September 17 *Exodus 14.19-31, Romans
14.1-12 God’s Pushback Pastor Jacqueline Hines
We are learning some new things about water and
floods these days. Three simultaneous hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Jose have
taught us once again to look up toward Heaven as never before. We are reminded
that there are things in this world that are bigger than we are. [slide # 1 hurricane]
Whenever humanity is hit with such a great blow,
there is always one who says, “These are the end times.” Or, “I think these
tragic events are a sign of the end of the world.” Or, “Jesus is getting ready
to return and the rapture is about to begin. We are surely living in the last
days.” [slide #2
last days]
Scriptures do tell us that Jesus will return, but scriptures
also tell us that no one knows the day or the hour. Jesus’ returning may seem
like a ridiculous or nonsensical thought to some. But, have we not seen so many
things these days that seem unbelievable, unimaginable, and impossible. Yet,
they happened anyway, whether or not we believed in them, whether or not we
cared about them.
So it is with the return of Jesus. He will return,
as unbelievable, unimaginable, and impossible as it may seem to some. Whatever
happens and whenever it happens we want to be ready. We want to be right with
God. We want to be on talking terms with God. We want to at least have a prayer
of a chance of overcoming a catastrophe.
We look at catastrophe as an enemy and it is.
Catastrophic events do not come from God. Just as the evil deeds human beings
commit do not come from God, catastrophic events do not come from God.
The other day, as I was leaving Kimberton Whole
Foods with my grocery cart, a man was parked in front of the door. I waited for
a few seconds hoping that he would move his car so I would not have to drive my
cart off of the curb. He did not move. I waved for him to go forward. He did
not move. I waved for him to go back. He did not move. Finally, he got out of
his parked car and asked if he could help me.
By this time I had just a teeny weeny bit of
patience left. I drove my cart slowly over the curb with a bump, trying
carefully not to break the two glass containers in the cart. With that teeny
weeny patience I had, I quietly and calmly asked the gentleman why he was
parked in front of the walkway where, by now, two of us were trying to get by.
Just as quietly he answered, “I am waiting for my wife,…maybe I should not park
here…blah, blah, blah ” and he apologized to us.
I wish I had been ready with just a little more
patience. I definitely would not have asked the question. I would have just
smiled and gone around him because it was not that serious. More patience may
have led to more blessings in that moment. I may never know.
In small ways and big ways, we want to be ready with
all the fruit of the spirit that we need in order to be the greatest blessing
we can be. That fruit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness (or
generosity), faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
We want to be ready because sooner or later we will
wish we had more love, more joy, more peace, more patience, kindness, goodness
(generosity), faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. [slide # 3 fruit of
the spirit]
Sooner or later we may find ourselves uprooted with
our world turned upside down. Sooner or later we may be like the children of
Israel in today’s reading of Exodus. They made an Exodus from their enemies in
Egypt. They led a caravan toward the Promised Land. That reminds me of the
caravans we have seen on the news lately, with trucks bringing supplies and
relief to flooded areas. [slide # 4 trucks]
It was not easy for the children of Israel, but the
bible says they had the guidance of a cloud by day and a fire by night. God’s
leading can sound strange to those who never look up toward the clouds and
observe what might be coming their way.
God’s guidance through a pillar of fire by seems
strange to those who recklessly run toward situations found only in dark
shadows where even the warm light of a family campfire is an unwelcome
intruder.
They followed God, [slide # 5 pillar of fire and cloud] but the enemy was not far behind. They followed God
across the sea. Somehow the tide parted, God pushed back the waters and those,
fleeing from their enemy, crossed on dry land. They did not even have to
swim.
When their enemy came to cross the same sea, the
tide came in and washed them all away. What a relief to see our enemies get the
punishment we believe they deserve. Then again, we do not want to get too happy
about our enemies dying or suffering because Jesus tells a story in the gospels
about a tower that fell on people; we know about towers, don’t we. Jesus said
just because towers fall on people, do not think that they are worse sinners
than those whom the tower did not fall.
Don’t look at the tower. Look at God. [slide # 6 boy
looking up] If you can’t see God, look
for God until you see God. Don’t look at the tower, don’t look at your enemy,
don’t celebrate when bad things happen to your enemy, celebrate what God is
doing in your life, keep your eye on God.
Keep your eye on God, for sooner or later the day
will come when you will be very glad you did. Amen. [slide # 7 focus on me, not the storm]
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