“Turn left…turn left…left again…turn right…stop…proceed…turn right…right again…slow down…brake…Brake…BRAKE!”

These are the words that have become the language spoken inside our car over the past year. Our daughter has her learning permit and is required to log 40 driving hours before she can test and proceed to her provisional driver’s license. We started out driving in the church parking lot, proceeded to city streets, then advanced to highways and the Interstate. We have practiced left turns and right turns, accelerating smoothly, stopping gently, following at a safe distance, controlled and uncontrolled intersections, lane changes, maintaining speed, driving defensively, backing up, and parallel parking. She has improved greatly. However, it occurred to me several weeks ago that while her skills have become more refined, the day is approaching where she will be the only one in the car and, up until this point, I have been making most of the decisions for her. Therefore, our driving instructions have now evolved into “Drive to the church; take us to the park; proceed to the grocery store; go to Grandpa and Grandma’s house.” Instead of me telling her how to get to where we need to go, she has had to enlist her brain and her own thought process to make the decisions required to help us arrive at our destination.

This week I had a similar experience of employing my mind. Wednesday was the first morning of the Community Women’s Bible Study at the Christian Reformed Church. Twenty or so women from multiple area churches gathered for Jen Wilkin’s study of the book of 1st Peter. The opening video was interesting and Jen warned us that this study might be different than studies we had done in the past. We would be looking at the Bible as a book about God-discovery, not self-discovery. We would be engaging not only our heart and emotions, but most of all our mind. Then the author laid out a few guidelines, the first of which made me hesitate: no commentaries, no study notes, no paraphrases. Wait, what? My NIV Study Bible is an old companion that she was asking me to leave at home for this journey. The Study Bible is printed with the scripture at the top of the page and explanations printed underneath for almost every single verse.

As I held my breath, I listened to her reasoning. She likened the use of study notes to a driver using a GPS device. We mindlessly listen to the automated voice telling us to turn left or right until we arrive at our destination without much trouble and without really knowing how we got there. However, if our GPS were to lose signal and we had to think about where we actually were and struggle with our confusion and dwell in the “I don’t know”, it would actually be a good thing and we would probably remember that route and destination in the future. As Jen Wilkins explained, “Nobody likes to feel lost or confused, but it is an important step in the acquisition and retention of understanding.” I began to evaluate how often I read a passage in scripture and then jump straight to the study guide for an explanation of what I read instead of mentally chewing on it for a while and letting the Holy Spirit speak to me personally.

In Psalm 119:97 David says, “Oh, how I love Your words.” While I can say that I love the Word, I am convicted that all too often I spend more time reading books and devotionals about God’s Word than the Word itself. Devotionals, study guides, and commentaries can be helpful, but I would like to grow in allowing the Holy Spirit to lead me into truth before I listen to someone else’s insight or direction. Scripture also warns us in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 that there will come a time when the truth will be disregarded and people will surround themselves with others who tell us what our itching ears want to hear. I think that time has come. And how easy it is to be deceived when you haven’t learned the truth firsthand.

My challenge to you and myself is to get in the Word. Read, struggle, listen, think. As Jen Wilkin reminded me, “The heart can’t love what the mind doesn’t know.” May God’s Word be the lamp to your feet and the light to your path! Erin Jacobsma

According to ABC News, Orville Rogers of Dallas, Texas set 5 new US and World Records in the 100-104 age category at the 2018 USATF Masters Indoor Track & Field Championships in Landover, Maryland. Rogers started running when he was 50 years old and began competing in track meets when he turned 90. He has quite the track record in Track Records.

The term “track record” most likely originated with horse racing and referred to a horse’s best time at a track. But the phrase has expanded over the years to include many areas of achievement. For example, we talk about the track records of investments, sports teams, people, companies, and products. Track records can be positive or negative. They are simply the things that someone has done in the past that can be used as a way to judge what that person is likely to do in the future. Perhaps you have a track record for being late to work or for setting off the smoke alarm when you are cooking. On the other hand, maybe you have a history of generosity or compassion. Either way, your past behaviors are often a good indicator of future performance.

