Here is a video to make you laugh and think featuring Oliver Oglethorpe and his post Christmas plans.
The pastor phoned in an order for a special Christmas banner for the sanctuary. It was to say, “Unto Mary, Jesus was born!” He also specified the size. But the salesman evidently misunderstood him, because the finished banner read, “Unto Mary, Jesus was born – five feet long and three feet wide.”
Wow – that’s a big baby!
Most homes prepare for the birth of a child. But did you know that the Father in Heaven also prepared our world for the birth of His Son.
Galatians 4:5 says, “But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son…” * Jesus was sent to us at a precise and perfect time.
It was a time when….
– the world spoke a common language.
Since the tower of Babel, the world had been segmented by a multitude of distinct cultures and languages. Nations went centuries without being able to talk to each other. But in the 4th century B.C., Alexander the Great conquered the world and infused the Greek language into it. By the time of Jesus, Greek was the trade language of every nation. It became the common bridge through which to speak the Gospel.
– the world was at peace.
The world had been ruled by rogue empires. First Egypt, then Assyria, then Babylon and on and on. The constant instability and lawlessness would have made it difficult for the messengers of Christ to do their job.
But that changed when Rome came into power. For almost 500 years, the Roman legal system protected her people and the Roman Legion kept the peace. This peace and stability gave the Gospel messengers freedom to journey forth and preach.
– travel was superior.
Prior to the Romans, roads were narrow dirt paths, often impassable when the weather was bad. They followed the easiest route – often circuitous paths. But Rome paved the roads, so well in fact some are still in use today. Their roads were built with efficiency in mind.
They went through mountains and over rivers and marshes. There were 51,000 miles of paved highways in the empire. People like Paul were enabled to move freely and quickly from place-to-place sharing the gospel – assisted by Roman roads.
– the world was spiritually prepared.
The ancient world was bursting with idols and pagan religions while the truth of the Yahweh was bottled up in Israel. Several centuries before Christ, Israel was invaded by Assyria and then Babylon. The Jews were forcibly dispersed throughout the world.
Consequently, by the first century every major city of the world had a synagogue where faithful Jews would meet for worship on the Sabbath. These Jewish folks created monotheistic oases in the desert of polytheism. Through them, the world was finally made aware of the holy God of Israel, and the promise of a Messiah.
Paul wisely used that network of synagogues across Asia, Europe and the Middle East to proclaim Jesus.
God truly sent His Son in the fullness of time.
If it had been earlier, the message would have been bottled up and lost. There would be no common language with which to communicate it, no peace and protection for those who carried the message, no superhighways to facilitate the travel of its messengers, and the spiritual soil would not have been plowed and made ready for the seeds of the Gospel,
On the other hand – had the Father sent His Son much later – the advantages of the first century would have been lost, for after the Fall of the Roman Empire the world reverted into chaos until the modern era.
God’s timing was impeccable – He sent the Lord Jesus in the fullness of time.
Makes me wonder – Since God did such a great job with the timing of the birth of Christ, why we don’t trust Him with the everyday issues of time that affect us?
A PRAYER: Lord of time, help us to trust you with our schedules.
This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com
May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
*Scripture reference is from the New American Stand Version
My daughter and I had a fun relationship when she was in high school. (junior high – not so much) We were once in a thrift store just a week before school started. I stood in the checkout line with a cart full of used treasures.
I decided to tease her a little. So, in an obnoxious, exaggerated, redneck voice, I said, “Girl do you need any of more of them thrifty back to school underwear?” She smiled and said, “No daddy I’m good.”
Our family has always enjoyed thrifting – looking for used treasures that others have rejected. I think most of us are OK using used things.
On the other hand, we might be offended to receive a cast off as a Christmas gift. And yet that’s kinda what God gave to us. You see…
– God promised a gift to Israel.
An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.” – Matthew 1:20-21
God went Christmas shopping and settled on Jesus. He chose to send Him to earth to save His people from the consequences of their sins. He would eventually assume the throne of David and usher in the glorious Kingdom that Israel had forever anticipated. What a wonderful gift!
– The gift was delivered
Jesus was born in Bethlehem and nurtured in Nazareth in quiet anonymity. Then at age 30 or so He removed the wrapping and revealed Himself as the promised Messiah and King.
Many considered His claims. He offered Himself to the common folk and to the wealthy political/religious leaders of the land.
