of God” that Paul talks about in Philippians 4:7.
The line continued to move. Then, when there were only about three people between me and the gate, a strange thing happened. The security agent suddenly pushed his way through the crowd again and was gone! I handed the gate agent my passport, and when he saw that it was a United States passport, he gave me a funny look. They were looking for two Americans traveling together and now here was one traveling alone. He said to me, sharply, “Name!” And in that moment, I suddenly realized that the government did not know our full names. The pastor of the church only knew us as “Bob Yabo” and “Bill Sheel.” That’s why we had heard those names over the intercom. But the names on our passports were very different. So I pointed at my passport in the gate agent’s hand and said, “William Joseph Shields.”
The gate agent gave me a strange look and then he shouted again, “Name!” By now, the line had stopped and the people behind me were getting agitated. An impatient man behind me reached over my shoulder, tapped forcefully on my passport, which was still in the gate agent’s hand, and shouted, “William Joseph Shields!” The gate agent looked at me again and then he pointed to an open area beside him and said, “Wait here.” So I wasn’t out of the woods yet. As the gate agent started checking people through again, he kept lifting his head up, trying to see over the crowd. I knew what he was doing. He wasn’t sure if I was one of the Americans that they were looking for. So he was hoping that the security agent would come back, so that he could hand me off to him.
Finally, all of the passengers had gone through the gate. The last shuttle was idling just outside the sliding glass door. One of the flight attendants, who was going to hop on that shuttle, walked up to the gate agent. The two of them got into a heated argument in Arabic. They kept looking at me and pointing at me. And there I was, calmly waiting with my carryon bag at my feet. I can honestly say that I felt no fear or anxiety as those two debated my fate. The flight attendant clearly wanted the gate agent to make a decision about whether I would be released or detained. The gate agent was reluctant to make that decision without speaking to someone from security.
After two or three minutes of loud voices and waving arms, they suddenly went silent. Then the gate agent walked over to me, handed me my passport, and said, “Sorry.” I grabbed my bag and followed the flight attendant to the shuttle. I felt a rush of relief when the wheels of the plane left the runway and we were finally airborne. I don’t know how I would have handled being arrested and questioned. If God had allowed that to happen to me, I’m sure that he would have been there with me. But I’m thankful that he allowed me to get on that plane. And I’m thankful that he filled me with his peace during that time.
God’s peace is something that is hard to explain. You have to experience it. We are in a time of crisis right now. I don’t know what the future holds for any one of us. But I do know who holds the future. And I do know that he loves us. And if we will turn to him when we are feeling anxious or afraid, I know that he will give us his peace. I know, because I have felt it in my heart. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/GFbp2FIMp5I
Day 18 – Friday, April 3, 2020
Read Philippians 4:4-7 and Psalm 4
Theme Verse: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)
Many of you know that, for the past eleven years, I have been traveling to Africa with my friend Bob Yarbrough, who is a seminary professor and highly respected New Testament scholar. Together, we teach at training events for pastors. Bob teaches Biblical theology while I share practical insights from my years as a pastor. In the past few years, we have been teaching in the Cape Town region of South Africa. But when I first started traveling with Bob, our destination was a bit more adventurous. We were teaching at two conferences per year in the city of Khartoum, Sudan.
Sudan is a Muslim majority nation. And even though Christianity is officially tolerated, the Christian churches there have often been harassed and the believers have often been persecuted. Bob had some good relationships with Christians in Sudan and had been traveling there and teaching for more than a decade when I made my first trip with him. The week-long conferences that Bob and I led were hosted by a faithful church in the heart of the capital city. The leaders of that church were devoted Christians who were wonderful hosts to the pastors who attended the events.
There was such a need for pastoral training in Sudan, and such a hunger for Christian fellowship, that pastors were traveling from all over the country to attend the events. Some were riding buses for two or three days to get there. And so the conferences continued to grow. In the fall of 2012, we had about 160 pastors in attendance. The walled church compound was at full capacity. Pastors were rolling out bedrolls on the floor to sleep at night. The big open-air kitchen was struggling to feed such a large group. It was busy, and crazy, and incredible! But it also caught the attention of the government.
During the closing worship of that 2012 fall conference, two uniformed government officials showed up at the side door of the church. I was preaching at the time, but I saw the pastor of the church go out to talk to them. He was still talking with them when the worship service ended. As that conversation continued, Bob and I said our goodbyes to the pastors, and they all started to leave the church to begin the journey home. By the time Bob and I were ready to leave, the government officials were gone. So we gathered up our things and headed back to the place where we were staying. We had just enough time to shower and pack and head to the airport.
But when one of our friends from the church arrived to pick us up, he had some disturbing news. After we had left the church, the government officials had returned. They had arrested the pastor of the church and were questioning him about the conference. We had about three hours until we were supposed to board our flight, and our friend was hoping and praying that we could get out of the country before they came looking for us. We said a brief prayer together before he left us at the terminal.
The next three hours were a little tense. Bob and I sat apart from each other, because we knew that the authorities would be looking for two Americans traveling together. Finally, we heard the boarding call for our flight. Bob was closer to the gate, so he was near the front of the line. I was farther back, with about fifty or sixty people between us. Suddenly, I heard an announcement over the airport speakers. In broken English, it went something like this: “Will Bob Yabo and Bill Sheel please report to security.” I froze. I didn’t know what I should do. So I looked at Bob, up ahead. I was sure that he had heard the announcement. But he never moved. He never even turned his head. So I didn’t move either. I stayed in line as we slowly made our way to the gate, where there would be a final passport check.
Bob got to the gate, and they checked his passport, and they waved him on through. He hopped on the first shuttle that was taking passengers to the plane. There were no jetways in Khartoum. We were always shuttled out to the plane and dropped on the tarmac. We boarded by climbing a tall staircase. So Bob was free and clear. Now it was my turn. The line moved forward until there were about twenty people between me and the gate.
Suddenly, there was a commotion. A man in a military style uniform, who I assumed was a government security agent, pushed his way through the crowd until he reached the gate. He spoke to the gate agent, and then he began inspecting passports himself. I was sure that I was going to be detained. I prayed quietly to myself, asking for God’s protection. But I wasn’t afraid. There was a very real possibility that I was about to be arrested. But I suddenly felt very calm. At that moment, I experienced the “peace of God” that Paul talks about in Philippians 4:7.
The line continued to move. Then, when there were only about three people between me and the gate, a strange thing happened. The security agent suddenly pushed his way through the crowd again and was gone! I handed the gate agent my passport, and when he saw that it was a United States passport, he gave me a funny look. They were looking for two Americans traveling together and now here was one traveling alone. He said to me, sharply, “Name!” And in that moment, I suddenly realized that the government did not know our full names. The pastor of the church only knew us as “Bob Yabo” and “Bill Sheel.” That’s why we had heard those names over the intercom. But the names on our passports were very different. So I pointed at my passport in the gate agent’s hand and said, “William Joseph Shields.”
The gate agent gave me a strange look and then he shouted again, “Name!” By now, the line had stopped and the people behind me were getting agitated. An impatient man behind me reached over my shoulder, tapped forcefully on my passport, which was still in the gate agent’s hand, and shouted, “William Joseph Shields!” The gate agent looked at me again and then he pointed to an open area beside him and said, “Wait here.” So I wasn’t out of the woods yet. As the gate agent started checking people through again, he kept lifting his head up, trying to see over the crowd. I knew what he was doing. He wasn’t sure if I was one of the Americans that they were looking for. So he was hoping that the security agent would come back, so that he could hand me off to him.
Finally, all of the passengers had gone through the gate. The last shuttle was idling just outside the sliding glass door. One of the flight attendants, who was going to hop on that shuttle, walked up to the gate agent. The two of them got into a heated argument in Arabic. They kept looking at me and pointing at me. And there I was, calmly waiting with my carryon bag at my feet. I can honestly say that I felt no fear or anxiety as those two debated my fate. The flight attendant clearly wanted the gate agent to make a decision about whether I would be released or detained. The gate agent was reluctant to make that decision without speaking to someone from security.
After two or three minutes of loud voices and waving arms, they suddenly went silent. Then the gate agent walked over to me, handed me my passport, and said, “Sorry.” I grabbed my bag and followed the flight attendant to the shuttle. I felt a rush of relief when the wheels of the plane left the runway and we were finally airborne. I don’t know how I would have handled being arrested and questioned. If God had allowed that to happen to me, I’m sure that he would have been there with me. But I’m thankful that he allowed me to get on that plane. And I’m thankful that he filled me with his peace during that time.
God’s peace is something that is hard to explain. You have to experience it. We are in a time of crisis right now. I don’t know what the future holds for any one of us. But I do know who holds the future. And I do know that he loves us. And if we will turn to him when we are feeling anxious or afraid, I know that he will give us his peace. I know, because I have felt it in my heart. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/GFbp2FIMp5I
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 17 – Thursday, April 2, 2020
Read Galatians 6:7-10 and Psalm 1
Theme Verse: “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10)
During a time of crisis, it always angers me to hear about the people who are trying to scam others and take advantage of their fears. Just in the past week, I’ve gotten a few emails that are variations on the old “Nigerian Prince” scam. That’s the one where someone claims to be from a foreign country, and they have a LOT of money that they’re trying to transfer to the United States. But they need someone to receive that money on this end. And they have chosen you (yes, YOU) to be the recipient of the funds. Once it is all sorted out, you will receive a LARGE percentage of the funds.
But in order for this to happen, you will first need to send a small amount of money to them, in order to set up the transaction. They will only need for you to wire them, maybe, one or two or three thousand dollars (or whatever they can convince you to give them) in order for the transfer to go through. And then you will be RICH beyond anything you could ever imagine! Of course, whatever money you agree to send to the “foreign prince” will be lost forever. It’s an old scam that is designed to prey on two human emotions—fear and greed. And it must work once in a while, because they keep on doing it.
But just as there are people who try to hurt and scam others during a time of crisis, there are also those who step up to do good to others and help others in a time of need. These are the kind of people that God wants us to be. Paul says to the members of the Galatian church, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10) And these words are especially true during a time of crisis in our community.
As I mentioned in an earlier devotion, I am so thankful for the medical professionals and first responders who are on the front lines during this time of crisis. They are truly serving the public at the risk of their own health. But I’ve also heard about many other people who are finding ways to help out their family members, friends, and neighbors during these difficult days. Here at our church we have a list of people who are willing to run errands for those who are in need of pickup and delivery of groceries and other supplies. We also have members of our prayer team who have divided up the church directory and are praying for and keeping in touch with the people who are on their assigned pages.
Also, I have been amazed by the generosity of our church members. Many of you have continued to mail your offerings to the church during the shutdown. And some have even increased their offerings, because they know that there are others who are suffering financially and cannot give at this time. We have also received some special gifts that we can use to help those in our church or community who are in need of some groceries or some help with another expense. (Just a side note: If you are in need of some groceries or other financial help during this time, please call the church office. We have some funds available to help. We’ve already given out quite a bit, so don’t hesitate to call.)
In addition to the willingness to run errands, and the prayers, and the offerings, I have also heard of many other small acts of kindness that have been done by the members of our church. I have heard of young people who have done spring cleanup of an elderly neighbor’s yard. I have heard of people who are putting hearts in their windows, so that parents can take their children out for a walk and “find” the hearts in a sort of strolling scavenger hunt. I have heard of people who are visiting family members in the nursing home through a window. I have heard of people who are sewing washable, reusable face masks for the hospital. For every one bad person or scammer out there, who is trying to take advantage of people during this time, I think that there are at least a hundred good people who are trying to help others during this time. And I thank God for those good people. I thank God for you.
So hang in there! We’ve got at least another month of this shutdown to go. And we don’t know what the rest of the year will bring. But we do know that we have a great God, who loves us very much. And we also know that the people of God are awesome! They are out there in the world, loving people in the name of Jesus, and making a difference. Keep up the good work!
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/1LvoE1vCeT8
Day 17 – Thursday, April 2, 2020
Read Galatians 6:7-10 and Psalm 1
Theme Verse: “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10)
During a time of crisis, it always angers me to hear about the people who are trying to scam others and take advantage of their fears. Just in the past week, I’ve gotten a few emails that are variations on the old “Nigerian Prince” scam. That’s the one where someone claims to be from a foreign country, and they have a LOT of money that they’re trying to transfer to the United States. But they need someone to receive that money on this end. And they have chosen you (yes, YOU) to be the recipient of the funds. Once it is all sorted out, you will receive a LARGE percentage of the funds.
But in order for this to happen, you will first need to send a small amount of money to them, in order to set up the transaction. They will only need for you to wire them, maybe, one or two or three thousand dollars (or whatever they can convince you to give them) in order for the transfer to go through. And then you will be RICH beyond anything you could ever imagine! Of course, whatever money you agree to send to the “foreign prince” will be lost forever. It’s an old scam that is designed to prey on two human emotions—fear and greed. And it must work once in a while, because they keep on doing it.
But just as there are people who try to hurt and scam others during a time of crisis, there are also those who step up to do good to others and help others in a time of need. These are the kind of people that God wants us to be. Paul says to the members of the Galatian church, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10) And these words are especially true during a time of crisis in our community.
As I mentioned in an earlier devotion, I am so thankful for the medical professionals and first responders who are on the front lines during this time of crisis. They are truly serving the public at the risk of their own health. But I’ve also heard about many other people who are finding ways to help out their family members, friends, and neighbors during these difficult days. Here at our church we have a list of people who are willing to run errands for those who are in need of pickup and delivery of groceries and other supplies. We also have members of our prayer team who have divided up the church directory and are praying for and keeping in touch with the people who are on their assigned pages.
Also, I have been amazed by the generosity of our church members. Many of you have continued to mail your offerings to the church during the shutdown. And some have even increased their offerings, because they know that there are others who are suffering financially and cannot give at this time. We have also received some special gifts that we can use to help those in our church or community who are in need of some groceries or some help with another expense. (Just a side note: If you are in need of some groceries or other financial help during this time, please call the church office. We have some funds available to help. We’ve already given out quite a bit, so don’t hesitate to call.)
In addition to the willingness to run errands, and the prayers, and the offerings, I have also heard of many other small acts of kindness that have been done by the members of our church. I have heard of young people who have done spring cleanup of an elderly neighbor’s yard. I have heard of people who are putting hearts in their windows, so that parents can take their children out for a walk and “find” the hearts in a sort of strolling scavenger hunt. I have heard of people who are visiting family members in the nursing home through a window. I have heard of people who are sewing washable, reusable face masks for the hospital. For every one bad person or scammer out there, who is trying to take advantage of people during this time, I think that there are at least a hundred good people who are trying to help others during this time. And I thank God for those good people. I thank God for you.
So hang in there! We’ve got at least another month of this shutdown to go. And we don’t know what the rest of the year will bring. But we do know that we have a great God, who loves us very much. And we also know that the people of God are awesome! They are out there in the world, loving people in the name of Jesus, and making a difference. Keep up the good work!
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/1LvoE1vCeT8
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 16 – Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Read John 17:14-19 and Psalm 14
Theme Verse: “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17)
I was so disappointed this morning when I went to the Chicago Cubs website and saw that they had traded Kris Bryant. And to make matters worse, he was traded to the Cubs’ arch rival, the St. Louis Cardinals! Kris Bryant has been my favorite Cubs player over the past five years. I was at Wrigley Field, in a box seat along the third base line, when he made his major league debut on April 17, 2015. It’s going to be so hard to see him in a Cardinals uniform for the next several years. As a lifelong Cubs fan, this one really hurts.
