Coffee With The Lord

I’ve been to a lot of funerals in my years as a pastor and I’ve seen a lot of different expressions of grief!  They run the gambit – There are those who are almost beside themselves in expressions of hopeless sorrow and grief; there are others who evidence resignation (“Well there is another one who has died!  It happens to us all!); then there are those who cling to whatever comforting words they can grasp that give some chance of a benevolent afterlife for their departed…

And then there is the sorrow of hope filled Christians – who exhibit “hope” by the Bible’s description of the term – a rock-solid, unshakable confidence in God’s promises regarding those who have died, but are “in Christ!”  Here’s how Apostle Paul described it…

“We want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.  For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.  We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet Him ahead of those who have already died.  For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God.  First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves.  Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. THEN WE WILL BE WITH THE LORD FOREVER!  So encourage each other with these words!” (From 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NLT)

That is what I believe!  I’m confident of it!  And believe me, it makes all the difference in the world at a funeral of a loved one who knew the Lord and was “in Christ!”  Listen, it pays to be a Christian – someone who knows Christ personally and follows Him!

A song to sing on the way to church…

That’s what the “Songs of Ascents” were for ancient Israel… They were songs sung as they made their way up to the Temple to worship in Jerusalem.

During my time of “coffee with the Lord” early this “Lord’s Day” morning I read one of these songs… Psalm 128. In a few short hours Sharon and I will do what we do every Sunday morning… we will head off to worship with fellow Christians… And I’ve already got the song I’ll be singing in my heart (I might even hum a “Spirit prompted” tune as I think about the words of this “Song of Ascents” (A song to be sung on the way to church)…

It’s a promise! It’s a blessing given to those who walk in the “fear” [or reverence] of the Lord (and believe me, I intend to do just that EVERY DAY of my life!!)…

Here are the words of the song (with a few personal interpretive comments in brackets) …

“Blessed is EVERYONE who fears [or reverences] the Lord, who walk in His ways! They shall eat the fruit of the labor of their hands! They will be blessed, and it will be well with them! Their wife [their spouse] will be like a fruitful vine within their house; their children will be like olive shoots around their table! [In other words their family will live under the favor and blessing of the Lord!] Behold, thus shall the person be blessed who fears [or reverences] the Lord!” (Adapted from Psalm 128 – A Song of Ascents)

Yup, I’m going to sing it in my heart to the Lord on the way to church today… I’ll be renewing my commitment to “walk in the fear of the Lord” and claiming the promises of Psalm 128 as well! How about you?

Genuine spiritual leaders are deeply concerned about the spiritual welfare of those for whom they accept responsibility… They cannot be nonchalant, unconcerned, detached or remain uninformed or ambivalent about their welfare. They will seek to find out the welfare of those they lead and do what they can to help them.

This morning during “coffee with the Lord” I read the passionate words of such a spiritual leader – a man who was a model for us in that regard – Apostle Paul…

“So when we could stand it no longer… we sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by their trials… For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain. But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. FOR NOW WE REALLY LIVE WHEN YOU ARE STANDING FIRM IN THE LORD! How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

“Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones!” (From 1 Thessalonians 3:1–13 NIV)

Oh, let me tell you, may I have a heart like that as a spiritual leader! May my heart long to see and hear and contribute to the spiritual progress of those I lead (or have led). May I do everything in my power to determine and keep track of their spiritual progress and stability! May I intercede in prayer for them daily! Thank you, Apostle Paul, for giving us a glimpse into the heart of a true spiritual leader!