They initially asked sincere questions about Jesus, trying to truly determine whether He was the Messiah sent from God. They even witnessed His divinely produced miracles. But after due consideration…
– God’s gift was rejected
Jesus wasn’t the right fit for them. They wanted a Messiah that conformed to their narrow and rigid thinking. They wished to ignore their sin and focus on politics instead. So, they declined to receive God’s gift. When Jesus was tried before Pontius Pilate, the leaders cried, “Crucify him!” (Matthew 27:21)
– So, God gave His gift to another.
Israel outrightly rejected God’s gift and murdered Jesus for even offering it. So, God took His precious gift and then offered Him to the gentiles. The apostle John described it this way, “He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him. But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God’s children.” – John 1:11-12
God’s gift to you and me in Jesus Christ was originally intended for another. Hence, you and I have been offered a second-hand Gift. It is a wonderful gift, but a second-hand gift none the less.
– So does this mean that this gift is less valuable?
Not to me. Two of my favorite guitars were preowned. I don’t care who had them before me, I am just glad that they are now mine. And that’s how I feel about Jesus.
– Does this mean that we are less valuable?
No, it doesn’t. Paul once said that God chose us before the earth was formed.” (Ephesians 1:4-5) So, what appears to be plan B, was actually God’s plan A all along. He long ago determined that even the gentiles should enjoy His gift. One more question….
– Can I refuse the gift if I want?
I guess you can. God isn’t going to force Jesus on you. That’s not how gifts are given. But why would you want to pass it up? He offers an abundant life now, and a future forever life full of joy.
God’s second-hand gift is a first rate, priceless, possession!
A prayer: Lord my hands are extended and ready to receive your gift.
This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com
May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you
Scripture passages are from the NETBible ®
We were seated at a diner as we looked over the breakfast menu. The Grecian Omelet caught my dad’s eye – only – when he ordered, he absentmindedly asked for a hair product – Grecian Formula. My mom almost fell out of her seat laughing. Fortunately, the waitress brought him an omelet instead of a bowl of hair dye.
Ah, but I am my father’s son, subject to the same silliness. When I send my order up to God, in prayer, I don’t always know what I am truly asking for. I may think I do, but maybe I don’t.
“Is what I seek the best for me? Is it the right time to have it? Am I mature enough to receive it? Am I even asking for the right thing?” So many questions that befuddle me.
Fortunately, God knows me well and Romans 8:26, tells me He provided some help. It says, “…the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.” NETBible ®
That’s encouraging! The third blessed member of the Trinity is aware of how weak we are when it comes to our prayers. He understands that we may not know how we should specifically pray. So, He helps us!
He intercedes so that the need is clearly made known in heaven and is correctly met on earth. The verbs are in the present tense reminding us that this intercession happens on a 24/7 basis.
The Holy Spirit is the one who says, “Father, he is asking for hair dye, but what he really wants and needs is some eggs.”
So maybe we should just say, “Well Holy Spirit why don’t you just order for me?” I suppose He could, but prayer is one of those exercises that draws us near to God who treasures our prayers.
Consider Luke 11:9 where Jesus urges us to pray. He said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.” NETBible ®
It’s like so many other issues in our walk with God. We are often expected to take the first steps by faith, and then the Lord steps in and helps us accomplish what we could never complete without Him.
Prayer is actually an underappreciated privilege.
With the Hindus, only the Brahmins, the highest class, are permitted to pray to their god. A person could be a billionaire, or a high-powered political leader, but if not a Brahmin, they are forbidden to pray. They must seek a Brahmin, even a boy Brahmin to pray their prayers for them.
Can you imagine that? Suppose it is the middle of the night, and your infant son has a raging fever, and you desperately want to reach out to heaven for help – but you are not allowed because you are not of the Brahmin caste.
How blessed is the Christian. Every one of us has full access to the throne of grace. We have freedom at any time or place to personally approach God in prayer.
The Muslim may not pray until he learns how to do it in Arabic, for his god hears only prayers offered in what Muslims believe to be the holy language.”
Can you imagine a new convert to Islam from Latin America. He won’t be able to pray until he learns Arabic. He may need to pray for help in order to learn Arabic – so that he can pray in Arabic – but he is stuck.
How wondrous it is, that all over the world at this very moment, people of every race and culture are praying in their own tongue and our omniscient and gracious God is gathering those prayers in and answering them accordingly.
God has made praying easy and as rewarding as possible. So why not pray?
A Prayer: Lord I pray that I might pray. Help me to sweep away the self-imposed obstacles that keep me from it.
This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com
May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
Stress! Stress is having your waitress ask if you prefer quinoa or basmati and you don’t know what either one is.
