daily java

Daily Java: And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for the Mighty One has done great things for me — holy is his name.”  (Luke 1:46-47, 49)

Nothing good comes without effort of some kind. And sometimes the effort is downright painful.

It may be something as minor as the time spent in preparing a good supper. A couple of hours spent so that others can enjoy a well-prepared meal. It may be something as major as labor in childbirth. It may even be something as massive as self-sacrifice so that someone else might live.

The effort of getting in shape is painful. The old body-building expression is “no pain, no gain.” And like the old expression says, anything worth having is worth working for.

When we pray to God that he use us to his glory, we don’t often consider all of the ramifications of the prayer. We are praying, when we say that, that we can become an instrument of God. And sometimes being an instrument of God can be painful.

There is not one man in the Old Testament who, upon accepting the position of prophet, did not endure a lot of personal pain. It may have been relatively minor in being rejected or it could have been outright, active persecution, but all prophets had problems.

All were glad they had taken the job (except maybe Jonah), but all recognized the pain and rejection inherent in being a prophet of God.

Becoming a preacher was a lot easier than staying one. Not only was there the initial effort of studying and memorizing and stuff in seminary, but then there was the life of separation. There was the knowledge that while you are part of the church, you really aren’t either. The realization that you had taken on the job of prophet soon comes strong to your mind.

This comes the first time someone disagrees with you on something you preached and because of it decides to try to get you fired. Or gets mad at you, or whatever. Being an instrument of God is not an easy task.

In Isaiah 6, Isaiah heard God asking for volunteers to take his word to his people. Isaiah said, Here am I. Send me! He was ready to go. It wasn’t long, however, before he found out that it was a harder job than he thought.

God told him that the people to whom he was sent would not listen, they would be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.  His job: Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes.

Isaiah asked how long would he need to do this. God’s reply: Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted  and the fields ruined and ravaged, until the LORD has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken.

This has been the case for all prophets and for all who bring his word to those around.

And so it was with Mary. Even though it would be painful for her and for those who loved her, Mary still was willing and grateful to be the instrument of God. Great things would come from her own personal pain sacrificed for her God.

I am glad to have taken on the mantle of pastor. It has not been easy. People do not really want to hear the word of God. I mean, on one hand they do, but on the other hand, they do not. as the Bible says many places, truth hurts. And some people, in fact most people, do not like the pain associated with anything, whether good or not.

I want to be like Mary. I want to take what God gives me and give it to others no matter the personal pain.

But I know that there is and will be pain involved. Here am I. Send me! And I glorify the Lord.