Making A Difference

"Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.  One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple" (Psalm 27:3-4).

This Saturday the sun is shining, the beautiful snow-capped mountains reach out with their beauty calling me to come and see.  In the midst of all the beauty that surrounds us we are still in the midst of battles.  Battles in life come in many forms and we weary, our confidence wanes.  This Psalm reminds of the the true beauty, from whence it comes, and our confidence is in the creator of the beauty I gaze upon today.  I find that beauty associating with God's people and I am reminded that I am the temple of God.  His beauty is in me, and I can take time to read His word and prepare to meet with my brothers and sisters and gaze upon the beauty of changed lives, lives filled with darkness to lives filled with the light of God.  Now this external beauty gathers more appreciation.

A small village outside of Haddington, Scotland, Giffordgate was ardently Catholic.  This village contained several churches, two monasteries, and an abbey.  Here in this village lived a man named John Knox.  He excelled at Haddington Grammar School where his teacher proclaimed him the most brilliant pupil he had ever had. John entered the University of Glasgow, then St. Andrews University, were the gusts of the Reformation tugged at his Catholic heart.

Knox spent the next 20 years as a village priest and college lecturer.  Then, one day, listening to a Mr. Williams preach Reformation truth, he was struck as with an arrow.  Soon thereafter he "cast anchor" by faith in Christ alone.  As we all should! His Reformation ideas put him at risk, ad for years he alternated between flight and imprisonment.  Once he was chained to the oars of a galley ship.  He finally settled down in relative safety on the Continent where he studied, wrote, discussed, and kept an eye on his native land.

In 1559 he sensed it was time to return.  England's Queen Mary had been replaced by the more Protestant Elizabeth, and the groups of Protestant refugees in Europe were abuzz with excitement.  Protestants began streaming back into England, and in late April Knox himself set sail for Scotland, determined to "blow the Lord's trumpet" gallantly.

He landed on May 2, 1559 to find a nation on the knife edge of chaos.  Mary of Guise, queen regent and mother of young Mary, Queen of Scots, was railing against Protestants.  Civil war was threatening.  Knox's presence and preaching so inspired the people that the English ambassador reported, "The voice of one man is able in one hour to put more life in us than five hundred trumpets continually blustering in our ears."

the government fought Protestants tooth and nail until June 10, 1560, when the queen regent died.  the Treaty of Edinburgh temporarily ended the conflict, and the Reformation took hold.  More storms lay ahead, and the aging Knox grew surly.  But he managed to lead a bloodless revolution in Scotland and establish the faith of a nation.

"Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly" (Joel 2:15).  Tomorrow, Sunday there will be many sacred assemblies, prepare now to be in one where the word of God is taught truthfully.  We all cannot be John Knox's, but we can make a difference in our world of influence.

Daily Prayer:

Father I know that you are the God who loves us and I want to be a tool in Your hands to make a difference for in You is all the beauty.  Prepare my heart for the message of Truth that will be preached in my assembly.  Teach me what I do not know.  Thank You for Your guidance.                                        Amen