Commencement: The Beginning of Something New

Many families have just survived one of the most thrilling and emotionally charged events that can take place in the life of a child: graduation. I can recall all of my graduations, from kindergarten to my doctorate degree. Each one was different as I completed one stage of my life and prepared for a new one.

The word commencement is often associated with graduations. The meaning of this word, as told by Norman Osborn in the first Spider-Man the movie is, “The ending of one thing but the beginning of something new.” When I reached these benchmarks, I focused on what I had just completed, reveling in the achievement of a job well done. Sometimes, I was filled with remorse or regret for the things left undone, people I had hurt, and friends I would never see again. But as soon as a day or two had passed, I began pondering what my future held. From first grade to my last pastoral appointment, the ending I had just experienced was the beginning of something new.

All too often we tend to think of endings as just that, endings. We might be inclined to obsess over what we leave behind, things we’ll never do again, and people we might never see. But in reality, when anything ends, we are on the horizon of something new.

In the Biblical book of Ruth, tragedy had befallen Naomi. Her husband and two sons had died. To her, this was an enormous ending. She encouraged her daughters-in-law to return to their home of origins and start anew. But Ruth, who had become very loyal to Naomi, refused, pledging to stay with her until they were parted by death. Naomi urged Ruth time and again to return to her home, but Ruth’s determination to stay with her mother-in-law only grew.

In Ruth 1.16, Ruth says these words to Naomi, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” Ruth was faithful to her word. She stayed with Naomi and eventually married Boaz. What is remarkable about Ruth’s story is that through her faithfulness, she became the great-grandmother of King David. And through King David, God sent us Jesus. By remaining faithful through her tragedy, Ruth took her place in the lineage that brought salvation to all humankind. I think it is safe to say God had a plan!

Who knows all that God has in store for us when we complete one stage in our life and embark upon a new one? We might think that tomorrow can never be as great as yesterday, but that sure does limit God! God tells us, “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 22.11-14a)

May we see endings in life as the beginning of something new. Commencement. From graduations in school and beyond, when we trust in God who has a plan for our lives, we can rest assured that the best is yet to come!

Jesus Walks With You Through The Storm

Like many, I have been moved by the reports from the tornadoes that ravaged Oklahoma this week. I was actually watching a cable news channel when the one on Monday struck in Moore, OK I remember commenting to Tiffany how the situation looked dire. The news reports have certainly proved that to be true.

In times such as this, there are many questions raised that begin with the word, why. To be completely honest, I have asked many of these same questions and pondered the same conclusions as you. One thing I am sure of, though, is that “why” is a statement of faith when we’re able to see God in the midst of our questions.

There is one question in particular that struck me: does God have the power to stop a storm? In a word, yes – God has the ability to stop the storms – literally and figuratively – that befall us and sometimes he does. I can’t help but wonder how many times I might have been headed for a crisis when God intervened. I might have written it off as a coincidence, blind luck, or been oblivious to it in the first place, but I am quite sure that God has intervened on my behalf many times in my life. But we have to come to grips with the times when God does not intervene…at least in a way we would choose. Sometimes, due to sin, our broken creation, or the free will of another person, storms strike us. Storms may tear at us, but they need not tear us apart.

As I have prayed and reflected about the events of this past week, I am again drawn to the story of Jesus calming the storm as told in Matthew 14.22-34. This is the account when Jesus sent his disciples ahead in a boat while he remained behind to pray on the mountain. From his vantage point, he could see the storm on the horizon, so he decided to walk on the water to come to their aid. This event all took place while the storm raged and terrified the disciples, many of whom were seasoned seafarers.

Jesus indeed has the power to calm the storm – in fact, he did (v.32) – but not until he appeared to the disciples to steady their faith. It strikes me that Jesus would rather walk with us through the storm as opposed to calming it for us. Then, we come to know that Jesus’ greater power is exhibited not in his calming the storm, but calming the one in the storm. Allow that to sink in for a moment. While he had the ability to stop the storm, his gift to the disciples was to walk with them through it.

