I’ve been studying the little French province of Alsace, from which several of Anita’s ancestors came from. Alsace, which is along the border with Germany, actually became a leading part of the Reformation. During the Thirty Years War (1618-1648), the Hapsburgs led the French Catholics in a purge to eradicate Protestantism. Alsace suffered a loss of one third of the population to public executions and brutal war. This was radical Christian terrorism at its worst. After a toleration agreement in 1648, the next generation of Protestant Alsatians suffered persecution and economic deprivation. Only Catholics had a chance of any kind of life.

Those outside the Catholic Church fled for their lives to points all across Europe. This was a major refugee crisis. Protestant churches all over what is today Germany, the Netherlands, and Great Britain kicked into gear to resettle these uprooted refugees. The Reformed Church in the Netherlands not only arranged for shelter for these displaced refugees, but arranged to have those who wished to be transported to America to begin a new life. This was why the Pennsylvania colony was flooded by German immigrants from Alsace and the Palatinate in the early 1700s.

It was the church’s greatest hour to care for these homeless refugees and assist them in relocation. Where is the church today with a new refugee crisis?

Moses sent a plague of lice upon the Egyptians because of Pharaoh’s hard heart. The magicians then tried to recreate the judgment but could not. The magicians then declared to the Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God”(Exodus 8:19). Even the idolatrous magicians recognized God’s finger.

Later, Moses himself experienced the touch of God: “Then the Lord delivered to me two tablets of stone written with the finger of God” (Deuteronomy 9:10). So, God’s finger is apparent to both the ungodly and the godly.

In the New Testament, Jesus demonstrated the power of God by delivering a demon-possessed man. The religious Pharisees criticized him, to which Jesus declared, “But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Luke 11:20).

Clearly, the finger of God is God reaching into our world. Are we receptive when God reaches out to us? There is great power available if we can recognize it.

Pastor Chuck Smith began the Calvary Chapel movement in the ’60s & ’70s. He was the pioneer of contemporary churches by wearing Hawaiian shirts and encouraging Christian rock music. The movement he began is now called the Jesus movement and it changed the American Church. I heard a story he told that is worth retelling.

The church he pastored was in the city of Costa Mesa, California. The revival was among the hippie beachcombers of southern California. When the hippies came into the church it generated a powerful revival. The young people, who had lost all respect for the establishment, found something real in Jesus Christ and shared the good news with other wasted hippies. It spread like wildfire.

Soon the Deacons demanded to meet with Pastor Chuck Smith. “We’ve got to do something about all these hippies coming into the church,” they insisted. “They track sand into the church and we’ve already burned up seven vacuum cleaners.” Pastor Chuck Smith thought a minute and then replied, “Take out the carpet.”

He was determined to let nothing stand in the way of young people getting their lives right with God. Perhaps this would be a good reminder for all of us in this generation. Would we sacrifice some of our comfort if it meant bringing others into the kingdom?

Yesterday I noted several wise sayings (zingers) that Pastor Dale Yerton shared in his message to pastors called New Fruit from Old Roots. He was referring to young ministers raised up by older ministers. Here are a few more of these sayings I noted from that message:

• Surfers swim toward the swell, not the wave; learn to sense the next move of God.
• Learn to anticipate the rain.
• Don’t wait until the rain begins, its too late.
• Good leaders anticipate what God is about to do.
• Old Root (minister) recognizes it because he’s seen it before.
• New sprout won’t look like the old root.
• New sprout knows it and honors the old root.
• Something new will keep me from dying prematurely.
• Before we take down the fence, find out why they put the fence up in the first place.

There are seasons in our lives. We must all recognize the changes of these seasons. There is a time to be a child, and a time to be an adult. There is a time to be a parent and a time to be a grandparent. Grandparents shouldn’t be doing childish things, that season is over. But grandparents should recognize the season of grandparenting and step into that role with honor. Its not bad, its good because its God’s season.

At the CMI Conference I attended last week, Pastor Dale Yerton spoke on the topic New Fruit from An Old Root. He was referring to ministers, and the connection between old and young. Here are some of the zingers I noted as I listened:

• I’ve decided I’m going to live until I die.
• You can only play the cards you have.
• The old roots feed the new root system (talking about ministers).
• Its not what you do, but what you influence others to do.
• Shallow roots are easily affected by changing weather.
• Need deep roots for the dry seasons in your life.
• Don’t treat relationships like an old tire (throw away when done).
• Roots don’t produce fruit, branches (young ministers) produce fruit.
• Roots feed the branches.
• Branches provide new opportunities for growth.
• Fruit grows from new growth and keep us from dying.
• Each generation deserves the right to express worship to God in their own creative way.
• The older I live the harder it is to stay alive.
• The older a church is the harder for it to stay alive.
• We die without a new vision.

Think about this in your life. Are you (root) feeding new branches (disciples) in your life?

My wife just fixed this big pot of chili. And she makes really good chili. We had some for supper, and then she put a big bowl of it in the fridge. Any time I come home for lunch I can scoop up a bowl of that chili, pop it in the microwave and enjoy. It lasts for days and, if frozen, for weeks.

Her chili reminds me of God’s word. There is one big supply just waiting for me to open it up and help myself. And it always feels fresh. God prepared this written spiritual food a long time ago, inspired men to write it down and then inspired Gutenberg to figure how to print it out for future use. Today we have it in our own language and printed and bound in a convenient manner. Anytime we want we can open the book, scoop out a portion and chew on it. Like Anita’s chili its always ready to be enjoyed.

Don’t neglect such a simple provision. Pick up the Book, ask God to speak to you, and read. And watch God nourish your spirit as you do so. “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8).