Cooperation 

Pastor Duck's Weekly Devotional 

Taiwan Church News 2646, November 17, 2002 

Translated by David Alexander 

Fire came out from the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces. (Leviticus 9:24) 

A man who had been a Christian since his youth became a little embarrassed because, though he claimed to believe all that the Bible taught, he had never read many parts of it. He decided to begin with Genesis 1:1 and read through to the end. 

He wasn't very far along when he began to run into things that he didn't understand. He began to call his pastor, Rev. Chia, whenever he found something that was unclear to him. Rev. Chia's answers did not always satisfy him. He began to wonder if Rev. Chia was really a Christian or not. 

This man also began to watch TV programs from overseas churches and evangelistic groups. He noticed that they were quite exciting compared with what he experienced in his Presbyterian Church every week. 

One day he called Pastor Chia with a question and a comment. He had been reading Leviticus and noticed in chapter 9 verse 24 that worship was quite different for the Children of Israel on the Exodus than it is for his sisters and brothers in Christ at Pastor Chia's church. He asked why Christians today do not offer burnt offerings. 

Before Pastor Chia could answer that one, he suggested that the church try to become like the ones he watched on TV, with shouting, miraculous healings and "slaying people in the Spirit". Then, before Pastor Chia could respond to his suggestion, he said he had to go, because his favorite preacher's program was just about to come on. 

Pastor Chia sighed. He felt the burden of being the leader of his church. As he prayed about it, God reminded him that he was in a Presbyterian church, and there were elders to help him bear the load. He said AMEN, then picked up the phone to call a couple of them. 

Prayer: Lord who took the burden of our sin, help us to remember that we do not bear all burdens alone. AMEN