The same is true today. God has the ability to stop the storms of life, and sometimes he does. In those times when the storms are not calmed, however, he is walking through them with us. When we are confronted with things like nature’s fury, a medical diagnosis, a tragic accident, the loss of a loved one, or whatever life throws our way, we might be inclined to ask “Why?”, and I think that is all well and good. The answer that we receive in the midst of our storms, though, might not be the answer that we seek, but it is the one that we need – the God walks with us through our storms.

Whatever storm you might be facing today, know that Jesus wants to walk through it with you. It might not calm the storm, but it will calm you!

The Origami Rose

I am not a crafty person, though I am surrounded by them. I am amazed by the artistic vision Tiffany and Ethan both have. Tiffany is great with decorating and bringing a vision for a room to life. Ethan is great with drawing, but that is not his specialty. Ethan is one of the best paper folders I have ever seen. The type of art he excels in known as origami.

Origami – from ori meaning “folding,” and kami meaning “paper,” (kami changes to gami due to a grammatical nuance in Japanese) – is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding, which started in the 17th century AD at the latest and was popularized outside of Japan in the mid-1900s. It has since then evolved into a modern art form. The goal of this art is to transform a flat sheet of paper into a finished sculpture through folding and sculpting techniques.

Ethan & His Giant Origami Rose

Ethan began learning origami using simple YouTube videos to show him how to make the necessary folds to
bring his creations to life. He started with simple ones like cranes, but has gotten really skilled at making things like boxes, rings, and his favorite, the rose. Children in his school have been so impressed with the roses that he is asked constantly to make them for his friends. He does this joyfully, knowing that this skill he has learned helps brighten someone’s day.

This past weekend, while it was so rainy, Ethan decided he wanted to tackle an origami project that would be a challenge…he wanted to make the biggest rose possible! He tried wrapping paper and newspaper, but he couldn’t get it quite right. It wasn’t until finding a roll of craft paper that he was able to find paper with the correct weight to fold and crease in order to hold up under the pressure. I watched his little hands manipulate that paper, struggling with it at times, but the joy in his eyes when he brought this rose to life was inspiring!

Ethan’s work with the giant origami rose got me thinking about how GOD’s hands mold and shape us. There are times we might feel formless, but even then, GOD is working to mold us into the image in which we were created – His! There are times when this is easy and there are times when it seems like a struggle. Regardless, it is worth it! It is then we come to realize this that we can confidently proclaim the message of Psalm 119:73: “Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands.”

Realizing we have been formed by the very hand of GOD, like the Psalms say, help us to learn the commands of GOD, that we love the Lord with all that we have and love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Finding a new life of love emerge from within us transforms our barren existence into something as lovely as a rose. Consider this verse from Isaiah 35.1: “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.”

As you come to understand how GOD has formed you and wants you to love, it will change and transform your life. May you live this transformed life like a beautiful and sweet-scented rose. Allow GOD to help blossom and unfold you so you can be the rose given by the Lord to brighten someone’s day! 

National Day of Prayer, 2013

Today is the National Day of Prayer. This is a day of prayer, instituted by the Continental Congress in 1775 so that America would be a country founded in prayer. In 1952, President Harry Truman signed a bill proclaiming the National Day of Prayer into law. It was in 1972 that the National Prayer Committee was formed. It went on to create the National Day of Prayer Task Force, with the intended purpose of coordinating events for the National Day of Prayer. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill into law decreeing that the National Day of Prayer should be held on the first  Thursday of May.

The intention of the National Day of Prayer was always that it would be a day when members of all faiths could pray together in their own way. Here is an excerpt from President Obama’s official Presidential Proclamation: “I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2, 2013, as a National Day of Prayer. I join the citizens of our Nation in giving thanks, in accordance with our own faiths and consciences, for our many freedoms and blessings, and in asking for God's continued guidance, mercy, and protection.”

Here is this year’s official prayer for our nation, authored by Pastor Greg Laurie, Honorary Chairman:

Father, we come to You to pray for our nation, the United States of America.

