What an incredible God we serve and he certainly knows how to get our attention, doesn’t he? Sometimes, I don’t know about you, but I have been so busy that my quiet time with God hasn’t been the quality time it should be and it was at a time such as this, when I had had a couple of funerals back to back, that God got my attention through a dream. I dreamt I was ministering in a place called Churton Park! Believe me this was a place I had never even heard of! I can remember waking up thinking what funny things and places we dream about. Imagine my surprise when several weeks later, I opened my clergy email and perusing what was happening around the country, I saw a position advertised in the Wellington Diocese; Churton Park!
Well, then I began to feel a bit uncomfortable! I just wanted to dismiss it, but somehow it began to gnaw away in my mind and like any person with internet tools at their disposal, I eventually googled Churton Park Anglican Church! When I read about how CPAC came about, and how it has always had a real desire and passion to see lives being changed for the better through a loving relationship with God, and embracing all that God has for you, I was excited. The final confirmation that I should do something about it came from Isaiah 43:18-19. “Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” or in another translation “But forget all that; it is nothing compared to what I am about to do; for I am about to do something new. See! I have already begun. Do you not see it?” Who wouldn’t want to be part of that?
Much further down the track, I was standing at the graveside, in the Urupa, my grandson’s family cemetery just up the coast from Opotiki, after having buried my great granddaughter, Mahine. I had a conversation with God where I said, “Lord, in the nine short weeks of her life, this little child has healed a family; don’t just let me drift into retirement. I want to be full on for you, so if it means shaking me up or shifting me on, maybe to Churton Park, then do so!” Dangerous words!! Well, as you are all now aware, God took me at my word and certainly shook me up and shifted me on to be with you!
But isn’t God’s timing amazing! Doesn’t it just blow you away! Well, that’s how I’ve found it to be in my life, though, I must confess, His timing for certain things has not always been as welcome as it should have been. Why? Simply because of my humanness; because I thought I had my life mapped out the way I wanted it, and it suited me just fine! However, the longer I have journeyed with our Lord, I realize, more and more, the importance of obedience and that when He speaks into our lives whether it be through His word, through others, in a dream, or in that still small voice, the time to respond in obedience is right now! We don’t have to worry about the details, because God takes care of all of those, and, I have to say, much better than we could!
Your council may have discussed this with you, but after I had accepted their offer of this position, I received a phone call from Elmar. He was concerned because they realized I had never seen the church house. Was that a problem? “Not unless you want to fly me down and back in a day,” was my response. I assured him that I hadn’t lost a moment’s sleep over the matter because God’s call was not for the house it was to minister to His people. “After all,” I said with confidence, “It has been my experience, when God calls me to something, He knows my every need!” Imagine my surprise, and just quietly my delight, when Elmar rings back a couple of weeks later to inform me that the council had made the decision to do a complete upgrade of the church house. I praise God that He truly did know more than my every need!
More importantly, God knows your every need too and the needs of CPAC. Because of your real desire and passion to see lives being changed for the better through a loving relationship with God and embracing all that God has for you; because of your patience in waiting on the Lord, and because of your council’s willingness to seek God’s will, God has given you the promise of his favour, through this reading from Isaiah which He had placed on the hearts of your leaders. However, in accepting His promise comes responsibility.
Turn with me, if you will, to chapter 61 of Isaiah. Jesus first used this part of this chapter to announce his ministry. ( Read Isaiah 61:1-7)
Beautiful words, powerful words, but words that also carry a huge responsibility! In one translation it says we are to “proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. The question is; are we up for it CPAC?
When God announces that now is the acceptable time, what we do next is critical. How often have we been unprepared when God calls us to move out for him? How often do we respond, myself included, “But I’m not ready Lord. I have things to do first. I’m too busy!” What was Jesus’ response to a question like that? Look up Matthew 8: 21. Someone read it out. That’s right! His immediate response was, “Follow me!” Why does he say that? Because God’s timing is always perfect. He knows you and he knows me, not just casually but intimately! He is fully aware of your circumstances and he is fully aware of my circumstances. He knows all that he has built into our lives until now and he extends his invitation knowing that his resources are more than adequate for any assignment he gives us.
You know one thing that really troubled me about applying for this position was the fact that I would be leaving behind my 87 year old mum, bedridden with dementia, my 90 year old Dad and a young mum in my parish who had been diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease in February 2010. How could I leave these people who needed me? I surely learned about God’s timing! The Lord took my mum home to himself on the 19th of September and beautiful Tracy on December 6th. My 90 year old Dad won a cruise on the refurbished Pacific Pearl on the P&O line which I enjoyed with him three weeks before I left Auckland! By gathering so many people around Dad to visit and support him, and, with my Dad’s blessing, God has released me to be here with you!
Yes, I do believe this is the year of God’s favour for CPAC; that means for you and for me. So just what does God require of each of us? Scripture tells us that God is concerned with our hearts and when our hearts are in love with Jesus, the presence of God’s Spirit ensures the success of the mission God calls us to. If our hearts grow luke-warm towards God however, our disobedience or our reluctance to respond when God speaks could effect the lives of others, for when God speaks it is always out of the context of eternity.
No, we don’t need to know all the implications of what he is asking. We just have to know that when it is a word from God, (and always test it with scripture) we need to respond!! Now is the acceptable time. Now is the time for us to receive a crown of beauty instead of ashes, now is the time to receive the oil of gladness instead of mourning and now is the time to put on the garment of praise instead of mourning. The question is; will you do that?
My challenge to you this morning is this: If you think your heart is not where it should be I invite you to get out of your seat and come to the front for I believe God wants to take you from where you are to where he wants you to be.
What is on your heart is between you and God, though I encourage you to find someone you trust to share this with later. Right now the prayer team and I will pray for you, for now, right now is the acceptable time! Please don’t leave this morning until you have replaced the ashes of your life with a crown of beauty; your sadness and mourning with the oil of gladness and put on the garment of praise instead of the clothes of despair. Now is the acceptable time. Are you willing to do that for yourself? And, more importantly, are you willing to do it for Christ’s body, the church? Now is the acceptable time!
I’m going to ask the music team to play some music as you make your way to the front. Don’t worry about others. This is between you and God. Don’t push it aside if you feel God prompting you, because his greatest desire is to bring you into that place of complete wholeness. Just come! God will truly bless you for it!
