Wednesday, November 11, 2020

The Journey

Note: There is an issue with loading pictures to the blog. I'm working on fixing it and, hopefully, by the next post, we can have pictures again. Cathy

Devotion by Brenda Winker:

Several years ago, I went to a Lay Minister Commissioning Service at a local church. It was a small church with a regular attendance of around 25 people but they were a faithful few. My husband and I attended because two people from our church were being commissioned to co-pastor this little church.

I glanced at the printed Order of Service and the Friendship Choir would be presenting the music. I looked at the choir area and there were only a few people seated there. I noticed one in particular-an elderly lady. As we rose for a congregational hymn, the lady struggled to stand, but she made it. The sweet little old lady I’d noticed was part of the duet that followed the hymn. Once again, she struggled to get up. An older gentleman rose at the same time and walked over to her, escorting her to the microphone. They began to sing “There will be peace in the valley.”  Oh my, that feeble lady had the most beautiful and strong voice. I felt the sweetest spirit come over me as they sang. Their voices blended and all I could think was this must be what angels sound like. I was so deeply moved that tears began to roll down my cheeks and I felt the Holy Spirit fill that sanctuary. I thought to myself, these two saints are such genuine examples of faithful servants of God.

I was blessed by the two ministers that spoke that day. The first one, also an elderly man, spoke on “The Journey” from Deuteronomy 34:1-12. You’ll find this familiar since it was part of our last year’s study. He began by reading Deuteronomy 34:1-4

 Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which was opposite Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, and all of Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western Sea, the Negeb and the Plain, that is the Valley of Jericho the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar.”

The minister spoke of Moses and how he stood on the mountain top with God and God personally showed him a wonderful sight - The Promised Land. I was so moved. I could not imagine standing on a mountain top with God, our creator, and have Him personally show me where I had faithfully and obediently served Him and brought His people. What joy Moses must have felt. He didn’t enter the Promise Land but what he did get was wonderful face to face encounters with God. Moses stood with the Lord who personally showed him a panoramic view of Canaan. The minister’s point was that it wasn’t so much about Moses’ destination. It was about Moses’ journey with God. Moses had an extremely personal relationship with the Lord that continued to grow throughout the journey. We too can have a personal relationship with the Lord because of Jesus Christ and it will grow stronger in our journey with the Lord.

Then another pastor slowly but surely made his way to the podium and began to speak. It was clear to me as I watched his movements, that he had a serious health condition. This servant of God had had cerebral palsy all his life. But in spite of his poor health I recognized as he spoke that God had gifted him with an incredible ability to preach the Gospel. God equipped.

Moses faced uncertainty and difficulty throughout his journey but God equipped him with everything he needed. Moses was hesitant and faltered at times but he answered God’s call and He faithfully served Him.

God called those faithful servants that participated in that service and He equipped them to serve Him. God always equips us to do what He calls us to do. There have been times I’ve been hesitant and I faltered but God has always been there for me when I accepted His call to service and He equipped me to do His will. It has been in the journey that I recognized God’s hand at work in my life. It was in the journey that I grew to know and love Him more.

God called each of us and we answered yes to the call to serve in CBS this year. Little did we know that it would be in such a new and different way packed full of so much uncertainty. But just as God equipped the feeble elderly lady with the strong, beautiful voice and the minister with cerebral palsy the amazing ability to preach the gospel, God will equip us to faithfully serve Him in this year of uncertainty with a technology that is so unfamiliar to many of us. He will continue to replace any fear or uneasiness that some of us might have with confidence and trust in Him. We can fully rely on God to guide us and He will provide us with all that we need to make disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ this really different year.

We are not standing on a mountain top with God showing us a panoramic view of the Promised Land, but we do have His Holy Spirit living in us and His Holy Word that is filled with His promises. Hebrews 13:20-21 tells us

The God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, will equip us with everything so that we may do his will.”




Brenda Winker

Prayer Chair

Rutherfordton Day Class

09-09-2020