A greater stress, however, is to stand before the judgement seat of Christ. Paul taught us that one day, every Christian will give an account for ourselves. Lives that have been lived for Jesus will be rewarded (1 Corinthians 3:14)
So, this is how I see this playing out in my life. I stand in line, for maybe several thousand years awaiting my turn.
Finally, I am asked to step forward. Jesus sets His gaze upon me, and He says, “Jim I’m glad to see you. You have served me well. Your 32 years as a pastor were well spent and those years you worked as a hospice chaplain, so appreciated. Thank you for your service.
For you, I have not just one, or two but three shiny crowns. Congratulations!”
With joy and humility, I receive my reward and I take my seat in the arena with millions of others. Maybe I’ll sit in the white-haired section with Methuselah. Together we’ll watch as the judgment event continues.
Then Ralph and Patsy approach the throne – a sweet couple from the church that I once led as pastor. Jesus sees them and says, “Wow, I am so pleased to see you! Well done my good and faithful servants. Let me give you your reward.”
And then He whistles and says, “Michael, help us out.” So, the archangel jumps into a truck, and he begins to back it up – beep, beep, beep, beep and it stops right before Ralph and Patsy.
The bed begins to rise. It’s a dump truck – and out of the gate pours a river of crowns – a dump truck full of crowns. Ralph and Patsy are buried in a pile of golden glitter.
Well, I am stunned, and then somewhat aggravated, so I say, “Uh excuse me Lord, I was a pastor and a hospice chaplain, but I only got three crowns. What’s the deal here?”
“Well Jim, yes you did those things. But you were paid to be good. Ralph and Patsy – they were good for nothing.
Do you recall my words in Luke 9:23. “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily.”
The key word there Jim, is deny. My followers deny themselves. They willingly make sacrifices, every day to do the will of God. That’s what I did, and that’s what my disciples are expected to do.
Now Jim you were paid to do ministry. In many respects it was a job like any other. You received your reward every two weeks, but Ralph and Patsy, they freely and continually laid down their lives purely out of their love for me and my people.
Think about it! They spent hours, year-after-year planning exceptional events that brought joy to my people. But they did more than plan, they rolled up their sleeves and helped to bring them to life. They drove the bus and set up tables and sound systems. They decorated and came up with crazy mixers.
They loved and celebrated my people. Every senior was important to them, and they noticed when one was absent.
You could depend on them to be at the hospital at 5 a.m. when one of the flock was sick. And there have been a lot of sick seniors over the years.
They helped the needy ones with money, and did it in such a way as to not embarrass them. Ralph even used his background in finance to help others learn how to handle their money.
And they offered their services without acclaim or financial compensation. And they persevered longer than do most pastors. So, Jim it is my joy to richly reward them now.”
“Hmm, Hey Mr. Methuselah can I just slip by you?” “Yes, but where are you going?”
“I am taking my three crowns down to give to the ones who most deserve them.”
A PRAYER: Lord may personal sacrifice be the heart of all that I do for You.
This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com
May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
I have made a decision about my last will and testament. When I pass, and my white-haired head is resting on that velvet pillow, I want my wife to make sure there is a guitar pick in the front pocket of my pants.
Mostly because there has been one there since the summer of 1966 – the year I started strumming. From then on, I required myself to always have a pick in my pocket. (which is not the same as a pick pocket)
Why? Well, you never know when you might find yourself in a music store needing to try out a new guitar. Or you might be visiting a friend who offers to let you play on his.
There have been times I have been sitting around a campfire and someone puts a guitar in my hand and asks me to play “Michael Row the Boat Ashore.” Michael could have been swept out to sea if not for my guitar pick.
Sometimes it became a conversation starter. I have pulled change from my pocket and among the coins would be my pick. The cashier would see it and probe, “Oh do you play the guitar?” “And tamping down my ego I would say, “Yes I do.”
In fact, my pick compensated for what I lacked in the good-looks department. My guitar pick said that I was a guitar player and that was enough to capture a girl’s heart.
Picks can be a nuisance. They come flying out when I pull my car keys from my pocket. I buy snow-white picks only so that I can spot them on the ground.
And they get worn. I got to where I buy them by the gross – 144 at a time.
Sometimes they travel with my pants into the wash and my wife finds them flying around the dryer.
And yet during those 57 years, I have always and perpetually had a guitar pick on my person. Just test me the next time you see me.
I know it’s silly, but always having a pick in my pocket brings me comfort.
What I find even more comforting is knowing that God has me in His pocket.
