On several recent trips to the grocery store, I noticed how various shoppers have perfected the art of selecting fresh fruits and vegetables. For example:

• A thump for a sweet watermelon
• A squeeze for a firm, ripe tomato
• A sniff for a bag of potatoes
• A partial shuck for an ear of corn
• A head of lettuce for its weight

In comparison, weird ways that folks make selections for other items include:

• Flipping a coin
• Drawing straws
• Pulling a name out of a hat
• Eeny, meeny, miny, moe

Although thumping, sniffing, squeezing, and the lottery may be okay when it comes to produce and other items we purchase, they may hardly be the methods God chooses in selecting a disciple (a follower) to advance His kingdom.

Even if Jesus merely chose fishermen, as the theory goes, there were so many to choose from. According to historian Josephus, there were about 240 boats that regularly fished the waters of Galilee, aside from those fishing along its shores. Jesus, being omniscient, knew the thoughts and intents of the hearts of all the fishermen. So, not only did our Lord notice them in a crowd, but divinely commissioned and sent His apostles out to do His will.

Therefore, in calling the Twelve, it was not that they were qualified, but were readily available and willing to follow Christ because their hearts were receptive for a life-long commitment. For example, when Jesus summoned Levi, he left a successful career, only to suffer a martyr's death.

Matthew 16:24 – Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." (NIV 2011)

In responding to this call, we must first have a saving faith, then leave our worldliness behind, and follow Jesus faithfully by being obedient to His Word — at any cost. Then, with a mindset like the apostle Paul, we can say, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:14 KJV) Eternal life and treasures in heaven are the ultimate rewards for those who have embraced the divine call, as fishers of men.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your grace and mercy. Use us to the fullest capacity in ministering to others, that they, too, may receive eternal rewards through our commitment. To You be the glory. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

After my salvation experience in 1978, I had an unquenchable desire to read, learn, and understand the Bible. It became my first love. If I heard good lessons from Bible expositors on the radio, I would request their offered cassette tapes. This became an obsession as I sat for hours transcribing their messages. Books from a local Christian bookstore soon overwhelmed my bookshelf. My heart was burning from within — I could not get enough! Soon, along with my wife, I enrolled in a two-year Bible correspondence course from Liberty Home Bible Institute, thus launching a long journey into ministry.

In reviewing the post-resurrection narrative, my imagination was tweaked by the dialog of two disciples after their journey on the road to Emmaus. Luke, the gospel writer, inspired by the Holy Spirit, journals the scenario of these unknown men, whose identity is not important to the storyline. The story begs the question: How could a visible/invisible Man have affected them in such a manner as to ask, Did not our heart burn within us?

When meditating on this passage, I realized two things: (1) Jesus personally spoke and (2) Jesus revealed Scripture to them. So not only were they hearing the living Word from the mouth of Jesus, but their minds were illuminated and their lives were transformed during a Bible study with Jesus.

Consequently, whenever the Word of God is heard and explained in the power of the Holy Spirit, life-changing events occur. For example:

• When Peter preached the resurrection to the Jews after Pentecost, three thousand souls were added to the body of Christ, according to Acts 2:41.
• After a second sermon, Acts 4:4 tells us that the number of those saved grew to five thousand.
• When Paul preached the resurrection, lives were changed throughout the Roman Empire, and dozens of churches were planted as a result.
• During His temptation in the wilderness, Jesus demonstrated the power of the Word of God to drive Satan away by quoting Scripture.
• God's Word guides our decision-making: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119:105 KJV)
• His Word can prevent us from sinning: "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." (Psalm 119:11 KJV)
• There are special blessings for those who read and act upon the Word: "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand." (Revelation 1:3 KJV)

Therefore, the conclusion is simple:

2 Timothy 2:15 – Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (KJV)

We need to study as if Jesus Himself were right alongside us. Having His Spirit as our guide, then Scripture becomes clear, and our hearts are set on fire, as happened to those on the Emmaus road.

Prayer: Our Father in heaven, we humbly ask for Your guidance on our daily walk toward the promised kingdom. May our desire to hear You speak not diminish, so we may produce the evidence of our changed hearts to minister for Your glory. We pray this in the name of Your Son Jesus. Amen.

John 19:30 – Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. (NASB)

In an era of rapidly changing customs and thought patterns, the world of art likewise changes, following trends related to various philosophical worldviews. During my attendance at the college of art from 1961 to 1962, the prevalence of impressionism was slowly waning and new artistic styles were emerging as changing styles became popular: from cubism to surrealism to the beginnings of limitless modernism.

As such a change agent, Salvador Dali, an infamous Spanish painter from Fugueres, Spain, had an immense effect on art and culture. Some say he was a madman, others a genius. His surrealistic art moved beyond reality, using irrational images. Eccentric as he may have been, however, during his surrealistic period, Dali was forced to move back into classical religious mysticism.