Well, if you’re still reading this, you’ve probably already figured out that the news about Kris Bryant is not true. If you’re a diehard Cubs fan like I am, your heart may have stopped for a moment, especially when the image of Bryant as a Cardinal popped into your mind. But then you realized that it was just an April Fools’ joke. And your heart started pumping again and your breathing went back to normal. Maybe you’re a little mad at me for scaring you like that. But you’re more relieved to know that Kris Bryant will still be wearing Cubbie blue for at least a little while longer.
There is a lot of false information out there in the world. Some of that false information is well-intentioned, but the person spreading it is just plain wrong. Some of the false information is based in truth, but the facts are twisted and massaged until they seem to say something that they don’t really say. And some of the false information is intentionally false. The people who are spreading it are knowingly trying to deceive us for their own personal motive or profit. So in the midst of all this false information, how are we to know what is true?
When it comes to truth in this world, we have to be very careful about whom we put our trust in. We have to check sources and evaluate motives and use the common sense that God has given to all of us. But when it comes to truth about the spiritual world, all we have to do is rely on the Word of God. The Bible is a gift from God to us. It tells the story of God’s activity in this world, from the moment of creation to the coming end of time. But most importantly, it tells the story of God’s love for us.
The Bible tells us that we are sinners. But it also tells us that God did not leave us in our sin. He did not abandon us. He came down to us in the form of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity. He went to the cross and died there for our sins. And then he rose again on Easter Sunday to prove that what he said was true. And it was Jesus himself who held up the Word of God as our authority in this world. In his prayer for his disciples, just before he went to the cross, he prayed to the Father, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17)
Martin Luther had a phrase to describe the truth and the authority of Bible. The term was “Sola Scriptura,” which means “Scripture Alone.” What he meant was that the Bible is our only true authority in all matters of faith and life. There is truth in the world outside of the words of the Bible. But if anything in the world contradicts what is in the Word of God, then it is the world that is wrong. Because of his commitment to the Bible, Luther felt led to challenge some of the teachings and practices of the Church in his day. For this reason, Luther was summoned to the Diet of Worms in 1521 (the Diet was a gathering of political and religious leaders that was held in the German city of Worms).
At the Diet, Luther was commanded, under the threat of death, to recant, or take back, the things that he had written that were critical of the Church. But instead of taking back his words, he said this: “Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason—I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other—my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.”
Sometimes it can be difficult to know what is true in this world. But in the midst of all the uncertainty, we have one sure source that we can go to. We have the Bible, which is the Word of God. Here we stand. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. It was written by Martin Luther. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/teI3ayeBxX0
Day 16 – Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Read John 17:14-19 and Psalm 14
Theme Verse: “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17)
I was so disappointed this morning when I went to the Chicago Cubs website and saw that they had traded Kris Bryant. And to make matters worse, he was traded to the Cubs’ arch rival, the St. Louis Cardinals! Kris Bryant has been my favorite Cubs player over the past five years. I was at Wrigley Field, in a box seat along the third base line, when he made his major league debut on April 17, 2015. It’s going to be so hard to see him in a Cardinals uniform for the next several years. As a lifelong Cubs fan, this one really hurts.
Well, if you’re still reading this, you’ve probably already figured out that the news about Kris Bryant is not true. If you’re a diehard Cubs fan like I am, your heart may have stopped for a moment, especially when the image of Bryant as a Cardinal popped into your mind. But then you realized that it was just an April Fools’ joke. And your heart started pumping again and your breathing went back to normal. Maybe you’re a little mad at me for scaring you like that. But you’re more relieved to know that Kris Bryant will still be wearing Cubbie blue for at least a little while longer.
There is a lot of false information out there in the world. Some of that false information is well-intentioned, but the person spreading it is just plain wrong. Some of the false information is based in truth, but the facts are twisted and massaged until they seem to say something that they don’t really say. And some of the false information is intentionally false. The people who are spreading it are knowingly trying to deceive us for their own personal motive or profit. So in the midst of all this false information, how are we to know what is true?
When it comes to truth in this world, we have to be very careful about whom we put our trust in. We have to check sources and evaluate motives and use the common sense that God has given to all of us. But when it comes to truth about the spiritual world, all we have to do is rely on the Word of God. The Bible is a gift from God to us. It tells the story of God’s activity in this world, from the moment of creation to the coming end of time. But most importantly, it tells the story of God’s love for us.
The Bible tells us that we are sinners. But it also tells us that God did not leave us in our sin. He did not abandon us. He came down to us in the form of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity. He went to the cross and died there for our sins. And then he rose again on Easter Sunday to prove that what he said was true. And it was Jesus himself who held up the Word of God as our authority in this world. In his prayer for his disciples, just before he went to the cross, he prayed to the Father, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” (John 17:17)
Martin Luther had a phrase to describe the truth and the authority of Bible. The term was “Sola Scriptura,” which means “Scripture Alone.” What he meant was that the Bible is our only true authority in all matters of faith and life. There is truth in the world outside of the words of the Bible. But if anything in the world contradicts what is in the Word of God, then it is the world that is wrong. Because of his commitment to the Bible, Luther felt led to challenge some of the teachings and practices of the Church in his day. For this reason, Luther was summoned to the Diet of Worms in 1521 (the Diet was a gathering of political and religious leaders that was held in the German city of Worms).
At the Diet, Luther was commanded, under the threat of death, to recant, or take back, the things that he had written that were critical of the Church. But instead of taking back his words, he said this: “Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason—I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other—my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.”
Sometimes it can be difficult to know what is true in this world. But in the midst of all the uncertainty, we have one sure source that we can go to. We have the Bible, which is the Word of God. Here we stand. Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. It was written by Martin Luther. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/teI3ayeBxX0
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 15 – Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Read James 5:7-11 and Psalm 27
Theme Verse: “You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” (James 5:8)
Over the weekend, President Trump, on the advice of the experts on the COVID-19 task force, extended the federal stay-at-home guidelines until April 30th. This is only a recommendation. The Governors must decide for themselves if they are going to issue executive orders for their respective states. In Illinois, Governor Pritzker has an order in place which restricts (with some exceptions) any gathering of ten or more people. The order includes churches. Every church in Illinois has obeyed the order. There has not been a church gathering since the order was issued on March 21st. Our last worship service was on Sunday, March 15th.
The Illinois executive order goes only through April 7th. That’s why I was holding out hope that we might be able to gather for worship on Easter Sunday, April 12th. But now that the federal guidelines have been extended, Governor Pritzker is considering extending his order as well. All gatherings, including church services, are likely to be banned until the end of April. Which means that we might not be able to gather for worship until May 3rd, at the earliest. Of course, that could also change. We just have to be patient and see what happens.
Patience is a tough discipline. It’s hard to wait for something that you really want. That’s why there is so much credit card debt in our culture. That’s why we start hearing Christmas music on the radio in October. That’s why everyone at the airport jumps up and gets in line as soon as they hear that their flight is boarding, even though boarding zone one is loading and they’re in boarding zone five. That’s why I feel myself getting annoyed when I’m driving across town and the person in front of me is going five miles an hour under the speed limit. What difference does it make if it takes me two more minutes to get to Walmart? Everything that I need is still going to be there when I arrive (except, maybe, toilet paper).
Patience does not come naturally to human beings. And yet God tells us over and over again in the Bible that we must learn to wait. There are some things that are in our control and some things that are not. The writer of the book of James was dealing with a group of Christians who were eager for the return of Jesus. They were suffering great persecution from those who were trying to destroy the Christian Church. And they were wondering when Jesus was going to come back, as he had promised, and defeat the enemies of the Church and take the believers to heaven. James’ advice to them was to wait. The return of Jesus was something that they could not control. It was in God’s hands. James said to them, “You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” (James 5:8)
What does it mean to “establish” our hearts? The Greek word for establish in this verse is “sterixate.” It’s the same word that is used in Luke 9:51, when Jesus “set his face” to go to Jerusalem, where he knew that he was going to be crucified. It’s a strong word that means to have an attitude of firm, unwavering courage. That’s exactly what we all need to have during this coronavirus shutdown. The virus is something that is beyond our control. The government efforts to contain it are for our good. Our leaders are trying to save lives. Of course, we can’t stay in quarantine mode forever. At some point, it will be lifted. And we wait for that day with courage and patience.
One thing that we are planning to do at First Lutheran Church is to delay our Easter celebration until the day that we can come back together for worship. If we are able to worship on May 3rd, then that will be our Easter. If it’s May 10th, then that will be Easter. But until then, I hope that you will continue to worship with us online. Go to our website at flcprinceton.org and see all of the things that are posted there. You will find a tab that you can click on which will take you to all of the “Pandemic Pulpit” devotions. You will also find a tab that will take you to all of the sermons in the past few months as well as the entire recorded worship service from March 29th. We will continue to post the new worship service each week.
On April 12th I will acknowledge that it is Easter Sunday on the calendar, but I will not preach an Easter sermon on that day. I will save it for the day when our patience is rewarded and we will all be able to see each other face to face. That will be a great day. And I am waiting for it patiently! Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion, sung by the great Johnny Cash. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/6QnmTBycHQo
Day 15 – Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Read James 5:7-11 and Psalm 27
Theme Verse: “You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” (James 5:8)
Over the weekend, President Trump, on the advice of the experts on the COVID-19 task force, extended the federal stay-at-home guidelines until April 30th. This is only a recommendation. The Governors must decide for themselves if they are going to issue executive orders for their respective states. In Illinois, Governor Pritzker has an order in place which restricts (with some exceptions) any gathering of ten or more people. The order includes churches. Every church in Illinois has obeyed the order. There has not been a church gathering since the order was issued on March 21st. Our last worship service was on Sunday, March 15th.
The Illinois executive order goes only through April 7th. That’s why I was holding out hope that we might be able to gather for worship on Easter Sunday, April 12th. But now that the federal guidelines have been extended, Governor Pritzker is considering extending his order as well. All gatherings, including church services, are likely to be banned until the end of April. Which means that we might not be able to gather for worship until May 3rd, at the earliest. Of course, that could also change. We just have to be patient and see what happens.
Patience is a tough discipline. It’s hard to wait for something that you really want. That’s why there is so much credit card debt in our culture. That’s why we start hearing Christmas music on the radio in October. That’s why everyone at the airport jumps up and gets in line as soon as they hear that their flight is boarding, even though boarding zone one is loading and they’re in boarding zone five. That’s why I feel myself getting annoyed when I’m driving across town and the person in front of me is going five miles an hour under the speed limit. What difference does it make if it takes me two more minutes to get to Walmart? Everything that I need is still going to be there when I arrive (except, maybe, toilet paper).
Patience does not come naturally to human beings. And yet God tells us over and over again in the Bible that we must learn to wait. There are some things that are in our control and some things that are not. The writer of the book of James was dealing with a group of Christians who were eager for the return of Jesus. They were suffering great persecution from those who were trying to destroy the Christian Church. And they were wondering when Jesus was going to come back, as he had promised, and defeat the enemies of the Church and take the believers to heaven. James’ advice to them was to wait. The return of Jesus was something that they could not control. It was in God’s hands. James said to them, “You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” (James 5:8)
What does it mean to “establish” our hearts? The Greek word for establish in this verse is “sterixate.” It’s the same word that is used in Luke 9:51, when Jesus “set his face” to go to Jerusalem, where he knew that he was going to be crucified. It’s a strong word that means to have an attitude of firm, unwavering courage. That’s exactly what we all need to have during this coronavirus shutdown. The virus is something that is beyond our control. The government efforts to contain it are for our good. Our leaders are trying to save lives. Of course, we can’t stay in quarantine mode forever. At some point, it will be lifted. And we wait for that day with courage and patience.
One thing that we are planning to do at First Lutheran Church is to delay our Easter celebration until the day that we can come back together for worship. If we are able to worship on May 3rd, then that will be our Easter. If it’s May 10th, then that will be Easter. But until then, I hope that you will continue to worship with us online. Go to our website at flcprinceton.org and see all of the things that are posted there. You will find a tab that you can click on which will take you to all of the “Pandemic Pulpit” devotions. You will also find a tab that will take you to all of the sermons in the past few months as well as the entire recorded worship service from March 29th. We will continue to post the new worship service each week.
On April 12th I will acknowledge that it is Easter Sunday on the calendar, but I will not preach an Easter sermon on that day. I will save it for the day when our patience is rewarded and we will all be able to see each other face to face. That will be a great day. And I am waiting for it patiently! Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion, sung by the great Johnny Cash. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/6QnmTBycHQo
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)*
Day 14 – Monday, March 30, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read Luke 24:17-21
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
Living in the country, we’re walking 4 or 5 miles a day around the woodlands, fields, and marshes. There are lots of things to look at and wonder about as we safely work on our health. One Bible passage crossed my mind as we walked. It’s about some Christ followers, who had much on their minds.
“(The men on the Emmaus road) stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, ‘Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?’ ‘What things?’ (Jesus) asked. ‘About Jesus of Nazareth,’ they replied. ‘He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.’” Luke 24:17b-21a
The men had hoped with all their hearts that this Jesus would redeem Israel. And now those hearts were broken. Redemption was so needed. They were broken. The glory days of the kings of old were long gone. The Roman Empire owned them, and made sure the people knew it. Their oppressors made life hard with their taxes, occupying army, and the threat of crucifixion for any dissenters. There always was this hope, that God would send someone special, that this one would stand up to the powers that ground them down, and through his work Israel could be prosperous, great, and respected once again. But their latest hope of redemption had just been buried in a borrowed tomb.
What can we do when redeemers fail? Perhaps we shift loyalty to another redeemer. If we trusted in the wealth and prosperity of our economy—or even in having a decent paying steady job—those redeemers are not cutting it for many of us. Well, maybe we could trust in modern medicine and its miracles or in our doctors and hospitals. But then we hear that a vaccine is months off, hospitals struggle as cases surge, and even the most caring and careful health professionals can fall ill and even die. For all of my life I have leaned on the community of Christ followers in local congregations for sharing faith, fellowship, and support. Now even that redemptive community has been limited.
But maybe the problem isn’t in the redeemers we look to, but in our failure to trust in how redemption is truly done.
Last spring, as Mike went to prepare his boat for launching, he had read that his particular craft was prone to a nasty problem. Beneath the floorboards in the lowest part of the boat, the 40 foot mast rests on a block of wood. If water collects around it, the wood rots and eventually the mast falls. We peered into that dark space and watched as an awl slipped into that wood like a hot knife into butter. All Mike said was, “Dad, I’ll need your help fixing this.” For the next month, he drove to St. Joseph on every day off. Together we raised the mast up a fraction of an inch with a homemade scaffold and removed that rotten block. Carefully, Mike cut plywood, epoxied it into a block and, contorting his 6’4” frame into impossible positions, fitted that new block into place. Working below deck in an area the size of a shoe box, he laid up fiberglass until he’d made it better than the original. Carefully removing the support, he watched the mast rest solid, safe, and renewed. He smiled as his boat was saved and restored—even if he was physically spent.
