Of Nineveh and Nazareth

I preached on Sunday from the book of Jonah.  "You Drive Me Crazy:  Hot Button Issues"  I ended with a bit of the life of Jesus and life in Nazareth.    It won't leave me.   I keep thinking, "Am I now in Nazareth, or in Nineveh?" 

Nineveh:  The place Jonah really didn't want to go.   The people in Nineveh were wicked (Or troubled, depending on the translation of that particular word).   But . . .  this Troubled  people were the enemies of Israel.  AND . . . Amos (a contemporary of Jonah) was prophesying about the demise of the Northern Kingdom at the hands of the Assyrian people, chief among which was . . .   you guessed it, Nineveh.  Nineveh, settled by Nimrod way back in Genesis, chief among Assyrian cities, and Jonah was ordered by God to go and preach there.

Not only would this mean a change of identity for Jonah.  He would then be a prophet to Assyria, not a prophet to Israel.  He is also being asked to go to Nineveh alone, a cluster of three cities, about 600,000 inhabitants and this little former prophet to Israel will be alone.  I can only imagine his dismay, but we see his reaction--he runs. 

In spite of Jonah's disobedience in running, God continued to work miracles.  He did several miraculous things:  He brought on a huge storm; He caused the lot to fall on Jonah; He calmed the sea as soon as the rebel prophet was tossed overboard; He prepared the great fish to swallow Jonah; He resurrected Jonah in the belly of the fish; He caused the fish to vomit Jonah out on dry land; He inspired to sailors to make a sacrifice and vows to follow Yahweh; and He melted the heart of Jonah so that the rebel prophet agreed to go to Nineveh to preach.  Isn't that eight miracles one of which is the conversion of the sailors at a time when their "messenger" is running from God, being quiet about his identity?   (They had to ask Jonah where he was from; what people he belonged to; and what God he served.)  So that, even when Jonah was trying to hide, running from God, God was able to touch the hearts of hardened pagan sailors so that they turned to the one true God to worship and serve.  Should I repeat that?  And "Out of the Will of God" prophet was still a vessel for God to use!!

And then there was Nineveh.  Jonah finally comes through and does what he has been asked to do.   He preaches to Nineveh.  BUT.    He then gets angry because God does what he, Jonah, had known God would do -- give mercy and grace to these people.  These people!!!  These enemies of Israel.  These awful Assyrian people!   So Jonah quits, withdraws, becomes a spectator.  (Are any of these familiar activities/attitudes?)  He makes himself comfortable to watch the spectacle while he is fuming.  And what happens?  God interrupts his pout. . .  by destroying is comfort.  Yep.  God marched right into his man-cave and took away the shade.   

God then talks to Jonah about what is important in the world.   Comfort of the prophet?  Or Salvation . . .  even for the prophet's enemies!!   A lesson in forgiveness.

Nineveh: the prophet in a strange land, following orders from God, after much reluctance.  And a bumper crop of converts:  Pagans on the boat, the King and people of Nineveh.  

But what about those quiet routine days?  Those days when nothing much happens. Those days when I wonder if God even sees me, even cares what I do.   Oh, like those days in Nazareth?   The thirty (30) years that Jesus spent in his home town, doing carpentry.   Just being about "his father's work."  

 Jesus had opportunity.   The 12 year old could have been apprenticed to the Temple in Jerusalem. He had proven himself worthy of such study. 

Yet, it was in Nazareth that Jesus learned to forgive seven times seventy times a day. It was in Nazareth that he learned to turn the other check when someone slapped him. It was in Nazareth that he learned to carry his cross daily. It was in Nazareth that learned to truly love neighbor. It was in Nazareth that he got the muscle memory, the constant living out his compassion and mercy over and over again. It was in Nazareth that he learned the skills to accomplish his mission: to save us from our sins on the cross. It was in Nazareth under the tutelage, not of the greatest scholars in Jerusalem, but from Mary and Joseph. They were his best teachers. They knew how to listen to the word of God and keep it.

Nazareth, known for being a less-than place.   Nazareth, a place from which "nothing good could come."  Nazareth where his friends and countryman tried to throw Jesus off a cliff once he began his public ministry and dared preach the truth to them.  Nazareth where Jesus spent thirty years doing carpentry and learning, preparing for the three (3) years of public ministry.   Huge ratio:  thirty years of preparation for three years of ministry.

