Restless

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Thursday, July 12, 2018

“Have the people make an Ark of acacia wood—a sacred chest 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high.  Overlay it inside and outside with pure gold, and run a molding of gold all around it.  Cast four gold rings and attach them to its four feet, two rings on each side.  Make poles from acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.  Insert the poles into the rings at the sides of the Ark to carry it.  These carrying poles must stay inside the rings; never remove them.  When the Ark is finished, place inside it the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, which I will give to you.  Exodus 25:10-16^(NLT)

When I read Scripture there is always something that grabs my attention.  This morning, well before sunrise, the phrase never remove them leaped into the foreground.  It is a reminder for me today that the Ark of the Covenant, Israel’s symbol of the God they could not see, is like the God they cannot see:  restless.  The Ark’s carrying poles were to always be at ready, never cast aside, as if the sacred chest had arrived, and was now entrenched…not to be moved again.  For an unchanging Sovereign, He is ever on the move!

In his youth St. Augustine (eventually bishop of Hippo) ran as fast and far as he could from God.  But he could not outrun the prayers of his Godly mother, nor the pursuing, prevenient grace of God’s loving Spirit.  Hear the restless heart of Augustine, longing to know the peace of resting in his Creator:

Alas for me! Through your own merciful dealings with me, O Lord my God, tell me what you are to me. Say to my soul, I am your salvation. Say it so that I can hear it. My heart is listening, Lord; open the ears of my heart and say to my soul, I am your salvation. Let me run towards this voice and seize hold of you. Do not hide your face from me: let me die so that I may see it, for not to see it would be death to me indeed.[2]

To be restless is not that you cannot rest; in the case of our Creator, it is that He will not rest until his family is complete, and (at last) home!  He will not rest until we are at rest!  And yet, like the acacia wood poles that are always in position to move, God moves us forward, ever prodding, leading, guiding, calling, and inspiring to move.  We are called into His rest, yet we are ever mindful that our souls can never rest until, as Augustine reminds us, we are at rest with Him.

Like the carrying poles, we are never to be away from the presence of the ark of God’s safe embrace.  This is why we are called to this early morning dance with the Spirit.  In these early hours our hearts are finding the pathway to that rest. 

It is the lifetime employ and quest of our spirits to know Him, and the power of His resurrection, along with (and in) the fellowship of His sufferings[3]. 

And this in-Christ rest is what we discover is the only true rest a human can know – a peace beyond all human comprehension and joy[4].

For You Today

This picture of the carrying poles at the ready is a constant reminder that we are not home yet; we’re passing through this life, and it’s a restless occupation until we see the Father’s face.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day. 

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[1] Title Image:  Courtesy of Pixabay.com

[2] Confessions of St. Augustine, Book 1, Chapter 1

[3] Philippians 3:10

[4] Philippians 4:7

Listening To the Light

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Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed?  Of course not!  A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine.  For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light.  Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”  Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear.  The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more.  To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given.  But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”   Mark 4:21-25^NLT)

“Always ready” – that’s the man who was little of stature and big of heart.  Let me tell you how I think my friend Clarence Pugh was “always ready”:

Always Ready to Help-out

Clarence had just turned 85 when I met him.  That’s an age when most men are willing to let others do the work.  Yet, the next year, when the call went out for participants in our unusual pageant “Jerusalem Walk”, Clarence was among the first to volunteer.  

He didn’t know exactly what a “Jerusalem Walk” was, but he was ready to help out.  He was among the first to sign-up.  

And he volunteered for one of the “bad-guy” parts.  
He was willing to be the despised cross-maker who made the instrument of death for Jesus.  Not only that – he convinced his son-in-law to be his assistant.

He hardly knew what to say….but boy did that change.  Given half a chance, this quiet man from Franklinville would witness to a post.  He loved God and was ready to let anyone know just how good his God treated him. 

Always Ready to Pray

In decades of ministry I’ve had opportunity to see people at their worst and best.  I’ve heard most of the bad stuff people have ever done, (or just hadn’t gotten around to doing, but wishing they had).  One thing I’d never experienced is somebody jumping the gun on the preacher in prayer.  

I discovered just how impressively-ready was Clarence’s praying heart the first time I visited him at his home.  For some time he showed me the projects he and Mabel had crafted! 

When it was time for me to go I asked if we could have prayer together; he said, “That’ll be fine”.  We joined hands, bowed our heads and…before I could get out a syllable, Clarence began to pray.  Talk about a man ready to pray…we stopped probably 30 minutes later, after he’d prayed by name for most of the people we knew, as well as the president and his church, family, friends and half the county.  When he finally said “Amen” all I could say was “Uh-huh!”

Some prayers are designed in seminaries; some are formed in heaven and snuck into the hearts of those who are willing to be ready, instant, in-season and out, to give a witness of the hope that lies within. 

Clarence carved the lighthouse – a pretty close replica of the one at Currituck.  He gave it to me as a present a dozen years ago, and I carted it to worship this past Sunday to teach the children about being the “light of the world”.  Visiting that lighthouse last month on vacation made me think of my little cross-making, praying, always ready friend.  I miss his gentle spirit and kindness, but I have learned to listen to that light he carried around with him.

For You Today

Do you listen to the light? 

Good.  Just don’t put it under a basket; it’s meant to be shared!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day. 

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[1] Images:  Russell Brownworth (own work)