Title:- Full, Framed & Fitting!
Proverbs 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
Of course there are many more, but imagine today, just four means of communication. Not just instruction, not just description but communication. You know? Something that is framed and packaged in such a way that each look, is an unfolding revelation; each disrobing sound, a crinkling and expectant invite; each sniff, a pleasant and preparing sigh; each shape examining touch of that which is yet to be revealed, is a mind molding vision of a fulfilled secret desire, hid behind fun filled decorated paper, plastic, or some odd shaped shiny box. Imagine that.
Messages can be exciting like that you know? On Friday I was rushing out of our house when I saw it there, crumpled up alongside my keys. It was on a piece of torn white paper. A simple note from my wife, written in a pen that obviously didn’t work properly and all it said was, “Don’t forget to get some more tea! I Love you xxx” It was just a hurried note from ‘she who must be obeyed!’ Instructive, pleasant and just plain lovely. It said, “I love you”.On Saturday it was a list. This time written on white card with a clear pen. Obviously this second communication, contained information that needed to be understood. “Go to the linen shop. Right on US1, left on Sheridan Street, right into Oakwood Plaza, next to Home Depot, you will find a red signed shop called ‘Anna’s Linens’, get 1 pair of curtains, gold in colour, NOT YELLOW! 76’’ x 46’’, the ones that are in the sale. Don’t come home with anything else! Love ya. Kisses.” This message was instructive, descriptive and certain. “I love you” it said but more than that it said “don’t you dare buy the wrong curtains!” Very Specific!
On Monday the third message was boxed. She rushed in with it on the way to a church meeting . A tray of chocolates for us both. She couldn’t stay for the demands of the day pulled her, like a strong undercurrent, back onto the busy highway. Yet she had taken the time to come and deliver a most beautiful package. There was no note. The package was the note! Rich dark and fantastically flavoured chocolate encased in a trapezium treasure chest of a brightly coloured ribbon wrapped box. We took the lid of and breathed in the gathered aromas. Forgetting what was already in the microwave we gazed at the brightly dressed parade ground chocolates, lined up in resplendent order, waiting to be eaten, and after oooh, it must have been, oooh let me see now, ½ a second, we began ripping off the tin foil and tucking in! We had been feeling a little pressurized, a little forgotten maybe, a little uncertain of what was going on at this stage in the game when our God, sent us the finest box of chocolates. Hand picked in heaven, just for us. It said. “I love you.” It said, “I have not forgotten you.” It said, “Sit down, relax a while, put your feet up, enjoy. I value you.” Oooh I like the this third way of communication.
On Tuesday another message was delivered, the fourth kind. Chocolates may only last so long friends, but by then my suitor had now gotten my attention and today ‘my true love gave to me’, a mountain of exotic fruit. It was blooming enormous! I lifted it up and my little biceps bulged in supporting the weight. A large mahogany bowl had at its centre a tall pineapple, it’s freaky green, hard-haired, treetop like bushels, were full of hung and delicately plucked and placed, rich, red, mouth watering strawberries, all of it standing in a sea of apples, oranges, precious pears and marvelous mangos; the whole living sculptor bejewelled with bursting grapes and surrounded by an halo of golden bananas, and it was finally draped and encased in shiny cellophane and secured by a little ‘piggly wiggly’ tail like yellow, “I have not forgotten you, ribbon.” The accompanying pink stringed designer style bag was packed with produce. Especially meat and lots of it. The finest of cuts.
We are church planters you see. Missional, apostolic, insane, concerned and panicked people. As we pace the ward waiting for the arrival of new babies it fills us with anxiety. Will this new church live? Will it be healthy? What will it be like? Will we go the full term? Will we be able to support it? What are we going to do? Where is the rest of the family? Where are you Lord in all of this? And as we worry and wait, work and wonder, God sends us some words. Not terse telegrams. Not banal instructions. Not sorry descriptions but rather, apples of gold in pictures of silver. I wonder if He says sometimes: “ I love you. Relax!” If He says, “Much fruit!” If He says, “More than you can carry!” If He says, “All different kinds!” If He says, “Provision, the best of cuts, fine tasty, delivered!” If He says “Enjoy.” If He says…….
Today, we all need to give sweet and ripe words, that convey comfort and encouragement from these fine and fitting words; these apples of gold set in pictures of silver, will spring love and joy and peace and wisdom and all together they shall lay their picnic blanket across the ground and say to us, come sit a while and let’s talk and let’s look into God.
Listen:- ----and the word of the LORD came to me the second time, saying, “What do you see?” Jeremiah 1:13
Pray: - Lord, let me receive and discern your living words and please O God set them like apples of gold in frames of silver, in Jesus name I pray, amen.
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