Pride - the Source of Worry (A Poem)

Many of you will know that my father's health is declining in his two-year battle against cancer. My Dad, whom I love deeply, is not a believer in the Lord Jesus - and so I would greatly appreciate you praying the Lord would save him.

We needed to get Dad to the hospital on Wednesday night and while I was in the waiting room I determined to redeem the time. I did not have a Bible with me, so I decided to meditate on 1 Peter 5:6-7 ("Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you"). As I rolled those words around in my mind, a couple of phrases came to me that I then wrote down.

You have to understand something. I know I am not a poet! So, most of anything I ever write stays secretly with me. But I read this to my family during devotions last night and they seemed encouraged. So, with no hope of recognition, I offer the words to you. I think the major thought is an important one: the foundation of "bad worry" is pride. Getting that concept squared away helps immensely in the mortification of anxiety.

Pride, the Source of Worry
Sufficient trouble in each day
Is sure to find you out
Enough to try the surest saint
And make the godly pout!

Unless fresh visions from the Word
Transform our feeble minds
Anxiety and dreadful doubt
Are all that we will find.

The Master spoke of birds and blooms
As under God’s control;
He slept while waves and wind were strong
Still trusting through it all.

When heart rates rise and worries soar
And adrenalin starts flowing,
These are the signals pride is strong
And the humbling best get going.

His mighty hand is no less strong
When circumstance looks bleak
As when all things seem to go well;
At both times – I am weak!

So keep me humbled, Lord, I pray
Beneath that mighty hand
And grant the grace to throw my cares
Upon the Son of Man.

© Paul W. Martin. February 14, 2007.

[UPDATE: If you read this far, you deserve more! Here is a much better poem from my favorite poet, John Newton:

Why art thou cast down?
Be still my heart! these anxious cares
To thee are burdens, thorns, and snares,
They cast dishonor on thy Lord,
And contradict his gracious word!

Brought safely by his hand thus far,
Why wilt thou now give place to fear?
How canst thou want if he provide,
Or lose thy way with such a guide?

When first before his mercy–seat,
Thou didst to him thy all commit;
He gave thee warrant, from that hour,
To trust his wisdom, love, and pow’r.

Did ever trouble yet befall,
And he refuse to hear thy call?
And has he not his promise past,
That thou shalt overcome at last?

Like David, thou may’st comfort draw,
Saved from the bear’s and lion’s paw;
Goliath’s rage I may defy,
For God, my Savior, still is nigh.

He who has helped me hitherto,
Will help me all my journey through;
And give me daily cause to raise
New Ebenezers to his praise.

Though rough and thorny be the road,
It leads thee home, apace, to GOD;
Then count thy present trials small,
For heav’n will make amends for all.

John Newton, Olney Hymns, #40.

TBS Classes Cancelled for Today

Dear Students,

I mistakenly posted this on The Master's Seminary blog (to which I am a contributor) late last night. (I just erased that post.) Please forgive me for that! Here I was thinking this system of notification would work so effectively!! Leave it to user error.

Anyway, most of you will know by now that an unforeseen event is keeping me off campus for the day.

For those who drove in from a distance... I owe you a coffee!!

Helping Little Ones Learn to Sit in Church: A Few Practical Suggestions on Moving from Nursery to "Big Church"

One of the challenges every parent faces is teaching their small child to sit through a worship service. Although temperaments and dispositions vary, there are some very practical things you can do to help make the transition from the nursery to “big church.”

^· The best training begins at home. Having regular family devotions will do much to teach active listening and worship. Even the smallest ones can learn to quietly listen to the Word of God being read and to answer a few questions aimed at their age level and understanding. This learning will transfer right into “big church.”

^· You can “play church” and use a few minutes in the week to demonstrate to your child how to sit and pay attention while sitting on the sofa or in chairs. This is a great teaching time as there is none of the pressure to be quiet, etc! Besides, most kids love to play the part of “preacher!”

^· You can have a few “big church” rules that you rehearse with your child during the week. Maybe things like “No talking,” or “Sit still” etc. Every family can think through how they want to train their kids to be a part of God’s worship.

^· You may start keeping your child in “big church” for the first half of the service. Generally this includes the times of singing and prayer. You can then take them out to the nursery for the second half of the service. Over time, extend the times you keep them in “big church” and make it a goal for them to be able to get out of the nursery for good! It seems wise for you, not your child, to be the one who determines when it is time to exit and when it is time to stay in the service.

^· Do bring your kids to church on Wednesday nights. At Grace Fellowship Church, there is no nursery for the corporate worship time on Wednesday nights (it starts immediately after) so this is great training. The singing and prayer request time is all geared to the kids and teaches them some good skills for corporate worship.

^· Some children will find sitting in church easier if they are given a few books to read. One at a time and with growing breaks between each volume can be a good method. Other kids like to write. They can be encouraged to draw pictures of something they hear in the sermon. Still other families choose to avoid books and paper altogether. Think through what would work best to mentor your child.

^· You may consider encouraging good behaviour by rewarding it. Be sure to compliment even the smallest good choices you see and consider what might motivate your child in particular.

^· Expect a little rustling! Some adults can barely sit still for 5 minutes, let alone a 4 year old! We are used to a little noise and half the time no one hears it anyway. You may need to pull your child out of the service for disobedience, especially if it is loud, but try to keep encouraging good behaviour and participation. At GFC, we try to include the children in as much of the service as we can. You will be shocked to know how much a head that never looked up and a body that wiggled all morning actually took in!

^· Avoid using “big church” as nap time. The goal is to train our kids to be active participants in the worship of God.

^· Please do take your child out of the service if they get noisy. No one thinks you are a failure as a parent! We think you are... a parent... and a pretty good one at that! We have all had to do it and we all understand. Sometimes it is better to sit near the back when you have little ones that are being mentored in how to participate in worship. That gives you quick and easy access out of and back into the service. We do our best at GFC to save these back rows for families with little ones, but you may need to show up a little early to get your spot!

^· Don’t give up! You may have many weeks of things not going so well... but don’t despair! Parents have been doing this very thing for centuries and eventually your little one will figure it out with your training. What you are doing is such important work as you fit them for a life of sitting under the Word of God. Put a bad week behind you and don’t stop praying for the Lord to grant grace and help.

In all of this, remember part of the reason transferring into “big church” can be difficult:

“But children are unregenerate. They do not know God. There is a natural enmity in their hearts against him. Their boredom is not principally caused by their immaturity but because of their hearts of stone. This is to be combated by the loving lives of their parents, regular family devotions in which they become familiar with the teaching of the Bible, the language of prayer and they are confronted with their need to be born again. Their parents' love, respect and enthusiasm for the church services, the pastor and his preaching will be contagious. They will admire and hear the one to whom their parents pay such attention. But where the parents themselves are bored - or just one parent - then there is little hope for the children becoming gripped with the most exciting message in the world - the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ.

When children have been taught to sit still at home, and hear the word of God read each day, and listen to parents coming with thanksgiving and petition to a heavenly Father who cares and provides every good thing the children experience, then they sweetly learn to be still during a sermon on Sunday morning, and to cry from their childish hearts to the Lord for help to worship and serve him, the living God.”

- Geoff Thomas, Banner of Truth Magazine, in an article entitled, “A Child Was Bored in the Service” accessed on Aug 8, 2006 from http://www.banneroftruth.org/pages/articles/article_detail.php?218