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by Gary Sims
08/21/03
Not For Sale
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Week’s End Meditation – The Difficulty of Discipleship
Reflections:

In our verses in 1 Kings, Solomon has finished building a great and magnificent temple for God. In his dedication ceremony, he reminds us of the purpose for our churches and temples that we have built. God is not limited to these structures but He does give them special attention because they attract those who are seeking Him. When a building transcends brick and mortar and becomes alive with a congregation walking before God, when people are drawn seeking and searching God, then its special purpose is being fulfilled.
In ending his letter to the Christian church, Paul summarizes by teaching the importance of being prepared for what lies ahead in our Christian journey. He tells us to put on the “full armor of God” so that as we encounter strife, challenges, ridicule and even scorn, we will be protected. God’s “armor” consists of Truth, Righteousness, Readiness, Faith, Knowledge, Salvation, Spiritual Guidance, and Prayer. With these elements firmly in place, nothing can thwart God’s plan for our lives.
In Psalm 84 the psalmist sings a song that glorifies the wonders of his temple or church. When we read this psalm in prayer-like fashion it causes us to reflect on our church and the special moments we have experienced within. Churches hold a special place in God’s heart because that is where His people congregate to worship Him. The glorious sound coming to God from around the world must be something beautiful to behold. God loves it we when sing. But churches are also for the congregation. It is a place to retreat from the busyness of our lives, it provides us time to reflect and contemplate, it gives an opportunity to commune with God, and it plays a central role for our spiritual lives, celebrating the key events in our lives in order that they all are sanctified and blessed by God. Churches are holy.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus culminates His teaching on the “Bread of Life” by responding to those within His group of disciples who find the lesson difficult to understand and accept. He teaches us that difficult lessons are opportunities for our greatest spiritual growth. However, we have the ability to accept His lessons and move forward in faith towards the next lesson along our spiritual path or we can allow an obstacle to become a barrier, blocking our access to God and His promise of eternal life.

Points to Contemplate:

What are your thoughts about your church? Has it served as a back-drop to important events in your life? Does it feel like home? Do you look forward, “indeed faint,” at the prospects of your next visit? Does simply walking through its doors lift and excite you? Are your burdens erased and is your joy rekindled? Or, do you feel that your church is just another building, like so many others? That you have full access to God any time you need Him and you have little interest in ceremony and ritual? Does God put special emphasis on church buildings or does man? Did this week’s verses in 1 Kings and in Psalms help you to realize the role the church plays in attracting people to God and in growing people closer to God?
Are you ready for discipleship? Does Paul’s war-like metaphor cause you to pause and wonder if you should make the step forward that God is calling you to do? What if he had used a sailing metaphor instead? Are you ready to use the rudder of knowledge to steer your through rough seas? Is the sexton of the Holy Spirit ready to guide and lead you? Is your spinnaker of faith set and are you willing to let it lead wherever it takes you? Do you see that no matter how it is phrased, Paul is telling us that as we respond to God that there are important tools available to us to insure our success? When you now find yourself in difficulty or facing a challenge, will your remember Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and draw strength and comfort?
Where do you stand on the tough issues of faith? Do you waver at the first moment of resistance? Do you skip over difficult passages, adopting a Scarlet O’Hara approach to life, putting off your decisions until another day? Does Jesus’ lesson to the crowd in the synagogue at Capernaum illustrate that there must come a time in your life when these issues will have to be dealt with? Do you recognize that we frequently attempt to create a definitive and limited concept of God? Do you see that these limitations keep us from growing in our knowledge of God? What constructs are you willing to try and set aside today? To what new horizons will your faith lead you?

Prayer of the Week:

Lord, O God, our Redeemer; we come to you today recognizing that to become your disciple, to step forward into the ministry in which you are calling, means to let go of some of our preconceived and debilitating concepts. At every turn we limit your glory in our lives. Lead us through our ignorance and into the warm effervescing glow of your love. We have learned this week that you are providing us tools to enable and to strengthen our resolve. We have also come to understand the importance you place on our houses of worship and that through our worship you create in us a new and fully righteous follower of Christ. Make us upright and make us strong so that your kingdom will come and the entire world will feel your love and grace. Through Jesus Christ, the pathway to your glory, we pray, Amen.

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