Wasteland

WASTELAND discouraged pastors without answers copyright Doug Blair, Waterloo ON 2016

Wasteland

I sit in this study Seems like a wasteland Sunday services are plastic Wife now has a pressing job And kids always at the Mall (Court appearance for Tim Next Tuesday) Some model family now.

And I’m tired of yawning faces Plugged ears And parrot-like behavior in the flock.

The Board recoils at it all With no real vision.

The job is at stake And frankly I hardly care.

But this morning With first robin outside my window I arose and read About David at Ziklag.

I felt every verse.

And the shame that somehow I could not “Encourage myself in the Lord.”

Or take off again into the fight Recovering family and friends From the Enemy Camp.

And a voice said “That’s just it Chuck.

You cannot.

And for years all your strategies Have led you farther from my power My program My pace.

And so, sit back Child, Broken and breathless Cry and pray a bit like a baby.

And watch Me do the work Of rescue and rebuild.

And you Child Just point your nose into tomorrow And keep listening.

OK?”

3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.

4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

5 And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. (1 Samuel 30)

Ziklag

Pursuing Amalekites With the image of their Scorched village Still fresh in their minds.

And angry, so angry With the leader Who had bade them depart from Ziklag.

Families left vulnerable.

Forgotten the times Of his mastery, His music, His memories of Meadow, stream and flock.

Of how he gathered them, Some distressed, some in debt Some discontented.

The trail and the camp Had knit them.

He ever offering Counsel and courage,

Just leadership, Command with example.

Stores never failed.

Their shield and portion.

Receiving their rebuke, He withdrew silently.

Alone with the God of his sheepfold.

Gentle music perhaps.

Refreshment arrives.

Hope against hope Glowing in his face.

There is nothing But to follow him.

(Though murder had been In their hearts.)

He also sorely misses Wives and loved ones.

"There might yet be victory.

Let us be up and active."

Little Flock

(Taken from the exposition of Luke 12:29-34 by G. Campbell Morgan) "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.�

Observe an interesting and vital connection here. Seek ye the Kingdom. It is your Father's pleasure to give you the Kingdom. He will give US what we seek. He will give us all the benefits of the Kingdom, if the passion of our heart is that of seeking it; that Kingdom which His wisdom governs, His power sustains, His love encompasses.

What a comprehensive and revealing word of Jesus this is; "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.�

Supposing, for the sake of argument, a purely and merely literary critic came across that sentence in some new brochure, I can imagine such a critic saying, The person who wrote this, or said this, broke down in his figures of speech. He begins, "Fear not, little flock."

That is the figure of the shepherd and his sheep. Then He said, "It is your Father's good pleasure.�

There He has forgotten the shepherd and his flock, and has taken the figure of a father and family. And yet again, "your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom."

Now He has once more changed His figure to that of a Kingdom and a King.

As a matter of fact, if the metaphors merge, they do not mix. They constitute a perfect portrayal of the whole fact of the Kingdom of God. The whole statement is Eastern, and we know that in Eastern lands, the head of the tribe is at once the shepherd of the flock, the father of the family, and the king of the kingdom. Here God is seen in the threefold relationship.

Fear not, little flock, the Lord is your Shepherd, you shall not want. It is your Father's good pleasure to give; Like as a Father pitieth His children. To give you the Kingdom; "The Lord reigneth." Our Lord was pledging God as Shepherd, Father, and King, to us, and to that which we seek in personal life and service.

"Fear not, little flock; it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom."

Then followed that word that has application for those to whom it comes with power.

"Sell that which ye have, and give alms; make for yourselves purses which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief draweth near, neither moth destroyeth.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.�

Note: I am taking to heart my own harping on "Gospel focus, Gospel focus, Jesus focus". I am studying again Luke's gospel, my favourite. Turning again to Campbell Morgan whose works on all four gospels years ago proved helpful to me. Nothing is more advantageous to the Christian than pouring over the four accounts of the Evangelists. As the Apostle Paul said, "That I may know him...".

Know, intimately know, this friend who sticks closer than a brother, this forerunner, this shepherd, this master-teacher, this rescuer, that you may become steeped in the graces of Christ, that you may absorb His life force, that you may have His treasury to share with others and His strength and example to stand when the trials come. At such times no lifestyle lecture from the pulpit will suffice. Again I suggest, less sermonizing, more Gospel.

The Bell- Weather

A young sheep has proved itself dangerously rebellious and independent. Continuously it goes into hazardous places, eating inappropriate foods, spurning the fellowship of the flock.

Soon the Shepherd will apply the old remedy. He takes the sheep and swiftly breaks one of its delicate legs. The sheep is stunned by this uncharacteristic behaviour. With low and soothing words and sounds the Shepherd sets the fracture and holds the patient effortlessly in his strong and capable arms, speaking affectionately to it.

In the days to follow, as the flock travels to one and another grazing place or refreshing stream, the Shepherd carries his charge on his shoulders and close to his heart. They are in constant communication. The little sheep observes his Master's vigilance and service for the flock; his patience with the faltering; his resilience in changing weather; his sparing use of harsh words; his laughter at the gamboling antics of the little ones; his patient application of oil and herbal mixtures to alleviate a malady or the constant irritation of summer's insects; his physical stamina; his predisposition to song or the wise old village adages. The sheep has

come to realize that the beating heart beneath his mending frame is a heart of love.

The day arrives when the broken leg is healed. The Shepherd then applies a small bell around the sheep's neck. The sheep takes this as a special gift from his leader-healer-friend.

Henceforth the "bell-weather" chooses to remain close to the Shepherd. Other sheep note the peculiar comfort and intimacy of their relationship. They fall in beside the ringing one. To be close to that sound is to be close to the safety, provision and growing delight of the Good Shepherd.

Isaiah 40: 10Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

11He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

Ready for the Call

He calls you When there's nothing left but pleading.

When the grim resolve you birthed Has come and gone.

When the stumbling past Re-visits with a vengeance.

And the face betrays The force to carry on.

He sees you When the days seem all so common.

When the evening prayer is lost

To clouded sleep.

When the Book of Life Is shut to new discovery, And the first-love fire Impossible to keep.

He knows you As the shepherd knows his lambkin.

And your stumblings and wanderings In the climb.

But He promised through The season to sustain you, And His caring shoulders Bore you many a time.

Christ loves you And this truth proves all-sufficient.

And will clear the mists of doubt And dull despair.

And will steel you for New purpose in His timing, With the force and fire To work His wonders there.

Mission Song

Strange it seems And back with every morning The song, the plumes Like none I've ever seen It takes my breath Blue flashing from the jungle And shines with joy Like something from a dream.

Though days seem long And men out to the forest To harvest teak for ships so far away And women cook And tend their little babies While I a wandering pup Face one more pointless day.

That bird comes back With all its eastern mystery And says to me: “I spend most days alone But you affirm and seek me In the morning Just as you wish They'd come and seek God's throne.

I have been placed here With exquisite purpose And so have you Dear preacher, doctor Friend So shine and sing And brighten up this forest And realize Christ works you To His brilliant end.

Back to the Well

Much has been said And hearts have been edified Often you sent me A season's good word People were hungry To raise their horizons Looking for life power And thus saith the Lord.

How I would thrill

As you took up the keyboard Filling the blanks In this newsboy's rough start.

I the chief student Transcribing dictation Probing the depths As you offered your heart.

Now I am thirsty Your Word at a distance Busy with business Little of worth Come to me Father And re-light the candle Moisten these lips To establish True North.

It will take time That to some appears idle Time for the trimming And time for the food Desperate am I For the soul's re-creation Come to me Jesus The message renewed. ( the prayer of many a tired, pre-occupied preacher)

Church Woman, Saint in Progress

I don't know much theology The Rector is my source And he is oh so studied And helps me keep on course.

The Morning Prayer refreshing And oft' the bread and wine And words rehearsed a lifetime To tend a soul like mine.

I sew and wash bazaar goods And visit frail shut-ins And gather toys and children's books To counter-act my sins.

And Yule and Paschal colours Adorn our church quite well For seasons festive, Christ-filled From age to age to tell.

But much is still a mystery The saving part, I mean The bloody rites, and Paul's insights Somehow cleaner than clean?

And scripture makes me tremble I hardly pick it up Once suffered, Confirmation I'm trusting in the Cup. It's spiritual they tell me God's ways above all ours But we can make it pleasant With brilliant cards and flowers.

So hopeful that I tally The sum of pardon's price But please, someone explain to me This “finished work� of Christ?

(Hebrews chapters 9 and 10)

Suffering Bishop

He tangoed with the world And they loved him from the pulpit Spoke the layman's tongue Pacing oft their aisles close by Used to love the Greek And its marvelous precision Used to woo his pipe As the smoke rose to the sky Had a faithful wife Who would laugh and thus relieve him Had a humble start In some store-front dens of prayer Rose in rank ascribing

To Church calendar's dictation Still the people's hearts Were his major love and care.

“Bishop” soon they called him But heart still in the sheepfold Bleatings much preferred To the policies of men.

Bibles less and less Made the fount of life's solution Could they ever child-like Hush ...and come to Christ again?

Soon things got still sillier Changing holy writ and gender Talking oft in circles Of the marriage rite defiled Making life an option In the unborn pure and tender Seeing not their Master As He praised and hugged each child.

Then the word “retirement” And the accolades and speeches Happy pictures taken And posted quick to Net Looking back a landscape With muddy trench and crater Baffled how the Son of God Would have the victory yet.

