The Pinecone
|
September 2014
• 9 •
f r om Don J oh n s on , K i r b y P i n e s Chap l a i n
Chaplain’s COrner
What If?
September
Vesper Services
September 4th
Reverend Jeff Findlay
First Evangelical Church
September 11th
Reverend Sjirley Lynn
Retired United Methodist Minister
September 18th
Reverend John Yarbrough
Balmoral Baptist Church
September 25th
Reverend Dr. Everett Huffard
Dean of Harding School
of Theology
Have you ever read the Bible and
thought what each day might be like
if the Lord was with you visibly and
personally? Imagine how life might be if
He could really walk and talk with us like
He did long ago. Today we experience
this by faith and hope. But we look
expectantly for the reality of having God
with us. When I was in my teens I came
across some thoughts by Lois Kendall
Blanchard that powerfully presented this
idea, but gave a very penetrating twist to
it. Here’s what she said:
If Jesus came to your house
to spend a day or two—
If He came unexpectedly,
I wonder what you’d do.
Oh, I know you’d give your nicest room
to such an honored Guest,
And all the food you’d serve to Him
would be the very best,
And you would keep assuring Him
you’re glad to have Him there—
That serving Him in your own home
is joy beyond compare.
But—when you saw Him coming,
would you meet Him at the door
With arms outstretched in welcome
to your heavenly Visitor?
Or would you have to change your clothes
before you let Him in?
Or hide some magazines and put the Bible
where they’d been?
Would you turn off the radio
and hope He Hadn’t heard?
And wish you hadn’t uttered
that last, loud, hasty word?
Would you hide your worldly music
and put some hymn books out?
Could you let Jesus walk right in,
or would you rush about?
And I wonder—if the Savior spent
a day or two with you,
Would you go right on saying
the things you always say?
Would life for you continue
as it does from day to day?
Would your family conversation
keep up its usual pace?
And would you find it hard each meal
to say a table grace?
Would you sing the songs you always sing,
and read the books you read,
And let Him know the things on which
your mind and spirit feed?
Would you take Jesus with you
everywhere you’d planned to go?
Or would you, maybe, change you plans
for just a day or so?
Would you be glad to have Him meet
your very closest friends?
Or would you hope they’d stay away
until His visit ends?
Would you be glad to have Him
stay forever on and on?
Or would you sigh with great relief
when He at last was gone?
It might be interesting to know
the things that you would do
If Jesus Christ in person came
to spend some time with you.
–
Lois Kendall Blanchard
This often describes too many of
us. Would God really be comfortable
with most of our everyday experiences?
Would major changes be needed both on
the inside and outside? Would He want
to stay on and on, or would we give a sigh
of relief when He moved away? May the
answers to these and other questions be
settled in a good way!
Robert Boyd Munger wrote a classic
story on commitment titled, My Heart,
Christ’s Home. He divided the house of
his heart into distinct rooms: the Study,
the Dining Room, the Living Room, the
Work Room, the Rec Room, and the Hall
Closet. As he walked through each room
separately he noticed they all needed
to be carefully evaluated, changed and
given to the Lord for His control. Munger
had given God the deed to the house of
his heart, but then realized he had not
surrendered possession of each room
specifically. When that happened the
Lord became not only a Guest in his heart
but the Master of his life.
In light of the “ifs” of our lives may
we meticulously commit everything
to Him. He has promised to always be
with us (Hebrews 13:5). Personally,
powerfully and daily He gives strength,
insight and wisdom so each step is in His
path. He continues to ask that we give
Him not most but all. It really makes all
the difference in the world.
Till next time, Don Johnson, KP Chaplain
