"I wish I wrote this, but I didn't. My wife Susan found this and sent it to me the day after I preached on Thanksgiving; she stated well that it would have complemented what was on my heart in this week's message on "giving thanks in every circumstance."  So I share it with you, and have a happy thanksgiving."  ~Pastor Glenn

"Thankful For The Thorns"

Sandra felt as low as the heels of her crocks when she pulled open the florist shop door, against a November gust of wind. Her life had been as sweet as a spring breeze and then, in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a "minor" automobile accident stole her joy. This was Thanksgiving week and the time she should have delivered their infant son. She grieved over their loss. Troubles had multiplied. Her husband's company "threatened" to transfer his job to a new location. 

Her sister had called to say that she could not come for her long awaited holiday visit. What's worse, Sandra's friend suggested that Sandra's grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. "She has no idea what I'm feeling," thought Sandra with a shudder. "Thanksgiving? Thankful for what?" she wondered. "For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that saved her life, but took her child's?" 

"Good afternoon, can I help you?" Sandra was startled by the approach of the shop clerk. 

"I... I need an arrangement," stammered Sandra. 

"For Thanksgiving? Do you want the beautiful, but ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer favorite I call the 'Thanksgiving Special'? I'm convinced that flowers tell stories," she continued. "Are you looking for something that conveys 'gratitude' this Thanksgiving?" 

"Not exactly!" Sandra blurted out. "In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong." Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the clerk said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you." 

Then the bell on the door rang, and the clerk greeted the new customer, "Hi, Barbara... let me get your order." She excused herself and walked back to a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and what appeared to be long-stemmed, thorny roses - except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped. There were no flowers. 

"Do you want these in a box?" asked the clerk. Sandra watched for the customer's response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers! She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed. "Yes, please," Barbara replied with an appreciative smile. "You'd think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again.", she said, as she gently tapped her chest. 

Sandra stammered, "Uh, that lady just left with, uh... she left with no flowers!" 

"That's right," said the clerk. "I cut off the flowers. That's the 'Special'. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet." 

"Oh, come on! You can't tell me someone is willing to pay for that!" exclaimed Sandra. 

"Barbara came into the shop three years ago, feeling much as you do, today," explained the clerk. "She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had just lost her father to cancer; the family business was failing; her son had gotten into drugs; and she was facing major surgery." 

"That same year, I had lost my husband," continued the clerk. "For the first time in my life, I had to spend the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too much debt to allow any travel." 

"So what did you do?" asked Sandra. "I learned to be thankful for thorns," answered the clerk quietly. "I've always thanked God for the good things in my life and I NEVER questioned Him why those GOOD things happened to me. But when the bad stuff hit, I cried out, "WHY? WHY Me?" It took time for me to learn that the dark times are important to our faith! I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of my life, but it took the thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort! You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others." 

Sandra sucked in her breath, as she thought about the thought that her friend had tried to tell her. "I guess the truth is, I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God." 

Just then someone else walked in the shop. "Hey, Phil!" the clerk greeted the balding, rotund man. 
"My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving arrangement... twelve thorny, long-stemmed stems!" laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator. 

"Those are for your wife?" asked Sandra incredulously. "Do you mind telling me why she wants a bouquet that looks like that?" 

"No... I'm glad you asked," Phil replied. "Four years ago, my wife and I nearly divorced. After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and guidance, we trudged through problem after problem. The Lord rescued our marriage. Jenny, here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she had learned from "thorny" times. That was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific "problem" and give thanks for what that problem taught us." As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, "I highly recommend the Special!" 

"I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life." Sandra said to the clerk. "It's all too... fresh." 

"Well," the clerk replied carefully, "my experience has shown me that the thorns make the roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember that it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the thorns." 

Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on her resentment. "I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please," she managed to choke out. 

"I hoped you would," said the clerk gently. "I'll have them ready in a minute." 

"Thank you. What do I owe you?" 

"Nothing. Nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart. The first year's arrangement is always on me." The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. "I'll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first." 

It read: 
My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant." 

Praise Him for the roses; thank Him for the thorns. 

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13)

The consequences of not putting on the whole armor of God can be found in scripture and in the modern context. The Sons of Sceva (Acts 19:13-16) attempted to take on spiritual forces without being totally fitted with the Armor of God.  They knew a little about the power of the name of Jesus Christ and Paul who preached Jesus and assumed that was enough to take on evil.  The results of their gross underestimation of the enemy and their ignorance in confronting him was the embarrassing beating they received.  Mel Gibson, is another example, a modern day son of Sceva who also received an embarrassing social beating.  We can only assume that his demise is a result of his lack of total understanding and preparation for the spiritual battle he entered when he produced the movie the Passion of the Christ.

The admonition to do everything in our preparation should be heeded.  We should not assume anything, or de-emphasize any portion of the spiritual armor.  Nor should we think that we are so much more sophisticated today that we know more about spiritual warfare than Paul did.  Thor Heyerdahl’s experience in the 1970’s teaches us to pay attention to detail.  Heyerdahl while seeking to prove that Egyptian culture had influenced architecture in Central and South America (pyramids), built a boat according to ancient Egyptian designs and set out to sail the Atlantic.  The first attempt ended after the boat fell apart some 3 thousand miles into the journey.  A second boat followed original designs more carefully and it was discovered that a small and seemingly insignificant rope had been left out.  After reconstructing the boat with all details of the ancient description followed the Ra II a 12 meter boat successfully sailed the Atlantic.  