So where does your daily grind take place:  the workplace, at home, your town, your county, your school, your family?    Wherever that may be, you find your Nazareth.   Maybe it's not where you want to be.  Maybe it's not where you think you deserve to serve.  Nazareth where one learns to show compassion and mercy--over and over and over and over.  I'm reminded of Mr. Miyagi (The Karate Kid) "Left circle.  Right circle.  Breathe in.  Breathe out."   Over and over and over and over.  You get the idea.   

Nazareth is that place on the way to somewhere else.   That place that feels like you'll never leave, never get out.   That place in which you must just DO THE NEXT THING.  Wherever your Nazareth is, know this: It's a place of preparation.  It is a the place for you to to learn wisdom:  to practice forgiveness, to follow instruction, to show compassion and experience mercy.  Wisdom, Forgiveness, Mercy, Obedience, Gratitude.  All to be found in the Nazareth experience.  

So what's your day today?   Nazareth--same ole, same ole.   Or Nineveh--what do you think you're doing, GOD?   You want me to . . . . ?    Don't you know those people don't deserve. . .???  You fill in the blank.

I'm thinking today is a Nazareth kind of day for me.   Groceries to buy, errands to run, a friend in need to help out.   But one never knows, I could bump up against a Nineveh experience right in the middle of my Nazareth.

What about you?   Nineveh?   Or Nazareth?? 

 

Random thoughts (From September 2013)

AACC Conference

It's a lovely warm, sunshiny day outside.  I can see the sun through the glass panels of the dome overhead.   

An amazing four days are drawing to an end.  I've spent time worshiping, listening to teaching and preaching, and racing around this massive hotel getting lost.   There's been very little time for sleeping, and eating has happened at rare intervals!!   I did have a lovely meal with friends I didn't even know where here.   Thank you, Melanie and Philip Nordstrom for rescuing me from "Life under the dome" for a couple of hours!!



 

All I really need!

Struggling with emotions today for no good reason.    And. . .  ran across these lyrics.

IN THE PRESENCE OF JEHOVAH In and out of situations
that tug of war at me
All day long I struggle
for the answers that I need
But when I come into His presence
All my questions become clear
And in that sacred moment
No doubts can interfere
In the presence of Jehovah
God Almighty, Prince of Peace
Troubles vanish, hearts are mended
In the presence of the King
Through His love the Lord provided
A place for us to rest
A place to find the answers
In our hour of distress
Now there's never any reason
For you to give up in despair
Just slip away and breathe His name
You will surely find Him there
In the presence of Jehovah
God Almighty, Prince of Peace
Troubles vanish, hearts are mended
In the presence of the King
In the presence of Jehovah
God Almighty, Prince of Peace
Troubles vanish, hearts are mended
In the presence of the King

A Word for Today

“You are My ministers of the new covenant.   The enemy has brought many obstacles and hindrances against you.  Do you see the very thing I have called you to, the enemy opposes, but I tell you now you shall leap over them and what was once an obstacle will take you to the next level.  I am bringing you strength to overcome.  I have placed in you My words of truth and life to overcome.  By My Grace you shall prevail over the enemy of your soul.”

2 Corinthians 3:4-6  And we have such trust through Christ toward God.   Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,  who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Ps. 144:1  Blessed be the LORD my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle—  

2 Samuel 22:30  For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall.

Joel 3:9-10  Proclaim this among the nations:  “ Prepare for war! Wake up the mighty men, Let all the men of war draw near, Let them come up.  Beat your plowshares into swords And your pruning hooks into spears; Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’”   

Joel 2:11a  The LORD gives voice before His army, For His camp is very great; For strong is the One who executes His word.
      

2 Corinthians 12:9  And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.    

     

Eph 6:10-13  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

PATTY KERST
Steamboat Springs, Colorado

http://ft111.com/ 

This resonated with me today!     

May it be a blessing to you!!

Pastor Phylis

OVER-CONTROL

1 Samuel 15:23 (The Message)

 ^22-23 Then Samuel said,
    Do you think all God wants are sacrifices—
      empty rituals just for show?
   He wants you to listen to him!
   Plain listening is the thing,
      not staging a lavish religious production.
   Not doing what God tells you
      is far worse than fooling around in the occult.
   Getting self-important around God
      is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors.
   Because you said No to God's command,
      he says No to your kingship. 

This scripture is not one that I would have associated with "over-control" or even "not listening" as it reads in the KJV or NIV, but here, the connection is clear.    

An article from Os Hillman started off with a quote from a pilot who said that whenever a jet goes out of control and begins to spin, the only thing to do is totally take your hands off the controls and the plane will right itself.   That's a little like steering INTO the skid on an icy road--not an easy thing to do and completely counter-intuitive.