The Bible mentions the track records of many people. Abraham had a track record of faithful obedience, but also lying. Moses’ track record included an explosive temper, but also a heart for God’s people. Samson had a history with women. David was accomplished in trusting God against all odds. For Solomon, operating with wisdom was his standard. Each of these people had a history that gave a clue to their present and future.

The apostle Peter also had a track record. Most memorable was three separate occasions where Peter blatantly denied his best friend. Not only did he deny knowing Jesus, he disowned everything about him—everything he had done—everything he had taught. But Peter also had a track record of obedience, trust, willingness, and zeal. Peter didn’t hesitate when Jesus said, “Come”. His feet knew the sure foundation of the Savior both on land and sea. Peter trusted Jesus whether bringing him five loaves and two fish to feed 5,000 people, or by putting his boat out into deep water at Jesus’ request after a night of futile fishing.

Back in the boat is where Jesus found Peter following the roller coaster week that included Jesus’ death and resurrection and Peter’s track record of denial. Jesus had already appeared to the disciples so Peter knew he was alive, but so far there was no specific interaction between Jesus and Peter. I can only imagine the shame and disgrace that hung over Peter’s head. (Talk about an elephant in the room!) Peter, John, and some of the other disciples were out on the water and had been fishing all night with nothing to show for it. As the sun began to appear on the horizon, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples didn’t know who he was. After Jesus inquired about their catch, he informed them that they would find fish on the other side of the boat. The tired fishermen oblige the stranger and their nets become so loaded with fish that they cannot haul it in.

John is the first to see the recognizable sign of an overabundance of fish. Jesus had a track record too. John nudges Peter and nods toward the shore and shares his revelation: “It is the Lord.” Peter doesn’t hesitate and throws himself over the side of the boat. I can’t help but wonder if Peter was hoping that his past experience of water walking would hold true this time also.

After Jesus prepares breakfast and the meal is sitting heavy in the men’s stomachs, Jesus finally addresses Peter. Three times Jesus asks Peter if he loves him and then instructs him to care for his sheep. Jesus reinstates Peter and his future in God’s kingdom and cancels out his track record of denial and shame.

Jesus offers the same opportunity to us. No matter what our track record has been in the past, Jesus extends the opportunity to start a new way of life of faithfulness, obedience, trust, and service that will be a new normal. It’s not too late. Start a new record with Jesus!

Erin Jacobsma

We live in a disposable society. Paper plates, paper towels, diapers, water bottles, coffee cups, and shopping bags all go in the trash after just one use. Other items that exceed the one time use – used batteries, dried out ink pens, dull razors, and such – also end up in the landfill as their usefulness becomes depleted. Some things we dispose of just because the cost to repair them exceeds the cost of buying new. There’s truth to the saying “they don’t make things like they used to”, but we also don’t keep things like we used to, especially when something is broken.

Several weeks ago, the 3 hole punch that I use in the office became a source of frustration as it continually jammed and wouldn’t completely punch through where one of the holes was supposed to be. So I ordered a new one and the old punch found a resting place at the bottom of the garbage can. When the new hole punch was delivered, I quickly unpacked it and was eager to try it out. I pushed down the lever and pulled out the paper, revealing only two holes instead of three. I tried again; two holes. After further inspection, I could see one of the pieces that was necessary to punch the third hole was missing. I called the company.  Their solution: throw it in the garbage and we’ll send you a new one.

I’m tired of broken things. It seems that no matter where I turn lately, something is broken. Broken hole punch… broken pencil… broken toaster… broken windshield… broken trust… broken relationships… broken dreams… broken… broken… broken. I admit that I get frustrated with broken things. And yet that’s what I offer to God over and over. My own brokenness. Matthew West sings a song that has been looping in my brain like a broken record. Ironically, the title is “Broken Things”. I sing backup on every chorus: “I’m just a beggar in the presence of a King. I wish I could bring so much more. But if it’s true – You use broken things, then here I am Lord, I’m all Yours!”

I want to offer myself to God as neatly packaged and as useful as possible. I don’t like to lay my brokenness at His feet, but as this song reminds me, “The pages of history they tell me it’s true, that it’s never the perfect, it’s always the ones with the scars that You use. It’s the rebels and the prodigals, it’s the humble and the weak. All the misfit heroes You chose tell me there’s hope for sinners like me.”