How You have blessed us through the years, Lord! We rightly sing, “America, America, God shed His grace on thee.” Yet we see trouble in our culture today. We see the breakdown of the family, crippling addictions, and random acts of horrific violence.

Lord, we need Your help in America. In recent days, we have done our best to remove Your Word and Your counsel from our courtrooms, classrooms and culture. It seems, as President Lincoln once said, that we have “forgotten God.” But Lord, You have not forgotten us! You can bless and help and revive our country again.

Scripture tells us that “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34). Lord, in Your mercy, we ask that You would exalt our country again. We have had a number of great awakenings in America. We have experienced times of refreshing, and revivals that changed not only the spiritual but also the moral landscape. As the psalmist said, “Will You not revive us again, so that Your people may rejoice in You?” (Psalm 85:6)

That is our prayer for America today, Lord. Send a mighty spiritual awakening that will turn the hearts of men and women, boys and girls back to you. You have told us if we will humble ourselves and pray, and seek Your face and turn from our wicked ways, that You will forgive our sins and heal our land. (2 Chronicles7:14)

Forgive us today, Lord, and heal this troubled land that we love so much.

We ask all of this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

You can learn more about the National Day of Prayer by clicking here.

Shine On!

Pastor Mark 

Iron People

This coming Friday, Marvel Studios will release their newest superhero movie: Iron Man 3. If you aren’t familiar with the Iron Man storyline, it is about a billionaire named Tony Stark who designs a superhero suit to help defend freedom and those who cannot help themselves.

Tony Stark was not always the hero type. Originally, he was a man who used his wealth and genius for self-serving purposes. After surviving a terrifying ordeal, he decided to dedicate his life to helping others in his super suit as the hero known as, Iron Man.

Iron Man is a fanciful story that captures the imaginations of people of all ages – an indestructible suit; the ability to fly; superhuman strength; amazing weapons used only in defending freedom; and helping those who cannot help themselves; it really is fantastic! Though Iron Man is a fictional character of comic books and the silver screen, he gives us an ideal we can follow to be heroes for others.

The scriptures tell us that when we help other people in the name of Jesus, we become heroes! We might not be indestructible with superhuman strength or the ability to fly, but by sharing the light and love of God, we can point people to the greatest rescuer in the history of the world. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” When we take seriously Jesus’ commandment to go into the world and share the story of salvation through the forgiveness of sins, we carry a message that gives the power to change a life, make the soul soar, and cause us to be impervious to messages of hopelessness.

We are called to live lives of Christian witness. We do this in corporate worship, synergy in fellowship and study, and the miracles that can come through evangelism and outreach. Like sharpening a tool such as a knife, you need an implement in addition to the tool in order to make the blade sharp. The same is true in our lives of faith – just as Proverbs 27:17 says, we need each other to sharpen, defend, promote, and protect each other. In other words, we cannot live lives of faith in isolation. To put it plainly, when you miss church, the church misses you! You are needed to be in contact with God and others so you can be sharpened and work to sharpen others!

People are drawn to and moved by stories of heroes and heroism. Think seriously about how your normal ordinary life can be heroic in the eyes of another in need. Be present to sharpen others and be sharpened, too! And as we worship, learn, pray, play, and serve together, the transforming power of the Holy Spirit enables you to participate in, and be privy to, the power that changes the world!

Still Thinking on Stop Hunger Now

I am just thrilled about this past weekend and the impact our church made for children in the world! Working with the Stop Hunger Now organization, we packaged 31,320 meals that will be distributed to areas around the world decimated by poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. Isn’t it amazing what can happen when a group comes together to accomplish a task?

As I helped Ryan, the representative from Stop Hunger Now, load the truck, I already started thinking to our next event. What will be our goal? How much money will we need to raise? How many volunteers will it take to accomplish the task? I pondered these questions while…get this…I was on my way to eat lunch at Fabiano’s Pizza in Newnan. The irony was not lost on me and all I could do was chuckle. While children long for the 25-cent meals, I was off to spend quite a bit more on pizza, salad, hot wings, and soft drinks. So much of Stop Hunger Now’s mission is to raise awareness that malnutrition is a dilemma that can be solved in our lifetime! I think, at least for me, awareness was raised.