That scenario is how I see true redemption happening. There has to be an honest and truthful telling of the dangers and rot that afflict our lives. That rot may be spiritual, moral, physical, medical, economic, or any other way the evil one can rip creation out from the Creator’s goodness. Once we are honest about the problems we face, we need to look for who would step in to restore us and (this is important), descend into the heart of our mess, even to the darkest place where suffering and danger are present. There are no armchair redeemers. While in the depths of our rot and failure, a true redeemer would need to be able to fabricate something completely new that would support us, whatever might come. That redeemer would stay at that work no matter what the cost—even to His own death on a cross.
Jesus is the one who redeems us. He doesn’t always do things as we would. But Jesus does go about the work of the Father. He identifies our sin-sick and broken state. He dwells with us, sharing our lives and knowing our daily trials. He restores and rebuilds us, from the new wine produced at the wedding in Cana through the calming of the gale-force winds and waves. And he loves us unto death. Whatever it takes, Jesus is with us to pay the price and love us completely. And He will not stop until we walk out of the grave with Him on Easter morning—new, restored, and full of life. Jesus is our Redeemer.
While we walk our own Emmaus roads through this pandemic, at times we will lose hope and wonder if help will ever come. Those are normal human responses to stress and danger. But do take a moment on that journey and be still. Recognize who is with you, sometimes hidden but always present in his Word; in the voice of a neighbor; in the courage of first responders, nurses, and doctors; and in your own dark and quiet places. Jesus is there, to suffer with you and for you, that he might restore and repair your life. Trust this Redeemer now and always.
Please pray: Heavenly Father, we pray to you for mercy, for protection, for healing, and for redemption. Reassure us that you will provide as we need. But most of all, we thank you for providing us with a Redeemer—Jesus—whose love is always with us, who will lift us to new life. Lead us to build our hopes and our journeys only on Him. Amen.
Listen to this and ponder: “In Christ Alone” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kvFtXphmMU
Day 14 – Monday, March 30, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen near Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read Luke 24:17-21
From the Indiana Hermitage – Pastor Norm Femrite
Living in the country, we’re walking 4 or 5 miles a day around the woodlands, fields, and marshes. There are lots of things to look at and wonder about as we safely work on our health. One Bible passage crossed my mind as we walked. It’s about some Christ followers, who had much on their minds.
“(The men on the Emmaus road) stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, ‘Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?’ ‘What things?’ (Jesus) asked. ‘About Jesus of Nazareth,’ they replied. ‘He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.’” Luke 24:17b-21a
The men had hoped with all their hearts that this Jesus would redeem Israel. And now those hearts were broken. Redemption was so needed. They were broken. The glory days of the kings of old were long gone. The Roman Empire owned them, and made sure the people knew it. Their oppressors made life hard with their taxes, occupying army, and the threat of crucifixion for any dissenters. There always was this hope, that God would send someone special, that this one would stand up to the powers that ground them down, and through his work Israel could be prosperous, great, and respected once again. But their latest hope of redemption had just been buried in a borrowed tomb.
What can we do when redeemers fail? Perhaps we shift loyalty to another redeemer. If we trusted in the wealth and prosperity of our economy—or even in having a decent paying steady job—those redeemers are not cutting it for many of us. Well, maybe we could trust in modern medicine and its miracles or in our doctors and hospitals. But then we hear that a vaccine is months off, hospitals struggle as cases surge, and even the most caring and careful health professionals can fall ill and even die. For all of my life I have leaned on the community of Christ followers in local congregations for sharing faith, fellowship, and support. Now even that redemptive community has been limited.
But maybe the problem isn’t in the redeemers we look to, but in our failure to trust in how redemption is truly done.
Last spring, as Mike went to prepare his boat for launching, he had read that his particular craft was prone to a nasty problem. Beneath the floorboards in the lowest part of the boat, the 40 foot mast rests on a block of wood. If water collects around it, the wood rots and eventually the mast falls. We peered into that dark space and watched as an awl slipped into that wood like a hot knife into butter. All Mike said was, “Dad, I’ll need your help fixing this.” For the next month, he drove to St. Joseph on every day off. Together we raised the mast up a fraction of an inch with a homemade scaffold and removed that rotten block. Carefully, Mike cut plywood, epoxied it into a block and, contorting his 6’4” frame into impossible positions, fitted that new block into place. Working below deck in an area the size of a shoe box, he laid up fiberglass until he’d made it better than the original. Carefully removing the support, he watched the mast rest solid, safe, and renewed. He smiled as his boat was saved and restored—even if he was physically spent.
That scenario is how I see true redemption happening. There has to be an honest and truthful telling of the dangers and rot that afflict our lives. That rot may be spiritual, moral, physical, medical, economic, or any other way the evil one can rip creation out from the Creator’s goodness. Once we are honest about the problems we face, we need to look for who would step in to restore us and (this is important), descend into the heart of our mess, even to the darkest place where suffering and danger are present. There are no armchair redeemers. While in the depths of our rot and failure, a true redeemer would need to be able to fabricate something completely new that would support us, whatever might come. That redeemer would stay at that work no matter what the cost—even to His own death on a cross.
Jesus is the one who redeems us. He doesn’t always do things as we would. But Jesus does go about the work of the Father. He identifies our sin-sick and broken state. He dwells with us, sharing our lives and knowing our daily trials. He restores and rebuilds us, from the new wine produced at the wedding in Cana through the calming of the gale-force winds and waves. And he loves us unto death. Whatever it takes, Jesus is with us to pay the price and love us completely. And He will not stop until we walk out of the grave with Him on Easter morning—new, restored, and full of life. Jesus is our Redeemer.
While we walk our own Emmaus roads through this pandemic, at times we will lose hope and wonder if help will ever come. Those are normal human responses to stress and danger. But do take a moment on that journey and be still. Recognize who is with you, sometimes hidden but always present in his Word; in the voice of a neighbor; in the courage of first responders, nurses, and doctors; and in your own dark and quiet places. Jesus is there, to suffer with you and for you, that he might restore and repair your life. Trust this Redeemer now and always.
Please pray: Heavenly Father, we pray to you for mercy, for protection, for healing, and for redemption. Reassure us that you will provide as we need. But most of all, we thank you for providing us with a Redeemer—Jesus—whose love is always with us, who will lift us to new life. Lead us to build our hopes and our journeys only on Him. Amen.
Listen to this and ponder: “In Christ Alone” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kvFtXphmMU
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 13 – Sunday, March 29, 2020
Read Acts 2:42-47 and Psalm 122
Theme Verse: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’” (Psalm 122:1)
I’m sitting in my office on Sunday morning and I’m missing church. We’ve recorded an online church service for this Sunday. You can find it by going to our church website at flcprinceton.org and clicking on the tab that says “Listen to Sermons Online.” I hope you’ll do that. You can worship in your own home, wearing your pajamas and drinking a cup of coffee! And if you want to listen to previous sermons, you can just scroll down to the bottom of that page and find a few months’ worth. It’s a great way to stay connected to the church during this coronavirus shutdown. But I know it’s not the same thing as actually being in worship on Sunday morning.
I love everything about the normal Sunday morning at the church. I love coming in early and drinking a Diet Mountain Dew as I turn on the lights and get things ready. I love sitting at my desk and jotting down my announcements for the service. I love taking a few minutes to pray for the people on my prayer list. And then I begin to hear the first people arriving. That’s the part that I love the most! I love to hear the people coming to church! It starts slowly, with a couple of people who have things to do before worship. Some people are setting up a Sunday school room. Some are checking on the temperature in the sanctuary and adjusting the thermostats. Some people are in the kitchen, getting things ready for the coffee hour.
Then, a few minutes before nine o’clock, the choir members start to arrive. They have to get their robes on so that they can meet together and run through the anthem that they will be singing that morning. And then, right at nine, someone stops in my office to pray with me before worship. We talk for a few minutes about the prayer concerns in the congregation. Then the other person prays for a couple of minutes, and I follow with a couple of my own prayers, and then we’re done. And it’s time for me to head to the sanctuary.
Once in the sanctuary, I place my sermon notes on the pulpit. Then I place my bulletin and service book on the altar and place a bottle of water nearby. If I have some props for my children’s sermon, I make sure that they are all in place. Then I head to the room behind the altar. We call that room the “sacristy,” which is a room where worship and communion items are stored. But it also serves as a “vestry,” which is a room where robes are stored. And that’s why I go there just before worship. I put my microphone over my ear and tuck the receiver into my pocket. Then I put on my “alb,” which is a white robe used for worship (“alb” is the Latin word for “white”). I then tie a rope around my waist. The rope is called a “cincture.” Then I put on my “stole.” The stole is the long, thin, brightly-colored strip of cloth that goes around the back of my neck and hangs down in front of the alb. Some pastors like to put on the stole second and then tie the cincture around both the alb and the stole. But I prefer to put the stole on the outside of the cincture. Finally, I put on my cross. It’s on a chain that goes over my head. Lisa gave me the cross on the 25th anniversary of my ordination. It has a different design on each side. I like to wear it with the Luther Rose design facing out. Now, I am ready to go out to the people.
Often, I’ve already had several conversations with the people who come early. But now I have about ten or fifteen minutes to visit with all of the other folks who are arriving. I try to shake every hand if I can. Sometimes I have to stretch across several people to reach a person in the middle of a long pew. I call that reach “the long arm of the Gospel.” Often during this time, I’ll pick up a little information about what is going on in a person’s life. Or someone will ask me to add a note to my announcements (Hint: If you write down what you want me to announce and hand it to me, I’m a lot more likely to remember it when I start the service!). Sometimes I run out of time and I can’t shake every person’s hand. I know that the organ/piano prelude is going to stop right at 9:25 a.m., so that I can start the announcements. So if I look at my watch and see that I have about thirty seconds or so left, I might wave at the last few pews of people as I make my way up front. Then the worship service begins!
I love worship! Even though I’m up front, leading most of the service, I really am worshiping God right along with you. I really am moved by the hymns. I really do love seeing the children come forward for the children’s sermon. I love to interact with them and get to know them. I really love preaching the sermon, because I love to talk about the Word of God and I truly believe in what I am saying. I love sharing Holy Communion with you. And I love the time of prayer near the end of the service. By the time I share the benediction with you at the end of the service, God has filled me up so that I can make it through another week of living. If I entered the church that morning feeling tired or a little down, I always leave feeling strengthened and lifted up.
I could go on to talk about the coffee fellowship after worship or the Sunday school hour where we learn new things about God and have great discussions, but I think you get the point. I love Sunday morning at the church. I love it because I get to worship my Lord. But most of all, I love it because I get to worship him with all of you! I get to be a part of a congregation of believers. I get to feel the spiritual strength that comes when we gather as the body of Christ. And right now I am missing that. I’m missing it terribly. But I look forward to the day when the virus will slow down and the church will open up again. I’m looking forward to the day when I can say again, along with the writer of the psalm, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’” (Psalm 122:1). Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy some Beethoven with me!
https://youtu.be/eMY3ivdNzwE
Day 13 – Sunday, March 29, 2020
Read Acts 2:42-47 and Psalm 122
Theme Verse: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’” (Psalm 122:1)
I’m sitting in my office on Sunday morning and I’m missing church. We’ve recorded an online church service for this Sunday. You can find it by going to our church website at flcprinceton.org and clicking on the tab that says “Listen to Sermons Online.” I hope you’ll do that. You can worship in your own home, wearing your pajamas and drinking a cup of coffee! And if you want to listen to previous sermons, you can just scroll down to the bottom of that page and find a few months’ worth. It’s a great way to stay connected to the church during this coronavirus shutdown. But I know it’s not the same thing as actually being in worship on Sunday morning.
I love everything about the normal Sunday morning at the church. I love coming in early and drinking a Diet Mountain Dew as I turn on the lights and get things ready. I love sitting at my desk and jotting down my announcements for the service. I love taking a few minutes to pray for the people on my prayer list. And then I begin to hear the first people arriving. That’s the part that I love the most! I love to hear the people coming to church! It starts slowly, with a couple of people who have things to do before worship. Some people are setting up a Sunday school room. Some are checking on the temperature in the sanctuary and adjusting the thermostats. Some people are in the kitchen, getting things ready for the coffee hour.
Then, a few minutes before nine o’clock, the choir members start to arrive. They have to get their robes on so that they can meet together and run through the anthem that they will be singing that morning. And then, right at nine, someone stops in my office to pray with me before worship. We talk for a few minutes about the prayer concerns in the congregation. Then the other person prays for a couple of minutes, and I follow with a couple of my own prayers, and then we’re done. And it’s time for me to head to the sanctuary.
Once in the sanctuary, I place my sermon notes on the pulpit. Then I place my bulletin and service book on the altar and place a bottle of water nearby. If I have some props for my children’s sermon, I make sure that they are all in place. Then I head to the room behind the altar. We call that room the “sacristy,” which is a room where worship and communion items are stored. But it also serves as a “vestry,” which is a room where robes are stored. And that’s why I go there just before worship. I put my microphone over my ear and tuck the receiver into my pocket. Then I put on my “alb,” which is a white robe used for worship (“alb” is the Latin word for “white”). I then tie a rope around my waist. The rope is called a “cincture.” Then I put on my “stole.” The stole is the long, thin, brightly-colored strip of cloth that goes around the back of my neck and hangs down in front of the alb. Some pastors like to put on the stole second and then tie the cincture around both the alb and the stole. But I prefer to put the stole on the outside of the cincture. Finally, I put on my cross. It’s on a chain that goes over my head. Lisa gave me the cross on the 25th anniversary of my ordination. It has a different design on each side. I like to wear it with the Luther Rose design facing out. Now, I am ready to go out to the people.
Often, I’ve already had several conversations with the people who come early. But now I have about ten or fifteen minutes to visit with all of the other folks who are arriving. I try to shake every hand if I can. Sometimes I have to stretch across several people to reach a person in the middle of a long pew. I call that reach “the long arm of the Gospel.” Often during this time, I’ll pick up a little information about what is going on in a person’s life. Or someone will ask me to add a note to my announcements (Hint: If you write down what you want me to announce and hand it to me, I’m a lot more likely to remember it when I start the service!). Sometimes I run out of time and I can’t shake every person’s hand. I know that the organ/piano prelude is going to stop right at 9:25 a.m., so that I can start the announcements. So if I look at my watch and see that I have about thirty seconds or so left, I might wave at the last few pews of people as I make my way up front. Then the worship service begins!
I love worship! Even though I’m up front, leading most of the service, I really am worshiping God right along with you. I really am moved by the hymns. I really do love seeing the children come forward for the children’s sermon. I love to interact with them and get to know them. I really love preaching the sermon, because I love to talk about the Word of God and I truly believe in what I am saying. I love sharing Holy Communion with you. And I love the time of prayer near the end of the service. By the time I share the benediction with you at the end of the service, God has filled me up so that I can make it through another week of living. If I entered the church that morning feeling tired or a little down, I always leave feeling strengthened and lifted up.
