Operators are standing by!

Admit it. There are times that you are tempted to reach for the phone during an infomercial. You didn't even plan to watch it, but you got distracted and before you know it you are watching an infomercial. You know you should likely change the channel (or better yet turn off the tv). But just between you and me, you are fascinated.

The featured product does truly look easy to use. And wow, it is versatile! And clean up certainly does appear to be a snap. And it would seem you would certainly be healthier, wealthier, more attractive and more popular if you made those three easy payments.

In looking ahead to this week's Explore the Bible Sunday School lesson, I am convinced that God would make really crummy infomercials. The mantra of the infomercial is "this is easy, this is effortless". God's message is far more often, this is going to be difficult.

Consider Isaiah's call in chapter 6. God asks who will go for us? Isaiah volunteers. To which God then describes one of the least appealing life missions in history.

"Preach till they can't/won't listen anymore. Then wait for your beloved nation to be a pile of ruins."

Operators are standing by.

Make no mistake God is good. (All the time, in fact.) But our preaching and teaching should never be confused with infomercials. Isaiah learned that. And so should we.

Not a Closet Prophet

As the summer of '08 winds down (our local schools start tomorrow) there is no question what was the season's most significant movement in our church. In the course of several weeks, traveling separate paths, three of our young people surrendered to ministry. Each came forward with confidence and deep conviction.

This week I invited the three of them to lunch to check in on how they are doing, wondering if the initial excitement of responding to their call had worn off any. It had not! (I think they were somewhat surprised and offended that I would even ask.) The three happen to each be ninth graders and they head into their first year of highschool with seminary in their minds. (When I entered ninth grade I think I had lunch on my mind.) I would invite you to pray for Cameron, Erica and Adam as you read this.

I must admit that one of the great graces of all this is that one of the three is my son. At lunch, I challenged the trio to study some of the "call" passages in the Bible for the next time we got together. That evening, my son was so excited to share with me that he had learned from Samuel's call. He was impressed by 1 Samuel 3:20 -- "All Israel, from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD."

My son said, "Samuel was no closet prophet....I want to be that guy!"

This week, I mark fifteen years of ordained pastoral ministry. Son, I want to be that guy too.

Jeremiah 15 -- A Recall

Ministry was not easy for Jeremiah. His call was to preach a hard word to a hard people at a hard time. For Jeremiah life rarely deviated from this experience.

And the truth is, it wore on the man. In fact, by Jeremiah 15 we see a prophet in retreat. While he does not curse the day he was born...he does regret it. His frustration stems from the fact that he has done everything God has asked (vv. 16-17) yet his “a pain is unceasing” (v. 18)

The result seems to be that Jeremiah has walked away from ministry (v. 19).

In grace, the LORD invites Jeremiah to return with the promise of restoration.

What intrigues me is that Jeremiah’s recall to ministry is nearly identical to his original call to ministry. He is to speak God’s words (“you shall be my mouth”). It will be difficult and his life will be endangered. But God will protect him and deliver him throughout. The need has not changed, the call has not changed and God has not changed.

I am convinced that every once in a while all ministers need to be recalled to the ministry. Not all have packed up boxes or written any letters, but they are in retreat all the same. We need to return our hearts, our minds and our bodies to the hard work of being the “mouth of God*” to our generation.

May God bless your ministry today and if you need it, may you be blessed with great recall today.

Tim

* Note Jeremiah could only serve as the “mouth of God” as he consumed His Words and spoke “what is precious not what is worthless”. This is a role of pure awe and humility.