Wings Of JoyLessons From The Arctic TernBy Rev. William Claire Greiner |
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Several years ago Wendy’s Restaurant ran a TV ad in which a small, feisty woman by the name of Clara Peller walked up to a competitor and asked in a raspy voice, "Where’s the beef?" Tonight I ask a different question, this one addressed to the family of God: "Where’s the joy?" Chuck Swindoll said, "Check out the average church congregation and you’d think the morticians had landed. Some Christians look like they’ve been baptized in lemon juice. Oh, you’ll find a fair amount of love, lots of compassion, a good deal of purity, patience, hope, and gentleness, but where’s the joy?" Galatians 5:22 says that joy is a fruit of the Spirit. It is a gift from God and is different than happiness. Happiness is based on happenings and circumstances, while true joy is based on a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Recently Ruth and I were privileged to visit the beautiful State of Alaska. While there we heard about the arctic tern which makes its home above the north pole. In doing some research on this remarkable bird, I discovered how beautifully it illustrates a believer’s life in Christ, especially in the area of joyful obedience. And it begins in the home. Arctic terns are zealous parents who enjoy every aspect of raising a family. During the incubation process, they have to literally bump each other off the nest in order to have equal time. The parents also share the responsibility of feeding and rearing the young, and they defend to their death any predator that would seek to destroy the home. The crying need of the hour is for mothers and fathers who are committed to raising their children in the fear of God and in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. There is no greater joy for parents than to see their children walking in truth. "The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him" (Proverbs 23:24). The perimeters of joyful obedience, however, reach beyond the home. Commercial fishermen and those who make their living from the sea tell how they watch where the arctic terns are feeding and then set their nets accordingly to reap a bountiful harvest of fish. None of us will ever know this side of eternity the perimeters of our faithfulness to Christ. Spurgeon said: "If you would lead men to heaven, wear heaven on your face." One of the great joys in our ministry is seeing men and women, boys and girls, come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. It is because someone had been sowing the seed, and folk like you had been praying. And we were the ones privileged to draw in the net. "Some sow, others water, but it is God who gives the increase," and we rejoice together. The arctic tern is a relatively small bird, just fifteen and one-half inches in length, yet, despite its size, it is known as the champion of migratory birds. Every autumn the tern packs up its family and begins its incredible journey to the opposite end of the earth and back, covering a distance of some 25,000 miles, literally circling the globe. And when you consider that arctic terns live from 25 to 30 years, it means they travel upwards of 750,000 miles in their lifetime. Folks, that is a distance greater than going to the moon and back. For a bird weighing less than two pounds it is an incredible achievement! How does it endure such a challenge? By concentrating on smaller, achievable goals. It breaks down its 25,000-mile pilgrimage into segments of approximately 150 miles a day, thus flying around the world in twenty weeks. Folks, that’s an important lesson for us to learn in this frantic, fast-paced world where burn-out seems to be the norm! So many Christians lose their joy because they wear themselves out trying to cover 25,000 miles without resting or refueling. That’s why Jesus told His disciples to "Come apart and rest awhile" (Mark 6:31). Someone once said, "If you don’t come apart and rest, you’ll just come apart!" The arctic tern has no map, chart or compass, yet it moves in obedience to a God-given instinct. Even in foggy weather its sense of direction is unerring and unaffected. No storm or tempest deters it from reaching its destination. When we began our family ministry in 1969 we had no road map other than the Word of God. We could not see 32 years down the road to where we are tonight, but there was joy in knowing we were obedient to the call of God. And what an encouragement and blessing our board members and you dear people have been to our family as we have sought the mind of Christ each step of the way. Obedience to the call of God always brings joy. God says you "shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands" (Isaiah 55:12). As you and I obey God’s call in our lives, whether it is in the home, or in Christian service, or on the job, we find that "the joy of the LORD becomes our strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). There is no path too difficult, no journey too long, no mountain too high, no valley too deep, no heartache too great but that the joy of the Lord will bear us up. Job said, "God causes the widow's heart to sing for joy" (Job 29:13). Jesus said, "You shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy" (John 16:20). Some of you might remember the name of David Berkowitz, better known as the Son of Sam. He was the New York serial killer in 1976 and 1977 who was finally captured and sentenced to 365 years in prison. About 10 years into David’s prison sentence another inmate began to witness to him about the things of Christ. Eventually the Holy Spirit broke through David’s heart of steel, and he was converted by the grace of God. Now, in his dreadful surroundings, he possesses a joy that had eluded him all his life. I have a copy of a letter he wrote on March 19, 2001, to someone in this audience. Listen to what he says. "Even though I am in here, please do not think that I am troubled or burdened. The Lord is with me, this I know. And my joy is full. I truly can say that I can always rejoice, even during the trials and difficult stages of this Christian journey." The prophet Habakkuk said: "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation" (Habakkuk. 