“Waiting For Me There”

"Waiting For Me There"  

  

    I'm not scared of dentists.  I don't even feel nervous about going, or about the treatments.  However, some very negative childhood experiences have led me to inconsistency in the twice a year regimen of checkups.  When appointment times come, I've too often rationalized that I'll postpone that until another day.  Thankfully, I have pretty good teeth, and have had very few problems despite my neglect regarding more regular visits to the dentist.

    Of late, a few problems have arisen.  I made the call for an appointment yesterday, and they were able to squeeze me in today.  Things went well, we planned a regimen of treatment, and my plans now are to visit my dentist twice a year until the Lord takes me home.  All this made me remember the reason for my hesitation, namely, my childhood dentist, Dr. Adolph "Yank" Drillhappy (not his real name, of course, although it fit him quite accurately).  I spent many frightened and painful moments in Dr. Drillhappy's office as a boy who liked sweets, and thus needed a few fillings.  Of course, Dr. D. couldn't have been nicer to my mother, the lady who wrote the checks to pay for my tortur… uh, treatments.  "Why, Mrs. Davis, what a pleasure to see you again!  And I see you've brought little Glen in again!  How nice!"  Dr. Drillhappy would then look at me, smile, and slyly raise his eyebrow enough just for me to see, indicating that he relished yet another opportunity to execute mayhem in my oral regions.  "We'll take good care of the little fella" said the good doctor as he closed the door and pointed to the dentist's chair in which he plyed his nefarious trade.  "Get in the chair, kid", sit still and don't make any noise no matter what!  Because if you do…"  Dr. D looked at his assistant, who pulled the trigger on the dentist's drill to make that terrible high pitched noise that makes teeth hurt even it if never touches them.  "Yeah kid" said the doctor, "we have ways of discouraging bad behavior!"  He then went to work on me, and I still have dreams - no, nightmares - about piercing darts of pain racing in my head as Dr. Drillhappy gleefully sought for nerves in my teeth - and found them.

   Ok, I exaggerate a bit.  However, I did have enough uncomfortable dental moments as a child that it leads to the aforementioned rationalization and inconsistency in my dental care.  I knew I couldn't do that now.  Some cracked fillings have led to enough discomfort that I knew the time had come.  So, this morning as I prepared to go to the dentist, I went to the Lord first, just to make sure that I didn't allow any fear or nervousness to accompany my visit.  "Lord, I know You'll be waiting for me there, and that You have a purpose in my going other than simply fixing my teeth."  I offered myself to Him for whatever He might want to do in the situation.  Again, things couldn't have gone better.  My dentist is a great guy, and made me feel completely comfortable about the treatment to come.  Also, the dental hygienist who cleaned my teeth, Elisabeth, seemed like an angel.  She showed great care and compassion in being gentle around the sensitive areas of my teeth, explained everything she did, and couldn't have been nicer.  This leads to the point of my sharing all this with you.  While Elisabeth worked on my teeth, we both looked out the large window of the office into a courtyard where a bird feeder stood in the very center of the area.  On the feeder sat a beautiful red cardinal.  I mentioned this, and Elisabeth said, "Hmmm, that's funny.  We usually only see squirrels out there."

    Those of you who know me well likely see the point of this event, and of Elisabeth's observation.  I am known for loving cardinals, all cardinals.  But I especially love the male red ones.  I find their scarlet plumage to be one of the most beautiful things in all creation.  The depth of red in their feathers always thrills my soul, most of all because it reminds me of the precious lifeblood shed by the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.  "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ" (Ephesians 2:13).  Yes, I love cardinals and what they represent to my heart.  So, having affirmed that the Lord would be waiting for me at the dentist, and then seeing a cardinal there where cardinals are not usually seen, well, you know what I'm trying to say.

    As we often suggest in these messages, the Lord does wait for His trusting children in Christ wherever we go.  And, He journeys with us on the way.  Sometimes He makes Himself quite obvious.  This surely seemed to be the case today, and I gave thanks (and give thanks again as I write this).  I also thought about this: If there had never been a Dr. Adolph Drillhappy in my life, along with the uncomfortable experiences he fostered, I would have never had known the blessedness of seeing that cardinal.  I might not have prayed before going to the dentist, or if I had, I might not have voiced my request in the way I did.  "Lord, I know You'll be waiting there for me…"  He was, and while I knew that before seeing the scarlet plumage, I knew it with a particular joy afterward.  So, Dr. D served and still serves a purpose in God's gracious ways in my life.  I am grateful for the moment this morning, and for being able to share it with you.  A closing thought, however: I'm glad I now go to to another dentist rather than Dr. D!

"As You Go"

     

I wait for you, My child, wherever you may go.

I'll be there when you arrive,

I'll be with you as you go.

We live our life together, you venture not alone.

Our hearts made one forever,

united in My Son.

I wait for you, My child, I'll be with you as you go.

I made you for such grace, to be My Spirit's home.

Oh, look into My face,

and with assurance know

that we'll always be together,  you'll never be alone.

We'll be as one forever,

each other's love to know.

I wait for you, My child, I'll be with you as you go.

Forever beckons to us, as does this day, this hour.

My Spirit's peace imparts

the presence and the power

for you to journey with Me, in darkness or in light.

I am in your heart forever,

and in this day, this night.

I wait for you, My child,  I'll be with you as you ago…

I'll be with you as you go.