Influenced by a sketch by John of the Cross, a Spanish mystic of the counter-reformation during the 1600s, Salvador Dali's "Christ of St. John of the Cross" (1951) became a brilliant masterpiece of the twentieth century. I was not yet a believer, but this painting scornfully withered my deliberate rejection of conventional expertise. Not being spiritually comprehending of its unique, intrinsic value, the content was nevertheless extremely inspirational to me.

Although the interpretation of art is personal and subjective, when I contemplate this important work (which may be viewed here), I believe that Dali has captured the precise split-second when Jesus gave up the ghost at His crucifixion. The point of view is not from below, the way humanity depicts Him, but rather from above, through the eye of the Beholder — God the Father. Noticeably, other important details are missing: There are no visible nails, blood, or crown of thorns. And His sacrifice does not have the imagery of Isaiah 53: pain, suffering, stricken, pierced, and crushed, but is rather stylized as a pure, spotless, unblemished Lamb on an untarnished golden cross, fit to re-enter the undefiled heavenly sphere.

Hebrews 9:11-14 – When Christ appeared as a high priest … through His own blood, He entered the holy place once and for all … [and] through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God. (NASB)

That being said, when we contemplate our Lord's finished work of redemption, we, too, should focus not just on a bruised, beaten body, but on the unblemished Lamb of God, our Saviour, Who takes away the sins of the world, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, our High Priest in a state of perfection. We are therefore reminded of these words:

Matthew 27:54 – The centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus … said, "Truly this was the Son of God!" (NASB)

Prayer: Our Father in heaven, we offer up thanks for giving Your Son as a ransom for many. Help us to stay focused on our unblemished Redeemer. Strengthen and continually fill us, by Your grace and mercy, with the Spirit Whom we so desperately need as our daily sustenance. This we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.

The practice and preparation was an arduous and laborious journey to overcome, only to reach the halfway point. Predicated on excellence, the auditions began. The reward of my effort deserved its worth, as I was one of many select vocal talents who qualified to meet the professional standard for this classical masterpiece. The rejected recipients sadly faded to despair. The elect rose to the height of sensory exhilaration whilst singing during the mist of rehearsals.

Universally acclaimed as one of his finest works, the chorale of Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor was the musical selection. The German text during the Recitative, (taken from a poem Ode to Joy by Friedrich Schiller in 1785) demanded precise articulation, apart from the accuracy of harmonization.

The invitation came from U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson. The command performance was granted to the Philadelphia Orchestra, under the direction of Eugene Ormandy, and renowned choral conductor, Robert Page, along with the Temple University Concert Choir and members of the University Singers. We rehearsed diligently and feverishly for many weeks. Then, both were united for a pre-performance rehearsal. Later, to our dismay, we discovered that the concert was supplanted by a disruption in the President's itinerary due to events surrounding the Vietnam War, and was never performed.

As I contemplate the spiritual depth of today's Scripture passage and the words of the chorale …

Freude! Freude!
Ahnest du den Schöpfer, Welt?
Such' ihn über'm Sternenzelt!

Joy! Joy!
Do you sense your Creator, O world?
Seek Him above the canopy of stars!

… once again, I find myself enlightened, not by the vain excellence of human achievement, or by the tryouts, or the preparatory toil for success, or the disappointments, but by the simplicity of salvation. Although our Ode to Joy may sustain us in the present, we have full assurance that, in heaven, no performance of praise to God will ever be cancelled. And we shall be amongst the myriads of perfected voices in chorus effortlessly worshipping and joyously singing praises to Christ the Saviour in one accord — as we offer Him the Ode to Joy — the alleluias that He so rightly deserves.

Prayer: Father God, we thank You for our redemption through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. We humble ourselves as we sojourn in anxious anticipation of honouring Him with the praise that He so rightfully deserves. Strengthen us until the day of His return, the One in Whose name we pray. Amen.

As an enthusiast of art and architectural history, I have enjoyed over the years visiting many early American churches. The buildings were made of either stone or fine wood. My fascination with old houses of worship grew stronger after I was given the opportunity to pastor a community church, constructed in 1858, in Newportville, Pennsylvania, USA. Later, I spoke at Prince George's Chapel, a longstanding landmark, in Dagsboro, Delaware, USA, a church that was built in 1755.

The chapel has a high, vaulted, pine wood ceiling which has remarkable acoustics. There exists a balcony on both sides, and individual wooden boxed seating — not the most comfortable — with a door for friends and families. What I found to be unusual and unique is its exceptionally high octagonal rostrum where the preacher stood. To get to the top, there is a circular stairwell with a landing in between for the lay reader. The purpose for the height is to exalt the Word of God.