I could go on to talk about the coffee fellowship after worship or the Sunday school hour where we learn new things about God and have great discussions, but I think you get the point. I love Sunday morning at the church. I love it because I get to worship my Lord. But most of all, I love it because I get to worship him with all of you! I get to be a part of a congregation of believers. I get to feel the spiritual strength that comes when we gather as the body of Christ. And right now I am missing that. I’m missing it terribly. But I look forward to the day when the virus will slow down and the church will open up again. I’m looking forward to the day when I can say again, along with the writer of the psalm, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’” (Psalm 122:1). Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this devotion. Enjoy some Beethoven with me!
https://youtu.be/eMY3ivdNzwE
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 12 – Saturday, March 28, 2020
Read Ephesians 4:31-32 and Psalm 51:1-12
Theme Verse: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)
Yesterday, in my devotion, I talked about all of the wonderful medical professionals and first responders who are working hard to keep us safe during this Corona virus outbreak. That brought to mind a story that I read many years ago. It’s a true story about forgiveness and redemption, written by a nurse. I was so moved by it that I tucked it away in my “sermon illustrations” file. It’s a bit long, but I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
The hospital was unusually quiet that bleak January evening, quiet and still like the air before a storm. I stood in the nurses’ station on the seventh floor and glanced at the clock. It was 9:00 p.m. I threw the stethoscope around my neck and headed for Room 712, the last room at the end of the hall. Room 712 had a new patient named Mr. Williams. He was a man all alone, a man strangely silent about his family. As I entered the room, Mr. Williams looked up eagerly, but then dropped his eyes when he was that it was only me, his nurse. I pressed the stethoscope to his chest and listened. Strong, slow, even breathing—just what I wanted to hear. There seemed to be little indication that he had suffered a slight heart attack a few hours earlier.
He looked up from his starched white bed. “Nurse, would you…” He hesitated, tears filling his eyes. Once before, he had started to ask me a question, but had changed his mind. I touched his hand, waiting. He brushed away a tear. Then he said, “Would you call my daughter? Tell her I had a heart attack—a slight one. You see, I live all alone, and she’s the only family that I have.” His respiration suddenly speeded up. I turned his nasal oxygen up to eight liters per minute. “Of course I’ll call her,” I said, studying his face. He gripped the sheets and pulled himself forward, his face tense with urgency. “Will you call her right away—as soon as you can?” he asked. He was breathing fast now—too fast. “I’ll call her the very first thing,” I said, patting his shoulder.
I flipped off the light. He closed his eyes, such young blue eyes in his 50-year-old face. Room 712 was dark except for a faint night light under the sink. Oxygen gurgled in the green tubes above his bed. Reluctant to leave, I moved through the shadowy silence to the window. The panes were cold. Below, a foggy mist curled through the hospital parking lot. “Nurse,” he called, “could you get me a pencil and paper?” I dug a scrap of yellow paper and a pen from my pocket and set it on the bedside table.
I walked back to the nurses’ station and sat in a squeaky swivel chair by the phone. Mr. Williams’ daughter was listed on his chart as the next of kin. I got her number from the information and dialed. Her soft voice answered. “Janie, this is Sue Kidd, a registered nurse at the hospital. I’m calling about your father. He was admitted tonight with a slight heart attack, and…” “No!” she screamed into the phone, startling me. “He’s not dying, is he?” “His condition is stable,” I said, trying to sound convincing. There was silence on the other end. I bit my lip. “You must not let him die,” she said. Her voice was so utterly compelling that my hand trembled on the phone. “He’s getting the best of care,” I said.
“But you don’t understand,” she pleaded. “My daddy and I haven’t spoken in almost a year. We had a terrible argument on my 21st birthday, over my boyfriend. I ran out of the house. I…I haven’t been back. All these months I’ve wanted to ask for his forgiveness. The last thing I said to him was, ‘I hate you.’” Her voice cracked, and I heard her heave great agonizing sobs. I sat, listening, tears running down my own face. A father and daughter, so lost to each other. Then I was thinking of my own father, many miles away. It had been so long since I had said, “I love you.” As Janie struggled to control her tears, I breathed a prayer. “Please God, let this daughter find forgiveness.” Then Janie said, “I’m coming—now! I’ll be there in thirty minutes.” Click—she had hung up.
I tried to busy myself with a stack of charts on the desk. I couldn’t concentrate. Room 712—I knew I had to go back to Room 712. I hurried down the hall, almost at a run. I opened the door. Mr. Williams lay unmoving. I felt for his pulse. There was none. I got on the intercom and said, “Code 99, Room 712. Code 99. Stat.” The alert was shooting through the hospital within seconds. Mr. Williams was in cardiac arrest. I leveled the bed and bent to his mouth, breathing air into his lungs. I positioned my hands over his chest and compressed. One, two, three, I tried to count. At fifteen I moved back to his mouth and breathed as deeply as I could. Where was help? Again I compressed and breathed. Compressed and breathed. He could not die! “O God,” I prayed. “His daughter is coming. Don’t let it end this way.”
The door burst open. Doctors and nurses poured into the room, pushing emergency equipment. A doctor took over the manual compression of the heart. A tube was inserted through his mouth as an airway. Nurses plunged syringes of medicine into the intravenous tubing. I connected the heart monitor. Nothing—not a beat. My own heart pounded. Again I prayed, “O God, don’t let it end like this. His daughter is coming. Let her find peace.” I heard the doctor shout, “Stand back!” I handed him the paddles for the electric shock to the heart. He placed them on Mr. Williams’ chest. Over and over we tried. But nothing happened. No response. Mr. Williams was dead. A nurse unplugged the oxygen. The gurgling stopped. One by one they left, grim and silent. How could this happen? How? I stood by his bed, stunned.
A cold wind rattled the window, pelting the panes with snow. Outside—everywhere—there seemed to be a bed of blackness, cold and dark. How could I face his daughter? When I left the room, I saw her against the wall, by a water fountain. A doctor who had been inside Room 712 stood at her side, talking to her, gripping her elbow. Then he moved on, leaving her slumped against the wall. Such pathetic hurt reflected from her face—such wounded eyes. She knew. The doctor had told her that her father was gone. I took her hand and led her into the nurses’ lounge. We sat on little green stools, neither one of us saying a word. She stared straight ahead at the pharmaceutical calendar, glass-faced, looking almost breakable. “Janie, I’m so, so sorry,” I said. It was pitifully inadequate. She said, “I never hated him, you know. I loved him.” “God, please help her,” I thought to myself.
Suddenly, she turned toward me. “I want to see him,” she said. My first thought was, “Why put yourself through more pain? Seeing him will only make it worse.” But instead of saying anything, I just got up and wrapped my arms around her. Then we walked together down the hall to Room 712. Outside the door I squeezed her hand, hoping she would change her mind about going inside. She pushed open the door. We moved to the bed, huddled together, taking small steps in unison. Janie leaned over the bed and buried her face in the sheets. I tried not to look at her sad, sad goodbye.
I backed up against the bedside table. My hand fell on a scrap of yellow paper. I picked it up and looked at it. It read, “My dearest Janie, I forgive you. I pray that you will also forgive me. I know that you love me. I love you too. Daddy.” The note was shaking in my hands as I handed it to Janie. She read it once. Then she read it again. Her tormented face grew radiant. Peace began to glisten in her eyes. She hugged the scrap of paper to her breast. “Thank you God,” I whispered, as I looked out the window.
A few crystal stars blinked through the blackness. A snowflake hit the window and melted away—gone forever. Life seemed as fragile as a snowflake on a widow. But thank you, God, that relationships, sometimes as fragile as snowflakes, can be mended together again. A few minutes later, I crept out of the room. There was not a moment to spare. I hurried to the phone to call my father. I wanted to say, “I love you.”
Here's a hymn that I think goes well with this story. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/Jbe7OruLk8I
Day 12 – Saturday, March 28, 2020
Read Ephesians 4:31-32 and Psalm 51:1-12
Theme Verse: “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)
Yesterday, in my devotion, I talked about all of the wonderful medical professionals and first responders who are working hard to keep us safe during this Corona virus outbreak. That brought to mind a story that I read many years ago. It’s a true story about forgiveness and redemption, written by a nurse. I was so moved by it that I tucked it away in my “sermon illustrations” file. It’s a bit long, but I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
The hospital was unusually quiet that bleak January evening, quiet and still like the air before a storm. I stood in the nurses’ station on the seventh floor and glanced at the clock. It was 9:00 p.m. I threw the stethoscope around my neck and headed for Room 712, the last room at the end of the hall. Room 712 had a new patient named Mr. Williams. He was a man all alone, a man strangely silent about his family. As I entered the room, Mr. Williams looked up eagerly, but then dropped his eyes when he was that it was only me, his nurse. I pressed the stethoscope to his chest and listened. Strong, slow, even breathing—just what I wanted to hear. There seemed to be little indication that he had suffered a slight heart attack a few hours earlier.
He looked up from his starched white bed. “Nurse, would you…” He hesitated, tears filling his eyes. Once before, he had started to ask me a question, but had changed his mind. I touched his hand, waiting. He brushed away a tear. Then he said, “Would you call my daughter? Tell her I had a heart attack—a slight one. You see, I live all alone, and she’s the only family that I have.” His respiration suddenly speeded up. I turned his nasal oxygen up to eight liters per minute. “Of course I’ll call her,” I said, studying his face. He gripped the sheets and pulled himself forward, his face tense with urgency. “Will you call her right away—as soon as you can?” he asked. He was breathing fast now—too fast. “I’ll call her the very first thing,” I said, patting his shoulder.
I flipped off the light. He closed his eyes, such young blue eyes in his 50-year-old face. Room 712 was dark except for a faint night light under the sink. Oxygen gurgled in the green tubes above his bed. Reluctant to leave, I moved through the shadowy silence to the window. The panes were cold. Below, a foggy mist curled through the hospital parking lot. “Nurse,” he called, “could you get me a pencil and paper?” I dug a scrap of yellow paper and a pen from my pocket and set it on the bedside table.
I walked back to the nurses’ station and sat in a squeaky swivel chair by the phone. Mr. Williams’ daughter was listed on his chart as the next of kin. I got her number from the information and dialed. Her soft voice answered. “Janie, this is Sue Kidd, a registered nurse at the hospital. I’m calling about your father. He was admitted tonight with a slight heart attack, and…” “No!” she screamed into the phone, startling me. “He’s not dying, is he?” “His condition is stable,” I said, trying to sound convincing. There was silence on the other end. I bit my lip. “You must not let him die,” she said. Her voice was so utterly compelling that my hand trembled on the phone. “He’s getting the best of care,” I said.
“But you don’t understand,” she pleaded. “My daddy and I haven’t spoken in almost a year. We had a terrible argument on my 21st birthday, over my boyfriend. I ran out of the house. I…I haven’t been back. All these months I’ve wanted to ask for his forgiveness. The last thing I said to him was, ‘I hate you.’” Her voice cracked, and I heard her heave great agonizing sobs. I sat, listening, tears running down my own face. A father and daughter, so lost to each other. Then I was thinking of my own father, many miles away. It had been so long since I had said, “I love you.” As Janie struggled to control her tears, I breathed a prayer. “Please God, let this daughter find forgiveness.” Then Janie said, “I’m coming—now! I’ll be there in thirty minutes.” Click—she had hung up.
I tried to busy myself with a stack of charts on the desk. I couldn’t concentrate. Room 712—I knew I had to go back to Room 712. I hurried down the hall, almost at a run. I opened the door. Mr. Williams lay unmoving. I felt for his pulse. There was none. I got on the intercom and said, “Code 99, Room 712. Code 99. Stat.” The alert was shooting through the hospital within seconds. Mr. Williams was in cardiac arrest. I leveled the bed and bent to his mouth, breathing air into his lungs. I positioned my hands over his chest and compressed. One, two, three, I tried to count. At fifteen I moved back to his mouth and breathed as deeply as I could. Where was help? Again I compressed and breathed. Compressed and breathed. He could not die! “O God,” I prayed. “His daughter is coming. Don’t let it end this way.”
The door burst open. Doctors and nurses poured into the room, pushing emergency equipment. A doctor took over the manual compression of the heart. A tube was inserted through his mouth as an airway. Nurses plunged syringes of medicine into the intravenous tubing. I connected the heart monitor. Nothing—not a beat. My own heart pounded. Again I prayed, “O God, don’t let it end like this. His daughter is coming. Let her find peace.” I heard the doctor shout, “Stand back!” I handed him the paddles for the electric shock to the heart. He placed them on Mr. Williams’ chest. Over and over we tried. But nothing happened. No response. Mr. Williams was dead. A nurse unplugged the oxygen. The gurgling stopped. One by one they left, grim and silent. How could this happen? How? I stood by his bed, stunned.
A cold wind rattled the window, pelting the panes with snow. Outside—everywhere—there seemed to be a bed of blackness, cold and dark. How could I face his daughter? When I left the room, I saw her against the wall, by a water fountain. A doctor who had been inside Room 712 stood at her side, talking to her, gripping her elbow. Then he moved on, leaving her slumped against the wall. Such pathetic hurt reflected from her face—such wounded eyes. She knew. The doctor had told her that her father was gone. I took her hand and led her into the nurses’ lounge. We sat on little green stools, neither one of us saying a word. She stared straight ahead at the pharmaceutical calendar, glass-faced, looking almost breakable. “Janie, I’m so, so sorry,” I said. It was pitifully inadequate. She said, “I never hated him, you know. I loved him.” “God, please help her,” I thought to myself.
Suddenly, she turned toward me. “I want to see him,” she said. My first thought was, “Why put yourself through more pain? Seeing him will only make it worse.” But instead of saying anything, I just got up and wrapped my arms around her. Then we walked together down the hall to Room 712. Outside the door I squeezed her hand, hoping she would change her mind about going inside. She pushed open the door. We moved to the bed, huddled together, taking small steps in unison. Janie leaned over the bed and buried her face in the sheets. I tried not to look at her sad, sad goodbye.
I backed up against the bedside table. My hand fell on a scrap of yellow paper. I picked it up and looked at it. It read, “My dearest Janie, I forgive you. I pray that you will also forgive me. I know that you love me. I love you too. Daddy.” The note was shaking in my hands as I handed it to Janie. She read it once. Then she read it again. Her tormented face grew radiant. Peace began to glisten in her eyes. She hugged the scrap of paper to her breast. “Thank you God,” I whispered, as I looked out the window.
A few crystal stars blinked through the blackness. A snowflake hit the window and melted away—gone forever. Life seemed as fragile as a snowflake on a widow. But thank you, God, that relationships, sometimes as fragile as snowflakes, can be mended together again. A few minutes later, I crept out of the room. There was not a moment to spare. I hurried to the phone to call my father. I wanted to say, “I love you.”
Here's a hymn that I think goes well with this story. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/Jbe7OruLk8I
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 11 – Friday, March 27, 2020
Read Matthew 25:31-40 and Psalm 41
Theme Verse: “Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:40)
In the summer of 2002, when our son Matt was ready to start his senior year of high school, he got sick at an early August football practice. He was running a fever and was having trouble breathing, so we took him to the emergency room. It turned out that he had pneumonia (that's a long story for another day). We were in the old St. James Hospital building in Pontiac, and the ER beds were separated only by thin curtains. In the bed next to Matt was a young boy. His mother was sitting on one side of the bed and a nurse was standing on the other side, with her back to the curtain near Matt's bed. We heard the boy say to the nurse, "I don't feel so well." The nurse said, "Do you feel like you need to throw up?" The boy said, "Yeah." And then he erupted. He projectile vomited right onto the curtain! From where the nurse was standing, I knew she must have gotten some of it. But I heard her calmly say, "Let me go get something to clean this up." Then she came walking around the curtain and we could see that she was covered in vomit. Matt and I looked at each other and gagged. But our lunch stayed down.
