Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Fishing bugs out of the baptistery

We just returned from southern Oklahoma... small town... diminutive church... where we enjoyed ministering to the 70 or so believers in a prayer seminar.

We got to the building beforehand to set up and to greet some of the early birds. A man named Gary came in, followed by a young boy whose mom had left him at the door while she parked. He and Gary proceeded to the baptistery area, where they made sure the heater was turned on, just in case.



The kid's bright young eyes soon spotted a floating bug that had obviously wandered into the holy waters sometime the night before. He said, "Look, there's a bug in the water... can I fish him out?" (He'd already grabbed the pole with a net at the end.)

Gary gave permission, and the kid went to work. Soon he had the deceased insect in his net, but then said with a puzzled look, "What do I do with him?"

"Well, just bring him here to me... I believe it's a cockroach" said Gary. As he took care of the problem, I thought - two generations, separated by several decades, working together to solve a minor issue that might become an unpleasant one if there were a baptism that morning.

Isn't life in small churches fascinating? I enjoyed watching two of God's people live out the Scripture that says, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men..." (Colossians 3:23 NIV.)

Sometimes prayer seems like such a small contribution to kingdom work. But, like fishing bugs out of the baptistery, God evaluates these little servant-episodes with different priorities than we do.

And He evaluates the silent, invisible prayers - the ones that bubble inside - in a different way, also. Like Anna the prophetess.

The word says this 84 year-old widow "never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying." (Luke 2:37 NIV.)

This unnoticed prayer life found its way into Scripture because God noticed. He allowed her to meet Mary and Joseph, to see the infant Messiah, and to speak the word of God over the Word of God.

Amazing. Do the little things out of your love for Him, and the big things come to pass with a natural grace that will puzzle the world's schemers.

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