May 07 2008
Wednesday Morning Devotions at the Peacemaker Office
Fred, I'll take your challenge ... but not yet.
While it's still fresh in my mind, I want to write about the guests we had at our staff devotions today -- Pastor Howard, Luther and Howard's mom.
Howard and Luther both have dramatic testimonies of the Lord saving them from the grips of drug and alcohol addiction and are involved in a ministry to bring the hope of the gospel to people with the same struggles. Luther sang several songs that he has written, and Howard shared a devotion from Romans 5. He did a great job of putting Romans in its historical context (the utterly godless lifestyle of Rome that Paul describes in Romans 1 is very reminiscent of life in the US today!), and the great contrast that God's peace is to that chaotic and destructive lifestyle.
If you remember, Paul starts Romans 5 by applying what he's been teaching thus far:
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
I loved that reminder: We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith. And we have hope and can persevere because the Spirit is there working in and through us. What a powerful truth that we can't hear enough!
A few other things have stuck with me from what Howard shared (besides his infectious humor):
- The gospel is so radical, so transformative! I loved how passionate Howard was about the work Christ is doing through him in the lives of the people he serves ... he is a relative newcomer to our ministry, and he is just overflowing with excitement for the way that our materials and training have transformed his ministry. Since he does a fair number of drug and alcohol interventions, he said he's seen some serious conflict -- we're talking people coming to meetings with guns and knives! But it's the same Scripture and the same biblical principles that we use in any conflict, and he sees God working in peoples' lives in tangible ways.
- Like Paul in Romans 5 and following, Howard challenged us to think about areas in our life where we are not applying the gospel, where we haven't been crucified with Christ. So I extend that challenge to you: where are you living as though Christ did not die and rise again? Are there areas in your life where you are acting out of unbelief, whether through doubt or rebellion? Do you have anything in your life today where you are holding onto something (your own glory, something that brings you comfort) in such a way that it minimizes Christ's death and resurrection? Heavy stuff ... but to recognize this, repent and turn to Christ is so freeing in the end!
- Howard concluded by telling us about a miracle that we were witnessing right before us! He is driving through Billings in the process of moving his mom from California to live in his city and work alongside him. While he was living in rebellion from God for many years, he also made his parents' lives miserable, capping it off by stealing everything his parents owned and selling it to support his drug habit. Now, because of God's grace, their relationship -- especially the trust between them -- has been restored. He has gone from robbing his parents blind to being the executor of her estate. What a beautiful picture of grace; it brought tears to my eyes to see them joyfully anticipating his mom spending her last days serving the Lord alongside her prodigal-come-home.
Thanks, Howard and Luther, for encouraging us and sharing yourselves with us! May the Lord give you safety as you travel and may he continue to bless the work you are doing for his Kingdom.
UPDATE: Thanks to Jerry for the picture of Luther, Sherylynn Laich (PM Director of Training), Nancy (Howard's mom) and Howard.

