REST

Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV)

There are many words in the English language that can really stir emotions within us—cause us to think. Words like love, beauty, happiness. One such word is the word rest. This word stirs may emotions.

When we hear the word rest, we often anticipate. We look forward with hopeful imagination and anticipation to a day off, a vacation, or maybe just an hour of peace and quiet sitting in the recliner.

Sometimes when we hear the word rest, we become resentful. We look around us as everyone else who (at least in our own view) is getting plenty of rest from life’s struggles while we are not.

I believe that we often do not receive the rest that we so greatly need and want because we do not go about it in the right way. Let me offer these suggestions:

1. Plan for rest. We make doctors’ appointments, business appointments, appointments with our families for special occasions, etc. We need to make plans periodically in our lives when we can get away from the daily hassles and just rest. These times can be breaks in the day, a day away from everything periodically, and the occasional vacation.

2. Prepare for rest. This is a tough one for me. I am on vacation at this moment, but I am up early in the morning writing an article for our church newsletter. Why? Because I did not get it done before I left. Sure, there are excuses: I was busy, something else got in the way, etc. But the bottom line is that I just put it off and did not fully prepare for rest.

3. Go to the right source for rest. James says, “You do not have because you do not ask.” (James 4:2) Jesus tells us to come to Him for rest. We need to learn to rely on God for rest as well as everything else He provides for in our lives. If we can truly turn our worries, cares and tiredness over to Him, He can and will provide that much needed rest.

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. (Matthew 11:28-30 The Message)

Andrew's 13th

Yesterday was a busy and special day for the Mauldins. Sundays are alwas that way, but yesterday was even busier and more special. Yesterday was Andrew's (our yongest son) 13th birthday. My baby is now officially a teen-ager.

As I reflect on his life I can't help but smile and shed a tear all at once. I remember life before Andrew. Allen was almost nine when we found out Andrew was on his way. We had basically reconciled ourselves that Allen would be an "only child". Well, that wasn't God's plan. During Berni's (my wife) pregnancy with Andrew, we received word that some tests did not look good, so more were ordered. There was a chance that Andrew would have Down's syndrome. Before the final test was done, the doctor asked if termination of the pregnancy was an option. It was not! the doctor then advised not to do the test. We prayed the intire pregnancy for a healthy baby, but let God know that we would love and care for this child no matter what.

Well, March 19, 1993 came and we went to the hospital early in the morning. After a long hard labor, this beautiful 6 pound baby boy entered the world and changed our life forever.

I remember how cute he was at his grandmother's wedding. I remember his relationship with his grandpa. They were so much alike and were just meant to be grandfather and grandson. I remember his school activities. I smile when I remeber the play when he was the prosecuting attorney trying the case of "Jack and the Beanstalk". "Did you do it? Did you? Did You?" He was persistent. I remember the sun shining through the window so brightly each time Andrew had a line.

I think back on his baseball career. I remeber the game where Andrew started the game pitching, then played first base, then, when the game was on the line, his brother, Coach Allen, went to Andrew to close the game out as pitcher. We were ahead with winning run on base. I remeber my pride in both of my sons when we won that game. I remember a couple of years and several mile later andrew playing baseball in a different state and with different coaches. He had not pitched or played much that season. Before the game, the coach asked if Andrew though he could pitch some that game. Andrew said sure. The end result of that day was a "no-hitter". His first phone call--his brother.

I could go on and on about his accademic achievements and many other things in his life. but I guess the day I remember more than any other is the Sunday afternoon when he woke me up from my nap and said "Dad, I want to be baptized tonight." We talked and I was sure that he was very well aware of what he was doing. After we talked, he went down-stairs and told his brother. A little while later, Allen came up-stairs and said he wanted to be baptized that evening also. What a privilege for a father to baptize both of his sons into Christ on the same day.

I am so proud of his leadership at church. He is developing to be quite a song leader and truly loves to sing. I could go on and on (I know, some of you think I already have, but this is my BLOG about my son), but as we conclude the celebration of Andrew's 13th birthday I look forward to many more great years with both of my precious sons and their wonderful and lovely mother.

Seeing Jesus

In John 12 we read an account of a group of people coming to Philip and the apostles saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” (John 12:21) Just a short time later, in John 14, as Jesus was talking with his disciples preparing them for His death, He talked with them about The Father. In verse 8, Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus wanted them to understand that seeing Him as seeing The Father.

Now, move forward several weeks. Much has happened. Life and priorities and understanding have truly been changed. Consider this assessment of the disciples as recorded in Acts 4:13. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.

The world still needs to see Jesus. Some are asking; some don’t know that they need to see Jesus. But everyone needs to see Jesus. He is their only hope! As Christians, disciples of Christ, it is our job to show Jesus. However, we cannot show Him to others if we haven’t seen Him ourselves. We cannot get bogged down in the routine and miss seeing Jesus. Our constant prayer must be, “Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus.”

