Decline the Invitation

Every so often someone tells me about getting an invitation to be included in a "Who's Who" publication.  The invitation is congratulatory and complimentary.  It can be flattering.  It can also be expensive since getting your name published involves sending them a fee for that service.  My advice?  Decline the invitation.

As Christians, we hear blustery and flowery expressions of God's sufficiency.  We sing them, say them at times of stress, and we proclaim them as oft-repeated cliches.  But do we mean them?  The Sanctuary Carillon is currently playing "A Mighty Fortress," a musical expression of the importance and sufficiency of God.  "That word (Jesus) above all earthly powers!" we sing.  Then, we get the invitation from our will and our feelings.  And earthly powers are given more power and traction than they should ever deserve. My advice? Decline the invitation ... but how?

It is really a very simple, but profound, decision to decline the invitation to negativity.  Negativity, self-sufficiency and self-loathing are all bedfellows.  They hang out together, and they are close kin to Satan's desire to tempt and deceive us.  "Jesus ... you are hungry.  Turn these stones into bread!  Jesus ... you are the Son of God!  Throw yourself down and I (Satan) will give you power over your little domain!"  You can read all about it in Matthew 4.  We have heard this before!

Here is my "go to" Scripture for those times when Satan is buffeting me with negative vibes.  "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is commendable ... if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things (Philippians 4:8)," is where I rest my heart.  Try it!  Read it!  Sift your day through it!  Start seeing life, people, and events through the eyes and heart of God.

As I read this passage this morning, I reflected.  How do I assess each Sunday morning?  Do I see the 30-40 different moving parts, questions, issues, problems, and people as a mish-mash of things that either go well or not-so-well?  Or do I watch for the beauty in the people and experiences of each Sabbath?  Yesterday, I watched our handbell team present 2 songs, both wonderful and better-than-expected from the short time they had been together.  But something was happening, beyond the music and beyond my tunnel vision.  Did you notice the almost 80-year age gap between the performers?  Have you ever seen anything, except worship itself, that invites that multi-generational cooperation?  Was the performance true, honorable, pure and worthy of praise?  Did we all pitch in, moving the tables and giving real commendations to each person who was part of the group?  Did we, as the bells rang, sing in our heads ... "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty ... early in the morning my song will rise to thee!"?