Contrary to our culture, God is in the business of using the busted up, cracked open, and crushed. He is attracted to the broken and moved to compassion. Psalm 34:18 says “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” and Psalm 147:3 affirms that “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” God doesn’t discard those things that are broken, he uses them. He uses our messes and mistakes, our trials and troubles. He uses all of it for our good and for his honor and glory. God is a master Recycler. But only when we surrender our junk to Jesus, can we be recycled and made useful again. Psalm 51 assures us that God does not delight in sacrifices and burnt offerings, but the sacrifices that God will not despise are a broken spirit; a broken and humble heart.

If you’re feeling broken today, don’t despair. I know a Man who was broken for you and is willing and able to use your brokenness to make something beautiful.

Erin Jacobsma

People always say expect the unexpected, but if you expect the unexpected, isn’t it expected?  Recently, I shared with a close friend about a challenge that I was facing.  I expected her to sympathize with me and offer some encouragement or words of wisdom.  Instead, the words that came from her mouth were, “You need to praise God.”  I was a little surprised at her response, but I immediately knew she was right.  I had been focusing on the problem at hand instead of the Problem Solver.  Over the next few days, God relentlessly reminded me of the need to praise Him no matter what.

Praise is easy.  When life is going well, we give God the glory.  We are quick to praise Him from the mountaintops and areas of beauty, but what place does praise have in the valley and the darkness?  The Chronicles of the Old Testament record a beautiful picture of the power of praise.  King Jehoshaphat finds himself and all the people of Judah in quite a pickle.  Messengers have come to the King and reported that a huge army is on its way to attack them and he knows there is no humanly possible way in which they could be victorious.  King Jehoshaphat is alarmed and summons all the people to join him in the most sensible way he knows how—to seek help from the Lord.  The King pleads with God Almighty to save them from this impending calamity.  From the midst of the assembly, the Lord speaks through one of the young men and assures the people that the battle is God’s and they do not need to be afraid.  They do, however, need to go out the next day and face their enemy.  Upon hearing these words, King Jehoshaphat and all the people bowed down in worship before the Lord and several men in the group stood up and praised God loudly.  Early the next morning, the King gave the people a spiritual pep talk and appointed men to sing to the Lord and praise Him for the splendor of his holiness as they led the army of Judah forward.

The next words in 2 Chronicles 20:22 strengthen me.  “AS THEY BEGAN TO SING AND PRAISE,” the Lord set ambushes against their enemies, causing the opposing forces to turn on one another and they were defeated.  Yay, God!

The people of Judah didn’t have to lift a finger, all they needed to do was lift their voices.  Could the same be true for us?  The people not only praised God after things turned out in a positive way, they praised God before the battle even got started, and continued to praise him in the midst of their attack.  As my friend reminded me, my commitment to praise God didn’t change because of my circumstances.  Praise should be an ongoing response to the splendor of the Lord and He will fight for me.

Praise is a powerful weapon in our spiritual arsenal.  Praise confuses the enemy and it takes our focus off the storm and forces us to look to the only One who can bring calm.  Hebrews 13:15 reminds us, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.”  Whatever situation you find yourself in today, will you join me in praise?

I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.  I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.  Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. (Psalm 34:1-3)

I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High. (Psalm 7:17)

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (Psalm 42:5)

Erin Jacobsma

I have a dream.

Depending on your age, those four words probably trigger a memory of Martin Luther King Jr addressing a crowd at the March on Washington, or possibly a whimsical song from the movie Tangled.  Tangled is a story about Rapunzel who has a dream to see the floating lanterns that appear in the sky each year on her birthday.  Through a tangled web of events, she enlists the help of the kingdom’s most wanted thief, Flynn rider, to take her to see the lights.  That is until they end up at the Snuggly Duckling Tavern and a group of ruffians capture Rider and Rapunzel’s dream seems to be on the verge of unraveling.  Rapunzel uses her long hair to disarm the bandits and confronts the group of thugs to plead her case for her dream of seeing the lanterns and asks them, “Haven’t any of you ever had a dream?”  The ringleader grabs an ax and approaches Rapunzel with anger in his eyes when he turns and says, “I had a dream… once.”  What follows is the “I Have a Dream” song where the room full of vicious scoundrels share their unlikely and touchy-feely dreams.  In the middle of the song, they ask Flynn Rider what’s his dream.  Rider denies his singing ability and having a dream until he’s held at knife point.

