March 17, 2020
1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.  And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
New International Version (NIV)
Remember the old Statler Brothers song:  “Counting flowers on the wall, that don’t bother me at all.  Playing solitaire til dawn with a deck of 51 . . . Watching Captain Kangaroo, now don’t tell me I’ve nothing to do.”  Is it just me, or is the quietness setting in.  Anybody stir crazy?  Under normal circumstances we are always on the move.  Our restlessness combined with our mobility means we can go when we want to.  What will we do with our extra time, these days?   

Quietness often reveals what is going on in our souls.  Busyness and noise provide welcome ways to drown the noisy thoughts inside.  As he did for Elijah, God often speaks in the “sound of silence” in a “still small voice.”  What is he saying?  God “dug out” Isaiah’s ears and gave him the ears of a disciple so he would know what to say when he spoke.

In answer to the question, “So what will we do?” Paul told the Thessalonians:  Love!  This is timely.  First, these days offer us a great opportunity to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds and strength.  You can join us in our read the New Testament plan by reading a chapter a day five days a week.  There is time for you to catch up over the next three months if you just read two chapters a day, starting at the beginning.  The plan is posted at the bottom of this email.  In addition, we are memorizing the Sermon on the Mount.  I read Psalm 76 today in my read one Psalm each day plan.  I pray this is a time when we draw close to God.  God may use this time to draw us back to himself. 

Second, these days offer us a great opportunity to love our neighbors, at a social distance.  In fact, distancing from people is one way we are loving them.  God teaches us to love our neighbors.  Watch how inclusive Paul is:  love all of God’s family.  Remember that God’s family is as international as our amazing city is.  How can we love each other more and more?  Be aware of your neighbors just now.  I am calling and checking on ones that come to mind.  At some point they may need us.  Social distancing need not be selfish distancing. 

Loving is better than playing solitaire and watching Captain Kangaroo.  The new Mr. Rogers movie strikes me as one way to spend time well.  If you are like us, you really don’t want to hear the language which has become so common in our culture.  We don’t talk that way and don’t really want that language to be normalized in our home.  This movie does better than most in that regard.  I remember one real-life moment in 1997 when Mr. Rogers was recognized with the life-time achievement award.  He took that moment to ask people to take ten seconds to remember the people who had loved them to life.  Then he said, “How pleased they must be that you thought of them.”  After the movie I thought, “Mr. Rogers was a healer, like the Savior he followed.”  Nothing, and I mean nothing heals like love does.  So by all means, love people to life.  It is a great way to pass the time.

Pray with me the words of Augustine:         
“Oh God you have made us for yourself.  We are restless until we find rest in you.” Remove us from the restlessness and nestle us in the rest which is rest indeed.  "Jesus we are resting, resting in the joy of what thou art, and we are finding out the greatness of your loving heart.”   In Jesus name.  Amen.
Join us in memorizing the Word.  Scripture for this week:    
Matthew 5:23-24
Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
Our 2020 Every Day with Jesus readings will follow the Foundations New Testament reading plan.  Copies of the reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download your copy at REPLICATE.ORG 
We would love for you to join us as we read the New Testament through this year, five chapters a week.  In addition I will continue my long-standing practice of reading one Psalm a day through the year.  Use Robby Gallaty’s H. E. A. R. plan to study each chapter (also found at REPLICATE.ORG). Highlight verses which speak to you, explain what they mean in your own words in a journal, apply them to your own life, then respond by doing what God tells you to do.  
Joyfully, 
Duane 

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