As we enjoy the beauty of autumn here in the hills and hollers, our thoughts are also turned toward preparation for the season that follows closely behind; winter. Everywhere you look throughout the hills people are laying in supplies of firewood in readiness for what some have said will surly be a hard winter. How do they know? That depends on who you talk to. There are those who watch the “Wooly Bug” as it slowly moves across our country roads, noting its color variations. Others keep record of the number of fogs we experience in a given period of time. Whatever the source of their meteorological information, it’s clear that a change in seasons is in the air.
Last year during this seasonal change I found a small Eastern Box Turtle, only moments away from his demise, sitting on the highway that leads to town. Thinking of my grandson, Patrick, who had lost a similar pet during the summer, I scooped this little terrapin up and sent him packing northward with some visiting family. “Tucky”, as he was dubbed, settled into a comfortable life in his new terrarium, happily munching away on his favorite meal; mushrooms. He seemed to thrive in his environment with one exception; Tucky failed to grow. Despite the presence of ample food and water, this unusually small turtle never increased in size over the following year.
With apologies to those who grieve over such things, Tucky died a few weeks ago. Right up to his departing moments, he was seen enjoying the fungus that was a part of his natural diet. Why did he cease to thrive? No postmortem was performed, but my guess is that Tucky never had the opportunity for adequate exercise. As I considered this possibility I began to focus on the deeper example that I had been confronted with. How many times are people given a generous helping of “spiritual food”, but find themselves without discernable growth because they fail to engage in sustained “spiritual exercise”?
Before you jump to conclusions, this is not an advertisement for a short-term mission trip to Appalachia (though that might certainly help). Nor will I try to pressure you into more frequently using your God-given gifts in direct ministry to the impoverished (another great idea). The exercise I would like to point your spirits toward is best described in a small bit of proverbial scripture. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV).
The emphasis in this exercise is that of not leaning on your current level of understanding. We can’t simply remain where we are. We must grow! Now, you might say, “But I’m in a good place!” My reply is, “Only for a moment!” From the beginning of time the Holy Spirit has been in motion (see Genesis 1:2). What appears to be a spiritual revelation today becomes our basis for understanding tomorrow. It’s true, our God is unchanging. But He is much bigger than our immediate understanding of Him.
Many of the churches in our community seem to have forgotten this fact, or have never even considered it. Some time ago I preached a short message in a little church “back in the hills”. I watched the faces of the congregation as I challenged them to delve deeper into their understanding of certain scriptures. At the end of the service I was approached by several people who commented, “You know, I never thought of that Bible verse in that manner”. My response was the same as always. “Go home and consider what you have heard; test the spirit of the teaching” (1John 4:1). We have a serious responsibility to “chew” on the things we are taught. It’s not the preacher’s job to press you into this spiritual exercise. I can only encourage people to do so. Just like my grandson’s little turtle, we may have a smorgasbord of delectable tidbits placed before us, but if we don’t exercise our responsibility to increase our understanding while dining on these things, we run the risk of leaning on our current, and sometimes comfortable level of understanding.
Sadly, I’ve found many people with little desire to enter into what I term this “experiential relationship” with God. From my perspective, many folks are more inclined to spend time defending what they already believe rather than allowing the Holy Spirit to move at a deeper level in their lives. Is this an indictment? No, it is simply an observation on my part. But I believe there is some truth to it all. Do you question the validity of what I am sharing? Good! Now, exercise your spiritual muscles and take this message before the Lord. Ask Him to bring you to a deeper level of understanding on this issue. And if you discern that I am wrong, please let me know. I so desperately want to move forward in my level of understanding. The last thing I want is for the Lord to return and find me complacently munching on mushrooms in a little glass terrarium, stagnant in my spiritual growth.
Our ministry here in the “hills and hollers” takes on a different complexion this time of year. Rather than preparing for visiting mission teams, we are busy responding to numerous requests for assistance; everything from sky-rocketing utility bills to helping a pregnant 15-year-old prepare for a major change in her life. Your continued support of this ministry is vital to bringing the message of God’s Love to these spiritually starving people. Thank you for helping us to guide them into a deeper level of understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Thanks for being a part of the mission team here at Hills and Hollers Ministries! We love and appreciate y’all!
Jim and Rita (and Elyse too!)
