Daily Reflections on Lk. 10:1-17 (Wolves)

Watch out for the wolves! They can be devastating. Right now I feel them nipping at my heels. In 2004 I answered God’s call to plant a new church. God had been after me for a long time. When we answered the call as a family, we knew it would be a challenge but dreamed of hundreds of lives coming to Christ over the next 10 years.

That was the dream. But the warfare was only beginning. I had faced spiritual battles and satanic attack before but I had no idea what would befall our new church, staff and families. We had a great and talented young couple join us to help us with worship and discipleship. But before our first year was out, some external circumstances caused them to resign. Body blow. The scheduled day of our Grand Opening saw 2-4 inches of snow fall on our community for the first time in 2 years. Ice covered our parking lot. Body blow.

Three weeks after our Grand Opening, the school in which were meeting, forced us to change locations for a week. Body blow. Six weeks after our Grand Opening, the city/county closed the roads for construction that led to our meeting place. Since we already had signed a lease, we had no where to go. Body blow. Within two months of our Grand Opening, they decided to tear out the existing roads around the school (within nearly two miles) and just widen the roads. Right hook. Instead of the 3 months they announced, it turned out to be eight months with no road, just dirt and gravel. Upper cut. Finally, one year later they opened the roads again to through traffic. Jab.

Despite the set backs, we continued to press forward in various outreach attempts, many of them thwarted. Some of our core were disillusioned and abandoned us because of the hardship. I understand how Paul felt about John Mark. Shot to the chin.

Not only has the church faced difficulties, so has my family. Shortly after we launched, my dad began exhibiting acute signs of Alzheimer’s. My parents were forced to close their ministry in debt and move out of their house. This past year my dad has had several serious health issues and surgeries that have brought him near death. It’s difficult when you’re ten hours away to help. Combination jab and hook.

More recently my youngest daughter developed some suspicious lymph nodes in her neck. For the last several weeks we’ve been testing and praying we’re not facing lymphoma. Talk about lambs among wolves. Right now I feel like a boxer who’s been pummeled into submission. I’m wobbling around the ring trying to stay on my feet and not get knocked down again. Did I mention the over $1,500 in vehicle repairs that few weeks?

Jesus warned us we’d face some spiritual warfare. What I’ve learned through all this is that facing the wolves can only be done through Christ’s power, not mine. Verse 17, the disciple returned in joy noting that even the demons submitted to them in Jesus’ name, not their power.

God, I confess to you I’m staggering; flesh is hanging off from the attacks of the ravenous wolves. But I’m still resting in you, relying on your power. I’m defenseless without you. Empower me. Demonstrate your power to others around me. The dream you gave me still burns within me. I’m getting up off the canvas.

Daily Reflections on Jn. 10:11-18 (Aliens)

To this day my oldest daughter is freaked out by E.T.. She sleeps with a light on in her closet when she's home. When she was a kid, all you had to say was, "phone home," and she'd be in a panic. A lot of people are fascinated by UFO's and aliens. There've been tons of TV shows, docu-dramas and movies suggesting the presence/existence of aliens on or visiting our planet. And if you've ever been to Roswell, NM, you know the town makes a living off of alien life.

In fact, some have suggested that v.16 of our text is a reference to life on other planets. "Sheep not of this pen that I must bring," according to some, means life elsewhere in the universe or solar system. Quite frankly, I think that's a BIG time stretch. That's making the text mean something out of context or say something Jesus didn't.

Jesus had been teaching Jewish people who considered themselves "God's Chosen People." They translated "chosen" as God's "ONLY" people. Even in the early years of the church, some erroneously taught/proclaimed/insisted that one had to become a Jew before he/she could become a Christian. When Jesus was talking about sheep not of this pen, He was refering to people like me, a non-Jewish sinner. Jesus was saying what He said in John 3:16, that he loved all the world, all persons, and was laying down His life for all people.

I think there's a tendency among the religious elite or even plain ol' church folk to center only on church folk and church. It's almost like a spiritual arrogance. We're the chosen people now, we're God's favorites, He's only concerned about our relationship with Him. Take another look, a closer look. Didn't Jesus also tell a parable about abandoning the 99 sheep in the fold to go look for the ONE outside the fold? Jesus said that He came to seek and save the lost, to gather all who will come to Him. He's as concerned for those who didn't grow up in the church, who've strayed from God and the church.

Unfortunately many pastors, church leaders, church members (refered to as "hirelings" in this passage) run from the ravenous wolves of this world to protect ourselves. We isolate ourselves in our church groups and church schools or home schools so that the evil of the world stays out. We circle the wagons and never venture out. But because of Jesus' love, He faced/faces the dangerous wolves head on to collect as many sheep as He can before they are devoured. He didn't wait until they wandered into the fold. He laid down down His life for them while they were among the wolves.

God, help me lose my fear of the aliens, the strangers, the outsiders and realize I was once one of those people. Give me the strength, courage and protection to face the ravenous wolves so that I might be a part of gathering your sheep not of your pen. David learned to do battle with the lion and the bear with only a sling shot, while tending his father's sheep. Later that gave him the confidence to battle with and defeat Goliath with only that same little sling shot (and your power). God, thanks for rescuing me. And thanks for leaving your light on in my closet just for me.