Daubers Beware

You're hearing your spirits No inkling of mine Your comfortable pillows Your surfeit of wine You utter a burden But it is a fraud Your people are careless And far from their God. The peace that you utter Is no peace at all.

You flee from sound doctrine You're ready to fall The walls that you're trusting

As Zion's defense Are crumbling and white-washed With putrid pretense.

And folk rush to hear you The touted “now� word But you are clear bankrupt Your message absurd.

And I will soon visit And pull down your wall And leave you defenseless With no strength at all.

The evil then follows And rolls 'cross your land And you'll miss my favour Once closely at hand.

Oh had you just waited My counsel to hear You would have stood valiant With nothing to fear.

Spilling It from the Pulpit

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord. There will be no sermon this morning. I have a confession to make, and I am blocked in serving as Christ’s ambassador until I have done with it.

You may have noticed a lot of topical teaching in series recently from this pulpit. I have not had to labour in the preparation of any of them. They were old messages of mine on file. They were messages basically borrowed from another ministry. They were re-phrased magazine articles from any one of a number of televangelists. I have even asked friends in the ministry to lend me a few.

I thought in this way that I could keep up with the pace around here. So many programs, and Pastor is expected to be at every one, all smiles and enthusiasm. Providing the official endorsement on a number of activities of dubious edifying value. Friends we have gone down the road of trendiness and populism. We have all copied what we have seen and admired elsewhere. With a heavy heart I confess that I introduced such a spirit into this house.

I am not smiling. I am not enthusiastic. I am dry and ashamed. I ask your forgiveness. I stand here before you and the Lord asking for prayer, forgiveness and support.

You know, in the early days every sermon was an adventure, a plea for Christ Jesus to open the floodgates of hope, truth and clarification. No one learned more from the process than I did. No one. Sometimes the delivery might have been clumsy; the topic might have seemed curious. But it was all delivered under the urging and control of the Holy Spirit. I knew that. I

was excited as He used me. I saw eyes in the pews sparkle with discovery, and any question that you might have offered thereafter was received with love and spurred on further prayer and research.

Oh to be growing in Grace again. Oh to approach the pages of Scripture as newfound treasure.

Oh to deliver my message as Paul did…in sincerity and truth. “Sincerity and truth”; those words cut me now.

You are going to witness a change soon, or I will be done with the ministry. Remember how in Acts chapter six the apostles were released unto prayer, visitation and the preaching of the Word. Deacons stepped forward to handle administration, finance and community concerns.

This must happen again in this Body. Soon. Men, where have you gone? Get back here!

There must be no scent of the gymnasium, the concert hall, the theatre, the restaurant or the lecture hall about this place. It is a place of gathering in the Name and Spirit of Jesus, to hear His message and to accomplish His works; to heal, forgive, develop and reproduce in the Family.

Remember how Jesus scourged the Temple in His Passion Week. Yes, He did have a temper.

He was not beyond harsh words. “You have made my House a den of thieves”.

Those are words that I have heard recently. I must apologize. I must change. I must go back to the Cross. Hopefully you will be there with me.

Sober Second Thoughts

How many can identify with this observation?

In the early days of the Christian walk, I was greatly interested in the impressions derived from Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians. God's kind of wisdom. The indwelling Holy Ghost.

Marriage and divorce. Warnings against unbelief. The right approach to the sacrament of Communion. The spiritual gifts of discernment, of utterance, of miraculous power and healing. The best kind of love. The mystery of bodily resurrection.

In later years I found myself turning more frequently to Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians. The benefit of trials. Godly compassion and help. The fullness of our second birth. Our call to be ambassadors of reconciliation for God. The challenge to remain unspotted from the world. The likelihood of reproach for Christ's name's sake. The constant need for godly repentance. The grace of giving. The right state of mind for spiritual warfare. The danger of self-confidence and the rich equipment brought by our trials. The realization that credentials of ministry are not man-made.

I like what Matthew Henry says on the First Chapter of that Second Letter: “We are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy,

and find grace to help in time of need. The Lord is able to give peace to the troubled conscience, and to calm the raging passions of the soul. These blessings are given by him, as the Father of his redeemed family. It is our Saviour who says, Let not your heart be troubled.

All comforts come from God, and our sweetest comforts are in him. He speaks peace to souls by granting the free remission of sins; and he comforts them by the enlivening influences of the Holy Spirit, and by the rich mercies of his grace. He is able to bind up the broken-hearted, to heal the most painful wounds, and also to give hope and joy under the heaviest sorrows.

The favours God bestows on us, are not only to make us cheerful, but also that we may be useful to others. He sends comforts enough to support such as simply trust in and serve him.

If we should be brought so low as to despair even of life, yet we may then trust God, who can bring back even from death. Their hope and trust were not in vain; nor shall any be ashamed who trust in the Lord. Past experiences encourage faith and hope, and lay us under obligation to trust in God for time to come. And it is our duty, not only to help one another with prayer, but in praise and thanksgiving, and thereby to make suitable returns for benefits received.

