NIGHT LIGHT

 "When God seems to be blowing out your candle and making your room all dark," I once heard, "it could be He wants you to throw open the shutters because He has some secret light from Heaven for you to see."

Would you pray with me for my sister Janice's daughter-in-law Shannon who'll be having cancer surgery at 11 AM tomorrow?

She has 3 little ones at home--the youngest was born last year, just before my Stateside trip--and I'm sure that family's "room" is pretty dark right now.

But they've given testimony before the church of their trust in God in all of this. We are waiting to see how He'll work through the whole situation.

When I was in Iwatsuki, I remember taking a picture of what looked like plain ol' beetles in the daylight. It was only when it got dark and I saw another "plain ol' beetle" spread his wings then...glow from the tail I realized it was a firefly! But the delightful charm of the insect didn't show itself until the darkness came!

I wonder if the Lord is letting the darkness descend on Shannon and her family right now? Please pray the Heaven's light would shine delightfully brightly through them too!

You forget about everything else then

What? This is the sketch that was inspired by the worship service message.

When Peter, trying to walk across the water, was sinking in the water and looked up, it was Jesus that filled his sight then. To any floundering in waters of trouble Jesus would beckon look to Him for help--not to past training, smarts, or competence, even to others...why do we usually go to Him LAST?

Pastor Nishino was teaching the significance of the words "This Do In Remembrance of ME" often quoted during the Lord's Supper. It's a good thing, he said, to focus on our need to maintain holy lives an intimate walk with the Lord, but that isn't what God is telling us to remember. He's telling us to remember JESUS HIMSELF.

Peter must've echoed the Psalmist, pastor Nishino read: "save me, O God; for the waters are come unto my soul." (Ps. 69:1)

This is the first time I've heard Peter's sinking in the water being used as an illustration to teach COMMUNION!

HORSE RACE TO THE BOTTOM

 I think God would have me share from my journal...

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"a crown was given to him. and he went forth conquering" (Rev. 6:2)

At any rate, superiority over other men--a crown of conquest--is what the natural man would possess. Altho' the law of love tells us to seek to dive down to lift others up, it is the exact opposite the natural man seeks. He wants to be the best he can possibly be; he wants to succeed. His formula for success is to reach the top and to attain a "crown"...A Nobel Peace Prize? A Gugenheim? Perhaps not so big. A promotion? Simply a scholarship to a respected institution? "Superiority" is perhaps not the word I'm looking for. Praise? (Dare I say it: adoration/worship?) Individuals want it to be said "I made a difference," want to be remembered above others.

The race to the bottom to provide encouragement on which others can rise and find the life of God--have we not forgotten about our need to do so? It is when we do so and wear stripes and scars, not badges, ribbons, and trophies of honor, that God will say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." (Matt.25:21)

This is an illustration I drew in '85 when we were finishing up our deputation and coming to Japan as single missionaries with Baptist Mid-Missions, but clearly illustrates our Race, I think, so thought I'd post it here.

Are we obsessed with making God's Love known such we let our dreams get crucified in obscurity and our pride shamed? Then can we know what it is to say, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." (Lk.23:46) And would not God Himself respond, "This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased." (Mk.1:11)

No; His Honor does not NEED our defense. But let us give all for Him in expression of our love for Him. In a rerun of the T.V. program, "Little House on the Prairie," a small illustration of this was given. Laura Ingalls gave up her treasured horse to Nellie Olsen in a trade for a stove for her mother.

The mother's first response was to say she couldn't let Laura give up her horse; she loved that horse! The father intervened: she loved her mother more so not to ruin it; let her give the gift. God often lets us honor Him with gifts He does not need to let us express our love for Him. (Of course, in this case, Laura's mother really could use that stove!)

...give up all for Christ? I can't even give up watching videos or doing online jigsaw puzzles--sigh.

HOW GOOD TO BE HIS SNAIL!

There's a narrow alley behind the stairs to my sister's apartment. Last week, when the pastor's mother gave me a ride home, I told her how I hid there several years ago.  My family lived up in northern Japan at that time, but I came down to Okinawa from time to time to help care for my stepmother during my sister's Stateside furlough.

Joyce had told me of how Yoneko Nishino had taken care of her elderly mother for years. After I got exasperated with some unpleasant situations and came to the end of myself, I hid in that area behind the stairs and asked God to remind the pastor's wife to pray for Joyce's sister who was watching her elderly mother--Yoneko would know how much wisdom I needed and didn't have! I felt like the fenced-in snail in that jungle-like backyard.

After graduating from high school, I remember another backyard with a clothesline to the side. I'd so wanted to go help with the outer island ministry that summer, but my mother said I couldn't go. I was out by the shed wanting to cry. God reminded me of the pocket Bible in my purse at the time and told me to simply trust Him.

It was after that, a letter arrived saying my home church had voted to pay all expenses for my university freshman year. I guess God wanted me to be on Okinawa when that letter arrived.

Missionaries aren't rich. Sure, my parents scrimped and sacrificed, and I'm extremely grateful for all they did. Of course, my sisters and I worked. But God cut corners in amazing ways, like U.S. military wives on Okinawa giving a generous scholarship to Janice, a non-military student; Joyce winning music competition prizes.

By the time all three of us graduated, God made sure we didn't owe the school any money. Granted, I am not saying He works this way for all His children; I'm just testifying this is what He did for us.

So, when the '11 Quake hit, and our family started over from scratch in Iwatsuki; I knew God would take care of us. He just takes care of each His snails differently.