a wholehearted hug” Allan Blyth
What are you like at hugging?
I’m not very good at it. I have to make up for the lack of cuddliness with squeezes of arms and goos and gahs.
We can be a bit reserved about hugs - NB it’s easier if we have been brought up with hugs - hugs from Mum, hugs from Dad, from Grandma or Pop.
I’ve had some great hugs this week as I’ve been around visiting. It’s nice getting wrapped up in the embrace of a wholehearted hug.
There’s a Greek word in the Bible for hugs: enagkalisamenos
Describing what it means to come to God, Jesus used the picture of a wholehearted hug. Mk 9:36; 10:16
It describes Jesus taking a child in his arms. (cradling, embracing) Each time the context helps us appreciate that The Lord God is the perfect loving heavenly shepherd and that we are all his chosen sheep - He chose us. He embraces us.
Have you accepted that the Lord God is, that Jesus Christ, Son of God and Saviour of sinners, is?
Have you accepted His invitation to belong to Him - to become a child in His family, for eternity?
Like a trusting child, have you received his welcome, forgiveness and embrace?
Some of the disciples we meet in the pages of the gospels who responded to Jesus’ ”Follow me” hadn’t got it quite right - what it means to be chosen by God - they had attached notions of importance, or superiority to their calling.
Scripture: Mark 9:33-37 GNB
Matthew renders this account “I assure you that unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The greatest in the Kingdom of heaven is the one who humbles himself and becomes like this child.
A small child shows no partiality. Wesley described the two conditions of human greatness as humility and service, not to be the servant of friends, of loved ones or a particular group, or even of church members, but of all. Mk 9:35
I’ve chosen a “wholehearted hug” as my theme today, to remind us all of a godly approach to service and ministry, especially for those who seek to serve the church. I trust that includes everyone here and many others who are not here. Also those presently serving with children, youth or in other ways, and in particular the shortly to be appointed Transition Team who will lead us all through the IIM process finally to the point of a clearly rearticulated description of who we are and a profile for the call of your next minister.
You’ve been praying about who you should nominate and I hope by now nearly everyone has their nominations in.
We now all need to prepare for the ministry or ministry adjustments that will be needed to meet the challenges of whatever tomorrow brings, both to our church community and to our families and personal lives.
Psalm 91 NRSV (another slant on God’s protective embrace)
No doubt many are wondering who will be on the Team?
Have you wondered, “Will it be me?” I don’t really think I would be suitable. Although I’d be at least as good as …..
You have too many personal biases & preferences?
Well at least you’re aware of personal bias!
How might you react if you are invited?
Like Gideon reaping in a winepress for fear of his enemies objecting that his clan was the weakest in all his tribe Jud 6:11ff
Or like Moses at the burning bush arguing with God about his inability to speak Ex 3
Or Jeremiah who thought he was unable to speak and too young Jer 1:4ff
None of these thought they were suitable candidates for what God had called them too. Yet they were. They were God’s conditions of human greatness as humility and service, not to be the servant of friends, of loved ones or a particular group, or even of church members, but of all. Mk 9:35
I’ve chosen a “wholehearted hug” as my theme today, to remind us all of a godly approach to service and ministry, especially for those who seek to serve the church. I trust that includes everyone here and many others who are not here. Also those presently serving with children, youth or in other ways, and in particular the shortly to be appointed Transition Team who will lead us all through the IIM process finally to the point of a clearly rearticulated description of who we are and a profile for the call of your next minister.
You’ve been praying about who you should nominate and I hope by now nearly everyone has their nominations in.
We now all need to prepare for the ministry or ministry adjustments that will be needed to meet the challenges of whatever tomorrow brings, both to our church community and to our families and personal lives.
Psalm 91 NRSV (another slant on God’s protective embrace)
No doubt many are wondering who will be on the Team?
Have you wondered, “Will it be me?” I don’t really think I would be suitable. Although I’d be at least as good as …..
You have too many personal biases & preferences?
Well at least you’re aware of personal bias!
How might you react if you are invited?