What? You ask. OK let me explain. Psalm 60 tells of a time of great trouble for Israel. David, the author complained to God in verses 1-6 of the nations that were on a seek and destroy mission regarding the nation.
The Lord answered in verses 7-8. He said, “Gilead belongs to me, as does Manasseh. Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my royal scepter.” NETBible ®
He spoke of the various regions that made up Israel reminding David that He treasured His people who lived there.
Gilead was beyond the Jordan River. Her people lived on the outer limits of the land. They were the next-door neighbors to the Ammonites, and Moabites and the other irksome “ites” of the land.
I’d bet they sometimes felt marginalized and often ignored by their countrymen and maybe even the Lord. But the Lord said, “Gilead belongs to me.”
Eugene Peterson decided that the translation didn’t fully capture the richness behind the statement, so he rendered it this way in the MESSAGE. He said, “Gilead’s in my pocket.”
I love it. How special – how secure – how ever present. God’s people in Gilead were safely tucked away deep down in the pocket of God. As are we – safely tucked away deep down in the pocket of God.
The metaphor captures much. It brings to mind words like, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) and “I am with you always even unto the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) and “The Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) Like my pick – perpetually there.
So, settle down and get comfortable in God’s pocket. It is a place of supreme security. And if you happen to find a guitar pick down there – it’s probably mine.
A PRAYER: Lord we also seem to live beyond the Jordan as well. Watch over us.
This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com
May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
I have a problem. My wife requires that I spend a fortune to keep her lavishly supplied with loads of karats. But not the kind that go on your hand, but in your mouth. It may actually be spelled c-a-r-r-o-t-s.
Our neighbor has a pasture which is adjacent to our back yard. In it are four magnificent horses.
My wife is ecstatically happy about this and so are they. Whenever she is in the yard, they run to her knowing that she will reach over the fence and ply them with fresh carrots. She also loves to share this joy with our grandkids.
To her, those carrots of orange are far more valuable than those of gold.
A reminder that riches are not the richest!
This is how great King Solomon put it, “The one who loves money will never be satisfied with money; he who loves wealth will never be satisfied with his income.” – Ecclesiastes 5:10. Wealth may bring a life of luxury, a hedge against inflation, and maybe even a false sense of security. It does not however, bring satisfaction.
Solomon recorded his thoughts using the Hebrew word for “satisfied” which is, “sabea.” It was usually used to describe the feeling of being stuffed after a great meal. (Proverbs 13:25)
To apply that to wealth suggests that having riches still leaves us way less than full. It is to dine and yet be left with gnawing hunger pains.
Solomon added this, “When someone’s prosperity increases, those who consume it also increase.” – 5:11. In other words, the more you have, the more the parasites multiply who want to take it. It’s tough to enjoy wealth when the world is trying to rip it away.
Solomon shares a better way. He said, “Go, eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, because God has already approved your works. Let your clothes always be white, and do not spare precious ointment on your head. Enjoy life with your beloved wife during all the days of your fleeting life that God has given you on earth during all your fleeting days; for that is your reward in life and in your burdensome work on earth.” – Ecclesiastes 9:7-9
He tells us we can have a happy heart! We do this by enjoying the simple things that we already have – the food and drink before us and the work we have accomplished. He tells us to put on our celebratory party clothes and anoint ourselves with fragrant oil. We are also to enjoy the spouse He has given us. He says this is our reward – to enjoy these simple but rich blessings.
Solomon also authored the book of Proverbs where he wrote, “There is one who pretends to be rich and yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor and yet possesses great wealth.” – Proverbs 13:7. The guy with a bulging bank account thinks he is rich, but he is not and yet it is possible for one to be rich without being financially endowed.
Such contentment is sourced in knowing the Lord. When He is ours, there is nothing for us to prove, no one to impress, no barrier to overcome. We rest in Him, and this makes it possible for us to relax and then recognize and enjoy His many blessings.
My wife gets immense joy from feeding her pasture pals. Others are blessed when they prune their lush rose bushes. Many find deep satisfaction in seeing their grown children do well. Some of us enjoy creation by RV.
I remember a time when I got to do a singing presentation with my wife, my daughter and two grandsons. Singing for Jesus with my family. I thought I was going to explode with joy!
So, forget the gold. Trade it for what is truly golden and savor those blessings all the fleeting days of your life!
A PRAYER: God help me survey my life and find the joy that is hidden in it.