During Nehemiah's day, the Word of God had not been heard for over seventy years, due to the Babylonian captivity. After the exile, there was a hunger and thirst for hearing the Word of the Lord again, especially in the newly rebuilt Jerusalem and its temple. When Ezra read the Law, his wooden podium was simply meant to elevate God's Word, not the reader. During its hearing, it was respectful and reverent to stand because the children of Israel understood that God was speaking.

Later, the narrative explains:

Nehemiah 9:5 – And the Levites … said: "Stand up and praise the Lord your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise." (NIV)

In a world today where God's name is frequently used in vain, the true meaning of veneration has waned. Upon attending several church assemblies, I have discovered that no particular importance is placed upon standing, for example, during singing. However, I notice that in Lutheran churches, their tradition is to stand during the reading of the gospel lection for the day. A rejuvenated desire to exalt the Word of God should be a challenge in our public and personal worship.

Prayer: Our Father, we boldly come before You, giving thanksgiving and praise for Your divine revelation. Bless us as we listen and conform to the righteousness of Your Son. Keep us waiting patiently to stand in Your presence. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Psalm 147:7-8a – Sing to Yahweh with thanksgiving. Sing praises on the harp to our God, who covers the sky with clouds. (WEB)

One week prior to my high school graduation, the Pennsylvania State University awarded me entrance into the College of Art as an applied art major. As an upstart, studying the masters of art, from the classics to the contemporary, was indeed stimulating. One semester introduced me to the techniques of post-impressionism and modern art, which was truly an eye-opening experience.

On a particular assignment, I recall an accomplished artist and professor instructing the class to be blindfolded and actually feel a tree for seven minutes. Taking off my blindfold and using the simple media of charcoal and a 9-inch by 12-inch sketch pad, I then began to draw the image of that tree. The rationale was a sensory one: If we embraced and understood the texture of something, then its illustration would provide a more accurate rendering of its interpretation. This, I thought, was a rather unusual way to contemplate the subject matter.

When I consider the clouds, I cannot help but be amazed how their shapes, formations, and colours are unceasingly changing. Not only do clouds defy imaginative reasoning, they are beyond anyone's comprehension. With all the study, preparation, time, and drawing, there is no human match to the creative artistry of clouds. What a talented individual can draw is but a poor imitation, to say the least.

My conclusion is simple. Clouds are art. God has revealed His artistic majesty through clouds. The heavens are like God's museum of art in motion. No matter how many times I look at the sky, the skyscape is intrinsically different. His canvas demands that we recognize Him as the supreme Designer. It is to this end that He is glorified.

Romans 1:20 – Since earliest times men have seen the earth and sky and all God made, and have known of his existence and great eternal power. So they will have no excuse when they stand before God at Judgment Day. (TLB)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, in awesome wonder, we offer You praise as You exhibit Your glory through clouds. May we ever be mindful of Your precious gift to us — Jesus Christ, Your Son — in Whose name we pray. Amen.

As a former coin collector, I have always had a fascination with gold, which is one of our most precious metals. There are several YouTube videos on the Internet that show the painstaking refinement process by which all the dross and impurities are removed to obtain a 99.99 percent pure troy ounce gold ingot. My thoughts are immediately forwarded to the heavenly city found in the Book of Revelation:

Revelation 21:18b – And the city was pure gold, like clear glass. (NKJV)

Revelation 21:21b – And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. (NKJV)

Upon reading this, one realizes that only God can produce 100 percent pure transparent gold, which is native only to heaven. Even with the most sophisticated technology, one can reach only 99.99 percent purity here on earth.

A recent commercial advertises gold investing for one's future. A nagging question at the end asks, What's in your safe? Investing in gold appeals to our desire for security in this world, while our real security is in the Lord. This worldly attitude is one thing that needs to be refined out of us.

1 Peter 1:6-7 – In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (NASB)

God is reminding us that when we are faced with transitory negative problems or situations, He is simply testing our faith; we are going through the fire to be refined.

James 1:3 – Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. (NKJV)

Facing these tests, however, we need to pray for discernment: Are we also wearing the whole armour of God and warding off the snares and fiery darts of the devil?

Unlike acquiring material gold, our spiritual growth demands a unique cleansing process. Even though temporarily, Jesus is refining and purifying our hearts, as in the fire, into sincerity and maturity in the faith. When we sin, by asking for His forgiveness, we are cleansed by His blood. In doing so, ultimately, we will be found worthy when walking into His presence — priceless! Therefore, rejoice in the Lord!

As the commercial queries, What's in your safe?

Prayer: God of creation, we thank You for revealing Yourself through Your Word. We prayerfully ask for strengthened faith and peace as we are continually being refined into conformity to Your Son. Perfect us to be the kings and priests that You desire. This we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.