Final Drop Off

Today was the final drop off of equipment to Restore Church in Havre de Grace. I met the pastor this morning dropping off equipment that we had in storage. So now that part is done.

He has been really grateful for everything that we've been able to give him. As my presbyter said, "planting seed in good soil."

Freely we received, freely we give.

--Ben

Writing

To the faithful readers who have been checking in daily here at BenjaminRainey.com I want to say thanks for your continued confidence. I appreciate the small measure that you give me by visiting this site to read. I have enjoyed writing here going back to 2005. Wow, that sounds like a long time. Over that time my writing has primarily focused on Severn River Church, and my life as its pastor. Now that the church has closed I have some challenges when it comes to writing listed as follows:

1. So much to write, so little time. That may seem funny as currently my workload is greatly reduced, but I find the posts in my head are of some significance and so I want to dedicate proper time to their presentation for posterity's sake.
2. Seasons change. "If a man thinks he leads and has no one following, then he is only taking a walk" (Maxwell) Right now I find myself in a position that I haven't been in for over 10 years. I don't have a group that I'm leading directly. I'm sure I still have influence in different nooks of the world, but no direct influence. I'm recalibrating what I might say during this season. Right now I'm just walking more quietly.
   
3. I will write. I am not a great writer, but I enjoy the habit. This is an outlet for me to share and process the thoughts that I have on life, ministry and leadership. During this time I'm just feeling a bit private. I'm sure it will pass. I'm looking forward to the future of this website, and am thinking through some options of where it will evolve in the future.

Thanks for reading.

--Ben

Just A Nobody

One of the difficult parts of becoming a disciple of Jesus is that everything you've ever learned about how life works is turned upside-down. Instead of getting to the front of the line, your goal is getting to the back. Instead of getting to the seat of honor, your goal is the lowest seat. Instead of walking your obligatory mile, you seek to walk two. Instead of becoming somebody, we should be happy to be a nobody.

In Romans chapter 4 Paul discusses this situation in the life of Abraham.

Romans 4:17 MSG

"We call Abraham “father” not because he got God’s attention by living like a saint, but because God made something out of Abraham when he was a nobody. Isn’t that what we’ve always read in Scripture, God saying to Abraham, “I set you up as father of many peoples”? Abraham was first named “father” and then became a father because he dared to trust God to do what only God could do: raise the dead to life, with a word make something out of nothing."

Abraham was a nobody that was living out in the wilderness, in a tent, because he had dedicated his life simply to following God. Those of us in the family of God are regarded as children of Abraham, a nobody, and God was satisfied that in his life being a nobody was enough. Being sexually impotent in his old age was enough for God to call something out of nothing. Enough because God-stories are always played out through the lives of nobodies. And Abraham was satisfied to believe and obey.

What are you? What can we be anyway? Significance, as the world defines it, is a fickle mirage. Successes, on the world's scorecard, are likely to be blown away in the winds of time; nothing that lasts.

The meek inherit the earth.

--Ben

Preaching

I have enjoyed preaching occasionally at Arnold Christian Academy over the last ten years or so. This morning I had the chance to go again and share God's word. I spoke on God's record of keeping promises. I enjoyed preaching there very much.

ACA only goes through the 8th grade. So each time I speak I invite the 8th graders up to the front and ask them a question related to my message. I make a big deal about it and the kids love it. The 8th graders are always a little embarrassed, but by the end I think they enjoy it and feel esteemed.

--Ben

Light Of The World

What does it mean to be the light of the world? Jesus said in the sermon on the mount that we, His followers, are the light of the world. The metaphor of light in Jewish tradition is understood as a reference to themselves as a people; that they are the light of the world. Jesus taught this idea to a Jewish audience and as with much of the rest of the sermon on the mount they were hearing ideas common to their heritage, but presented with a new perspective. God's promise to Abraham was that his decedents would be the light of the world and that as the nations wanted to repent they would come to Him through the Jewish nation. As the Levites were the priests for the tribes of Israel, Israel would be the priests of the world.

As disciples, folllowers of Jesus we take His teaching on the mount to include us. We have been grafted into Abraham's line and are included in the light of the world. I have a Christian friend of Jewish heritage who heard me teach this and asked, "You think this applies to non-Jews?" Absolutely. Despite his heritage the scripture is clear that we are adopted sons and daughters of God. That through the sacrifice of Jesus the way to being the people of God is not tied up in genealogical trees, but has extended to all men.

It struck me this morning as I went for my morning walk My mind recalled something that my father said this year, "Hunters know the difference between the night and the dawn. The light turns grayscale to color." The first couple trips around my loop all the houses are gray in the lack of light, but when the sun brings light the color changes the scene.

We're the light of the world we bring the color to the landscape of God's creation.

--Ben