I recently watched a video of Gary Haugen, founder and CEO of International Justice Missions, who talked about leaders having a dream and not being afraid to follow those dreams.  Haugen went on to say that fear was the silent destroyer of dreams.  And while our most powerful dreams flow out of love, fear is a preoccupation with ourselves.  His personal fear in leaving a good job to start a non-profit global ministry was the fear of looking like a failure.  This was all very interesting to me, but as I listened to the presentation, I felt like Flynn Rider and not having a dream that was worth singing about.  As a youngster, I had a dream to become a nurse, but that dream was short lived with the realization that the sight of blood made my head spin and my stomach roll over.

Some people have grand dreams of opening a restaurant or writing a book.  Others dream of being famous or fighting an injustice.  As my mind hovered on the verge of my “No Dream” pity party, the Spirit began to remind me of the dreams I do have.  Though maybe not as concrete as a college degree or a Super Bowl ring, I have a dream, or maybe multiple dreams.  I have a dream to help people experience the freedom of surrendering their life to Jesus Christ, to know the power of his unfailing love and accept his grace and mercy.  I dream of a world where each person is celebrated as a child of God regardless of their past or present.  I dream of a community that cares for all it’s people.  I dream of a church where all would be welcomed and loved, where pettiness would disappear, and where people would worship with all their hearts and be willing participants.  I dream of families that would stick together, respect, honor and serve one another.

I don’t think it would take much to imagine that the apostle Paul also had some dreams for the world in which he lived.  He dreamed about people having the eyes of their heart enlightened that they would know the hope to which they were called, the riches of their glorious inheritance and the incomparably great power for those who believed (Eph 1:18-19).  He dreamed that the people would be rooted and established in love and that they would grasp the width, length, height and depth of the love of Christ (Eph 3:17-18).

Another dream I have stems from the conversation in Mark 12:30-31 where Jesus tells the people that the two most important commandments are to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself.  I don’t want to start a new program or develop a new ministry, but I envision God’s people being deployed in this community, wearing t-shirts that say Love God – Love People, and humbly offering a hand wherever and whenever there is a need… cleaning up after a storm, picking up garbage after a baseball game, pitching in at Hot Dog Night or Tri-State Band Festival, living a life of service for the glory of God and the transformation of the world.

So how about you?  Do you have a dream?  Is there a dream or vision that God has for ARC?  I’m confident he does!  Let’s seek that dream together!

Erin Jacobsma

“Good morning, good morning, good morning.  It’s time to rise and shine.  Good morning, good morning, good morning.  I hope you’re feeling fine.  Come on, get up, get out of bed.  You gotta get up, you sleepy head.  The day is dawning just for you and all your dreams are coming true.”

These are the words to a wake-up song that I would often sing to our children when they were young.  As they grew older, the wake-up routine became more of an announcement – “Time to get up”.  By the time they were in high school, they had their own alarm clock and were encouraged to get up on their own.  However, this didn’t always happen and mom’s voice was the backup plan.

As I reflect on our morning routine, I realize there have been numerous changes over the years.  Not only has the method changed, so has the attitude of the slumberer.  As toddlers, the wake-up song would bring smiles and stretches and hugs.  The older the child became, the likelihood of smiles and hugs decreased.  The early childhood banter morphed into moans and groans and grumbling.  Instead of popping out of bed, they pulled blankets over their heads and ignored the morning announcement.  A friendly call to arise would sometimes turn into threats of punishment or warning of an impending bucket of water over their head.  One particular morning, a refusal to get up led to a blast form an old bicycle horn for a stubborn teenage boy.  Harsh?  Maybe.  But at least he learned his lesson and seemed to arise more willingly after that.  Maybe it was a good step before getting roused by a drill sergeant at basic training.