"The Lord thy God, He it is that shall go with thee."

(Deuteronomy 31:6)

Weekly Memory Verse

    Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

(Proverbs 17:28)

     

    

   

"Far Better"

(Thanks to our friend and brother Wayne B. for inspiration on this one.  And, dedicated to Peggy and her family)

"Far Better"  

  

    The Apostle Paul declared that our earthly departure to be in the direct Heavenly presence of the Lord Jesus Christ will not merely lead us into a better existence.

    "To depart, and to be with Christ... is far better" (Philippians 1:23).

    "Far."  A tiny word, but in it lies the most glorious of promises - far better.  Salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ, while providing abundant provision for our walk with God today, nevertheless promises infinitely greater glories in our eternal tomorrows.  Indeed, would any believer already in Heaven tell us they wish they could have stayed on the earth for just a bit longer?  Not a chance!  One twinkling moment after our passing from this life into the next, we will experience the greatest relief we've ever known.  Indeed, whatever measure of peace we have received in Christ during our earthly sojourn will pale in comparison to the experience known when the Prince of peace journeys with us through the valley of the shadow of death.  While certainly we do nothing to hasten our earthly passing, and we do all to presently know God as well as possible, we must nevertheless realize and affirm that Paul proclaimed blessed truth in his triumphant exultation, "To die is gain!" (Philippians 1:21).

   A good friend recently responded to the physical death of one for whom many believers prayed regarding healing.  "Oh," said Wayne, "you mean he was really healed!"  Or, we might say, that those who passed through the valley of the shadow are Heavenly healed.  Three letters: f-a-r.  In them lies the blessed promise of entrance into the eternal glory of Heaven with the Lord Jesus.  Thus, anything that might in our minds seem to bind us to the present life must be viewed in the light of "better to be with Christ", or, far better.  Anything.  Everything.  All things.  Yes, one twinkling moment with our blessed Lord will convince us of that.  Thus, we do not fear death as God's trusting sons and daughters united to the Prince of life.  We rather see our earthly departure as hope, hope for passage from darkness, pain, and sorrow.  But even more, we see death as hope for passage into the sublime glory of "to be with Christ"…

"We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

(II Corinthians 5:8)

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

(Hebrews 2:14-15)

Weekly Memory Verse

    Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

(Proverbs 17:28)

     

    

"The Uncaused Cause"

"The Uncaused Cause"  

  

    God exists as the only uncaused reality - "From everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God" (Psalm 90:2).  All other things exist and consist either as the direct creations of the Lord, or as the indirect result of the things, forces, and laws He made.

    Human beings do not create.  We rather serve as stewards of that which the Lord hath made despite the bluster of some who think quite highly of humanity and its capacities.  We make things by using other things, many of which exist only through God's creative fiat.  The proud fail to see this, as in the case of the young scientist who blithely confronted the Lord.

   "God, we don't need you any more!" boasted the scientist.  "Science has brought us to the place where we can harness the powers of nature, transplant organs, and even clone human beings.  Why, I can even create a man from dust, just like that Book of Yours mentions."  The Lord responded, "Is that so?  Why don't we have a contest then.  Let's see who can make a human being, and I'll let you go first."  The scientist laughed and quickly said, "You're on, God.  Watch and weep."  The man then knelt down to scoop up a handful of dirt.  "Whoa, young man!'  The man looked up, and in a tone of exasperation exclaimed, "What's the problem, God?"  The Lord looked at the man, paused for a moment, and then quietly but in no uncertain terms declared, "Young man, get your own dirt!"

    We use that which God made, even if we refuse to believe He exists.  We do not create, but rather implement the Divinely formed law of causality, namely, that all things and events have a cause.  The baker does not create cakes, but rather uses already existing components to combine and reconstitute flour, eggs, butter, sugar, and appropriate additions into a different form and structure.  The cake, delicious as it is and perhaps beautifully decorated, exists as a caused reality.  It came from something rather than nothing.  God, conversely, came from nowhere and from nothing.  He didn't come at all.  He simply was, is, and always will be.  "I AM" He declared His name to be, or "I AM THAT I AM" (Exodus 3:14).  Children wonder about such things, and ask the question, "Where did God come from?".  We need to wonder also, but not to ask questions.  No, we rather fall to our faces in worship of One beyond understanding, imagination, and awareness.  "Who is like unto Thee, O LORD, among the gods?  Who is like Thee, glorious in holiness?" (Exodus 15:11).

    In Christ, God draws the believing heart so near that He indwells it.  Never, however, do we fail to remember the infinite otherness of God, as it were.  He exists as the uncaused Cause of all things, the first Mover, and the Word that merely required utterance to create all things (John 1:-3).  He works to conform Christians to His own spiritual and moral likeness, and one day "we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (I John 3:2).  We shall not be like Him in the eternal infinity of His being, however.  No one is, and no one can be.  We reserve forevermore in our hearts the wonder of One who had no beginning, and will have no end.  We kneel in complete and utter awe, fear, and reverence.  Or, as the poet expressed so beautifully, "Shoreless Ocean, who can sound Thee?  Thine own eternity is round Thee, Majesty divine!"

"Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."

(I Timothy 1:17)

"Thou art from everlasting!"

(Psalm 93:2)

Weekly Memory Verse

    Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

(Proverbs 17:28)