On One Who Taught the Teacher

On Saturday, I attended the funeral service of a very dear and wonderful woman.

She was a woman of outstanding character who was actively involved in our church for decades.

She loved God and served Him faithfully for many years.

She taught Sunday School and for a number of those years she taught our confirmation class.

I consider myself blessed because I was but one of the many students that she mentored along the way and I certainly am the richer for it.

Our pastor had many wonderful things to say about this fine woman.

One of the things he said that struck a chord deep within me was, "Sunday School teachers takes their position very seriously."

I found myself nodding in complete agreement.

I agreed because I currently teach a Sunday School class as well.

My pastor cited the following passage of Scripture at her service and it is a more than sobering reminder.

James 3:1 (NET) - Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, because you know that we will be judged more strictly.

Since that is the case, why would anyone do it?

Why would anyone risk being judged more strictly?

We do it because He called us to do it.

Romans 12:6-7 (NET) - And we have different gifts according to the grace given to us. If the gift is prophecy, that individual must use it in proportion to his faith. If it is service, he must serve, if it is teaching, he must teach;

She answered her call for the same reason I answered mine.

We did so because, in the words of Paul, we "must".

We did so knowing that if God called us to do this, He would also equip us to do this.

God equipped her for this responsibility.

God also used her, and others like her, to help equip me for my responsibility.

He was at work doing this for me even though I did not realize it at the time.

When I was young, God blessed me in many ways.

He blessed me with excellent teachers.

He also blessed me with excellent role models.

A few special individuals, like her. were both.

Now, it’s my turn.

I admit that is a bit intimidating, because teachers like her have set the bar extremely high.

I also admit that since I became a Sunday School teacher, I have learned some things as well.

Teaching comes with responsibility.

Teaching comes with a lot of work.

Fortunately, teaching also comes with a tremendous amount of love.

That is not all.

It also comes with the satisfaction of knowing that God is using me as yet another link in the chain of teachers that He continues to weave.


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com

Visit His World

It's mid-September here in western New York, USA--a time when the warm, sunshiny glories of summer gradually give way to the cool breezes and waning, golden light of autumn. In this season we're especially sensitive to the divine Creation that surrounds us, and are blessed with many ways to immerse ourselves in it--trails through the woods and meadows, beaches along lakes great and small, marshes and rolling hills to explore.

It's important for the believer to remember daily, as the great old hymn says, "This Is My Father's World."  The worries, frustration, and artificiality of the man-made, day-to-day realm tend distract us from the well-spring of all life, our loving Heavenly Father. In order to keep our connection with Him strong, we need to keep in touch with the world as He made it, and makes it anew every day. Scripture abounds with joyous testimony of how the heavens and earth, and everything in them, reflect God's power and providence. "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork." (Psalms 19:1) And again: "Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains." (Psalms 147:7,8) And especially: "The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them." (Psalms 89:11)  Indeed, Psalm 104 is one long hymn of wonder and thanksgiving to God for all that he means to His Creation.

Make generous room in your life for experiencing that Creation as directly as you can. If possible, take regular walks in woods or fields, or in natural parks if you're city-bound. Explore the shorelines of lakes or streams. Listen intently to the breeze whispering through the trees or grass, and reflect on the abundant plant and animal life around you. Don't be afraid to spend some time outside in a gentle rain or a light snowfall!  When skies are clearer, admire the rising or setting sun and the clouds ablaze with shimmering light and color. At night, look upon a starry sky and contemplate the immense distances and ages into which you can see, and wonder at the majesty and eternity of the Father who who wrought them. While doing these things, talk to Him in prayer--silently or aloud--and thank Him for all the beauty and bounty He has heaped upon His children! Don't confine these experiences to when times are good, but seek them also--perhaps, especially--when you're troubled. And don't always do these things alone; two or more souls discovering and sharing the glorious handiwork of God together can spread an unquenchable spirit of joy and faith through a multitude of lives!

We are immersed in God's love--all we need to is reach out and touch it!

Tom Fleming
Songs of Praises

Lessons from the Park

I’ve never considered myself to be "the creative type" and will probably not receive much in the way of argument.

Yet, one of the things I’ve learned since I started writing devotionals is that God provides not only inspiration but also reminders of His Word and actual glimpses into His divine nature by means of His creation.

The latest inspiration He provided me came in the form of a gathering of ducks and geese.

Allow me to explain.

In my country, Monday was a holiday.

I recently purchased a new camera in order to take photographs for my church and my church family.

I decided to take my camera to the local park and experiment with its different settings and features in order to familiarize myself with them.

As I drove through the park I notice a large gathering of ducks and geese either sleeping or simply relaxing in the shade of the trees growing by the lake.

This was an opportunity I could not pass by.

I parked very nearby and approached slowly, camera in hand, and began taking photographs.

Even though they heard the sound of my car door closing and my approaching footsteps, my presence did not appear to bother them in the least.

While photographing them I could not help but notice the lake.

That brought Psalm 23 to mind.

Psalm 23:2 (KJV) - He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.

I then wanted to get some close up photographs of these beautiful sleeping  birds.

As I moved about them their routine remained unchanged.

Those that were awake were not the least bit frightened by my intrusion.

Those that slept did not awaken.

Again, another reminder.

Proverbs 3:24 (KJV) - When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

After taking many photographs at this location, I walked away from them and concentrated on other photographs.

I took photographs of the trees, the lake and the small island within it.

I had wandered a good distance from my starting point when I saw an older couple with their grandchild walking toward the group of birds I had recently left.

As they neared them, the setting that only moments before had been quiet and serene suddenly erupted into a collection of quacks and honks that could rival the noise of city traffic.

I wondered what caused them to suddenly become so excited.

I looked on as the grandmother gave the grandchild a bag from which he began to feed this collection of birds.

Obviously, this was a routine event.

These fortunate birds had become familiar with this kind group of people and, by conditioning, knew what they could expect from them.

Again, another reminder.

Matthew 6:26 (KJV) - Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are you not much better than they.

Through His creation, God both reminds us that He created all things and declared each good.

Yet some still deny His existence.

Paul explains this and also adds a stern warning. 

Romans 1:20 (NET) - For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse.

God uses His creation to reveal Himself to us.

God also uses His creation to remind us that His word is true.

God also gives us glimpses of His divine nature.

He also inspires creativity in us so that we can glorify Him.

Take it from someone who is not "the creative type".


Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com