10/26/2022
Something to think about...
Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022, I woke a little later than usual. The sun was beginning to rise. I made my coffee, read a few verses of scripture while it finished, then poured myself a cup and went to sit at the feet of Jesus.
As I walked by our patio door, I could see in the early light of dawn that we’d had our first heavy frost. I went to the door and discovered a beautiful sight. The Crepe Myrtle tree on the back side of our patio had turned bright red and orange and against the backdrop of our frost-covered lawn, it was stunningly beautiful. Oh, I wish I’d taken a picture of it for you but that did not happen. You see, while I was observing the beauty of this tree, I realized that the leaves were falling off that tree. Not just a few. Many. Many leaves were falling at the same time all around the tree. I’ve never seen so many falling at one time. This only lasted for a few minutes but as I watched, the Lord spoke to me. “This is what I’m doing in the church.” I wept.
I went to my office to hide my emotions from my wife but over the next three hours, I continued to weep off and on. The Lord directed me to Hebrews 12. In that chapter, we are warned of the time that is coming when the foundations of both earth and heaven will be shaken. About 11:00 am I went back into the living room and walked again to the patio door. What I saw stopped me in my tracks. The tree that had been so brilliant in fall colors only a few hours before, had turned completely brown.
I’ve been involved in church almost all my life. I am educated and trained in the work of the church. For many years, the church was the focus of my life. Only in the last few years have I realized the error of that. Christ calls us to fellowship with Him as disciples. As disciples, we must order our lives around Him, not His church. He must have first place in everything. He demands that He be our first love, not His church. It seems that Ephesus (Rev. 2:1-7) had done the same thing. Church people focus on church. Disciples focus on Jesus.
Hebrews 12 tells us that a time is coming when the foundations of both heaven and earth will be shaken. Statistics indicate that many were leaving the church before Covid. Reports from across the state are that many did not return after Covid. Has the shaking begun? If so, there is more to come. And woe to those who have built our lives around ourselves and/or the church. Our foundations are going to crumble.
Early this morning, I again went to look at the Crepe Myrtle tree. A storm blew through last night and now almost all the leaves are gone. But not all. There are a few remaining. They are beautiful and their color proclaims the glory of God. When all the shaking is complete, will you be among those that remain?
Grace and Peace,
Jeff