That's the life of a nurse. And today I want to thank God for all of our faithful nurses, doctors, and other hospital and clinic workers. I should also include EMS, police, firefighters, and other first responders who are answering calls and keeping order during these extraordinary times. They are all on the front lines against the COVID-19 outbreak. By doing their jobs, they are helping to keep us all safe until this time of uncertainty is over. And if you were to heap praise on any one of them, praise that they deserve, they would quietly thank you and say, "I'm just doing my job."
The attitude of our medical personnel and our first responders is the same kind of attitude that we see from the believing Christians (the sheep) in the first part of the parable of the final judgment in Matthew 25. Jesus praises them for feeding him when he was hungry, giving him water when he was thirsty, welcoming him when he was a stranger, clothing him when he was naked, and visiting him when he was sick and in prison. But the believers are confused. They say, "Jesus, when did we do these things for you?" And Jesus responds with that verse that we all know so well, “Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:40)
The believers were simply doing what came naturally to them. They were meeting the needs of people. They were loving people. And as they did that, they were also loving Jesus. Because the people that we love in this world are the same people that Jesus loves. He loves them all. I realize, of course, that not all medical workers and first responders are Christians. But when they are serving others, they are doing the kind of work that Jesus wants all of us to do. And during this time of crisis in our country, I am thankful for all of them. But mostly, I am thankful for the nurses. As much as I love people, I don't know if I could stand being thrown up on. But they deal with that kind of stuff everyday. And they are amazing! Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/4t6mz8yoocY
Day 11 – Friday, March 27, 2020
Read Matthew 25:31-40 and Psalm 41
Theme Verse: “Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:40)
In the summer of 2002, when our son Matt was ready to start his senior year of high school, he got sick at an early August football practice. He was running a fever and was having trouble breathing, so we took him to the emergency room. It turned out that he had pneumonia (that's a long story for another day). We were in the old St. James Hospital building in Pontiac, and the ER beds were separated only by thin curtains. In the bed next to Matt was a young boy. His mother was sitting on one side of the bed and a nurse was standing on the other side, with her back to the curtain near Matt's bed. We heard the boy say to the nurse, "I don't feel so well." The nurse said, "Do you feel like you need to throw up?" The boy said, "Yeah." And then he erupted. He projectile vomited right onto the curtain! From where the nurse was standing, I knew she must have gotten some of it. But I heard her calmly say, "Let me go get something to clean this up." Then she came walking around the curtain and we could see that she was covered in vomit. Matt and I looked at each other and gagged. But our lunch stayed down.
That's the life of a nurse. And today I want to thank God for all of our faithful nurses, doctors, and other hospital and clinic workers. I should also include EMS, police, firefighters, and other first responders who are answering calls and keeping order during these extraordinary times. They are all on the front lines against the COVID-19 outbreak. By doing their jobs, they are helping to keep us all safe until this time of uncertainty is over. And if you were to heap praise on any one of them, praise that they deserve, they would quietly thank you and say, "I'm just doing my job."
The attitude of our medical personnel and our first responders is the same kind of attitude that we see from the believing Christians (the sheep) in the first part of the parable of the final judgment in Matthew 25. Jesus praises them for feeding him when he was hungry, giving him water when he was thirsty, welcoming him when he was a stranger, clothing him when he was naked, and visiting him when he was sick and in prison. But the believers are confused. They say, "Jesus, when did we do these things for you?" And Jesus responds with that verse that we all know so well, “Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:40)
The believers were simply doing what came naturally to them. They were meeting the needs of people. They were loving people. And as they did that, they were also loving Jesus. Because the people that we love in this world are the same people that Jesus loves. He loves them all. I realize, of course, that not all medical workers and first responders are Christians. But when they are serving others, they are doing the kind of work that Jesus wants all of us to do. And during this time of crisis in our country, I am thankful for all of them. But mostly, I am thankful for the nurses. As much as I love people, I don't know if I could stand being thrown up on. But they deal with that kind of stuff everyday. And they are amazing! Amen and Amen.
Here is a hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/4t6mz8yoocY
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 10 – Thursday, March 26, 2020
Read Isaiah 55:6-11 and Romans 11:33-36
Theme Verse: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
A couple of days ago, I told the story about how my father died of cancer when I was fourteen years old, and how he came to faith in Jesus just months before he died. But that was only half of the story. Today I’m going to tell you the other half. The other half is about my friend Scott.
Scott was the same age that I was, fourteen years old, when my dad died in the summer of 1976. And he was not just a friend, he was my best friend. We played baseball together and rode bikes together and pulled pranks together. We talked about sports and school and girls. Scott was the only friend of mine who was not uncomfortable around my dad when he was dying. Dad had coached our Little League team, so Scott always addressed him as “Coach.” Whenever Scott would come over to the house, he would go right into the living room, where Dad was lying in his hospital bed, and say, “Hi, Coach!” Then they would spend twenty minutes or so talking about how Dad’s favorite team, the Cubs, were doing (bad) and how Scott’s favorite team, the Brewers, were doing (worse). And then Scott would say, “See ya, Coach!” And we would go off to do whatever it was that we were going to do that day.
On rainy days, when we couldn’t be outside, we would often sit at his house or my house, or in a tent in one of our yards, and play chess. Yes, chess! I wasn’t much of a chess player when I met Scott, but he convinced me that I would really like it. And I did. When we first started playing, he would regularly trounce me. But I eventually got better at it, and we were pretty evenly matched. It was during our games of chess that Scott liked to talk about God. Scott was a deep thinker and he had a strong faith in Jesus Christ. We would be playing chess and he would suddenly say something like, “I wonder why God made the universe. Do you think he was bored?” Or he would say, “Why do you think God made us? Do you think he was lonely?” One of his favorite questions was, “Why did Jesus have to die on the cross for our sins? Couldn’t God have just forgiven us, without the cross?” When I think back on it, those were some pretty amazing questions for a fourteen year old to be asking.
When my dad died that summer, Scott was the first person that I called. We went down to the park and played basketball while my mom was dealing with the home health nurse and the funeral director. The day after we buried my dad, Scott was at the house. We played chess that day. Scott mentioned that some guys were going to get together the next day, Friday, and ride bikes out to the “dunes,” an area of sandy soil and tall grass just north of town. Some older guys had made a figure eight track out there, where they rode their mini bikes and dirt bikes in the evening. We often went out there on summer mornings and rode our bikes on the track. Scott said, “You wanna go?” I said, “Sure.”
So the next morning, we met up with the other guys and went out to the dunes. But on this day we did something different. There was a sand and gravel pit near the bike track and, after an hour or so on the track, we rode over to the edge of the pit. We didn’t see anyone working that day, so one of the guys suggested that we ride our bikes down into the pit. We found a way down and we biked around the bottom of the pit for a while. Then we got off our bikes and started walking around, exploring. For some reason, Scott and I, and another friend named Jeff, walked up to a huge wall of sand. We were close enough that we could touch it. Suddenly, one of our friends yelled, “Look out!” I happened to be looking up at the time and I saw a huge crack forming in the wall of sand. I turned and ran. I took about three or four strides when I felt the impact of the sand behind me. It swirled around me, burying me almost to the waist. I turned to my right and saw Jeff in the same situation as me. Then I turned to my left and saw nothing. Scott was completely buried.
I pulled myself out of the sand and joined the rest of the guys, who were already trying to dig in the spot where Scott had been standing. One of the guys ran to a nearby house and asked the people to call the fire department. They actually arrived pretty quickly. Someone had also called the manager of the pit and he arrived a few minutes after the rescue squad. He started a front end loader and in a few minutes, they had dug Scott out of the sand. They did CPR on him, but he had been under the sand for at least a half hour. He was gone. Just six days after I lost my dad, I lost my best friend. That moment is seared into my memory. Sometimes it seems like it happened just yesterday.
To this day, I don’t know why God allowed Scott to die in that pile of sand. I can’t see anything good that came out of it. I can see that my dad’s death had a purpose. God used the cancer to bring him to faith in Jesus Christ. But as long as I am in this world, I will never understand Scott’s death. He was a young, thoughtful, faithful Christian. He seemed to be destined to do great things for Jesus. It seemed like he went to heaven way to soon. But I never lost my faith because of what happened. I remember all of Scott’s questions. I remember how he used to look up at the stars on a summer night and wonder what God was up to. And I think of what God says to us in Isaiah 55:9, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
In this world, on this side of heaven, I will never understand all of the ways of God. But I will always believe in him. I will always trust him. I will always have faith in what he has done for me in Jesus Christ. And someday, when I’m on the other side, I will see Jesus face to face. And all my questions will be answered. And I will also see Scott again. Maybe he will be talking with my dad about baseball. And they will see me as I approach. And they will open up their arms to hug me. And I will know perfect joy. And I will understand. Someday.
Here is the song that was on my mind as I was writing this. It’s not really a hymn, but I hope you enjoy it!
https://youtu.be/LonOTKVmkeo
Day 10 – Thursday, March 26, 2020
Read Isaiah 55:6-11 and Romans 11:33-36
Theme Verse: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
A couple of days ago, I told the story about how my father died of cancer when I was fourteen years old, and how he came to faith in Jesus just months before he died. But that was only half of the story. Today I’m going to tell you the other half. The other half is about my friend Scott.
Scott was the same age that I was, fourteen years old, when my dad died in the summer of 1976. And he was not just a friend, he was my best friend. We played baseball together and rode bikes together and pulled pranks together. We talked about sports and school and girls. Scott was the only friend of mine who was not uncomfortable around my dad when he was dying. Dad had coached our Little League team, so Scott always addressed him as “Coach.” Whenever Scott would come over to the house, he would go right into the living room, where Dad was lying in his hospital bed, and say, “Hi, Coach!” Then they would spend twenty minutes or so talking about how Dad’s favorite team, the Cubs, were doing (bad) and how Scott’s favorite team, the Brewers, were doing (worse). And then Scott would say, “See ya, Coach!” And we would go off to do whatever it was that we were going to do that day.
On rainy days, when we couldn’t be outside, we would often sit at his house or my house, or in a tent in one of our yards, and play chess. Yes, chess! I wasn’t much of a chess player when I met Scott, but he convinced me that I would really like it. And I did. When we first started playing, he would regularly trounce me. But I eventually got better at it, and we were pretty evenly matched. It was during our games of chess that Scott liked to talk about God. Scott was a deep thinker and he had a strong faith in Jesus Christ. We would be playing chess and he would suddenly say something like, “I wonder why God made the universe. Do you think he was bored?” Or he would say, “Why do you think God made us? Do you think he was lonely?” One of his favorite questions was, “Why did Jesus have to die on the cross for our sins? Couldn’t God have just forgiven us, without the cross?” When I think back on it, those were some pretty amazing questions for a fourteen year old to be asking.
When my dad died that summer, Scott was the first person that I called. We went down to the park and played basketball while my mom was dealing with the home health nurse and the funeral director. The day after we buried my dad, Scott was at the house. We played chess that day. Scott mentioned that some guys were going to get together the next day, Friday, and ride bikes out to the “dunes,” an area of sandy soil and tall grass just north of town. Some older guys had made a figure eight track out there, where they rode their mini bikes and dirt bikes in the evening. We often went out there on summer mornings and rode our bikes on the track. Scott said, “You wanna go?” I said, “Sure.”
So the next morning, we met up with the other guys and went out to the dunes. But on this day we did something different. There was a sand and gravel pit near the bike track and, after an hour or so on the track, we rode over to the edge of the pit. We didn’t see anyone working that day, so one of the guys suggested that we ride our bikes down into the pit. We found a way down and we biked around the bottom of the pit for a while. Then we got off our bikes and started walking around, exploring. For some reason, Scott and I, and another friend named Jeff, walked up to a huge wall of sand. We were close enough that we could touch it. Suddenly, one of our friends yelled, “Look out!” I happened to be looking up at the time and I saw a huge crack forming in the wall of sand. I turned and ran. I took about three or four strides when I felt the impact of the sand behind me. It swirled around me, burying me almost to the waist. I turned to my right and saw Jeff in the same situation as me. Then I turned to my left and saw nothing. Scott was completely buried.
I pulled myself out of the sand and joined the rest of the guys, who were already trying to dig in the spot where Scott had been standing. One of the guys ran to a nearby house and asked the people to call the fire department. They actually arrived pretty quickly. Someone had also called the manager of the pit and he arrived a few minutes after the rescue squad. He started a front end loader and in a few minutes, they had dug Scott out of the sand. They did CPR on him, but he had been under the sand for at least a half hour. He was gone. Just six days after I lost my dad, I lost my best friend. That moment is seared into my memory. Sometimes it seems like it happened just yesterday.
To this day, I don’t know why God allowed Scott to die in that pile of sand. I can’t see anything good that came out of it. I can see that my dad’s death had a purpose. God used the cancer to bring him to faith in Jesus Christ. But as long as I am in this world, I will never understand Scott’s death. He was a young, thoughtful, faithful Christian. He seemed to be destined to do great things for Jesus. It seemed like he went to heaven way to soon. But I never lost my faith because of what happened. I remember all of Scott’s questions. I remember how he used to look up at the stars on a summer night and wonder what God was up to. And I think of what God says to us in Isaiah 55:9, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
In this world, on this side of heaven, I will never understand all of the ways of God. But I will always believe in him. I will always trust him. I will always have faith in what he has done for me in Jesus Christ. And someday, when I’m on the other side, I will see Jesus face to face. And all my questions will be answered. And I will also see Scott again. Maybe he will be talking with my dad about baseball. And they will see me as I approach. And they will open up their arms to hug me. And I will know perfect joy. And I will understand. Someday.
Here is the song that was on my mind as I was writing this. It’s not really a hymn, but I hope you enjoy it!
https://youtu.be/LonOTKVmkeo
The Pandemic Pulpit – (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)*
Day 9 – Wednesday, March 25, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen in Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read Matthew 7:24-29
At the bottom of this page there is a photo of a house. It's known as the “Florida Tropical House.” It began life as part of the 1933 Century of Progress World’s Fair in Chicago. At the end of the fair, an enterprising young developer named Robert Bartlett barged six of these houses across Lake Michigan, set them on the lakefront in his town of Beverly Shores, Indiana, and sold them. Over the years the house stood as a beautiful lake home, a young girl’s “fairy castle,” a navigation marker for mariners, and a landmark for aircraft flying in and out of Chicago. But like the other five surviving houses, a problem developed over the years. When Bartlett had set them on land, he had neglected to build a foundation for the dwelling—an absolute necessity in sandy northern Indiana, especially on the dunes along the lake shore. In time, the home sagged, tilted, slid, and cracked until it was ready to fall. Thankfully, for those of us who love historic buildings, someone came along and put years of loving labor into restoring this Art Deco masterpiece—beginning with a new and complete concrete foundation. Karen and I have loved walking and sailing around this delightful work of art. But now the lake is rising to historic levels. Every storm threatens to wash out more of the beach, and eventually take this house into the lake.