Like Gideon reaping in a winepress for fear of his enemies objecting that his clan was the weakest in all his tribe Jud 6:11ff
Or like Moses at the burning bush arguing with God about his inability to speak Ex 3
Or Jeremiah who thought he was unable to speak and too young Jer 1:4ff
None of these thought they were suitable candidates for what God had called them too. Yet they were. They were God’s conditions of human greatness as humility and service, not to be the servant of friends, of loved ones or a particular group, or even of church members, but of all. Mk 9:35
I’ve chosen a “wholehearted hug” as my theme today, to remind us all of a godly approach to service and ministry, especially for those who seek to serve the church. I trust that includes everyone here and many others who are not here. Also those presently serving with children, youth or in other ways, and in particular the shortly to be appointed Transition Team who will lead us all through the IIM process finally to the point of a clearly rearticulated description of who we are and a profile for the call of your next minister.
You’ve been praying about who you should nominate and I hope by now nearly everyone has their nominations in.
We now all need to prepare for the ministry or ministry adjustments that will be needed to meet the challenges of whatever tomorrow brings, both to our church community and to our families and personal lives.
Psalm 91 NRSV (another slant on God’s protective embrace)
No doubt many are wondering who will be on the Team?
Have you wondered, “Will it be me?” I don’t really think I would be suitable. Although I’d be at least as good as …..
You have too many personal biases & preferences?
Well at least you’re aware of personal bias!
How might you react if you are invited?
Like Gideon reaping in a winepress for fear of his enemies objecting that his clan was the weakest in all his tribe Jud 6:11ff
Or like Moses at the burning bush arguing with God about his inability to speak Ex 3
Or Jeremiah who thought he was unable to speak and too young Jer 1:4ff
None of these thought they were suitable candidates for what God had called them too. Yet they were. They were God’s choice.
As a church we are seeking God’s choice of His people that he is calling to lead the church through the IIM process. What we pray will open the way for God to do great things in a new pastorate in the life of the Wyoming Church of Christ. Things that will bear much fruit for eternity and truly glorify God.
But what if you are not invited to be on the Team?
Could you be like the disciples who argued among themselves about who was the greatest. Or could you see this as a confirmation that God has some other ministry for you to focus on at this time. Maybe a ministry you are already involved in in some way or a ministry that will fill a gap left by someone moving onto the Transition Team or something else. Whatever it is you will seek God’s confirmation in some way, a fleece, a burning bush, a word from God, and agreement in prayer among the church leaders. And whatever it is, you will minister humbly, & in faith, to be a servant of all.
George’s faith in Grandma
A ten year old boy, George, was very keen to have a particular stamp album for Christmas. His Grandmother heard about his desire and promised him one.
Christmas came and went but no stamp album.
Soon after George had some of his friends around showing them his Christmas presents and telling who they were from. George’s mother was surprised to hear him say more than once that one of his presents was a stamp album from his grandmother. She called him: “George, you didn’t get a stamp album form your grandmother, why do you say so?”
A wondering look came over his face as if to ask why would his mother ask such a question. He replied, “Well Mum, Grandma said, and that’s the same as.” Mother found herself unable to say a word to check his confidence.
A month went by. Still nothing was heard about the album.
Finally one day George’s mother, really wondering why the album hadn’t been sent, said to George, “Well George, I think Grandma has forgotten her promise.”
“Oh no, Mum,” he quickly and firmly said, “she hasn’t”.
Mother watched the dear trusting face—for a while very sober, as if temporarily debating such a possibility. Then his face lit up, and he said, “Mum, do you think it would do any good if I should write to her thanking her for the album.
“I don’t know”, mother replied, “but you could try.”
A rich spiritual truth began to dawn in the mother’s heart. In a few minutes a letter was written and put in the post box, and George went off whistling his confidence in his grandma. It was only a short time and a reply came saying: “My dear George, I have not forgotten my promise to you of an album. I tried to get one just like you described but couldn’t get the sort you wanted, so I sent off to London, but it was after Christmas when the album arrived and it still wasn’t right so I sent it back for another but it hasn’t come yet, so I’m enclosing the money for you to get the one you were describing.
As he read the letter his face was the face of a victor, “See Mum, didn’t I tell you” words from the depths of a heart that never doubted, that “against hope, believed in hope” that the stamp album would come. While he was trusting, Grandma was working, and in due season faith became sight.
It is very human to want sight when we step out in ministry, but our Saviour said to Thomas Jn 20:29b and to the long roll of doubters since, “Blessed are they who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Have you believed? - Are you ready to believe, to trust God, are you ready to serve, even as a child? Not with skepticism born of human hurt or disappointment - not with pride, nor with fear. Let’s all be ready, shall we, like a child running into the arms of Jesus, for a wholehearted hug.