On Sunday mornings, currently I am preaching a series from Isaiah 53. I am striving above everything else to present Jesus. This week, we will consider “The Man Of Sorrows”. We realize that sorrow is a part of life. Christ came to bear our sorrows and experienced sorrows in His own life. May we truly see Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, and understand that His sorrows can result in our everlasting joy.

“Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus.”

The simplicity of prayer 

Reflecting on Prayer

I was really enjoyed Mike Cope's BLOG this morning. I enjoyed the pictures of his family. His comments on prayer caused me to reflect on my own prayer life. I remember a poster I saw once that said, "If you don't feel like praying, talk to God about it." When I first saw it, I thought it was rather silly and pointless. As I have grown, however, I have come to understand that there really is alot of truth and wisdom in that statement. It seems that we often develop this "formalistic" attitude of prayer. We feel we must be gramatically correct and use all of the right words. For me, sometimes that is really difficult. Sometimes what I really need is to just talk to my Father. sometime I really need to just forget about getting the words right and just "spill my guts" to God. I don't know about you, but sometimes I don't feel like praying, I just need to talk to God.

Sunday Morning

I remember the old Johnny Cash song about Sunday Morning. He talked about all the range of emotions that are exposed on Sunday. To me, it is even more true for preachers. Like many preachers, I get up early on Sunday morning to meditate about the day ahead. I have been thinking much lately about our churches and our lives really showing Jesus. I know that in my personal life I have that responsibility just like any follower of Jesus. But even on a stronger scale, I have that responsibility on Sunday morning when I step into the pulpit. Whatever I preach, I have to preach Jesus and show Jesus and motivate others to show Him in their lives. This morning I am continuing a series on Building A Great Life. Today we are Building A Life Of Sacrifice. I pray that I can really show Jesus and His sacrifice. If we can really see that, then we will not have as much difficulty in presenting our own lives as living sacrifice.

Today is going to be a great day, because I get to proclaim Jesus.

ACU Lectureship

It was just a week ago that I was getting everything ready to go to Abilene to attend the lectureship for the first time. So much has happened in a week.
Sometimes we underestimate the many benefits that come from attending such an event. I want to share some of my highlights (in no particular order).
In my opinion, the best class (that I attended) was directed by Brian Mashburn. It was entitled, "Becoming A Church That Is actually 'Of Christ'". Brian spoke very powerfully and personally to me about the need, not to change our name, but to live up to it. He talked about an "omnipotent sign" that would be able to detect what kind of church we really are, but I believe that the community around us is already doing that. I pray that we may truly live up to the name.
I thoroughly enjoyed the evening keynote assemblies, especially being able to worship with The Zoe Group. In my opinion, they are what a praise team should be. I believe that they truly led worship. They did not sing to us or for us, but led us in worship.
Fellowship is an important part of the lectureship--meeting new friends and renewing acquaintances with old friends. I was able to do some of both. It was so good for me to relive "singing school days" with Joe Ed Furr and James Tackett. Of course, our "singing school days" were long before the singing school had the convenience of the ACU campus.
A real bright spot was Monday afternoon during the "old fashioned singing" in the Chapel on the Hill when an elderly gentleman got up to lead a song. He announced his name as George MacFarland. When I was a kid growing up we attended many singings together and I remember learning enthusiasm for singing and worship from Brother George. I think of him often and was so encouraged to see that he still has his enthusiasm for the Lord. I pray that I can still serve the Lord with that kind of zeal at age 89.
I met a new friend, who I have actually be conversing with by phone for a couple of years. It will be nice now as we e-mail and talk on the phone to be able to put a face to the name. Glenn, thank for your encouragement and I look forward to many more years of our relationship as brothers in Christ.
Well, I could go on and on (as if I haven't already) but let me close by saying I look forward to next year.

Well, it is official. 2005 is now history! It is now in the past. There is nothing we can do about it. Nothing we can do to change it. Nothing we can do to make it better or last longer. The only thing we can do with 2005 is learn from it. I have often wondered if it was around “New Year’s” time when Paul wrote the following words:

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14 NKJV)

Paul was ready to move on from the past. There may have been successes; there may have been failures. But he was ready to move on and make the present and the future better. He was ready to devote all of his energy into living the life God had planned for him. Are you? Are we as a church? Are we ready and willing to move on from the past? Are we ready to live in the present and work toward the future?

I believe God has great things in store for each one of us and He can use each one of us in a great way. In order to achieve these things, however, we must move beyond the past and keep the goal in our view at all times. I believe that 2006 can be the year to remember, but it is up to you. It is up to me. It is up to all of us! What will 2006 bring for you?

I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward--to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. (Philippians 3:12-14, The Message)