As I was reading in the Psalms this week, chapter 57:8 caught my attention.  It says, “Awake, my soul!”  The three words were like the beep-beep-beep of an alarm clock on the page in my Bible.  Two things entered my mind.  First, sleeping seems to be the opposite of being awake.  I evaluated how awake I was.  The time of day was early, so I still had bed head and morning breath, but I was up and conscious; maybe not ready to present myself to the public, but alive and attentive.  Second, this command—AWAKE—was directed to my soul.  In John Ortberg’s study “Soul Keeping”, he describes the soul like this: “Your soul connects your thoughts, your sensations, your emotions, your will, and integrates them into an entire being.”  Now, I know that my physical body goes to sleep.  And trust me when I tell you that it’s for everyone’s benefit if I get a full 7 or 8 hours of sleep each night, but to consider a sleeping soul was bothersome.  In the midst of my physical activity and busyness, has my soul been asleep?  When I searched the antonyms for being awake, I was humbled to find words like ignorant, inattentive, unaware, unconscious.  Yes, I would have to admit that there are times when all of those words would apply to me and I need to wake up!

In Mark 8:36 Jesus asks the question, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet lose their own soul?”  So what is the level of consciousness of your soul?  Is it drowsy and lethargic, or alert and attentive.  Do you cherish the health of your soul like you do a good night’s sleep or do you hit the snooze on your slumbering soul like you do on your alarm clock?  Whatever the current condition of your soul, it is my prayer that you would awake!  And whether God would woo you with a pleasant song, an alarm clock that opens your eyes, or a loud blast that makes you jolt out of bed, be thankful that he cares enough to call out to you and not leave you sleeping through another day.

Erin Jacobsma

Thanksgiving Day has come and gone.  The leftovers have all been consumed or discarded, the pumpkins and turkeys have been replaced with evergreen trees and candy canes, and lists of gratitude have been exchanged for lists of wants.  We have moved past Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday , but advertising remains in high gear.  Daily sales, specials and gimmicks continue to flood my inbox, Facebook feed, television, and newspapers.  Advertisers tug at our heart strings with their sappy commercials and visions of a picture-perfect Christmas morning.  Companies spend billions of dollars on advertisements during the holiday season.

In contrast, the advertising budget at American Reformed Church is one of our smallest line items, and for good reason.  While we do advertise a few celebrations throughout the year in the local newspaper, and we communicate events via our Facebook page and website, when taking into consideration the people that we would like to reach, it would seem that all of these options fall short.  In the retail world, all advertisements are not intended for all people.  Companies have target audiences that their message is geared toward.  Toy makers obviously advertise towards children; jewelry companies target young romantics.  For us, an advertisement in the newspaper might inform the community that American Reformed Church is having a Candlelight Service at 4:30 PM on Christmas Eve, but our message is not limited to a specific hour nor is it intended for a specific portion of society.  Just as the angel told the shepherds, “Behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for ALL people.”

So, how do you advertise a message to ALL people?  That’s where you come in.  YOU are God’s advertisement.  Advertisements are made to convince people that a certain product or company is the best and to point out or create a need for their product or service.  The same can be said of you.  If you call yourself a Christian, people are watching and paying attention to you… how you spend your time, the things you say, the way you handle stressful situations, and the peace and joy that you have, or don’t have.  Jesus must be obvious in the lives of Christians.  Not just in church on Sunday morning, but in the classroom, on the playground, at our place of employment, with family and friends, and especially with those who rub us the wrong way.  Not just in times of joy and pleasure and peace, but in times of pain and grief and hardship.

Jesus is the perfect advertisement for God.  When one of his disciples asked Jesus to show them the Father, he replied, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).  You have been commissioned to continue that advertisement.  John 20:21 Jesus says, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

So how are you doing at advertising Jesus?  Don’t assume that someone else is going to tell your friend or coworker the Good News.  Don’t focus on getting people to church so the pastor and worship team can advertise Jesus to them.  Show them Christ in you.

