Yielding to God
Stories
Contents
“The Challenges of Serving the Lord” by Keith Wagner
“Yielding to God” by Keith Wagner
The Challenges of Serving the Lord
by Keith Wagner
1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26
As we close out the year 2018 all of us have some letting go to do. This is an opportunity for us to resolve those dreams that did not come true, or to celebrate those goals that we achieved. In a sense we are saying goodbye to the past. Whatever we did or did not do is now history. Now is the time to receive God’s forgiveness for our mistakes and accept God’s grace for our blessings. It is a time to look forward and focus on the future as Samuel had to do to follow through on his commitment to “The Lord.” It is also time for us to reflect on those challenges that we encountered and ask God’s guidance to help us in our pursuits.
Samuel is now on the threshold of becoming an adult, finding his way and spreading his wings. He would learn from the Rabbis and other scholars within the community of faith.
A classic movie that is often shown at Christmas time is "Home Alone." In the movie, Kevin, was left behind by his family and for one week he had to manage by himself. He became acquainted with a bag lady in Central Park. They became friends and at one point she helped him when he was being pursued by the bad guys. His parents were far away and Kevin had to depend on a total stranger to help him at a critical moment. There were others too, as Kevin learned that he must interact with the community in the absence of his parents.
No one is raised in a vacuum. We grow up in a community which is greater than the cozy confines of our families. Although Samuel’s parents blessed him and dedicated him, he had to make it with the help of God.
One of the most difficult lessons in life is the process of venturing out on our own. We choose our friends, yes, even mates. They may not be who our parents would select, but at some point we must be given the freedom to make our choices and live with the consequences.
Most everyone is influenced by the expectations of parents, relatives and close friends. People have a perception of who we "ought" to be. Those who live their lives to please their parents will never be happy, nor will they become fulfilled. It is only when we become our authentic selves will we realize true happiness.
We have a tendency to hold our children back, to make them in our image, to set expectations for them that are not in sync with who they are expected to be. Rather than give them wings, we clip them, wanting to be in control.
Early in my ministry I had a friend who was a single mother. She was incapable of raising her daughter alone so she gave her up for adoption. About 30 years later the child discovered her mother and they were reunited. They became pen pals at the very best, but nevertheless established a relationship. I remember the renewed feelings of guilt my friend experienced since her daughter was raised by others. But, my friend was a very loving person, who frequently helped others when she barely had enough to take care of herself. I admired her for her courage to entrust her young daughter into the hands of strangers.
Most of us who have children were able to raise them ourselves and we never had to worry about putting them up for adoption. But, at some point we are confronted with the reality of letting them go, pushing them out of the nest, giving them their wings. That takes courage and can be just as difficult and painful.
In the television series, “The Waltons,” John Boy reached a critical juncture when he told his father he was not destined to remain on the family farm. He wanted to go to New York City and be a writer. That was his life-long dream. That was who he really was. Painfully, he left the Walton clan and went to New York and became the writer he committed to be.
All of us who have children, whether our own, step-children or adopted, will face a time when we have to let them go. From the minute they come into our life we are called as people of faith to let them live their lives. Giving our children their wings is part of the cycle of life.
Giving others their wings is an act of grace. It is the same grace that God gives us. God does not hold us back for anything. God forgives, God loves us unconditionally. God wants us to be free and be able to fly.
* * *
Yielding to God
by Keith Wagner
Psalm 148
In the book, A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul, there is a story that tells of a young boy who yielded to God in the midst of a crisis.
Not long before the end of World War II, an eleven year old boy named Reimund saw two airmen parachuting out of an enemy plane that had been shot down in Ruhr, Germany. Like many other curious citizens who had seen the parachutists falling through the afternoon sky, he went to the city's central square to wait for the police to arrive with the prisoners of war. Eventually two policemen arrived with two British prisoners in tow. They would wait there in the city square for a car that would take the British airmen to a prison in a neighboring city where prisoners of war were kept. When the crowd saw the prisoners, there were angry shouts of "Kill them! Kill them!"
No doubt the crowd was thinking of the heavy bombings their city had suffered at the hands of the British. Reimund looked at the faces of the British prisoners. They were very young, maybe 19 or 20 years old. He could see that they were extremely frightened. He could also see that the two policemen, whose duty it was to protect the prisoners of war, were no match for the angry crowd with its pitchforks and shovels.
Reimund knew he had to do something, and do it quickly. He ran to place himself between the prisoners and the crowd, turning to face the crowd and shouting to them to stop. Not wanting to hurt the little boy, the crowd held back for a moment, long enough for Reimund who said to them: "Look at these prisoners. They are just young boys! They are no different from your own sons. They are only doing what your own sons are doing -- fighting for their country. If your sons were shot down in a foreign country and became prisoners of war, you wouldn't want the people there to kill your sons. So please don't hurt these boys."