The hard lesson of the Florida Tropical House is this: no matter what you do, no matter how hard you work at it, no matter how much you love it, nothing built on sand is safe. As someone who lives on a street named “Sandy Ridge,” I take this lesson very seriously. And during these last few weeks, I have found myself built on sand in another way. Like many others, Karen and I are “high risk” people, so we’ve decided to live in solitude for the foreseeable future. We can no longer build our lives on socializing with church friends, enjoying a meal sitting in our favorite restaurants, dropping over for some random items at a big box store, or traveling whenever and wherever we want. We cook according to the items we need to use up—not what we’re feeling like eating. Seeing our granddaughter on Duo video chat is a delight. And hearing that our paramedic son is safe is a highlight of each call. Our doctor is not really accessible right now, because his office is in a closed cancer clinic. Most of what defined normal life for us five weeks ago has become like a house built on a sandy shoreline. A huge wave called “Covid-19” has washed over us.
It is disconcerting to discover how much of what I built on, drew meaning from, and trusted in is now being washed away. This is what Jesus tells us about in one part of the parable in Matthew 7. He says, “The rains came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew...and it fell with a great crash.” If we put all of our trust in a way of life that seems to guarantee continued comfort and prosperity, and if we believe that we can control events more powerful than the waves of Lake Michigan, then we will crack and tilt and tumble when we discover that we are vulnerable to a virus that, at times, seems unstoppable. But Jesus did not tell this parable to scold us or scare us when times get bad. This is a parable of promise, spoken to people who need God’s promise in their lives.
That’s why Jesus also tells us about a house that was built on the rock, a dwelling that can withstand the floods and winds that beat on it. That rock foundation, Jesus tells us, is made of the words that he has spoken to us, words for us to hope in and live by. Unless it was taught in some class that I skipped in seminary, Jesus never guaranteed a trouble free life for those of us who follow him. What he did promise was that we could dwell secure in his word. He promised that we could always approach him in prayer. He promised that he would redeem us and make us whole. He promised to love us always. Those promises have not eroded or collapsed one tiny bit.
In our solitude, we are spending more time in devotions and prayer—and the Spirit builds us up each day. I have found myself increasingly grateful for a neighborhood where I can walk each day and feel drawn to seek the welfare of my neighbors. Gratitude and mission calm my spirit. God is keeping us safe. I trust that now and for tomorrow. And that love of Jesus? I have yet to find the experience where I have been completely separated from that love. I have been scared, frustrated, quarantined, and perplexed by a world turned upside down. But I am always loved by the one who is Lord over all of this. And I see signs of that love day by day. In love, God teaches me what really matters and gives me patience to let other things be. The Lord who loves us is the solid rock that will bring us through all of this until He reigns over all.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, through all the turmoil and anxiousness around me, let me rest in your rock solid love. Surround me with hope and fill me with your purpose. I pray for all those who are ill or in harm’s way. May you be with us all to grant protection, healing, and comfort—and at the last, eternal life. You have us in your keeping, Jesus. And that is enough. Amen.
Click on this link to enjoy a hymn about standing on the rock of Christ!
https://youtu.be/V1LtGQLZ87c
Day 9 – Wednesday, March 25, 2020
*Today’s message is written by Pastor Norm Femrite, the former pastor of First Lutheran Church, who is now retired and living with his wife Karen in Valparaiso, Indiana. Thank you, Pastor Norm!
Read Matthew 7:24-29
At the bottom of this page there is a photo of a house. It's known as the “Florida Tropical House.” It began life as part of the 1933 Century of Progress World’s Fair in Chicago. At the end of the fair, an enterprising young developer named Robert Bartlett barged six of these houses across Lake Michigan, set them on the lakefront in his town of Beverly Shores, Indiana, and sold them. Over the years the house stood as a beautiful lake home, a young girl’s “fairy castle,” a navigation marker for mariners, and a landmark for aircraft flying in and out of Chicago. But like the other five surviving houses, a problem developed over the years. When Bartlett had set them on land, he had neglected to build a foundation for the dwelling—an absolute necessity in sandy northern Indiana, especially on the dunes along the lake shore. In time, the home sagged, tilted, slid, and cracked until it was ready to fall. Thankfully, for those of us who love historic buildings, someone came along and put years of loving labor into restoring this Art Deco masterpiece—beginning with a new and complete concrete foundation. Karen and I have loved walking and sailing around this delightful work of art. But now the lake is rising to historic levels. Every storm threatens to wash out more of the beach, and eventually take this house into the lake.
The hard lesson of the Florida Tropical House is this: no matter what you do, no matter how hard you work at it, no matter how much you love it, nothing built on sand is safe. As someone who lives on a street named “Sandy Ridge,” I take this lesson very seriously. And during these last few weeks, I have found myself built on sand in another way. Like many others, Karen and I are “high risk” people, so we’ve decided to live in solitude for the foreseeable future. We can no longer build our lives on socializing with church friends, enjoying a meal sitting in our favorite restaurants, dropping over for some random items at a big box store, or traveling whenever and wherever we want. We cook according to the items we need to use up—not what we’re feeling like eating. Seeing our granddaughter on Duo video chat is a delight. And hearing that our paramedic son is safe is a highlight of each call. Our doctor is not really accessible right now, because his office is in a closed cancer clinic. Most of what defined normal life for us five weeks ago has become like a house built on a sandy shoreline. A huge wave called “Covid-19” has washed over us.
It is disconcerting to discover how much of what I built on, drew meaning from, and trusted in is now being washed away. This is what Jesus tells us about in one part of the parable in Matthew 7. He says, “The rains came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew...and it fell with a great crash.” If we put all of our trust in a way of life that seems to guarantee continued comfort and prosperity, and if we believe that we can control events more powerful than the waves of Lake Michigan, then we will crack and tilt and tumble when we discover that we are vulnerable to a virus that, at times, seems unstoppable. But Jesus did not tell this parable to scold us or scare us when times get bad. This is a parable of promise, spoken to people who need God’s promise in their lives.
That’s why Jesus also tells us about a house that was built on the rock, a dwelling that can withstand the floods and winds that beat on it. That rock foundation, Jesus tells us, is made of the words that he has spoken to us, words for us to hope in and live by. Unless it was taught in some class that I skipped in seminary, Jesus never guaranteed a trouble free life for those of us who follow him. What he did promise was that we could dwell secure in his word. He promised that we could always approach him in prayer. He promised that he would redeem us and make us whole. He promised to love us always. Those promises have not eroded or collapsed one tiny bit.
In our solitude, we are spending more time in devotions and prayer—and the Spirit builds us up each day. I have found myself increasingly grateful for a neighborhood where I can walk each day and feel drawn to seek the welfare of my neighbors. Gratitude and mission calm my spirit. God is keeping us safe. I trust that now and for tomorrow. And that love of Jesus? I have yet to find the experience where I have been completely separated from that love. I have been scared, frustrated, quarantined, and perplexed by a world turned upside down. But I am always loved by the one who is Lord over all of this. And I see signs of that love day by day. In love, God teaches me what really matters and gives me patience to let other things be. The Lord who loves us is the solid rock that will bring us through all of this until He reigns over all.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, through all the turmoil and anxiousness around me, let me rest in your rock solid love. Surround me with hope and fill me with your purpose. I pray for all those who are ill or in harm’s way. May you be with us all to grant protection, healing, and comfort—and at the last, eternal life. You have us in your keeping, Jesus. And that is enough. Amen.
Click on this link to enjoy a hymn about standing on the rock of Christ!
https://youtu.be/V1LtGQLZ87c
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 8 – Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Read John 3:16-17 and Romans 8:26-30
Theme Verse: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
When I was fourteen years old, my father died of cancer. He was diagnosed with melanoma in May of 1975 and was gone just fourteen months later, on July 10, 1976. He was only thirty-nine years old. In the months before he died, I prayed fervently every night that he would be healed of his cancer. I had heard of other people beating their cancer, some in miraculous ways, and I thought that, if I could just pray with enough faith, my dad would be the next miracle. What I didn't realize was that God had a very different miracle in mind than the one I was praying for.
You see, at the time my dad got his cancer diagnosis, he was not a Christian. He had grown up in the Roman Catholic Church, but he had drifted far away from God. As an adult, he rarely attended church. And he often mocked my mother's deep, personal faith in Jesus. But then the cancer attacked his body. Over the next year, I watched his, strong, six-foot-six frame waste away to just a skeleton. But as his body weakened, something happened inside of his soul. God was working on him. The Holy Spirit was calling him.
During my dad's physical decline, the pastor of our church often came by to visit with him and to share the gospel message. He told my dad that Jesus had died on the cross for his sins and that if he would believe in Jesus, and put his trust in him, he would be saved. He told him that, because Jesus rose from the dead, he has power over death. And if my dad would surrender his life to Jesus, then no matter what happened to his body in this world, he would live forever in heaven with a new body.
As the pastor was sharing these things with my dad, my mom was also talking with him about Jesus in private. But instead of mocking her faith as he had done before, now he was listening to what she said. Finally, just a few months before he died, my dad asked my mom the most important question of his life. He said, "I want to believe, but I'm afraid that God won't accept me. I've ignored him and mocked him for most of my life. Why would he forgive me and accept me now?" And my mom explained to him the grace of God. She explained that none of us deserves to be saved. But God offers us salvation free of charge. We can't do anything to earn it. And here's the kicker. The reason that God does this for us is simply because he loves us. That's what John 3:16 is all about. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
The night that my dad asked that question was the night that he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. And, of course, I was thrilled! Now if God would just heal my dad, he could come to church with us and everything would be awesome! I shared my hope with my dad and I told him that I was praying every night that God would heal him of his cancer. But Dad said something to me that I didn't expect. He said, "Bill, God used the cancer to save me. So now It doesn't matter what happens to my body. I'm not afraid to die, because I know I'm going to heaven. The only thing that matters to me is that you and your brothers stay close to Jesus so that I can see you again someday in heaven."
It took me years to fully understand what my dad was saying to me on that day. He was telling me that God can use anything, even a horrible disease like cancer, to accomplish his purposes. And he was also telling me that, when we believe in Jesus, we don't have to fear death. Yes, we should do what we can to protect ourselves and extend our lives in this world. But our main purpose for being alive in this world is not to seek our own pleasure or to accomplish our own goals. Our main purpose is to share the love of Jesus with others, through our words and our actions. Our main purpose is to lead others to the God who has saved us by his grace, so that they will also know his loving grace and be saved.
As a Christian, I am not afraid to die. I know that when I close my eyes in this world, I will open them in heaven. And I want you to be there with me someday. Wouldn't that be great? Amen and Amen.
Here's a hymn that I was thinking about when I wrote this. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/m5p2F7P8uTQ
Day 8 – Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Read John 3:16-17 and Romans 8:26-30
Theme Verse: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
When I was fourteen years old, my father died of cancer. He was diagnosed with melanoma in May of 1975 and was gone just fourteen months later, on July 10, 1976. He was only thirty-nine years old. In the months before he died, I prayed fervently every night that he would be healed of his cancer. I had heard of other people beating their cancer, some in miraculous ways, and I thought that, if I could just pray with enough faith, my dad would be the next miracle. What I didn't realize was that God had a very different miracle in mind than the one I was praying for.
You see, at the time my dad got his cancer diagnosis, he was not a Christian. He had grown up in the Roman Catholic Church, but he had drifted far away from God. As an adult, he rarely attended church. And he often mocked my mother's deep, personal faith in Jesus. But then the cancer attacked his body. Over the next year, I watched his, strong, six-foot-six frame waste away to just a skeleton. But as his body weakened, something happened inside of his soul. God was working on him. The Holy Spirit was calling him.
During my dad's physical decline, the pastor of our church often came by to visit with him and to share the gospel message. He told my dad that Jesus had died on the cross for his sins and that if he would believe in Jesus, and put his trust in him, he would be saved. He told him that, because Jesus rose from the dead, he has power over death. And if my dad would surrender his life to Jesus, then no matter what happened to his body in this world, he would live forever in heaven with a new body.
As the pastor was sharing these things with my dad, my mom was also talking with him about Jesus in private. But instead of mocking her faith as he had done before, now he was listening to what she said. Finally, just a few months before he died, my dad asked my mom the most important question of his life. He said, "I want to believe, but I'm afraid that God won't accept me. I've ignored him and mocked him for most of my life. Why would he forgive me and accept me now?" And my mom explained to him the grace of God. She explained that none of us deserves to be saved. But God offers us salvation free of charge. We can't do anything to earn it. And here's the kicker. The reason that God does this for us is simply because he loves us. That's what John 3:16 is all about. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
The night that my dad asked that question was the night that he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. And, of course, I was thrilled! Now if God would just heal my dad, he could come to church with us and everything would be awesome! I shared my hope with my dad and I told him that I was praying every night that God would heal him of his cancer. But Dad said something to me that I didn't expect. He said, "Bill, God used the cancer to save me. So now It doesn't matter what happens to my body. I'm not afraid to die, because I know I'm going to heaven. The only thing that matters to me is that you and your brothers stay close to Jesus so that I can see you again someday in heaven."
It took me years to fully understand what my dad was saying to me on that day. He was telling me that God can use anything, even a horrible disease like cancer, to accomplish his purposes. And he was also telling me that, when we believe in Jesus, we don't have to fear death. Yes, we should do what we can to protect ourselves and extend our lives in this world. But our main purpose for being alive in this world is not to seek our own pleasure or to accomplish our own goals. Our main purpose is to share the love of Jesus with others, through our words and our actions. Our main purpose is to lead others to the God who has saved us by his grace, so that they will also know his loving grace and be saved.
As a Christian, I am not afraid to die. I know that when I close my eyes in this world, I will open them in heaven. And I want you to be there with me someday. Wouldn't that be great? Amen and Amen.
Here's a hymn that I was thinking about when I wrote this. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/m5p2F7P8uTQ
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 7 – Monday, March 23, 2020
Read Matthew 6:25-34 and Psalm 46
Theme Verse: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
Our son’s wedding has been postponed. What a bummer. Nathan and his fiancé Camille were supposed to get married on Saturday, April 25th, at our home church in Newark, Illinois. There was going to be a nice rehearsal dinner at a restaurant in Yorkville the night before and an awesome reception after the wedding at a beautiful venue, also in Yorkville. Then, two weeks after the wedding, all of our immediate family was going to fly to California to enjoy another reception for Camille’s extended family in the Los Angeles area. But now, everything is postponed. Nate & Camille are going to get married at the courthouse in L. A. County, whenever it reopens after the shutdown. And they are planning to reschedule the church ceremony and receptions for September. It seems like we have about a hundred different things to cancel or reschedule.
But Nate & Camille are surprisingly calm and accepting about their situation. They know that, as disappointing as a delayed wedding can be, there are so many people in our country and in our world who are suffering greatly right now. There are people who are sick from the coronavirus and some of them will lose their lives. There are people who have lost their jobs and are worried about how they are going to pay the bills. There are people who are alone in their homes and are cut off from the people that they love. When Nate & Camille look at all of the things that people are going through, they realize that their problems are small in comparison.
And that is the way that all Christians should look at life in this world. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us that we should not be anxious, even about our most basic physical needs in this world, like food and water. Our heavenly Father knows that we need these things, and if we put our trust in him, these needs will be met. And then we will realize that many of the other things that we worry about are far less important than we think they are. The key is to focus first on the things that are most important: our relationship with God and our relationships with other people. If we focus on the most important things first, it will completely change our attitude about what is really important in this world. And then our eyes will be opened, and we will appreciate, all the more, the many generous blessings that God has given us in our lives. That’s what Jesus is talking about when he says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
God’s blessings to you and your family as we start our second week of “social distancing.” I hope and pray that it doesn’t last too much longer. May the Lord bring us through this time of trial and may there be a time of healing for our nation and for the world. Amen and Amen.