Erin Jacobsma

“Ring around the rosie, pocket full of posies, ashes, ashes, we all fall down.”  This rhyme and several others are a delight for young children who love to spin in circles.  However, I don’t think the same could be said of those who navigate the roundabout travel circle on Hwy 60 by Worthington.  At least three times in the last several weeks, the roundabout has been the scene of somebody’s very bad day.  Two overturned semi trucks and an airborne camper have not delighted in this particular circle.  While the travel circle is intended to reduce the likelihood and severity of collisions by slowing down traffic and minimizing the amount of T-bone and head-on collisions, the roundabout has proven difficult for some travelers to navigate.  Personally, I would rather wait at a stop light than try and figure out the circle.

I wonder if the ancient Israelites might have said the same thing.  For 40 years they circled and wandered through the hill country of Seir.  This was part of God’s retirement plan for those who grumbled against him and refused to trust and follow him.  God had proven himself faithful over and over again between Egypt and the Promised Land—parting the Red Sea, destroying the Egyptian army, bitter water made sweet, manna, quail, water from a rock, not to mention pillars of fire and clouds as their personal travel guide.  And yet when God asked them to take the next step, they placed their trust in a handful of naysayers rather than God himself.  So God said “walk”.

Walking on a journey is tiring; walking in circles is maddening.

After the final member of the Generation Doubters had breathed their last, God spoke to the people again.  “You have circled this mountain long enough; now turn north.”  I have been stuck in the Worthington roundabout for one or two circles and have experienced great peace of mind when I get headed in the right direction again, but can you imagine the celebration and relief of Moses and the people when God revealed their new northerly travel plans?

Truth be told, these same words have also been life changing for me since I heard God speak to me at a Women of Faith conference in 2009.  As I heard the presenter read this story in Deuteronomy, the Holy Spirit convicted me of mountains in my own life that I had been traveling around and around for years.  Not the mountains of Seir, but mountains named Anger, Unforgiveness, Jealousy, and Pride.  Mountains that had been sucking the life out of me.  Mountains that were growing instead of shrinking.  The invitation to stop the madness, break the pattern, and change directions brought freedom, joy, and peace.  The north bound lane hasn’t been easy.  There have been speed bumps, flat tires, traffic congestion, and even an occasional roundabout along the way, but it has been so much better going north with God than traveling in circles alone.

It’s just a hunch, but I’m guessing you have a few of your own circles with a well-worn path.  You don’t have to keep walking them.  Ask God to help you with a change of direction.  Let Jesus be your travel companion and allow the Holy Spirit to do some recalculating on your journey.  The past is in the past.  A new day is dawning.  Are you ready to turn North?

Erin Jacobsma

Several weeks ago part of our family had the opportunity to attend the Great Minnesota Get-Together.  We were among the almost 2 million people who poured through the gates of the MN State Fair.  The trip was planned so our daughter could participate in the 4-H judging of her Grand Champion pretzels.  But, truth be told, we were there for the food. J  Yes, we enjoyed seeing all the 4-H exhibits, picking up freebies, inspecting trucks and tractors and motorcycles and boats, perusing the booths of many organizations, and riding the SkyGlider, but a State Fair trip would not be complete without foot long corn dogs, cheese curds, and Sweet Martha’s cookies.  However, by the end of the afternoon, the crowds were getting thicker than the mosquitoes and we decided to head for home.  Our daughter and her friend announced their desire to stop at Chick-fil-A for supper before leaving the cities and thanks to smartphone technology, we were able to find one along our homeward route.

We have frequented Chick-fil-A restaurants in the past and have always been very pleased with their food, service, cleanliness, and atmosphere.  So maybe it was the calorie hangover from Fair food, or the feeling of getting herded like cattle through the cheese curd pick-up line, or the rubbing of shoulders with thousands of impatient strangers for the past 6 hours, but I was particularly impressed during this visit.  While we were there, every time we said “thank you” to a staff member, their response was “my pleasure”.  “Thank you for our drinks… my pleasure; thank you for bringing our order to us… my pleasure; thank you for the refill… my pleasure.”  Clearly this was part of their employee training program, but it still seemed sincere.

The more common response to a word of thanks is usually “you’re welcome”.  This reply is definitely polite and indicates an acceptance of your thankfulness, but “my pleasure” goes beyond the familiar reaction.  It seems to say that I was not only obligated to do the task for which you are thanking me, but it was my privilege and has also been a blessing to me and I enjoyed doing it.

