With regard to my service on the Search Committee for a new pastor, I was given insight this morning as I studied the lesson from a study of Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar demanded that his “wise” men tell him his dream and then interpret it for him – an impossible feat for mortal man. However, because God’s spirit was so strong in Daniel, He was able to give Daniel the details of the dream and its interpretation. We will know the man that God has prepared for us – not through intellectual thinking – but by His Spirit!

Our committee looks at the outward appearance (photos of the prospective pastors and their families) much as Samuel looked at the outward appearance of the sons of Jesse in search of a King for Israel. God responded to Samuel that he was looking on the outward appearance while God looks upon the heart. We weigh their experience and their educations as though intellectually these things will tell us whom to choose. We rely upon the ideas of the corporate world choosing an employee. I have been in that position, and I know how flawed that tactic can be. My prayer is that we will rely upon our God to choose the servant of our Shepherd to oversee us in His behalf.

So how do we determine the heart of the man we are seeking? First, we ask God for the wisdom and insight to be impressed upon our Spirit. We rely upon God to infill us with His knowledge, and we listen for Him to reveal it to us as a body of believers. Then we pray that as we listen to words spoken by these men, we will hear with our Spirits, not analyzing every word, but waiting for the Spirit of God to reveal the truth. At the end of our search when we have all of the information, if we are truly directed by God’s Spirit, we should be able to do a secret ballot among the seven of us and the man will be chosen. God’s Spirit can bring about that kind of unity.

Update 6/11/12:  Our church voted to call David Henneke with a vote of 93 to 1 on 6/10/12.  As we reviewed the process, we could observe God's hand in this choice all along the journey.  He is an awesome God!  And all praise is His!

PSALM 23 PARAPHRASED

1. My God is my provider and security, and I am content in His care.
2. He makes me feel safe and protected; He causes me to feel calm and peaceful.
3. He helps me to regain strength by refreshing me; He keeps me on a safe path because of who He is.
4. He walks with me through the dangerous, dark paths where He has gone before, so I am not afraid; I am comforted both by His protection and guidance.
5. He goes before me and prepares my daily needs wherever I might be; He heals my pain; I am truly blessed.
6. He will remain with me all the days of my life and I will dwell with Him forever.

God is Good!

While driving home from being with my sister today, I was considering the issue of our "good" God. The results of her latest PET scan for cancer was much improved, so it is easy to write "God is good". However, three months ago, when the PET scan showed cancer matastisized throughout her body, God was still "good". We cannot decide his attributes by how the tests come back, because his attributes never change. Only our circumstances change. And most often those change because of the curse that the "god of this world" (Satan) has put upon this earth. John tells us he came to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10a), and until Christ returns to establish his kingdom, Satan will continue his mission of afflicting believers and non-believers.
We do not know the cause of cancer. We do know the terror it brings to those afflicted. Overcoming that fear and terror requires knowing a God who is good, and to whom we can hand the whole burden. We ask for His help, His comfort, His healing, and as we yield ourselves, our disease, and our loved ones, we experience His peace and His goodness (John 10:10b).
All praise goes to God for his great goodness and his faithfulness.