My normal routine is to be up at 6:00 am and enjoy a long quiet time with tea, Bible and prayer before the day's activities begin. This routine is rarely disturbed except for an occasional early morning meeting somewhere.
However this morning, instead of my normal undisturbed time I was watching a very moving music video on YouTube. If you've not heard the song or seen the video I could sing it to you, since I've watched and listened to it a number of times in the past few days.
It goes something like: "Do de rubber duck, duck, do de rubber duck, duck, do de rubber duck." The star of the video is Ernie from Sesame Street but the whole gang gets into this bathroom video! This video moves an eleven month old to grin, wave her arms and even shout with glee!
Yes, for two weeks Jan and I are fully enjoying a two week visit from little Amara and parents. She has radically changed our daily schedule, and we are adapting quite well! She and her parents live in Manhattan so two weeks with one of our grandchildren is a special treat.
Seasons of life. I was reminded again of how easy it is to establish a routine when their are no children or grandchildren in the house. The floor is never scattered with toys; the dining table is not smeared with remnants of peas, pineapple, dragon fruit and moist cookie remnants; the dirty dishes and dirty laundry don't pile up quickly. But children and grandchildren are worth so much; much more than the cost of the energy used to keep a house clean and money invested as they are raised.
There is a parallel in the local church setting. It is very neat and easy to worship God by yourself, or perhaps with your family, or even with a few chosen others in a small church. Compared to a larger, growing fellowship of 100 or 1000 Christians, life in a stable congregation with little change is easy. No conflict, easily controlled, not much mess at all. But then again, not much impact for the Kingdom of God.
I've always resonated with the wisdom found in Proverbs 14:4: Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.
If I have to make a choice, I will always take the "messy stable that has a strong ox" - a growing church, with new believers, serious questions and even major problems rather than have a small gathering that is in a smooth routine with everything under control, but going nowhere and accomplishing little for God's glory.
Of course I admit that I will enjoy the return to the "easy routine of life" when Jan and I are once again alone in our apartment (although I may occasionally be found humming "rubber duck, duck ---". And it is OK, if right now your church is experiencing some "messy days", to long for the day when King Jesus returns and we will dwell together with Him in perfection!
However this morning, instead of my normal undisturbed time I was watching a very moving music video on YouTube. If you've not heard the song or seen the video I could sing it to you, since I've watched and listened to it a number of times in the past few days.
It goes something like: "Do de rubber duck, duck, do de rubber duck, duck, do de rubber duck." The star of the video is Ernie from Sesame Street but the whole gang gets into this bathroom video! This video moves an eleven month old to grin, wave her arms and even shout with glee!
Yes, for two weeks Jan and I are fully enjoying a two week visit from little Amara and parents. She has radically changed our daily schedule, and we are adapting quite well! She and her parents live in Manhattan so two weeks with one of our grandchildren is a special treat.
Seasons of life. I was reminded again of how easy it is to establish a routine when their are no children or grandchildren in the house. The floor is never scattered with toys; the dining table is not smeared with remnants of peas, pineapple, dragon fruit and moist cookie remnants; the dirty dishes and dirty laundry don't pile up quickly. But children and grandchildren are worth so much; much more than the cost of the energy used to keep a house clean and money invested as they are raised.
There is a parallel in the local church setting. It is very neat and easy to worship God by yourself, or perhaps with your family, or even with a few chosen others in a small church. Compared to a larger, growing fellowship of 100 or 1000 Christians, life in a stable congregation with little change is easy. No conflict, easily controlled, not much mess at all. But then again, not much impact for the Kingdom of God.
I've always resonated with the wisdom found in Proverbs 14:4: Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.
If I have to make a choice, I will always take the "messy stable that has a strong ox" - a growing church, with new believers, serious questions and even major problems rather than have a small gathering that is in a smooth routine with everything under control, but going nowhere and accomplishing little for God's glory.
Of course I admit that I will enjoy the return to the "easy routine of life" when Jan and I are once again alone in our apartment (although I may occasionally be found humming "rubber duck, duck ---". And it is OK, if right now your church is experiencing some "messy days", to long for the day when King Jesus returns and we will dwell together with Him in perfection!
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