Reimund's fellow townspeople listened in amazement, and then shame. Finally, a woman said, "It took a little boy to tell us what is right and what is wrong." The crowd began to disperse. Reimund would never forget the look of tremendous relief and gratitude he saw on the faces of the young British airmen.
Reimund helped his people who had suffered make the connection to others who have suffered as well. When we are able to walk away from our anger and feelings toward others and strive for peace we are yielding to God.
We all fail. Being faithful and yielding to God is not easy. But sometimes our faith can make a huge difference when we have the courage like the young boy Reimund who made a stand for forgiveness. God wants us to yield to his power.
I remember a time early in my ministry when I was called to travel to a hospital far away where a man was critically ill. A family member asked me if I would come and baptize him. They were not members of the church that I served, however, they lived in the town where the church was located. I agreed to come, but with reservations as to how I would fulfill their request.
I drove to the hospital and when I arrived at the nursing station the nurses were talking amongst themselves. One said, “Has anyone seen the preacher who is dong the baptism in 207?” At that moment I realized they were talking about me and so I said, “Here I am.” I also overhead them saying that the man was not doing well and they had hoped the preacher would make it before it was too late.
Since I had never met anyone in the family I was a little bewildered. When I entered the room I was shocked at the number of relatives who had gathered. There were also nurses and hospital staff people in the room. We ended up with a small congregation in room 207. Needless to say I was somewhat humiliated since I had forgotten to bring a baptismal implement with me. I asked one of the nurses if she could bring me a bowl of clean water since I had forgot to bring one with me. A few minutes later the nurse returned with a stainless steel bedpan filled to the brim.
All eyes were focused on me and the baptism I was about to perform. To my surprise the man seemed fairly alert and responsive but grateful that I had come. I then completed my baptism ceremony and everyone left and went back to work.
I left feeling good about the baptism. However, I was embarrassed since I wasn’t fully prepared and not sure that the baptism met everyone’s expectations. I realized in that experience that there would be times when my ministry would be taking me beyond the call. It was intimidating for me since only a few months earlier I had left the business world. But I felt called and continued to yield to God for the next forty years as a pastor. For me, yielding to God was a constant challenge.
*****************************************
StoryShare, December 30, 2018, issue.
Copyright 2018 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
“The Challenges of Serving the Lord” by Keith Wagner
“Yielding to God” by Keith Wagner
The Challenges of Serving the Lord
by Keith Wagner
1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26
As we close out the year 2018 all of us have some letting go to do. This is an opportunity for us to resolve those dreams that did not come true, or to celebrate those goals that we achieved. In a sense we are saying goodbye to the past. Whatever we did or did not do is now history. Now is the time to receive God’s forgiveness for our mistakes and accept God’s grace for our blessings. It is a time to look forward and focus on the future as Samuel had to do to follow through on his commitment to “The Lord.” It is also time for us to reflect on those challenges that we encountered and ask God’s guidance to help us in our pursuits.
Samuel is now on the threshold of becoming an adult, finding his way and spreading his wings. He would learn from the Rabbis and other scholars within the community of faith.
A classic movie that is often shown at Christmas time is "Home Alone." In the movie, Kevin, was left behind by his family and for one week he had to manage by himself. He became acquainted with a bag lady in Central Park. They became friends and at one point she helped him when he was being pursued by the bad guys. His parents were far away and Kevin had to depend on a total stranger to help him at a critical moment. There were others too, as Kevin learned that he must interact with the community in the absence of his parents.
No one is raised in a vacuum. We grow up in a community which is greater than the cozy confines of our families. Although Samuel’s parents blessed him and dedicated him, he had to make it with the help of God.
One of the most difficult lessons in life is the process of venturing out on our own. We choose our friends, yes, even mates. They may not be who our parents would select, but at some point we must be given the freedom to make our choices and live with the consequences.
Most everyone is influenced by the expectations of parents, relatives and close friends. People have a perception of who we "ought" to be. Those who live their lives to please their parents will never be happy, nor will they become fulfilled. It is only when we become our authentic selves will we realize true happiness.
We have a tendency to hold our children back, to make them in our image, to set expectations for them that are not in sync with who they are expected to be. Rather than give them wings, we clip them, wanting to be in control.
Early in my ministry I had a friend who was a single mother. She was incapable of raising her daughter alone so she gave her up for adoption. About 30 years later the child discovered her mother and they were reunited. They became pen pals at the very best, but nevertheless established a relationship. I remember the renewed feelings of guilt my friend experienced since her daughter was raised by others. But, my friend was a very loving person, who frequently helped others when she barely had enough to take care of herself. I admired her for her courage to entrust her young daughter into the hands of strangers.
