Somehow, by God’s wisdom and humor, I become Mel’s pastor at the ripe old age of twenty-four. I loved Mel, but it took him some time to love me. He was of the WWII generation and didn’t care much about Krauts. When his wife Aggie-Lou got sick I started to drive him to see her. One day he handed me the keys to pristine 69 Pontiac. He said he didn’t want to use my gas, but the moment we took off in his car for the first time it became clear I was no longer in charge. Mel told me where to go, where to turn, where to park, how fast to go, when to turn on the heater or a/c, what gas station to use, which pump to pull up to, and to make sure to stop pumping at the first click. Good thing I am somewhat patient, and me driving his “baby” meant that he had let this Kraut into his heart. He gave me the wheel, but not the pink-slip.You can’t seriously follow Jesus and be the leader. The very act of following recognizes that someone else is the leader, is in charge. It is the leader, the one in charge who gets to determine the direction, the route, the stops, the agenda, the timing, and the activity. Jesus left no doubt about who’s the leader, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him” John 12:26 (ESV). Even if he gives us the keys to the car, he’s still the leader.With my hands on the steering wheel of Mel’s Pontiac, I had all kinds of thoughts running through my mind, “Let’s see what this four-barreled V-8 under the hood can do?” “Let’s lay down some rubber!” When Mel gave directions I would often think, “That’s the long way!” or, “You’ve got to be kidding me!” When he asked me to turn off the a/c on 105-degree day because he was afraid that the car might overheat, I was flat out flabbergasted, but I turned it off, it was his car I was driving. “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV), the Apostle Paul reminded us followers of Jesus even while we have our hands on the steering wheel of our sexuality. Serious followers of Jesus continually acknowledge the Lord and Leadership of Jesus, the Sovereignty of God over their lives, and constantly bear in mind that, “The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; …” Psalm 24:1 (NIV), even while we are steering this vehicle, called our life, registered in Jesus’ name.What do you need to change after reading this pastor’s note?To God be all glory, Pastor Hans
The Earth is the Lords (Ownership)
March 13 2011The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths. Psalm 24:1-2 (NLT)It was a magnificent early spring concert rising up from the creek that crosses the back corner of our property. I had been cutting up a bull pine that went down in our horse pasture some months ago, but when the daylight waned and it got too dim to safely cut I turned off my chainsaw, sat down on a stump, took out my earplugs, and that’s when I heard it. While listening to the ebb and flow of the massive choir of frogs and crickets I was reminded of something they seem to instinctively know but we seem to quickly forget. The earth and all it contains belongs to God.As I already told you I was on my property, I had used my chainsaw, I was sitting in my pasture, and the stump I was sitting on belonged to me as well. It is all mine, I own it fair and square. Actually we, Susie and I, own it, because a long time ago we decided to share everything and said, “I do.” Where our fence ends our neighbors’ property begins and I can’t call it mine because Jim and Marianne hold legal title to it, it is theirs. Now the singing critters don’t know this because they come and go as they please. The birds too build their nests on our property without ever once asking if that would be okay. No, all those creatures lay no permanent and legal claim, they simply live without any thought of ownership to land they did not create.Now I have seen enough nature shows, read enough books, and spent time in personal observation to know that many animals, and even plants, are fiercely territorial. But no creature has taken ownership to the level we have as people. Thus it is a sobering, and challenging reminder, that none of us can claim ultimate ownership. Don’t misunderstand, neither I nor scripture discourages ownership. The trouble is that the more we own the more we are inclined to forget about God, the more we are inclined think that we are only accountable to ourselves when it comes to that which we own.The reason why God is the ultimate owner of not only all that you and I own, but of us as well, is that he made it all, even our very life. Thus he can lay claim and hold us accountable as to what we do with our lives, our things, our property, and our wealth.Those critters singing down by my creek I am sure have never contemplated any of this. In fact their singing down there is about mating not meditating on God. But you and I, because we are made in the image of God, are able to hear, see, and know God through all of creation, as well as all God entrusts to us. The reality of God’s ownership has deep, even radical implications. I would like to encourage you to go find a stump and listen to what God would have you know, contemplate, change, and live out when it comes to all that you can say to, “that’s mine.”To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans