Video Scroll of Remembrance “S-HOP Post Sandy 11/1/2012”

Have you ever felt like your efforts are futile, of no consequence, so why bother anymore, like every job you do you end up doing twice?  Earlier this year my church, Shore Vineyard in S. Toms River, NJ spent many hours and many dollars refurbishing the building at 1 South Main Street, and here we are back doing it all over again.  Sounds like the people in Malachi’s day, saying: “It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.” (Mal. 3:14-15)

So what do God’s people do when the doubts come?  They worship:

“Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. ‘On the day when I act,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘they will be my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.’”

In this context of second guessing their efforts and investment of time and resources, God’s people responded by getting together and talking about God, how good he is, how trustworthy, rehearsing the promises in his word.  And God   listened in on their conversations!  No wonder our hearts burn within us when we get to talking about Jesus.  He is right there listening, delighting in his kids loving on him, calling us his treasure.  He even gets a scribe angel to write up the incident and maybe place a label on its edge so we can find it when we’re with him in heaven.  I see one scroll labeled “SHORE HOUSE OF PRAYER Post Sandy 11/1/2012” where the sweet worship at an offsite location – since our regular meeting place was flooded from Hurricane Sandy only 3 days prior – left us weeping with joy. 

I cannot imagine the number of scrolls of remembrance the Father has already in glory, that we will get to read and remember when we get there.  I am hoping some are “video scrolls” so we can make some heavenly popcorn with lots of butter (no calorie counting in glory!) and replay those times in his presence that delighted, still delight his heart.