Most of us who have children were able to raise them ourselves and we never had to worry about putting them up for adoption. But, at some point we are confronted with the reality of letting them go, pushing them out of the nest, giving them their wings. That takes courage and can be just as difficult and painful.
In the television series, “The Waltons,” John Boy reached a critical juncture when he told his father he was not destined to remain on the family farm. He wanted to go to New York City and be a writer. That was his life-long dream. That was who he really was. Painfully, he left the Walton clan and went to New York and became the writer he committed to be.
All of us who have children, whether our own, step-children or adopted, will face a time when we have to let them go. From the minute they come into our life we are called as people of faith to let them live their lives. Giving our children their wings is part of the cycle of life.
Giving others their wings is an act of grace. It is the same grace that God gives us. God does not hold us back for anything. God forgives, God loves us unconditionally. God wants us to be free and be able to fly.
* * *
Yielding to God
by Keith Wagner
Psalm 148
In the book, A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul, there is a story that tells of a young boy who yielded to God in the midst of a crisis.
Not long before the end of World War II, an eleven year old boy named Reimund saw two airmen parachuting out of an enemy plane that had been shot down in Ruhr, Germany. Like many other curious citizens who had seen the parachutists falling through the afternoon sky, he went to the city's central square to wait for the police to arrive with the prisoners of war. Eventually two policemen arrived with two British prisoners in tow. They would wait there in the city square for a car that would take the British airmen to a prison in a neighboring city where prisoners of war were kept. When the crowd saw the prisoners, there were angry shouts of "Kill them! Kill them!"
No doubt the crowd was thinking of the heavy bombings their city had suffered at the hands of the British. Reimund looked at the faces of the British prisoners. They were very young, maybe 19 or 20 years old. He could see that they were extremely frightened. He could also see that the two policemen, whose duty it was to protect the prisoners of war, were no match for the angry crowd with its pitchforks and shovels.
Reimund knew he had to do something, and do it quickly. He ran to place himself between the prisoners and the crowd, turning to face the crowd and shouting to them to stop. Not wanting to hurt the little boy, the crowd held back for a moment, long enough for Reimund who said to them: "Look at these prisoners. They are just young boys! They are no different from your own sons. They are only doing what your own sons are doing -- fighting for their country. If your sons were shot down in a foreign country and became prisoners of war, you wouldn't want the people there to kill your sons. So please don't hurt these boys."
Reimund's fellow townspeople listened in amazement, and then shame. Finally, a woman said, "It took a little boy to tell us what is right and what is wrong." The crowd began to disperse. Reimund would never forget the look of tremendous relief and gratitude he saw on the faces of the young British airmen.
Reimund helped his people who had suffered make the connection to others who have suffered as well. When we are able to walk away from our anger and feelings toward others and strive for peace we are yielding to God.
We all fail. Being faithful and yielding to God is not easy. But sometimes our faith can make a huge difference when we have the courage like the young boy Reimund who made a stand for forgiveness. God wants us to yield to his power.
I remember a time early in my ministry when I was called to travel to a hospital far away where a man was critically ill. A family member asked me if I would come and baptize him. They were not members of the church that I served, however, they lived in the town where the church was located. I agreed to come, but with reservations as to how I would fulfill their request.
I drove to the hospital and when I arrived at the nursing station the nurses were talking amongst themselves. One said, “Has anyone seen the preacher who is dong the baptism in 207?” At that moment I realized they were talking about me and so I said, “Here I am.” I also overhead them saying that the man was not doing well and they had hoped the preacher would make it before it was too late.
Since I had never met anyone in the family I was a little bewildered. When I entered the room I was shocked at the number of relatives who had gathered. There were also nurses and hospital staff people in the room. We ended up with a small congregation in room 207. Needless to say I was somewhat humiliated since I had forgotten to bring a baptismal implement with me. I asked one of the nurses if she could bring me a bowl of clean water since I had forgot to bring one with me. A few minutes later the nurse returned with a stainless steel bedpan filled to the brim.
All eyes were focused on me and the baptism I was about to perform. To my surprise the man seemed fairly alert and responsive but grateful that I had come. I then completed my baptism ceremony and everyone left and went back to work.
I left feeling good about the baptism. However, I was embarrassed since I wasn’t fully prepared and not sure that the baptism met everyone’s expectations. I realized in that experience that there would be times when my ministry would be taking me beyond the call. It was intimidating for me since only a few months earlier I had left the business world. But I felt called and continued to yield to God for the next forty years as a pastor. For me, yielding to God was a constant challenge.
*****************************************
StoryShare, December 30, 2018, issue.
Copyright 2018 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