It seems that we as modern thinkers assume we know more than the ancients; we know how to build better boats and better churches, but are we ignoring the small details that could cost us on our journey?  If we are to be successful we must not be arrogant and think we can just use part of the armor of God, we must put it all on, and do everything necessary to be successful. Let us consider the parts of the armor then:

1. The Belt of Truth:  We can be in denial about nothing (Eph. 6:14).  We can’t deny our sins, we can’t deny the consequences of sin nor the presence of an enemy who keeps trying to get us to sin. We must face spiritual reality.
2. The Breastplate of Righteousness:  Be guilty of nothing (Eph. 6:14).  We must be made righteous by God, and let that righteousness produce acts of righteousness before man.
3. Feet shod with Good news:  No more reluctance, Be apologetic for nothing (Eph. 6:15, Romans 1:16) Do not be ashamed to tell someone good news.  We need to be ready at all times to give people a better perspective, how God has done good things, and there is good news.  We must see the good news of salvation as good for all, and not be ashamed to present it in a positive way.  It is a Gospel of peace we share, not a condemning message blanketed in hostility.   Be positive, what we have to tell them can be very helpful to someone whose life is filled with anxiety, uncertainty, and loneliness.
4. The Shield of Faith:  Be in fear of nothing other than God. (Eph. 6:16, Josh. 24:14 Ps. 27:1).  Yes we should fear God, that is respect and honor Him, but we should not be afraid of anything else because our relationship with God now that we have been made righteous, because “perfect love casts out all fear.”
5. Helmet of Salvation: Wear proper head gear:  Be deceived by nothing (Eph. 6:17, II Cor. 10:4,5). Salvation is more than a heart matter it is a head matter.  We are saved from our sins and our sinful thinking as well.  Our worldview needs to change, we need to “make every thought obedient to the will of God” (II Cor. 10:5).
6. The Sword of the Spirit/the Word of God: Be prepared and empowered for everything.  Have a sharpened weapon (Eph. 6:17,Hebrews 4:12) that we know well and are ready to use.  We cannot be ignorant of God’s word, we must study it, apply it and obey it.
7. Prayer the connecting element: Be connected not isolated. All the time, in all kinds of ways. Connected at all times not separated and alone, for when we are alone we are most vulnerable to attack.   Communication with God and others through prayer is vital to being strong enough in the Lord to be safe (I Peter 5:8 Eph. 4:16, 6:18-20).

 

Tony Evans (1998) stated in his book The Battle is the Lord’s,  “Everything visible and physical is the result of something invisible and spiritual. Therefore, only by addressing the invisible, spiritual cause can we fix what is wrong with our visible, physical lives” (p. 12).  The naturalistic or scientific worldview, which denies the spiritual realm, fails to address the moral issues of our day.  The Christian worldview which acknowledges the spiritual world has the weapons to fight against the forces that cause the brokenness and suffering of our world, as well as the power to bring healing and hope.  Far too many Christians want to shrink away and isolate themselves and their families from the evil of the world when the fact remains that the only way to be safe is to be strong in the Lord and in the Power of His might (Ephesians 6:10).  Don’t settle for getting just enough spiritual armor to get by.  Don’t be partially prepared, be totally prepared for battle.

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For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is
to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. (I Thess. 2:4)

I recently read a blog about two kings, the first had inherited the throne from his father, and ruled
with the needs of the people in mind. He cut unnecessary budget items such as paintings of himself
displayed in public and spent the money on projects such as bridge repair so that disasters could be
avoided without increasing taxes. The people of the kingdom really didn’t know much of the work
done behind the scenes to keep taxes lower or the borders safe, so they considered him only a good
king.

The second king became king because the first died with no offspring. This king took advantage
of his position and really lived it up, paid less attention to the security of the border and let the
infrastructure go. However when a bridge collapsed or enemies invaded, he became very vocal
and public with his speech making and promises. Even though many people died in bridge
collapses and wars defending the border he was considered a hero and a great king by the people.

I thought about our motivation for service and leadership, is it so that people will call us great, giving
us accolades and recognition, or is to serve others and their best interests. Do we give attention to
the important details in private in order to avoid public disasters or are we the kind of person who
loves to come to the rescue in an opportune situation. Jesus calls us to be servants not heroes. To
Him greatness is found in what we do from our hearts in helping others not ourselves. Let us check
our motivation in all we do; is it truly to give God glory or to get some for ourselves?

I realize as a student of leadership that there is a great need for leaders who can lead organizations,
including the church, through change. Many of the books in my library hail the heroes of church
change and leadership. The leaders who have faithfully kept their organizations from getting to
the place where they need a hero often don’t make it to the pages of these books. These leaders
are not often recognized for their achievement, they are not flashy or provocative, they are simply
servant leaders who managed to keep themselves and their organizations healthy, safe, and out of
the news. These are what Jesus called the faithful and wise stewards, who may never get a reward
from man, but God will in due time recognize them and say “well done.”

