What Can I Give...?

Dear Worshipers,

What can I give….?. If you are like me, the last week has been consumed to some extent with the contemplating, locating, selecting, purchasing and wrapping of an assortment of gifts. Most an expression of love for someone in your life. Many a reminder of the great love-gift your share in the person of Jesus Christ. Some a gift for the Lord Himself, a token of your gratitude for His abundance.

And that is where I would like to linger for just a few moments with you today. What are you giving to the Lord this Christmas season? I am not even talking about financial contributions to a love offering at church, or other year-end worthy causes. I am not talking about giving of any of your resources, no matter the worthiness of the cause. I am referring to giving of yourself. Giving your heart with all your heart. Here is how the Lord brought this revelation to me today.

A few weeks back, I decided to use a child solo in the Christmas Eve service. I prayed about who should sing this song. A week or so ago, I felt the Lord leading me to have Samuel sing it. I approached him with the idea, and he immediately said yes. [Samuel actually enjoys singing.] In the days that followed, he began to have second thoughts, really stemming more from his growing tiredness from all the holiday festivities than anything else.

With time however, he slowly began to be more firm in his unwillingness to sing. It grew to the point that I was beginning to think of asking someone else, simply because I wanted it to be offered as a gift to the Lord, with no compulsion or reluctance. But I really felt that the Lord was in this whole situation. Then, this morning.

I put the CD on again on the way to school. Samuel opened the book and began to sing along. At the end, he asked if we could hear it again. My heart leaped at the apparent change of heart. At the end of the second time, he looked up and said, “I do want to sing this song Dad.” I was so blessed, I almost cried right there. Big surprise.

What the Lord showed me in that moment of sheer joy, was something of His heart. When we surrender to what our Father wishes, it is a blessing to Him that is possibly impossible for us to understand. When my son said he would do what I asked, I was so blessed. The real blessing was that he had wrestled through his feelings and uncertainty and had come to the place of surrender. He will sing with his whole heart on Christmas Eve. I will be blessed. But so will he.

See, that is one of the amazing things about God’s will. It brings Him glory, while at the same time being for our good. Samuel will be blessed, in and through his obedience to God and to me. So where is the lesson for you.
What has God been leading you to do or say to which you have said, “No”? Or maybe you first said “Yes”, but are living more like “No” right now. Give Him your heart in this matter, and in everything, and watch the blessing that will flow from that place of surrender.

You may feel like you do not have much to offer the King. But to the extent that this you feel that way, you have been deceived; either by yourself, or the enemy of your soul. After all, you have your heart, the core of all that you are, and that is of inestimable value to God. I think Christina Rosetti put it nicely when she said:

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him; give my heart.

In comparison to the riches of heaven, even the wealthiest of us have little. We are “poor” as she puts it. Yet, we can give to Jesus what we only have one of, our heart. Give Him your heart this Christmas. After all, He gave you His everything.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

In Christ,

Pastor Scott

Time to Tune

Dear Worshipers,

Time to tune. We have worked for months preparing for this weekend. We have rehearsed phrases, diction, breathing, entrances, cut-offs, dynamics, tempos, transitions, etc. The time has finally come when all that remains to be done is…tune.

We have scheduled and signed-up. Recruited and rearranged. Prayed and paused. Called and cajoled. Rehearsed and reviewed. The time has almost come to…tune.

We have sent invitations, put up banners, stuck roadside signs around town. We have spoken about the musical to family and friends, co-workers and classmates, neighbors and well…you name it. We have done what could, or what we were willing to do to let others know. This is a special night at our church. Now about all that is left to do is…tune.

The preparation has been lengthy, tiring, productive, sacrificial, blessed, fun, ______ [fill in the blank] Somewhere in the midst of it you asked yourself, “Is this really worth it. This is a lot of time to commit. I have a lot to do at this time of the year. I am not certain I will say, “yes!” to Pastor Scott next year.” But let us keep in mind I am not the One asking the question, I am just bearing it to you. If you listen closely I believe you will hear the One who asked telling you it is worth it, for the return will only be fully known in eternity.

The same could be said of every commitment in your life, ultimately all expressions of your ultimate commitment of your entire life to Jesus. The parallels struck me during some quiet time this morning. Though the musical is upon us, this is simultaneously a season of preparation for other big events in your life, other moments of ministry that the Lord is grooming you for that you may not even be able to dream of just yet.

I think of the Markle’s. Pastor David mentioned in his prayer on Sunday that the Lord is instructing their hearts through these difficult days as they wait to hear the diagnosis for little Eli. He is teaching them His love in a way that neither they nor we would ever choose, but that is best according to His plan for their lives. Let us pray they will see His great mercy and love clearly as they walk this path.

You may be facing something difficult, or wonderful that the Lord is using to prepare you for what lies ahead. Hear is my point. We have been preparing for the musical, and are about to tune to share it. We do not know exactly how God will use it but we offer it with hearts of love for His enjoyment and employment, that he may delight in it and use it to make Himself know. God is preparing you for something. When the time comes, tune your heart and give Him praise, then trust Him to use you as well.

Let us be every ready to tune our hearts to sing His grace. Sometimes you will have advance notice, like a few months. Most of the time however you will have only a few moments, so you had better stay in tune the best you can.

I am here to help you tune should you need some assistance. I don’t have perfect pitch, but I know Someone who does. He delights in tuning the hearts that are truly His.

In Christ,

Pastor Scott