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Do They Know?

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By Tom Chase

This past month a man whom I have done engineering work for over the years passed away. After the initial shock of his passing (he was a man about my age, a young man right?), the first questions that came to my mind were, “Did he know Christ?” and, “What is his eternal destination?” I asked around our office to others who worked with him, others who had opportunity to know the answer to these questions, perhaps who had been bolder than me. No one seemed to know for sure. Yes, he had been a “nice” guy … very friendly … but what about Christ in his life? I went to his memorial service hoping to find out that yes he knew Christ, but sadly, no … no indication of that. There was simply the speaking of a life well lived and hopeful wishing about the future. I went home rather sad.

“Do They Know” by Steven Curtis Chapman

I’m one of the chosen few
God chose to carry to
A hopeless and dying world
Good News
I’m a disciple of
A caring Father’s love
A light to the world
To show them the way.

Do they know
Can they see
Jesus lives in me
Do they know
Can they see
Jesus lives in me

A vacant house comes alive
When somebody moves inside
A light in the window means somebody’s home
I say Jesus lives in me
But can everybody see
The light of His love that shines in my heart

Do they know
Can they see
Jesus lives in me
Do they know
Can they see
Jesus lives in me

A cloud of witnesses surrounds us
Who long to share what we’ve received
Tell me where will they see Jesus
If not in you and me.

So we must let them know
Let them see Jesus lives in you and me
Let them know, let them see
He is all they need
Jesus is all we need.

I am challenged by all this. Peter’s call to the church, found in 1 Peter 3:15-16, resonates with me:

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”

There is so much, here but one thing that stands out to me is that people will ask. They will ask about the hope we have as believers. If they are not asking, I have to ask, “Why?” Perhaps the answer lies in the context. The context of this call to be ready (and being asked) is a life lived in a different way (see below):

“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, ‘Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.’

“Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.'”

(1 Peter 3:8-14)

My prayer for me is that the Gospel will continue; that in a fresh, new way it would change who I am so I can live in such a way that people will ask; and that in the days, weeks, months, and even years ahead I will invest the time necessary to better answer the questions people will have about the nature and character of the God whom I serve.

May it be so!

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Walk by faith

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by Tom Chase

A lot is happening in my life now and I’m trying to make some sense of it all. I am being challenged and stretched and hopefully being conformed more into the image of His Son. (Some days are better than others!)

For those who might not be aware, the beginning of March was a step of faith for my family and me. At the end of February, the company which I had been working as a structural engineer closed its doors and let go of all its employees. Starting March 1, one of the former principals (my former boss) and I started a new engineering corporation.

Wow! It was like God just opened the door and made this incredible straight path before for us. We prayed, many of you prayed and the peace of God rolled over us in amazing ways. It was a mountain top experience and we lived in His peace and His assurance, listening to His words to us, “Stay the course!” How precious His assurances are to us. In my reading, I was reminded of two stories:

Gideon, when asked of God to take the Israelites into battle, really just wanted to be sure God was in it. He asked not once but twice for God to confirm this is what He wanted (Joshua 6). Oftentimes, he gets a bum rap, like he doubted God or something; and maybe he did, but God answered his honest questions.

Moses: After the Israelites sinned, God asked him to lead them away so that He would not destroy them in His anger. Moses appealed to God, not wanting to go if God was not going to come with them (Exodus 33).

I have to admire both of these men and their desire to be sure God was in it. Whatever it is that I am to do, I want to be like Gideon and Moses, to be sure God is in it!

We started down the road of a new business venture. Exciting, scary, lots of potential and understanding God is in it! Along the way though, when it began to cost us real money, it became a lot harder. Questions come to mind, “Did I really hear right?” “Is this really where God wants me?” At the same time God is answering prayers for work and quick cash flow such that my partner stated, “Clients have never paid like that.” So this is where I am today, struggling a bit with my faith­, trusting God in His leading, and needing to be content in that, but not necessarily wanting to be. “Wouldn’t full time ministry be more of what God wants?”

It’s kind of funny – almost laugh out loud funny, how God helps you see what you need to see. He uses His people. I “happened” to cross paths with a godly couple (from the church where I was formally an associate pastor). When I told them about starting my new business, she said, “Anyone who has had a small business knows that it is a walk of faith!” I had to agree with her. I see it every day if I just open my eyes. When God asked him, Abraham left his homeland to go to a land that God would show him. Abraham believed God and it was credited to Him as righteous (Genesis12:1; Hebrews 11:8-10; Romans 4:3; Galatians 4:6; James 2:23). So what was spiritual about Abraham leaving his country and going to a land that God would show him? The one thing I get is this, Abraham believed and followed God. I want to be like Abraham. I want to follow God where He leads even if it may not be what I think I really want.

So what am I to do, in this not so sacred, not so “spiritual” pursuit? First, understand that this is what is laid before me for now and is it subject to change. Then, simply do what He has said.

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give reason for the hope that you have ….” (1 Peter 3:15a)

The startling part of this verse to me is that people are asking. I may not be able to talk about all the fine points of deep theology with people (nor will that always be appreciated). I can talk about what God is doing … not necessarily in the world at large, but what He is doing in me. I am being changed by the power of the gospel. God is answering prayers and doing amazing things all the time. I am rediscovering that there is an attraction in simply sharing these things. This, in part, is how people can see I have hope and become, as God’s Spirit works, compelled to ask. I want to be like what Peter writes – I want to be ready to share!

Lord, may it be so!

In His service,

Tom

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Running for the prize

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by Tom Chase

“Run in such a way to get the prize,” Paul’s admonition to the church (1 Corinthians 9:19-27) kept going though my mind. The day of the AWANA skate night was drawing nearer. You see, one activity that happens during the evening is the races. They split the guys and the girls and then by various ages competing to see who can make one lap the fastest. I decided to skate that night in part because of the race. Here was my chance to win the prize. Don’t misunderstand me, I had no delusional ideas about wining the race – I am not a great skater. In fact, I had chosen not to skate the previous year for my own safety and perhaps the safety of others. But this year was different. I wanted to win the prize so I chose to skate and I entered the race. As it turned out, I won the prize for which I was racing! How is that possible?

The prize for which I risked body and limb was a free soda from the concession stand. They give a coupon to all the race participants. So I entered and I won! Shortly after the race, I was enjoying the spoils of my labors with a smile on my face.

There is a parallel to this in my spiritual life. One that I am finding challenging.

We as believers find ourselves in a race in which the prize we are seeking (or at least should be) is not always the same as the participants around us.

So what then is to be our goal, the prize we are seeking?  It is more than salvation. It is far more than that. We grow in relationship with the creator God through Christ. Paul’s prayer for us, in Philippians 1:9, as Pastor Martin shared is, “…that our love [for God] may abound more and more …” It is in the context of this relationship that we are compelled further. God has given each of us, varying interests, gifts and abilities, and more recently called “affinities,” in order to make Christ known. It is in these, that sharing Christ should be most natural.

For me, sharing Christ has not become natural enough. Sharing Christ, the good news, needs to really be my affinity, my desire, and my passion. If that is my main pursuit, then my interests, gifts and abilities become aids to that end. This is a good place to begin. However, Paul not only shares Christ through areas of his own interests but takes it even further, “I have become all things to all men, so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the Gospel, that I may share in its blessings” (1 Cor. 9:22-23). Wherever we are that’s where we should start.

Lord, use our voices. Lord, use our hands. Lord, use our lives: They are yours, We are an offering …

Then we too may share in the blessings of the gospel. What a prize to hear Jesus say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

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