Here is the hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this. Enjoy!
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33 KJV
Day 7 – Monday, March 23, 2020
Read Matthew 6:25-34 and Psalm 46
Theme Verse: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
Our son’s wedding has been postponed. What a bummer. Nathan and his fiancé Camille were supposed to get married on Saturday, April 25th, at our home church in Newark, Illinois. There was going to be a nice rehearsal dinner at a restaurant in Yorkville the night before and an awesome reception after the wedding at a beautiful venue, also in Yorkville. Then, two weeks after the wedding, all of our immediate family was going to fly to California to enjoy another reception for Camille’s extended family in the Los Angeles area. But now, everything is postponed. Nate & Camille are going to get married at the courthouse in L. A. County, whenever it reopens after the shutdown. And they are planning to reschedule the church ceremony and receptions for September. It seems like we have about a hundred different things to cancel or reschedule.
But Nate & Camille are surprisingly calm and accepting about their situation. They know that, as disappointing as a delayed wedding can be, there are so many people in our country and in our world who are suffering greatly right now. There are people who are sick from the coronavirus and some of them will lose their lives. There are people who have lost their jobs and are worried about how they are going to pay the bills. There are people who are alone in their homes and are cut off from the people that they love. When Nate & Camille look at all of the things that people are going through, they realize that their problems are small in comparison.
And that is the way that all Christians should look at life in this world. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us that we should not be anxious, even about our most basic physical needs in this world, like food and water. Our heavenly Father knows that we need these things, and if we put our trust in him, these needs will be met. And then we will realize that many of the other things that we worry about are far less important than we think they are. The key is to focus first on the things that are most important: our relationship with God and our relationships with other people. If we focus on the most important things first, it will completely change our attitude about what is really important in this world. And then our eyes will be opened, and we will appreciate, all the more, the many generous blessings that God has given us in our lives. That’s what Jesus is talking about when he says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
God’s blessings to you and your family as we start our second week of “social distancing.” I hope and pray that it doesn’t last too much longer. May the Lord bring us through this time of trial and may there be a time of healing for our nation and for the world. Amen and Amen.
Here is the hymn that I was thinking about as I wrote this. Enjoy!
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33 KJV
The Pandemic Pulpit (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields)
Day 6 - Sunday, March 22, 2020
Read Mark 1:35-39 and Psalm 63
Theme Verse: "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you." (Psalm 63:1)
I'm sitting in my office on Sunday morning and it feels strange. By this time on a normal Sunday, there are usually several people bustling about, getting ready for worship or preparing their Sunday school classrooms. By this time, I have already greeted a dozen people or so, and gotten updates about health concerns and family situations. By this time, someone has stopped by my office to pray with me before I head to the sacristy and put on my robe and microphone. By this time, most of the 100-120 people who gather regularly for worship are already here. But today, the church is silent. I am alone. And it feels strange.
But I've learned over the years that there is great value to be found in spending time alone with God. Several years ago, I was asked to preach for a special anniversary service at one of my former churches. The anniversary was scheduled for the Sunday after Easter. I had been so busy during Lent, that I hadn't had much time to work on the anniversary sermon. So as the day approached, I was starting to panic a little. Lisa suggested that I ask my brother if I could use his cabin in northern Wisconsin for a few days, so that I could focus and write. So that's what I did.
The Monday after Easter I headed north. I arrived at the cabin after dark. There was no TV and no internet. The "smart" phone had not been invented yet. I had a small radio, but I rarely turned it on while I was there. There were no neighbors for miles around. I was all alone with my books and my thoughts and my Lord. I spent those days studying, and writing, and enjoying nature, and communing with God. When I returned home, I was rested and refreshed. And the sermon was finished!
It's so important to find time in our lives to be alone with God. Maybe one of the good things that will come out of this time of "sheltering in place" will be that we will all have a chance to slow down and take a break from the craziness of our everyday lives. Maybe we will have more time to spend with people that we love. And maybe we will have more time to spend with God.
I hope that you are taking some time, every day, to read from the Bible, to read a devotion, and to pray. If you have family members in your home, I hope that you will do this together. But I hope that you will also take some time to be alone with God. Listen to what he is saying. And let me emphasize this again: During your alone time, read from the Bible. The Bible is the primary way that God speaks to us. When I was at the cabin in Wisconsin, I enjoyed communing with God in nature. But the real insights that came to me, the real direction that I felt from God came when I was in his Word.
So spend some time alone with God. Be in the Word. And be filled with the Holy Spirit. And when you have done that, I then encourage you to go to our church website at flcprinceton.org and listen to today's sermon. Next Sunday we will expand the video to make it more like a worship service. I hope that you will grow closer to your Lord during this time and that you will continue to connect with your First Lutheran. God's blessings to you on this Sunday morning. Amen and Amen.
Here is the hymn that came to my mind as I was writing this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/Xn4dIPkBepk
Day 6 - Sunday, March 22, 2020
Read Mark 1:35-39 and Psalm 63
Theme Verse: "O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you." (Psalm 63:1)
I'm sitting in my office on Sunday morning and it feels strange. By this time on a normal Sunday, there are usually several people bustling about, getting ready for worship or preparing their Sunday school classrooms. By this time, I have already greeted a dozen people or so, and gotten updates about health concerns and family situations. By this time, someone has stopped by my office to pray with me before I head to the sacristy and put on my robe and microphone. By this time, most of the 100-120 people who gather regularly for worship are already here. But today, the church is silent. I am alone. And it feels strange.
But I've learned over the years that there is great value to be found in spending time alone with God. Several years ago, I was asked to preach for a special anniversary service at one of my former churches. The anniversary was scheduled for the Sunday after Easter. I had been so busy during Lent, that I hadn't had much time to work on the anniversary sermon. So as the day approached, I was starting to panic a little. Lisa suggested that I ask my brother if I could use his cabin in northern Wisconsin for a few days, so that I could focus and write. So that's what I did.
The Monday after Easter I headed north. I arrived at the cabin after dark. There was no TV and no internet. The "smart" phone had not been invented yet. I had a small radio, but I rarely turned it on while I was there. There were no neighbors for miles around. I was all alone with my books and my thoughts and my Lord. I spent those days studying, and writing, and enjoying nature, and communing with God. When I returned home, I was rested and refreshed. And the sermon was finished!
It's so important to find time in our lives to be alone with God. Maybe one of the good things that will come out of this time of "sheltering in place" will be that we will all have a chance to slow down and take a break from the craziness of our everyday lives. Maybe we will have more time to spend with people that we love. And maybe we will have more time to spend with God.
I hope that you are taking some time, every day, to read from the Bible, to read a devotion, and to pray. If you have family members in your home, I hope that you will do this together. But I hope that you will also take some time to be alone with God. Listen to what he is saying. And let me emphasize this again: During your alone time, read from the Bible. The Bible is the primary way that God speaks to us. When I was at the cabin in Wisconsin, I enjoyed communing with God in nature. But the real insights that came to me, the real direction that I felt from God came when I was in his Word.
So spend some time alone with God. Be in the Word. And be filled with the Holy Spirit. And when you have done that, I then encourage you to go to our church website at flcprinceton.org and listen to today's sermon. Next Sunday we will expand the video to make it more like a worship service. I hope that you will grow closer to your Lord during this time and that you will continue to connect with your First Lutheran. God's blessings to you on this Sunday morning. Amen and Amen.
Here is the hymn that came to my mind as I was writing this devotion. Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/Xn4dIPkBepk
The Pandemic Pulpit - Day 5 (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields) 3/21
Read 1 John 4:7-12 and Psalm 23
Theme Verse: "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:11)
This morning, I received an email from Pastor Derek Boggs, of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Princeton. He had been contacted by the Princeton Police Chief, Tom Kammerer, who was asking for some help from the local churches. Chief Kammerer is concerned that there are some people who are sheltering in place, who cannot go out and get the groceries and medicines that they need. So he was wondering if the churches could put together a list of people who might be willing to pick up things for these folks and deliver them to their homes. Protocols would be worked out so that there would be no direct physical contact that would put anyone at risk. If you are willing to volunteer for this, you would need to be age 64 or younger and in good health. You can send me an email at pastorbill.flc@gmail.com with your name, your phone number, and your email address. I will compile the names that I receive and send them to Pastor Boggs. We don't know how big the need is going to be, so I can't tell you how often you will be called, or if you would even be called at all. But the list will be a resource if the need becomes great.
This request got me thinking about the ways that we could show God's love to others during this difficult time for our community and our world. Psalm 23 describes the blessings that we receive from God every day. The earth that God created provides us with the food and water that we all need (And thank God for the farmers who work the ground and raise the livestock to bring that food to our tables!). David says it this way, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul." (Psalm 23:1-2) God is also with us in all the difficult times of our lives. David says, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me." (v. 4) And God promises that when our time on earth is finished, he will welcome us into Heaven. David says, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (v. 6)
How should we respond to such amazing love from our God? The Apostle John says that we should respond by loving other people. He says, "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:11) First of all, that love begins at home. Love the people who are closest to you, even if they are getting on your nerves a little bit right now! These are stressful times. Be careful not to take out your frustrations on the members of your family. Be gracious, and cheerful, and hopeful. Put a smile on your face when you wake up in the morning and brighten up your home. Do things for others that will lift their spirits. Then, look outside of your home. Maybe you can't help with food and medicine deliveries. But there are many other things that you can do. Maybe you can call a neighbor and ask how they are doing. Maybe you can offer to pray for them. If you are a young, healthy person, maybe you can offer to do some yard work for an elderly neighbor. Maybe you are really good with computers and you can help someone learn to navigate the internet. Be creative! Find ways to show God's love to others during this time of social distancing and sheltering in place. May God bless you as you seek to love others in his name during these tense and uncertain weeks and months to come!
One more note: We will continue to post my sermons on our church website during the time that the church is shut down. Two awesome church members (Glenn Allen and Tracy Brenneman) came to the church today and recorded my sermon for tomorrow (March 22) in an empty sanctuary! It will be posted on the website soon. Just go to flcprinceton.org and click on the sermons button. You should see both an audio file that you can click on and a Youtube button that will take you to the video. You will also find these daily devotions on the site as well as other news and information. Check it out! And may God bless you as you bless others in his name. Amen and Amen.
Here's a hymn that came to mind as I was writing this devotion. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQe8slFjX-o
Read 1 John 4:7-12 and Psalm 23
Theme Verse: "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:11)
This morning, I received an email from Pastor Derek Boggs, of the Evangelical Covenant Church in Princeton. He had been contacted by the Princeton Police Chief, Tom Kammerer, who was asking for some help from the local churches. Chief Kammerer is concerned that there are some people who are sheltering in place, who cannot go out and get the groceries and medicines that they need. So he was wondering if the churches could put together a list of people who might be willing to pick up things for these folks and deliver them to their homes. Protocols would be worked out so that there would be no direct physical contact that would put anyone at risk. If you are willing to volunteer for this, you would need to be age 64 or younger and in good health. You can send me an email at pastorbill.flc@gmail.com with your name, your phone number, and your email address. I will compile the names that I receive and send them to Pastor Boggs. We don't know how big the need is going to be, so I can't tell you how often you will be called, or if you would even be called at all. But the list will be a resource if the need becomes great.
This request got me thinking about the ways that we could show God's love to others during this difficult time for our community and our world. Psalm 23 describes the blessings that we receive from God every day. The earth that God created provides us with the food and water that we all need (And thank God for the farmers who work the ground and raise the livestock to bring that food to our tables!). David says it this way, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul." (Psalm 23:1-2) God is also with us in all the difficult times of our lives. David says, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me." (v. 4) And God promises that when our time on earth is finished, he will welcome us into Heaven. David says, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (v. 6)
How should we respond to such amazing love from our God? The Apostle John says that we should respond by loving other people. He says, "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:11) First of all, that love begins at home. Love the people who are closest to you, even if they are getting on your nerves a little bit right now! These are stressful times. Be careful not to take out your frustrations on the members of your family. Be gracious, and cheerful, and hopeful. Put a smile on your face when you wake up in the morning and brighten up your home. Do things for others that will lift their spirits. Then, look outside of your home. Maybe you can't help with food and medicine deliveries. But there are many other things that you can do. Maybe you can call a neighbor and ask how they are doing. Maybe you can offer to pray for them. If you are a young, healthy person, maybe you can offer to do some yard work for an elderly neighbor. Maybe you are really good with computers and you can help someone learn to navigate the internet. Be creative! Find ways to show God's love to others during this time of social distancing and sheltering in place. May God bless you as you seek to love others in his name during these tense and uncertain weeks and months to come!
One more note: We will continue to post my sermons on our church website during the time that the church is shut down. Two awesome church members (Glenn Allen and Tracy Brenneman) came to the church today and recorded my sermon for tomorrow (March 22) in an empty sanctuary! It will be posted on the website soon. Just go to flcprinceton.org and click on the sermons button. You should see both an audio file that you can click on and a Youtube button that will take you to the video. You will also find these daily devotions on the site as well as other news and information. Check it out! And may God bless you as you bless others in his name. Amen and Amen.
Here's a hymn that came to mind as I was writing this devotion. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQe8slFjX-o
The Pandemic Pulpit - Day 4 (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields) 3/20
Read Mark 10:13-16 and Proverbs 3:1-12
Theme Verse: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)
Many years ago, when our children were young, we took a family trip to the Milwaukee County Zoo. At one point during the day, we were walking from one part of the zoo to another. We were on a wide asphalt walkway that had a little stone wall along the side. The wall was about a foot wide and maybe a foot and a half off the ground. So our son Nathan, who was about three years old at the time, climbed up on the wall and started walking on it, keeping pace with us.
As we walked along, we came to a place where the pathway started to go down, in order to go under a bridge for the little train that traveled around the park. But as the walkway went down, the wall continued to go straight. So with every step that Nathan took, he was getting further and further from the ground level. By the time I noticed what was happening, his feet were about at the level of my head, and I was suddenly worried that he was going to fall and hurt himself.
So I said to him, "Nathan, you need to come down from the wall." Now, I thought that he would turn around and go back along the wall, to a point where he could easily step down. But I was wrong! Instead, he said, "Okay, Daddy." And then he launched himself into the air in my direction! He completely surprised me! But I was able to react in time to catch him before he hit the ground. I put him down and he took off, running and laughing. He had complete trust in me because I was his Dad.
Now, of course, as we live our lives, God does not want us to be as reckless as a three year old. He has given us mature, adult brains so that we can make mature, adult decisions about our safety and welfare. But when we have done all that we can do with the gifts and abilities that he has given us, he then wants us to leave the rest to him. He wants us to trust him as a little child trusts a loving parent.
There is a great little scene in the gospel of Mark, where people are bringing children to Jesus, so that he can hold them in his arms and bless them. The disciples of Jesus get annoyed and start scolding the parents. I can almost hear them shouting, "Get those little kids out of here! They're bothering Jesus!" But when Jesus saw what was going on, he got upset with the disciples. He said, "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God." (Mark 10:14) And then he added this very important and powerful word: He said, "Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." (v.15)
What Jesus was saying to the disciples, and to us, is that the most important aspect of our relationship with God is trust. When a child believes that a parent, or some other adult, loves them and cares about them, then that child will put his or her complete trust in that person. (Of course, sinful adults sometimes take advantage of that trust. But that's a lesson for another time.) What Jesus is saying here is that our Father in heaven loves us and cares about us very much, more than we can imagine. He has a plan for each and every one of us. And he wants us to trust in that plan. He wants us to trust in him.
