Arrows of Light

David Schneider

Description

As a youth, author David Schneider had little interest in seeing the Christian Gospel at work in other countries of the world. Then the Lord took him by the scruff of the neck and moved him and his wife, Darlene, into the Philippines, Mexico, South Africa and, after retirement, into Kazakhstan and Kenya. David didnt jump; he was pushed.In Arrows of Light, Schneider offers a collection of devotions designed to help Christians see vividly how Christ refreshes frazzled people in many cultures. His judicious use of true stories may help readers grow in relating to themselves, God, and their neighbors near and far.Clustered loosely around the Christian yearAdvent-Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecostdevotions are designed to be read with coordinating Bible sections. Schneiders transparency about his own temptations and weaknesses will both startle and refresh youand, perhaps, nudge you into conversation and discussion.Arrows of Light is a celebration of our gracious God, as he forgives sin and restores joy for missionaries and all kinds of people everywhere.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Multicultural education

Informations

• Publié par: Inspiring Voices
• Date de parution: 24 avril 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781462405725
• Langue: English

Extrait

Arrows of Light
 
Devotions for Worldwide Christians
 
 
 
 
by
 
David Schneider
 
 
 


 
 
Copyright © 2013 David Schneider.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
Inspiring Voices books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:
 
Inspiring Voices
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.inspiringvoices.com
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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
 
Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.
 
ISBN: 978-1-4624-0573-2 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-4624-0572-5 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2013906166
 
Inspiring Voices rev. date: 4/23/2013
 
The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright, 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
 
The prayer thoughts for many devotions are hymn stanzas from The Lutheran Hymnal (TLH), from Lutheran Worship (LW), or from Lutheran Service Book (LSB) . Hymn numbers will be noted.
Table of Contents
Advent-Christmas: “Come, Lord Jesus.”
Epiphany: The Revelation of Our Lord
Lent: Christ’s Suffering and Death
Easter: The Lord Is Risen! He Is Risen Indeed!
Pentecost: the Holy Spirit and the Church
Preface
As a young man, I had little interest in seeing the Christian Gospel at work in other countries. But the Lord took me gently by the scruff of the neck to work in the Philippines, Mexico, South Africa, Kazakhstan, and Kenya. What a remarkable thirty-five year journey!
 
And what joy came out of it all—seeing Christ give hope to grieving Filipinos, new energy to cross-cultural marriages in Mexico, and courage to South Africans fearing a horrendous civil war. God heals the world! I had to write about it, and Arrows of Light is the result.
 
In contrast to writings in which missionaries are glorified as almost perfect, some of my Arrows are painfully pointed about my faults. I want you to see them so that you can get the point of this book: forgiveness of sins, which leads into joy and new growth.
 
Are the Arrows aimed at you, friend? Might God expand your horizons, as he did mine? First he brightened my life, and then he widened my vision, to see more and more of the international Jesus at work in the customs and cultures of other lands.
 
There is some order in the quiver. The devotions cluster, loosely, into the Christian year: Advent-Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost.
Some people read Arrows like a book of short stories. Fine! But here is a tip: be sure to read the Bible section with each devotion. They are woven together.
 
Arrows is designed to stimulate discussion. The written questions can nudge us to help each other grow. What does the Gospel mean for you? For me?
 
Many of the prayers in Arrows are unfinished, awaiting your additions and your “Amen.”
 
I want to say thank you: to my friend Ken Ballas, who tirelessly helps to improve and promote Arrows ; to Daniel Kaluza, who is developing an Arrows website; and to Roy Graves, who keeps my computer behaving properly.
 
For more information about Arrows , including some videos, visit the website: arrows-of-light.com.
 
Feedback is good! I would like to hear from you.
 
David Schneider - 2013
 
[e-mail]
Advent-Christmas: “Come, Lord Jesus.”
•   Jesus came as a baby in Bethlehem. On December 25 we celebrate his birthday and call it Christmas.
 
•   Christ comes now in Word and Sacrament.
 
•   Christ will come at the end of time as Judge of all and Savior of his people.
 
