I Get by with a Little Help from My Friends

Well, my heart rate has finally returned to normal after a GREAT football game last night. You know who won and how happy that made me, but that's all I'll say about it, just in case we have some anti-Steeler fans among us. But I know it's back to business today for most of us, so let's get to the task at hand.


Many thanks to Lori Schultz for reading ahead and providing the questions and answers for the month of February!!!


Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Sun, Feb. 1- What did the Israelites call “the bread from heaven?”
Exodus 16:31 “The people called the bread manna.”

And here's the question of the day:
Mon, Feb. 2- What did Moses strike to get water for the people?



And here's the reflection of the day:
I Get By with a Little Help from My Friends
If you've been reading this blog for very long, you've probably noticed that I frequently reference music. I just can't help it--I read something, and a song pops into my head. I will also burst out in song in the middle of the conversation, though I try to keep that to a minimum. So, as I was reading the Exodus passages, the Beatles' "I Get by with a Little Help from My Friends" is running through my head. (Here's the song and a little collage of pictures someone put together with it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmOtWyjs8iU)

And it struck me how apropos that Exodus 17 and 18 is the reading for today! If you read my sermon from yesterday, you know that at Frankfort Church we ordained and installed elders yesterday during church. Perhaps your church has recently installed new officers as well.

These two passages are excellent examples of the cooperation of leadership that is necessary in the church (and also in life in general). In the Presbyterian world, we call it "parity"--when ministers and elders share in leadership, government, discipline, and worship in a particular church. (G6.0302 in the Presbyterian Book of Order.)

Churches (and ministers!) don't last too long with a "Lone Ranger" mentality. Moses couldn't hold the staff up the whole time; he needed a little help from his friends. And God bless Jethro for telling Moses he can't do it by himself and suggested collecting the 70 elders. (Every pastor needs a Jethro to remind that he/she is only human!) He needed a little help from his friends there too.

Frankfort Church is probably tired of hearing me talk about this--it's been my theme of late--but ministers and church folks need to work side by side together in God's fields. There aren't enough harvesters to go around anyway; the ones who are called need to be working together.

What can you do for God's kingdom in your local church? How can you help to hold up Moses' arm? Is God calling you to be one of the 70 elders called to watch over His people? God has a task in mind for you--let go of your fear and hold on to God.


Go Steelers!
Allison