This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com
May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you
Scripture references are from the NETBible ®
I have two questions concerning prayer: 1. Does God ever get tired of hearing our prayers? and 2. Why did she just pray for someone’s underwear?
As to the second query: When my wife and I were first married, we wanted to merge our quiet times. As a morning person she had always read her Bible and prayed early in the day. I, on the other hand, am a night owl and always had my quiet time just before bed.
Being the sweet accommodating wife she is, she adjusted and came over to the after-dark side.
And it made our prayer life kinda fun. At times, she could be in the middle of the most earnest prayer, when the drowsies hit. Her mind stopped, but the words kept coming. She wandered off into silly senseless things like that time she prayed for someone’s underwear.
Now as to the second question: Does God ever get tired of hearing our prayers? Shockingly – the answer is yes!
I was reading through Exodus (during my nightly quiet time) and this is what I found in chapter 14. Israel had left Egypt under the leadership of Moses but God had assured them that they were headed for the promised land.
Unfortunately, they were trapped on the shore of the Red Sea with Pharaoh at the rear ready to exterminate them. Israel earned a few more frequent crier miles by complaining once again.
Moses said, “Do not fear! Stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord that he will provide for you today; for the Egyptians that you see today you will never, ever see again.” – Exodus 14:13.
His fearless words masked his fainting heart. He too was alarmed. He felt the pressure. So, he wisely went to speak to the Lord about it.
But before he could utter a word, the Lord said, “Why do you cry out to me? (14:15a) What? Moses just wanted to speak to Him, which is called prayer. He wanted His help.
But God, in what seems to be an impatient manner said, “Why do you cry out to me?” And He added, “Tell the Israelites to move on.” (14:15b)
Evidently Moses needed to pray less and do more. He knew what he needed to do – he just needed to do it.
“Moses, your job is to get your people moving,” said the Lord. “ So, do it and quit wasting time pretending you are actually seeking guidance.” Well, we know that prayer is important, but evidently it is an insult when used as an excuse for a failure to act.
I was truly stunned when I read this and realized its implications. God does direct us, certainly by His Word, and sometimes through other means. But we don’t always like the direction He gives, or maybe we are too lazy or afraid to do it – so we dither in prayer instead.
The teen asks God for money for a car. He was offered a job which would enable him to earn it, but he doesn’t like the work.
Sarah is asking God to bring peace between her and her brother, but she skipped right over Matthew 5:23-24 where she is instructed to take the first step.
For months I had been praying that God would give me and my wife more ministry opportunities. I had thought about recruiting a friend who sings, to join us in a music ministry but I didn’t act on it.
I prayed on for several more months, until I read Exodus 14:15 where the Lord seemed to say to me, “Why are you praying about this goofball? Just do what I suggested you do.”
So, the very next morning I sent a message to that friend, and she immediately replied with excitement. She too had been praying for such an opportunity.
So, me, my wife and Brenda Waskowiak are teaming up to sing for Jesus, all because God refused to hear my prayer again.
A Prayer: Lord, thanks for that nudge from Your Word. Continue to nudge us!
This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com
May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Scripture references are from the NETBible ®
I sought divine direction about a decision. So, I opened my Bible and my eyes fell upon this verse, “their fish stinketh, because there is no water.” – Isaiah 50:2 (KJV) Wow! I instantly knew what I needed to do. I needed to find a better way of understanding the will of God.
A friend gave me some insight. As a former Navy pilot, he explained how he had to land a jet on an aircraft carrier at night. A tough job! The runway was tiny, moving, and invisible.
There are four successive lights on the landing deck. He had to visually align his plane with all four. When the first light was in line with the second, and then the third and fourth, then he had a straight path to follow to safety.
We might think of discovering God’s will in the same way. We need to align ourselves with four guiding lights. First…
– Align yourself with the Word of God
The Bible must be our first and primary source. Psalm 19:7 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” KJV
Submit every decision to the Bible looking for specific commands that affect it. Respect the “dos” and “don’ts.” And seek out biblical principles that might affect the decision. There is no biblical command regarding pole dancing but there are plenty of principles that would nix it as a vocational option. (Titus 2:4-5)
– Align yourself with the counsel of the wise
The wise are well-seasoned in life – insightful people who have a history of walking with God. They should know us well enough to give us an informed opinion.
Proverbs 15:22 says, “Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with abundant advisers they are established.” A wise counselor might say, “Sure that choice is biblically OK, but you probably wouldn’t be happy working as a night security guard because you are a people person.”
– Align yourself with your own desire
If the Bible says it OK, and your wise counselors give the green light, then consider your own desires and ask, “Is this something that I want?”