I also remember hearing a reporter talking to a man after the 2004 Tsunami in Asia.   The man ran an orphanage located on the beach.   There was no where for them to flee except INTO the wave.  He loaded all the children onto his little boat and headed out to sea to FACE the storm.    He said he just had to keep the boat straight, facing the wave and it rode atop the waves.  Everyone on board was safe.

Intuition tells him to run from the immense wave; intuition tells the pilot to steer to counter the roll; intuition tells the driver to steer away from the skid.  Intuition is wrong.  

God says listen to Him.  Just listen, no self-importance, no fancy strategies, no lavish production.   Listen and obey.

I hear you Lord, but can I really listen?

MERCY AND GRACE

Sister Sandra Susan Shantay Stout

Could not take the garbage out!
She'd go to church to pray and sing
She's gladly do most anything
Although most days she would not pout
She would not take the garbage out.
Within her heart old things piled high
She'd close her eyes as she passed by
Scars from wounds creating ridges
Right beside old bandages
She nursed her wounds however small
Each slight, each insult standing tall
"You can't", "You won't" the voices echoed
In the corner sat a truckload
Memos old, but not forgotten
Those were memories most rotten
Accusations, false or true
Within her heart, resentment grew
Bitter, acrid deep regrets
She fed them daily just like pets
Of course she hid them carefully,
Trying hard, to live joyfully.
Bit by bit her heart filled up
Stuff inside she can't cleanup
Unforgiveness, fits of rage
She felt trapped, in a cage
The Master came and offered free
to cast it all out in the sea
"I like this stuff," she said with glee
"Looks good on me. Don't you agree."
"It's who I am. I cannot change."
"No attitude would seem so strange."
And so He left her, let her be.
Nearby He waited patiently.
Each day she added to her mess,
Gossip, lies, small-mindedness.
Increasing in intensity,
Anger exponentially,
Addictions, strife, and rivalries
Casual immoralities
Fornication, lust and merriment
In her own way, she was very set.
And then one day it seemed too much
She realized she was out of touch
The Master seemed so far away
Her life in total disarray
Things are rough, life is tough
To call on Him, is it enough?
Suddenly at the door
He appeared, just like before
Grace and Mercy came through
This time, she knew what to do
"Come on in, I must confess,"
"I've made a life of one mess."
In no time at all,
He had cleaned up the hall
The secrets things of night
He brought to the light
The scars, the memories: away to the sea
The sin and addiction just so much debris
Gone are the remnants of hell
When Grace and Mercy come to dwell.
So remember Sister Sandy Stout
Who could not take the garbage out
Ask the Master. You won't lose face.
It's never too late for Mercy and Grace!

Over-Stimulated Teens

The amount of words and ideas that I am unable to use due to over-sexualized boys this yeaR IS AMAZING. Story Topics like "My favorite Toy" (Okay it was dumb to have on a list -- one I procured from another school) in a list of 50 ideas, resulted in the disruption of 30 students for several minutes. I am appalled at the lack of parental supervision, at the lack of control over these children.

For 25 years I've taught public school adolescents and have never had a group this reactionary. It makes teaching tantamount to walking on eggs. I can't even remember what previous triggers have been this year; they are many and diverse. The entire English language is mostly off-limits to these little boys who have been subjected to an adult-oriented world that I can only guess at. They listen to music that contains vocabulary and innuendo that I neither know nor want to know. They watch the trashiest of TV programs and apparently believe that the world does or should operate on such lurid devices and with total lack of principle.

How does one teach common civility to such ill-bred children? How does one even have conversation, much less encourage them to explore memory and imagination when such as been contaminated by the basest and vilest that American media can offer?

I'm not ready to give up, nor am I ready to blame the victim, for I do see them as victims as much as little girls whoa re treated as sexual objects by perverted family members, other adults, or even by the same adolescent boys.

How does one go about rescuing the most vulnerable among us from the vile filth to be found online, in media and very possibly in their own homes?

Indeed, it seems as though this year will be spent putting Band-Aids on damaged psyches. However, at the same time, I must encourage them to find a healthy outlet for natural energy to be expected in adolescents and find some manner of helping them drain off the disgusting putrification that has collected due to damaging experiences.

Heven help us all! No wonder I'm exhausted on a regular basis. It's a battlefield out there. Pray for teachers!! Pray for Students!!! Pray for parents!!

PASTOR PHYLIS