3:17,18). In studying the tern, we not only see the joy of purpose and power and perseverance, but we also see the joy of provision. On its long flight from the Arctic to the Antarctic the tern chooses one of two routes. It either flies along the western coast of Alaska, Canada, the United States and Central and South America, or it chooses the alternate route along the western coasts of Europe and Africa. But regardless of which course it takes, God has made certain that the flight path always follows food-bearing currents to provide nourishment and strength for the journey. The arctic tern also enjoys what no other living creature does. For approximately eight months of the year it lives in continual daylight. It arrives at each of the poles just in time to enjoy long summer days of twenty-four hour sunlight. During the intervening four months it also enjoys more daylight than darkness. Again God’s provision! These long daylight hours give the bird opportunity to catch the right amount of food and store extra fat for its demanding journey. As you and I stay on course in the will of God, He promises to "supply all our need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). We are guaranteed the light of His presence and food-bearing currents rich with spiritual nutrients. With joy we drink from the wells of salvation. In conclusion tonight we focus on the joyful prospect of the arctic tern. Arctic terns mate for life, and they show a strong fidelity to each other. However, during migration they often become separated. This means they must complete the journey alone. Many of you can identify with that tonight. You have said goodbye to loved ones, and you have had to continue on the pathway without them. It’s not easy. But, folks, that’s not the end of the story! When the tern arrives back at its home and nesting grounds in the Arctic it is reunited with its mate, and what a celebration it is! The Encyclopaedia on Birds describes it this way: "Immediately upon their return to the breeding nesting grounds, pair bonds are reestablished and the reunited terns excitedly make courtship flights at the roost and above the nesting colonies." That’s exciting! But I assure you of this tonight: the prospect for the Christian is even greater. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5). One day, beloved, we’ll be home where we belong, and we’ll reap in joy what has been sown in tears (Psalm 126:5). We’ll be reunited with loved ones from whom we became separated on the journey. And best of all we’ll be together with our Lord in whose "presence is fullness of joy; and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (Psalm 16:11). There will be no greater reward than to hear Jesus say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant . . . .enter thou into the joy of thy lord" (Matthew 25:21). The arctic tern, however, battles an old foe. Earth’s gravity is constantly tugging at its wings. To yield to that pull would rob the bird of its freedom and joy. It would miss the mark. One day King David felt such a tug in his life. He succumbed to the gravity of sin, and as a result he lost his joy and his song. In Psalm 51:12 he pleads, "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation." God in mercy answered that prayer and restored David to a place of usefulness. Once again he soared in joyful victory. Perhaps tonight, like David, you have lost the joy of your salvation. Your heart is bruised and broken. You are plagued by guilt, pride, jealousy, bitterness, unforgiveness and hatred. You have gotten off course, and you are burned out. You are weary and discouraged. Your testimony and influence have been damaged. You are grounded in defeat, despair and discouragement. But, dear friend, there is hope. The joy of the Lord can be restored. God says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9,10). That is a guarantee from the throne of the Almighty God! Tonight can be a new beginning in your life as you renew your love relationship with Jesus Christ. With wings of joy you can once again soar to new heights with a freedom you have never known before. You can get back on course and with the Apostle Paul you can say, "None of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy" (Acts 20:24). It’s possible, however, that you are here tonight without ever having put your trust in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. There’s a wonderful old chorus that says, "If you want joy, real joy, wonderful joy, let Jesus come into your heart. Your sins He’ll wash away. Your night He’ll turn to day. Your life He’ll make it over anew. If you want joy, real joy, wonderful joy, let Jesus come into your heart." We encourage you to do that now. Invite the Lord Jesus into your heart and life and experience fullness of joy.
"Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen" (Jude 1:24).
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