Are we giving more attention to building our resume or the Kingdom of God?

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks
to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)

This week I have been praying for the Austin family, long-time friends from Long Lake, colleagues in ministry, and former missionary family supported by NWC.  Their son Caleb, a decorated Marine who survived two tours, was tragically killed in a car accident last week while back in the states. (For the news article click here).  Caleb’s father Kevin and grandfather Harold (Bunny) are both ordained ministers in our district.  These things are so hard to explain away, challenging our faith.  Throughout the week my parents and brother have kept me informed about funeral plans in Long Lake as they are actively involved in the church which will host the viewing and funeral.  Our prayers are with the family even if we are finding it difficult to have anything helpful to say.

During the week my wife dragged me to a movie called “Soul Surfer” in which a young Christian girl named Bethany Hamilton with a dream of becoming a professional surfer, loses her arm in a shark attack. In the movie, previous to the attack, a youth pastor had shared a lesson where she showed close up photos of the eye of a fly and a walnut shell.  Up close they were unrecognizable of course and often misidentified.  When looked at from a distance they were much easier to properly identify.  As I contemplated this concept the next day, I heard a preacher on the radio compare this life to another movie called the "Matrix", reminding me that this life is not reality, eternity after this life is.  For now we can only see life up close, where our experiences and emotions cloud our understanding.  Paul put it this way, we only see through a glass darkly in this life (I Cor. 13:12, personal interpretation).   As painful or joyful as this life is, it is only a dress rehearsal, it won’t last. What is real and what we should focus our priorities on is the reality of the afterlife.  Jesus told us to not lay up treasures on earth but in heaven (Matt. 6:20).  He also said to seek first the Kingdom of God (Matt. 6:33).  He was exhorting his followers to see above the cares of this world to one that has no pain or suffering.  Meanwhile while we live today God calls us to be faithful in endurance, rejoicing in hope, and live our lives with a kingdom view.  Bethany Hamilton is an example of someone who has learned to put God first and seek His glory.  God has given her a great opportunity to share her faith in God as she continues to live out her dream as a professional surfer today.  I highly recommend this inspiring film for families to view, whether you are facing pain and disappointment or not.    

I cannot answer every question of why things happen as they do, but I can tell each one I know that God’s plans and view of things are much clearer than ours.  What he has in store for those who love Him is much greater than we can imagine. In the meantime we should seek to glorify our Lord with our lives.

“…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37)

When I go to my family doctor for my yearly check-up he tells me I need to eat right AND exercise. I have the eating right thing down pretty well--I do sneak the occasional cookie or piece of cake or pie, or a candy bar, or donut, muffin, or other breakfast pastry (nobody's perfect, right?).

It's the exercise part with which I have the most trouble. Apparently I take in more calories on a daily basis than I burn. As a result over the past several years I have gained a few more pounds than I should have. Health gurus would say I have an unbalanced physical life.

The same can be said for the spiritual life of most Christians--it is unbalanced. There are three aspects that make up the spiritual life: the first is worship, the second is ministry, and the third is discipleship. In the Rick Warren lingo it would go something like this: majesty, ministry, and maturity. I'm fine with that.

Whatever labels you apply, the principle is the same: the spiritual life needs to worship God--that is first and foremost, then the spiritual life needs to serve others in some capacity and to be served by others.

Most Christians live an unbalanced spiritual life. They are either serving in too many ministries--in physical life parlance they burn far more calories than they consume which if taken to an extreme could lead to anorexia; or they are sitting in too many Bible studies but never actually serving anywhere--in physical life they consume far more calories than they burn, which if taken to an extreme could lead to obesity.

In the church we often call people "Martha" who are busy doing ministry and never take time to be fed spiritually, or worse yet who never take time to worship God. Martha and her sister Mary were disciples of Jesus. Martha was the worker-bee type, and Mary just wanted to spend time with Jesus. Martha was so busy serving others and Jesus that she never took time to actually worship Him. And, she complained to Jesus that her sister Mary was spending too much time with Him. Luke chapter 10 records: "But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, 'Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!' To which Jesus replied, "Martha, Martha . . . you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

The opposite of Martha are those who, in modern vernacular, we call couch potatoes--they are content to sit around watching television all day but never do anything. In the church, people who are involved in very little if any service could be called pew potatoes. They are content to watch the very few workers do most of the work. They are like the third employee in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:15-30) who instead of investing his talent, buried it in the backyard. When the master came back the the employee had nothing to show for what was given to him. The master was angry at the do-nothing employee, took the one talent he had, and tossed the employee out. God has gifted every follower of Christ and expects us to be doing something for the kingdom of God. We cannot afford to squander what He has given by being pew potatoes.

So, which side do you fall on--Martha or pew potato? Or, are you one of the few who has a balanced spiritual life: worshiping God, serving others and being discipled? This week consider where you are and make adjustments as necessary. It may involve you stepping out of areas of service so you can make time to be fed or worship God; it may involve you getting out of the pew and stepping up to serve others

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