As we left the restaurant, I began to think about all the times we say “thank you” in our prayers and I pondered what God’s response might be.  I could imagine an obligated response from the Father, mostly because sometimes my appreciation seems perfunctory as well.  But the Bible paints a much different picture for us.  Ephesians 1 tells us about the grace which God has lavished on us through the giving of the One he loves, Jesus Christ.  Hebrews 12 continues with telling us that because of the joy set before him, Jesus endured the cross and all our sin and shame.  That doesn’t sound like an obligated response to me.  When I say “thank you” for God’s gift of salvation, I imagine he is saying, “My pleasure!  It has been my privilege!  I love you so much that I would have done it all—just for you!  You are worth it!”

Jesus expects the same response from us.  He commands his followers to serve one another and to love each other just as he loves us.  As you go about your week, I pray that serving others, loving others, and helping others, would be your pleasure and privilege for the glory of God.

Erin Jacobsma

By the way, it is my sincere pleasure to serve as office administrator at ARC!

It is a wonderful feeling to go to bed at night and not have to set an alarm for tomorrow morning.  It doesn’t happen often at our house, but occasionally we release ourselves from the dreaded morning beep.  Alarm clocks are unusual things.  We program them to ring at a specific time, but often hit the snooze button to delay the inevitable again and again.

The alarm clock is not the only signal that we pay attention to.  We are surrounded by many different alarms.  There are alarms in our vehicles reminding us to buckle up.  We set alarms on our cell phones so we don’t forget important meetings.  Alarms at the checkout counter remind us to remove our credit card.  Alarms can be annoying, but they are also important.  They alert us to what is going on; they grab our attention.  In some instances it is sad that we have become so forgetful or oblivious to our surroundings that we need to have an alarm, but think of how many people would be late for work every day without one.

A fire alarm is another important signal.  Our facility is wired with a device that will sound a loud alarm and notify the local fire department if it detects smoke or extreme heat.  A technician from Midwest Alarm came to the church this week to service our alarm system and make sure it was working properly.  He performs numerous tests, checks the sensors, and replaces any failing parts, but before he signs off on the inspection, he must complete one final assessment.  He must sound the alarm.  Thankfully he does not do this without warning.  The technician came to the office and asked if there were other people in the building and how many sets of ear plugs we would need.  I declined the ear plugs, but his question got me thinking.

Are there other alarms in my life that have been going off, but rather than get too rattled by them or pay attention, have I used a set of ear plugs to make the signal less offensive?  Are there alarms in my life that I perpetually hit the snooze button on?  YES!  When I hear the tornado sirens at 1:00 on the first Wednesday of the month, I “put my ear plugs in” and keep right on working.  When I see the number rising on the scale, I “hit the snooze button” and scoop myself another bowl of ice cream.  When I realize my blood pressure is on the rise, I commit to start exercising… next month.  When I plan to get up early the next morning to spend time with Jesus, the spirit is willing but the flesh is week.

How about you?  Are there alarms that are sounding in your life?  Are you acting on them?  When the diagnosis comes, do you commit to drawing closer to God only to set the Bible aside when the treatments are done?  When a loved one dies, do you think about your own mortality during the funeral service but then whoop it up at the bar that night because you only live once?  When you hear a message about the 10 Commandments, do you think about what a good sermon that was rather than committing to make a change?  When the Holy Spirit convicts you, do you brush it off and seek approval somewhere else?

What about American Reformed Church, or the Church in general?  Are there alarms sounding that we would prefer to ignore or hit the snooze?  When good leaders are needed, do we ignore God’s call and prefer to let someone else do it?  When expectations aren’t met, do we lower the bar a bit more rather than confronting a problem?  When someone draws our attention to problems in our midst, do we chastise them for being too negative.

God gives us some good advice in the book of Revelations about heeding warnings.  To the seven churches, He says, “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”  For more specifics, read Revelations 2 and 3.

May it not be said of God’s Church or God’s People that we ignored the alarms in our own souls, our families, and our Church.  Take out the ear plugs and stop hitting the snooze!  Do you hear the alarm?

Erin Jacobsma