Anita may say, “Taylor fits the biblical criteria of a good husband, and my parents and friends think he is an incredible catch. But is he really the guy I want to spend my life with?”
Psalm 37:4 tells us that when we delight in the Lord and His will, then He gives us the desires of our heart. To delight in Him requires that the first and second guiding lights already agree. When this is true, then we can explore our own heart’s desires.
– Align yourself with a Spirit led conviction
Paul spoke of being led by the Spirit of God. He wrote, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.” – Romans 7:14. This is about the Spirit of God imparting a sense of conviction about the path ahead. (John 18:8)
Nehemiah described this experience saying, “I did not tell anyone what my God was putting on my heart to do for Jerusalem.” – Nehemiah 2:12
The Spirit of God leads us, but never contrary to the Word of God. In fact, He typically takes the Word of God, the counsel of others, and our own desires and uses them to guide us.
But then again, He is God, and may wish, at times, to set aside wise counsel and even our own desires, to take us on a faith journey beyond what we are presently able to see or imagine. That’s pretty much how I ended up being a pastor.
Four aligned lights. That’s what we typically need when we are in the dark as to decisions. May they light your way and may all your landings be happy!
A PRAYER: Speak Lord. We really want to pursue Your will.
This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com
May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
Scriptures are quoted from the NETBible® unless otherwise noted.
There are times when God permits pain to change us. So how much pain does it take? My son helped me with an answer.
My little guy discovered scissors. With them he began to disassemble his world. He lopped off hair, altered his clothes, tried to shear metal, and destroyed a lot of good stuff.
We instructed him in the proper use of scissors. It had all the effect of a pea shooter on armored personnel carrier. He snipped and I sniped. I told him to cut it out. He did. He amputated Barbie’s arm. He was oblivious to the pain it caused his sister (not to mention Barbie).
So, it came down to this, “Son if you cut anything else belonging to someone else, then you will have to take your best most favorite action figure and cut off his leg.”
Another pea repelled. He did it again. I said son, “Pick out your best most favorite action figure. He rooted through his toys and came back holding sad Colonel Potter from the TV show M.A.S.H.
I said, “Son, that’s not your favorite. Try again.” He took 10 minutes and returned. He was sniffling as he presented to me – Darth Vader.
I handed him the scissors and he began to wail. I prodded him on. He kept hesitating and then with trembling hand he finally severed the leg. I silently held him as he cried. And Darth was the last thing he ever cut.
This is what I learned, “When the pleasure of our behavior outweighs the pain of change – there will be no change. But when the pain of it, outweighs the pleasure, then change comes.
The man was told to eat healthy and lose weight or risk a heart attack. But eating was his pleasure. He eventually had an attack and barely survived. Suddenly the pain of continuing to eat, outweighed the pleasure. He changed!
OK, but does God use pain? I believe He does. Pharaoh enslaved and abused God’s people. Moses spoke for God saying, “Pharaoh, let them go.”
He refused. The benefit of having slaves, outweighed the discomfort that would come by liberating them.
So, God turned the Nile to blood. No change! Then the frog invasion, and the itchy irksome flies. Increased pain – no change.
Then the livestock got sick, and boils broke out, and hail fell and decimated the land, and then a profound darkness fell upon Egypt. Still no change.
Finally, the firstborn of Pharaoh fell ill and died. When it became utterly personal – when the pain really came home to him, then he obeyed.
And then there is the prodigal son of Luke 15. He left home to pursue the pleasure of wine and women. He partied until he found himself in a pigpen hungering for the swine slop.
It was then that he “came to his senses.” (15:17) He returned home with a new attitude towards God and his father.
Let me tell you my heart was breaking for my son as he grieved the loss of Darth Vader. It was hard. I loved him and I knew that change was necessary.
Like a loving surgeon God uses pain to bring healing to people and even to nations.
So, how much pain does it take? Enough to precipitate heathy change.
I try to be sensitive to the Lord and obedient to His Word. If change needs to occur in my life, I usually cooperate.
Of course, pain is a standard part of life, and I am not surprised to suffer from time to time. But if I experience a season of pain, I seek the Lord. I ask if there is something He would have changed in my life.
Oh, and by the way, when my son turned 30. I hid the scissors at his house and gifted him with a vintage Darth Vader action figure.
A Prayer: Lord we do not need unnecessary pain. Tune our ears to your will and give us the grace to embrace healthy change.
This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com
May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
Pickle Heaven Press-James R. Johnson 