That's a hard thing to do when the world around us is in turmoil. It's even harder when that turmoil directly touches us or our loved ones. But no matter what happens to us in this world, we need to trust that God is in control. He will be with us right now, in this brief physical life on earth. And he will be with us on the day when we open our eyes to the joy and blessing of eternal life in heaven. So learn to live by the words of Proverbs 3:5 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." Amen and Amen.
Here is another one of my favorite hymns. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I do.
https://youtu.be/s3-C4jp7BNw
Read Mark 10:13-16 and Proverbs 3:1-12
Theme Verse: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)
Many years ago, when our children were young, we took a family trip to the Milwaukee County Zoo. At one point during the day, we were walking from one part of the zoo to another. We were on a wide asphalt walkway that had a little stone wall along the side. The wall was about a foot wide and maybe a foot and a half off the ground. So our son Nathan, who was about three years old at the time, climbed up on the wall and started walking on it, keeping pace with us.
As we walked along, we came to a place where the pathway started to go down, in order to go under a bridge for the little train that traveled around the park. But as the walkway went down, the wall continued to go straight. So with every step that Nathan took, he was getting further and further from the ground level. By the time I noticed what was happening, his feet were about at the level of my head, and I was suddenly worried that he was going to fall and hurt himself.
So I said to him, "Nathan, you need to come down from the wall." Now, I thought that he would turn around and go back along the wall, to a point where he could easily step down. But I was wrong! Instead, he said, "Okay, Daddy." And then he launched himself into the air in my direction! He completely surprised me! But I was able to react in time to catch him before he hit the ground. I put him down and he took off, running and laughing. He had complete trust in me because I was his Dad.
Now, of course, as we live our lives, God does not want us to be as reckless as a three year old. He has given us mature, adult brains so that we can make mature, adult decisions about our safety and welfare. But when we have done all that we can do with the gifts and abilities that he has given us, he then wants us to leave the rest to him. He wants us to trust him as a little child trusts a loving parent.
There is a great little scene in the gospel of Mark, where people are bringing children to Jesus, so that he can hold them in his arms and bless them. The disciples of Jesus get annoyed and start scolding the parents. I can almost hear them shouting, "Get those little kids out of here! They're bothering Jesus!" But when Jesus saw what was going on, he got upset with the disciples. He said, "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God." (Mark 10:14) And then he added this very important and powerful word: He said, "Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." (v.15)
What Jesus was saying to the disciples, and to us, is that the most important aspect of our relationship with God is trust. When a child believes that a parent, or some other adult, loves them and cares about them, then that child will put his or her complete trust in that person. (Of course, sinful adults sometimes take advantage of that trust. But that's a lesson for another time.) What Jesus is saying here is that our Father in heaven loves us and cares about us very much, more than we can imagine. He has a plan for each and every one of us. And he wants us to trust in that plan. He wants us to trust in him.
That's a hard thing to do when the world around us is in turmoil. It's even harder when that turmoil directly touches us or our loved ones. But no matter what happens to us in this world, we need to trust that God is in control. He will be with us right now, in this brief physical life on earth. And he will be with us on the day when we open our eyes to the joy and blessing of eternal life in heaven. So learn to live by the words of Proverbs 3:5 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." Amen and Amen.
Here is another one of my favorite hymns. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I do.
https://youtu.be/s3-C4jp7BNw
The Pandemic Pulpit - Day 3 (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields) 3/19
Read Matthew 10:29-31 and Psalm 8
Theme Verse: "What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? (Psalm 8:4)
Today is the first day of spring! At 10:49 p.m., Central Daylight Time, the spring equinox, also known as the vernal equinox, will take place. At that moment, the earth will be perfectly aligned with the sun. It will not be tilting toward the sun or away from it. And all points on the earth will experience twelve hours of day and twelve hours of night.
Now you might be thinking to yourself, "Wait, I don't remember the first day of spring ever coming on March 19th." And you would be right. It hasn't happened since 1896, long before any of us were born. There is a complicated reason for that. It has to do with how closely our calendar matches up to the actual time that it takes the earth to revolve around the sun. We can put together any kind of calendar that we want. But if it doesn't match up with what the earth and the sun are actually doing, then it's not really worth anything. In other words, we are not in control of the universe. God is in control. As David says in his psalm, "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! YOU have set your glory above the heavens." (Psalm 8:1)
But here is the most amazing fact in the entire universe. The God who created all things and holds them all together is the same God who loves us all very much. This was a mind-blowing thought for David. In his psalm he says, "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" (Psalm 8:3-4) David could not understand how such an amazing, all-powerful God could care for a bunch of tiny, mortal creatures, living on a puny, little planet, floating in a vast, dark universe. How can God love us so much? I have to confess that I don't know. I'm just glad that he does.
In the Gospels, Jesus tells us that God loves all of his creation. He even loves the sparrow that falls to the ground. But he loves us most of all. In Matthew 10, Jesus says to his disciples, and to us, "Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." (Matthew 10:31) So every day, when you wake up, let this be your first thought: "The God who created the whole universe loves me!" Then go out and face the day, whatever it may bring. And even though it's raining outside right now, have a great first day of spring! Amen and Amen.
Read Matthew 10:29-31 and Psalm 8
Theme Verse: "What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? (Psalm 8:4)
Today is the first day of spring! At 10:49 p.m., Central Daylight Time, the spring equinox, also known as the vernal equinox, will take place. At that moment, the earth will be perfectly aligned with the sun. It will not be tilting toward the sun or away from it. And all points on the earth will experience twelve hours of day and twelve hours of night.
Now you might be thinking to yourself, "Wait, I don't remember the first day of spring ever coming on March 19th." And you would be right. It hasn't happened since 1896, long before any of us were born. There is a complicated reason for that. It has to do with how closely our calendar matches up to the actual time that it takes the earth to revolve around the sun. We can put together any kind of calendar that we want. But if it doesn't match up with what the earth and the sun are actually doing, then it's not really worth anything. In other words, we are not in control of the universe. God is in control. As David says in his psalm, "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! YOU have set your glory above the heavens." (Psalm 8:1)
But here is the most amazing fact in the entire universe. The God who created all things and holds them all together is the same God who loves us all very much. This was a mind-blowing thought for David. In his psalm he says, "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" (Psalm 8:3-4) David could not understand how such an amazing, all-powerful God could care for a bunch of tiny, mortal creatures, living on a puny, little planet, floating in a vast, dark universe. How can God love us so much? I have to confess that I don't know. I'm just glad that he does.
In the Gospels, Jesus tells us that God loves all of his creation. He even loves the sparrow that falls to the ground. But he loves us most of all. In Matthew 10, Jesus says to his disciples, and to us, "Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." (Matthew 10:31) So every day, when you wake up, let this be your first thought: "The God who created the whole universe loves me!" Then go out and face the day, whatever it may bring. And even though it's raining outside right now, have a great first day of spring! Amen and Amen.
The Pandemic Pulpit - Day 2 (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields) 3/18
Read Joshua 1:1-9 and Psalm 121
Theme Verse: "Be Strong And Courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)
When I was about five or six years old, I used to have a recurring nightmare. I remember it because it was so vivid. In the dream, my parents were gone somewhere and my brothers and I were in the house alone. I would look out of the front picture window and see a huge tornado coming toward our house. My brothers and I would run to the basement door, but we couldn't open it. The tornado kept coming closer. And then I would wake up. In the darkness of my room I would remember where I was. I would hear my Dad snoring from my parents' room at the end of the hall. And I would feel safe, and I would calm down, and I would go back to sleep. There was no need to fear, because my father was near.
That was the message that God gave to Joshua as he was about to lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land. Moses had just died. Joshua was now the man in charge. And he was afraid. How do I know that he was afraid? Because the Lord says to him three times, "Be strong and courageous." (Joshua 1:6, 7, & 9). And why should Joshua put aside his fear and be courageous? Because "the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
Yesterday, I talked about the need to take necessary precautions to help slow the spread of the coronavirus (also known as COVID-19). I also talked about the need to honor the requests of our leaders in government and medicine, when they are working for the common good. But even as we take those steps and honor those requests, we don't do it from a place of fear. As Christians, we believe that God is with us wherever we go. God will be with us as we endure "social distancing." God will be with us we deal with the economic impact of the virus. God will be with us if we get the virus and become sick. And for those who are vulnerable, who will lose their lives to this virus, God will be with them as well. He will be with them until the moment that they take their last breath in this world. And then he will be with them as he welcomes them into the glory and joy of Heaven.
So we will do our best to keep ourselves, our family members, our friends, and our neighbors from getting sick. We want our loved ones to be with us as long as possible. But we will continue to live our lives with courage and faith. And we will sleep well at night, because our Father is with us. We can hear him all around us. Amen and Amen.
Read Joshua 1:1-9 and Psalm 121
Theme Verse: "Be Strong And Courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)
When I was about five or six years old, I used to have a recurring nightmare. I remember it because it was so vivid. In the dream, my parents were gone somewhere and my brothers and I were in the house alone. I would look out of the front picture window and see a huge tornado coming toward our house. My brothers and I would run to the basement door, but we couldn't open it. The tornado kept coming closer. And then I would wake up. In the darkness of my room I would remember where I was. I would hear my Dad snoring from my parents' room at the end of the hall. And I would feel safe, and I would calm down, and I would go back to sleep. There was no need to fear, because my father was near.
That was the message that God gave to Joshua as he was about to lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land. Moses had just died. Joshua was now the man in charge. And he was afraid. How do I know that he was afraid? Because the Lord says to him three times, "Be strong and courageous." (Joshua 1:6, 7, & 9). And why should Joshua put aside his fear and be courageous? Because "the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
Yesterday, I talked about the need to take necessary precautions to help slow the spread of the coronavirus (also known as COVID-19). I also talked about the need to honor the requests of our leaders in government and medicine, when they are working for the common good. But even as we take those steps and honor those requests, we don't do it from a place of fear. As Christians, we believe that God is with us wherever we go. God will be with us as we endure "social distancing." God will be with us we deal with the economic impact of the virus. God will be with us if we get the virus and become sick. And for those who are vulnerable, who will lose their lives to this virus, God will be with them as well. He will be with them until the moment that they take their last breath in this world. And then he will be with them as he welcomes them into the glory and joy of Heaven.
So we will do our best to keep ourselves, our family members, our friends, and our neighbors from getting sick. We want our loved ones to be with us as long as possible. But we will continue to live our lives with courage and faith. And we will sleep well at night, because our Father is with us. We can hear him all around us. Amen and Amen.
The Pandemic Pulpit - Day 1 (A Daily Devotion from Pastor Shields) 3/17
Read Matthew 4:5-7 and Romans 13:1-14
Theme Verses: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." (Romans 13:15b-16).
It was a really hard decision to shut down worship and activities for the next couple of weeks. In my 33 years of ministry, I have only canceled services one time. That was when we had 20 inches of snow on a Saturday night! But this is something very different. There were two reasons why I suggested to our church leaders that we should shut down for awhile.
The first reason was the result of a conversation that I had with one of our members after worship this past Sunday. This person is a beloved member of our church, who is in one of the categories that the CDC says is particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. Later, I was thinking that, if we continue to meet for worship, this person will probably continue to attend. And it would break my heart if they were to get seriously ill or even pass away because they caught the virus in one of our worship services or activities. Not only that, but younger, healthier people could also get the virus and then transfer it to their loved ones who are most vulnerable. I know that Jesus wants us to live by faith, but he does not want us to be reckless because of our faith. When Satan was tempting Jesus, he took him to the pinnacle of the Temple and told him to throw himself off. He said that the Father would surely protect him so that he would not "strike [his] foot against a stone." But Jesus responded, "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test." (Matthew 4:7) We should have faith during this pandemic, but we should not recklessly put people in harm's way and then ask God to protect them.
The second reason that I thought we should suspend church activities is because of the urgent pleas from President Trump, leaders of both political parties, and the doctors of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). In last Wednesday's sermon, based on Romans 13, I talked about what it means to live out God's grace in society. One thing that Paul calls us to do in that chapter is to be good citizens, obeying those who are in authority, when they are working for the common good. I believe that this is one of those times. We may not like a lot of the things that our government does, but in this case, I believe that they are acting in our best interest. They are asking us to avoid all gatherings of ten people or more so that we can slow down the spread of the virus. As a Christian, I value my individual rights. But I am also willing to sacrifice those rights, for a short time, for the public good. Paul says, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." (Romans 13:15b-16).
The bottom line is this: I love you all too much to risk one of you getting seriously ill because we decided to continue having worship and activities. I think that we should follow the advice of our leaders in government and health care and shut down for a time. Hopefully, we can slow down the spread of this virus and get back to regular activities soon. I have my sights set on Palm Sunday (April 5th) as a day of great celebration as we come back to worship our Lord together! God's blessings to all of you. Amen and Amen.
Read Matthew 4:5-7 and Romans 13:1-14
Theme Verses: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." (Romans 13:15b-16).
It was a really hard decision to shut down worship and activities for the next couple of weeks. In my 33 years of ministry, I have only canceled services one time. That was when we had 20 inches of snow on a Saturday night! But this is something very different. There were two reasons why I suggested to our church leaders that we should shut down for awhile.
The first reason was the result of a conversation that I had with one of our members after worship this past Sunday. This person is a beloved member of our church, who is in one of the categories that the CDC says is particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. Later, I was thinking that, if we continue to meet for worship, this person will probably continue to attend. And it would break my heart if they were to get seriously ill or even pass away because they caught the virus in one of our worship services or activities. Not only that, but younger, healthier people could also get the virus and then transfer it to their loved ones who are most vulnerable. I know that Jesus wants us to live by faith, but he does not want us to be reckless because of our faith. When Satan was tempting Jesus, he took him to the pinnacle of the Temple and told him to throw himself off. He said that the Father would surely protect him so that he would not "strike [his] foot against a stone." But Jesus responded, "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test." (Matthew 4:7) We should have faith during this pandemic, but we should not recklessly put people in harm's way and then ask God to protect them.
The second reason that I thought we should suspend church activities is because of the urgent pleas from President Trump, leaders of both political parties, and the doctors of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). In last Wednesday's sermon, based on Romans 13, I talked about what it means to live out God's grace in society. One thing that Paul calls us to do in that chapter is to be good citizens, obeying those who are in authority, when they are working for the common good. I believe that this is one of those times. We may not like a lot of the things that our government does, but in this case, I believe that they are acting in our best interest. They are asking us to avoid all gatherings of ten people or more so that we can slow down the spread of the virus. As a Christian, I value my individual rights. But I am also willing to sacrifice those rights, for a short time, for the public good. Paul says, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." (Romans 13:15b-16).
The bottom line is this: I love you all too much to risk one of you getting seriously ill because we decided to continue having worship and activities. I think that we should follow the advice of our leaders in government and health care and shut down for a time. Hopefully, we can slow down the spread of this virus and get back to regular activities soon. I have my sights set on Palm Sunday (April 5th) as a day of great celebration as we come back to worship our Lord together! God's blessings to all of you. Amen and Amen.