The Meyer Minute

The Meyer Minute for January 31, 2014

To make this Minute more effective, I invite you to read 2 Corinthians 11:16-28.  Read the long list of St. Paul's hardships, his labors, his beatings, his imprisonments, and so much more.  Then compare your own.  Our lists aren't as spectacular but heh!  Hardship is hardship and yours and mine aren't easy.  But as you read, notice how Paul climaxes all his sufferings: "Besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches."  "Churches" didn't mean buildings and budgets back then.  "Churches" meant people, people who had come to know Jesus Christ and needed to be kept close to their Savior.  Concern for the people of the churches was Paul's crowning hardship.

I once heard a professor lament that the modern church lacks people willing to "spend and be spent" for the Gospel.  To spend and be spent requires a single-hearted devotion to Jesus Christ and a daily consciousness of heaven with Him.  Paul had that.  Count the cost of your discipleship.   "Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." (Galatians 6:9)

The Meyer Minute for January 30, 2014

What I'm about to say I can't prove, and furthermore it's not my business anyway.  I'm of the opinion that much of contemporary American Christianity does not evidence the fear of God.  "Conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear," the Bible tells us creatures of a day, but I don't see it.  (1Peter 1:17)

 The word for "fear" is used in a variety of ways throughout the Bible.  At one extreme is the feeling you get when something threatens you.  It's bigger than you are, more powerful, more cunning than you are and it's coming to get you.  At the other extreme is a similar feeling.  Something bigger, more powerful and knowing is coming at you but it's coming to help you, not to harm you.  That is God, for us, not against us (Romans 8:31).  To that our reaction is Wow!  Shut-me-up silence.  Awe.  Reverence.  That is "the fear of the Lord." 

 It's not for me to judge others.  It is for me to take off my shoes and know that I am on holy ground (Exodus 3:5)

The Meyer Minute for January 29, 2014

In Acts 8 an angel said to Philip, “Go" to the Gaza road.  Philip went and the Spirit said, “Go and join yourself to the carriage (of an Ethiopian government official)."  Neither angel nor Spirit told Philip to initiate a conversation but he did.  Philip said, “Do you understand what you’re reading?”  When the Ethiopian showed his willingness to talk, Philip began with the Isaiah text and told the Good News of Jesus. 

Imagine that story today.  While the chauffeur is driving, the Ethiopian is on his iPad or Kindle or Nook.  He might be scrolling through Isaiah or the Bible.  He might also be in Islam or Hinduism or Facebook or CNBC checking stocks or on a porn site or doing e-mail, whatever.  And what’s our modern day Philip doing?  By the way, that’s you; that’s me.  You're there but absorbed in e-mail or Facebook or listening to music with buds in your ear, whatever...and you pass that person without ever making contact.  We can't share the hope that is in us if we don't go, a Great Commission word, get out of our self-absorption, and make human contact.

The Meyer Minute for January 28, 2014

The SOTU by POTUS with SCOTUS, pols and pundits fawning or scoffing, all “on behalf of the American people.”  Translation:  State of the Union by the President of the United States, with the Supreme Court, politicians and pundits following party lines.  Anyone care?  Much of America has written of Washington, a sad commentary on where we’re at. 

University of Virginia scholar James Davison Hunter writes in “To Change the World” that the disappearance of America’s common culture has created a void filled by partisan ideology that politicizes everything.  He sees no quick change on the horizon; divisive partisan politicization will continue.  Christians are anxious because the culture is increasingly secular and sometimes hostile to the church.

1 Peter was written from “Babylon,” which was Christian code for Rome (1 Peter 5:13).  Similarities abound between first century Roman culture and the American culture in which we find ourselves.  Yet St. Peter wrote, “Honor everyone.  Love the brotherhood.  Fear God.  Honor the emperor.”  (2:17)   Even if we feel like flying the flag upside down, followers of Jesus Christ know our vocation: do good to all.  “Bless, for to this you were called.”  (3:9)

The Meyer Minute for January 27, 2014

One of the regular Bible class teachers at our church asked me to substitute for him yesterday.  I was glad to do so. 

Picture the setting…and I’m guessing it’s not too different from Bible classes you have visited.  The class met in a classroom.  All the students sat at tables or school desks.  All had a book in front of them, the Bible.  The class met for an appointed time, in our case 9:20 until 10:10 (actually longer, because I kept talking!).  Our topic?

How Christianity has become something for the head, too often ignoring the heart.  In Mark 12 a theologian, called a “scribe,” asked Jesus what commandment is most important.  Jesus answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” And “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  The theologian approved the answer.  Then Jesus said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (Mark 12:28-34)

Head knowledge: Not far from the kingdom, but not there yet.  Go back to what I wrote about yesterday’s Bible class.  See how heady it is?    