Arrow of Light
Read Isaiah 49:1–6.
 
I was on the roof of our tool shed, fixing something, when a boyhood friend stopped his car on the street below and stepped out. I didn’t go down, but we chatted, reliving baseball and football games in the old neighborhood. After awhile, he got back into his car, and I went back to my repairs. He drove to his parents’ house down the street, went up to his old room, put a gun into his mouth, and shot off the back of his head.
You know my anguish: Did I miss hidden calls for help in the conversation? Was there something I could have said? Why hadn’t I at least gone down to shake his hand? I failed to save him.
This event came at a very bad time for me. I was already battling the deepest darkness of my young life. Would I continue in the seminary and become a pastor, as my parents and home church expected? Or would I break off my studies in response to heavy doubts now darkening my soul? Was I just riding on the faith of my family and church and feeding on their admiration? Was I even a believer? Is there really a God? How should life be spent? In living a lie? In the military instead?
My friend’s suicide helped to shape my life. I was forced to look into myself and into the Bible, to see what was truly there. I found myself to be a young man who had hungrily fed on the praises of God’s Church—praises that belong to God. I despised myself for that. But someone turned on the lights. I discovered that God forgives self-centered, glory-grabbing people and brings confident joy instead of guilt. What a relief! No more pretending. Christ’s light heals. The light shines, and the purpose of life becomes clear: help people see his energizing light and live in his hope.
Today’s reading has become a map for my life. Isaiah prophesies the coming of Christ, God’s servant, his arrow of light who pierces the darkness of human misery. By the light of Jesus’ dying and rising, God rolls back the darkness for Hebrew people (“Jacob”) and for all nations (v. 6).
“Let there be light,” God spoke over my life. I wasn’t strong enough to save my boyhood friend, but I hope to live out my days reflecting Jesus, God’s arrow of light, who indeed can rescue people. I need Christ’s light every day, and it can brighten your life too. That’s what this book is about: light for the world and for you and for me.
 
Discussion Starters
What words from God strengthen you when a loved one dies or commits suicide?
Do you see Christ as God’s arrow of light for the people around you?
 
Savior, shine your light on those facing death—especially the suicidal. I keep praying:
 
Lord, who once came to bring, on your redeeming wing, healing and sight,
Health to the sick in mind, sight to the inly blind: Oh now to humankind
Let there be light!
(LW 317:2)
 
Thanksgiving Day
Read Psalm 103:1–5.
 
Why should Thanksgiving Day be just a family gathering where we focus on a big meal and a football game? We Christians can do better than that! But how?
A great idea came from our adult children. In our foreign absence, they gathered in the home country to celebrate Thanksgiving Day together. They set sheets of newsprint and magic markers on a table. Each listed the things for which he or she wanted to give special thanks to God, and then they taped the papers to the wall. As they prepared the meal and ate it together, the walls spoke out their blessings.
Some years ago, a Christian group in Mississippi explored a way to express ongoing, year-round thanksgiving. In the weeks before Thanksgiving Day, their pastor urged them to think about their daily lives. He encouraged them to:
 
•   recall that God gives the physical and mental powers needed for every activity;
•   ponder how often Christ’s forgiveness lightens life and work;
•   imagine doing daily tasks in the spirit of caring for people; and
•   consider doing them daily as a conscious thanksgiving offering to God.
 
The pastor asked each person to bring to the Thanksgiving Day worship service an article symbolizing the normal, everyday activity that he or she wanted to perform as a regular thank-offering to God.
All the symbolic objects were placed in front of the altar. A secretary brought a sample letter: her office work for God. A young man rolled a basketball into place. A homemaker brought a broom. A baker put down pans. A manager laid down a budget. A teacher placed a list of students. A student brought a book.
Is it childish nonsense to write on the walls and bring basketballs to church? Not according to Psalm 103 or Colossians 3:17, which urges us Christians to “do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Adopting the apostle’s line of thought, one might even say that until we see our daily activities as tools to praise God, we don’t understand thanksgiving at all. And why not write on the walls of our lives the great and mighty workings of our God, f