While we might struggle in our society to grasp the scope of the dilemma of poverty in the world, we truly are blessed beyond measure. Stop Hunger Now reports that currently in the world today, there is enough food to feed each man, woman, and child four-and-one-half pounds a day. Think about that. So in essence, the problem with malnutrition isn’t a supply problem as much as it is an awareness and distribution problem.

There might be enough food in the world to feed every person right now, but we cannot solve the problem of world hunger all on our own. Regardless of desire, we just can’t. What we can do, however, is remember that we do have the power to make a difference in the lives of people, and that is precisely what we should do! The sheer enormity of the task does not absolve us from doing something. It reminds me of the story of the little boy tossing starfish back into the sea that had washed up on the shore. When an older man asked the boy why he was so determined because he possibly couldn’t make a difference for all the starfish, the boy remained resolute, “I can make a difference for this one.”

Our task is very much the same. Though Cokes Chapel alone cannot solve the crisis of world hunger, we can do our part to help make a difference for the people that we can. There is a great quote that says, “Sometimes the things we can't change end up changing us instead. (Unknown)”. As we fulfill the call to make a difference for those we can, we undoubtedly will come to grips with the enormity of the task. We cannot allow this to deter us, however, because the things we can do will make a difference. And this, my friends – just as I hoped you experienced after this Stop Hunger Now campaign – can change you!

Church family, please know how proud I am to be serving among and with you. This church is making a major difference in our community, our region, and our world. There might be times when we feel like we could or should do more, and that is good. My prayer is that we remain committed to the task of making new and better followers of Jesus Christ to change the world and never allow ourselves to be discouraged or deterred by the massiveness of the task. This is what it means to “Boldly Go!” into the world with, in, and for the love of God! It can change the world, beginning with you!

Stop Hunger Now THIS Saturday

Well, we are almost there! Since the start of Lent in February, we have been engaged in a campaign with the Stop Hunger Now relief organization to provide meals for those stricken with hunger caused by poverty, tragedy, and/or disaster. You have heard the statistics that every three seconds someone dies from hunger related illnesses caused by malnutrition…half of those who perish are children! So far, Stop Hunger Now has packaged 93,943,437 meals for the impoverished in 76 different countries. This week, we will do our part to add to that total.

In 2011, we hosted a Stop Hunger Now event and packaged almost 23,000 meals! As we began Lent this year, we set a goal of packaging 25,000 meals. We exceeded that goal on Easter Sunday and increased it to 30,000 meals. Friends, let me tell you, in the three-plus weeks since Easter, we have exceeded THAT goal, too! Your generosity and faithfulness to this call and challenge to help people in the name of Jesus is encouraging and life-changing! As I mentioned in both services this past Sunday, what might just be a quarter in a basket, offering plate, or soup pot to us, is transformed into a life saving meal through Stop Hunger Now!

Our packaging event is this Saturday, April 20^th, in the Community Hall. The schedule is as follows:

-          The truck will arrive at 8:30am and we need help unloading and setting up the packing stations.
-          The first shift will run from 9:30-11:30am.
-          The second shift will run from 11:30-1:30pm.

As of right now, we need more help in the 11:30am-1:30pm shift. And yes, those who arrive at 9:30am are able to stay throughout the entire day, provided there is enough work for everyone (which there will be). If you have not registered for a shift yet, you can do so on the church website by clicking this link: http://www.cokeschapel.org/stophungernow.html.

A significant part of our Christian witness is to care for those less fortunate in the name of Jesus. When we show our generosity by caring for people who could never repay us, we are, as the Bible says, doing it for Jesus himself!

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?’ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’”

(Matthew 25.37&40, NLT)

So as we gather this Saturday for what will be a fun and uplifting day, know that your work and service will be making a major difference in the life of a person in need. Don’t you want to be a part of that? Sign up today. Come join us. Be ready to be a part of something life-saving and world-changing!

 

If you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out, your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.

(Isaiah 58.10, MSG)