The Meyer Minute for January 24, 2014

An anniversary yesterday: January 23, 1960, the “Trieste” descended 35,813 feet into the Pacific Ocean near Guam. Down in the deepest known place on the surface of the earth, the pilots saw what no human had ever seen, including fish living in that deep darkness. What wonder they must have felt!

In contrast, a Barna study found young people have a very superficial understanding of Christianity but, surprise, they don’t think so. “The vast majority of churchgoing teenagers said they understand the teachings of the Bible ‘very well.’” Asked about his life goals, one 17-year-old said, “I don’t know. I am really good at a lot of things. I am also really interested in a lot of things. I’m thinking of starting a college. I feel I have a lot to teach others about many subjects.” (“You Lost Me,” p. 117) Hmmm….. An academic Justin Bieber?

The “Trieste” was a “bathysckaphe,” the word coming from two Greek words, “skapha” for “small boat” and “bathos” meaning “deep.” Are you and I going deep down into biblical depths so that we arise awestruck and model for youth “the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God?” (Romans 11:33)

The Meyer Minute for January 23, 2014

Sometimes God’s hand is heavy upon us, humbling us (1 Peter 5:8; yesterday’s Minute). We might chafe under His discipline, but when we’re afraid, childlike faith reaches out for that same hand of our Father. August Mennicke wrote: “Our daughter shared a conversation she overheard at home. Our 3-year-old grandson was standing at the basement stairs, trying to muster enough courage to make the descent. Before taking the first step, he said, ‘Oh Jesus, it’s awful dark down there. You’d better hold my hand.’” (“Devotions for the Chronologically Gifted,” p. 58)

John Greenleaf Whittier put it this way:

A tender child of summers three
Seeking her little bed at night,
Paused on the dark stair timidly.
“O Mother, take my hand,” said she,
“And then the dark will all be light.”

We older children grope our way
From dark behind to dark before;
And only when our hands we lay
Dear Lord, in Thine, the night is day.

Reach downward to the sunless days
Wherein our guides are blind as we,
And faith is small, and hope delays;
Take Thou the hands of prayer we raise,
And let us feel the light of Thee

The Meyer Minute for January 22, 2014

“Be humbled under the mighty hand of God.” 1 Peter 5:6

Do you ever feel that invisible, heavy hand of God upon you? We attribute our hard times to many things, to other people and unwelcome circumstances, but in some mysterious way God is involved. You can’t escape God, Psalm 139. Whatever immediate thing I may blame, God’s hand is somehow in it, weighing down on me, humbling me.

We reach down our own hands to a small child. Perhaps you hold the child’s hand as you walk, if the child lets you. When you see need to strengthen your hold, to pull the child back, to change direction, to guide the child in the way it should go, your hand gets heavier than the child may like. Is God only our Father when His hand is light upon us? “But we know as children should, that the cross is for our good.”

Father’s hand is not always heavy. He often reaches down and lovingly pats us on the head and one day Father’s hands will pick us up for His hug. “Be humbled under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.”

The Meyer Minute for January 21, 2014

Here’s something that, as they say, “will preach.” Mr. Hiroo Onoda died last Thursday in Tokyo at the age of 91. Mr. Onoda was an officer in the Imperial Army during World War II, stationed in the Philippine jungle. He remained on duty until 1974, 29 years after the war ended. No one told him!

His last contact with a superior was in 1945 when Major Youshimi Taniguchi promised to return. “It may take three years, it may take five, but whatever happens we’ll come back for you.” He did come back, 29 years, later, but unlike General MacArthur, Major Taniguchi had to tell Mr. Onoda that they had lost the war.

That’ll preach, but I wonder how? That no one told him the war was over could become an illustration for an evangelism guilt trip. Better, I think, that Mr. Onoda took to heart the promise of a return. Amidst the threats of the jungle, he watched in hope.

Do we wait for God’s promises to be fulfilled? “If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come.” (Habakkuk 2:3) Jesus says, “I will come back again and take you to myself.” (John 14:3) Anyone out there yearning for Jesus’ return?

The Meyer Minute for January 20, 2014

Yesterday I was reminded how church helps.  Two things happened.  The first was the announcement of the death Saturday night of a faithful church member.  She had been ill but most of us didn’t think death was imminent and so we were stunned.  Although this grief was still fresh, her husband came to church and to communion.  I can’t begin to imagine how hard that must have been but what a powerful statement to us. 

The second incident was during the coffee hour.  Standing around and chatting, someone said, “Dale, come back here.”  I went into the kitchen area and joined others looking at photos on an iPad.  The photos were of triplets, born about a week ago.  Each of the three babies weighs under 2 pounds and all appear to be doing well.  Thanksgiving, joy and hope to God.

Yesterday many churches observed Life Sunday.  Through abortion, America is killing itself.  There is forgiveness for the sin and Jesus Christ offers recovery and healing.  Church is about life in the midst of death.  “From whom can we seek comfort but from Thee, O Lord, who for our sins art justly displeased?”