Thus both trials and mercies will end in good to ourselves and others.�

(Taken from "Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible")

Afflicted No Longer

There must be a freeing of the mind and heart from the shackles of hopelessness. Hospitals are full of stories of remarkable reversals of illness simply because of the indomitable spirit of the patient. A pleasant word; a good confession; a smile; an ability always to laugh; an audacity even in the face of death.

I know of many well-intentioned Christians who will give by memory every promise of healing contained in the Bible, and there are many. But perhaps the candidate for healing does not yet have an assurance of Jesus' loving disposition toward him.

The ever victorious progression of thought and faith must be as follows. Jesus is proved history. As all-capable Son of God He came from Heaven, taught Heaven and its ethic, returned to Heaven and dwells there presently, working on the development of His Church in partnership with the Father and Spirit. He loves me and has shown me as much in undeniable ways. I thrill to read the account of His earth walk, selfless death and resurrection in the Gospels. I honestly regard Him as my best friend, and place my life and expectations in His hands. I trust Him more than I trust my own wants or understanding. He will bring about the best of all possible good either in me or through me. He has never done less with anyone who has reached out to Him.

This sort of abandon brings people to an experience of salvation. It comes as a consequence of the gift of repentance. It comes as the Lord draws the believer to Him. It is not manufactured by persuasion or resolve. The same applies to healing. A well-intentioned Christian worker might place the raw materials of truth, warning and promise before a candidate; offer to pray; continue to lift that individual up in the following weeks.

But God will be the One who closes the deal. The victorious recipient, the honest-to-goodness child of faith is the one who can say, as with Job, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him".

For such a one there remain no dark corridors to be traveled. The victory has come from within. The happy old Gospel song asserts, "The world didn't give it to me, and the world can't take it away".

Shine

On the Monday following Easter weekend, and upon Karl’s insistence, Ted went out for coffee and a talk. The old German parishioner had sensed that Ted was tired and a little discouraged.

Perhaps a lot discouraged.

“Zo da message yestaday had been goot, ant hit all da main points. But vat’s up Ted? You sheem down.”

Ted really trusted this old fellow. There had been prayer vigils and many house visitations together. He was tired. He felt that so often the people of the church just needed to be weaned off his supply. Did they spend their own time and quiet moments in the means of Grace?

Prayer. Scripture. Heartfelt discussion. And don’t forget simply waiting upon God for His input.

He felt that he would burst if he had to attend one more fellowship meal or social night.

Sometimes he would breeze by a broadcast of one of the American mega-churches on television. They had the numbers, the happy faces, the publishing and recording branches.

But you know it was largely ear-tickling and he knew it.

Forget the infatuation with the do’s and dont’s of Christian Living. Let’s just draw closer to Jesus and His Gospels, and receive as if by absorption, His life, love and sense of mission to lost, hurting ones. When might the River flow with Ted’s bunch? And where were the youth?

And where were the anxious new faces on any Sunday morning? And where the brokenness in the flock?

Ted really didn’t know where to begin, but he took a stab at it. …Forty-five minutes later Karl put his withered old carpenter’s hand on the Pastor’s on the coffee table.

“Zo, mein friend. Rezolve dat it ishn’t up to you. No, you are not anybotty’s canal horse here.

Ztay close to da Mashta. Shine. In da goot report tank God. In da bat report pray to God. Use da name ov Jesus mit joy and fear; often use it. Ant da people vill draw closer. Ant da people vill pick up da reins. Amen?”

Unite My Heart You must do it You must draw me To that place of perfect peace Where your truth Becomes my balance And your smile my heart’s release.

I am tired of Double motives And the soul pushed to and fro’ I would rather Listen to you For directions where to go.

And the past proved You are worthy To receive my utmost trust.

What a marvel!

Heaven stoops down, Daily shepherds wayward dust.

Other fears now Duly quieted By the one fear of your law And the comfort Of your keeping

Fills this settled heart with awe.

It Shall Accomplish and It Shall Prosper

Lord you have said I shall be the head And not the tail Great shall be the peace Of my children I shall be a well-watered tree Nothing shall wither I shall walk a highway of holiness Danger and evil shall flee.

The mind of Christ is mine And I am inseparable from His love.

But the years pass And the hurts come And the facts in my face Seem to laugh at the audacity Of your promises.

And I grow old With the aches and pains.

And my counsel is not Sought at the Gate.

Far from it.

Is this but a dream?

Oh Child without end The sand in the glass Is but a trifle.

Look up and look back And know that the Good Book Records but a day or two In my estimation.

Can you say that it Is not all in line as spoken?

You have only just begun Child And you certainly have won Child.

(Isaiah 55: 10-12)