This is a prophetic word or a modern parable delivered by Charlotte Baker at a Worship Symposium in Dallas in 1981. Every word is weighty and applicable to our lives today. You can find this modern parable and other parables to the Church by Charlotte Baker here. Enjoy the inspiring read.

“I have brought this people together today to make unto you a choice. You can minister unto men…or you can minister unto the King of Glory!”

I stood among the sons of men, strong and tall. My heart was filled with enthusiasm. My life was given to the purposes of God. Upon that day, I said to the Lord,”I will do mighty exploits in the name of my God.”

The Lord came unto me and He said,”What is it, son of man, that thou would have?”

I said, “Lord, if I could only be among those who play sweetly upon an instrument and who sing well in the house of the Lord, then I would do great things for my God.” The Lord came to me and He gave unto me the desire of my heart. He let me play and He let me sing. I saw the day when the hearts of men were moved by that thing the Lord had given unto me. After hearts of men were moved, I stood back and I said to myself, ”Now I will be content for I have been able to move the hearts of men.”

But in my secret hour I bowed my head before my God and said, “Lord, You have given me what I asked for but my heart is heavy. I have a longing for something more.”

He came again unto me in the night season. He asked me again, “Son of man, ask Me again the thing that thou would have of Me.” I said, “Lord I see men bowed by burdens low. I see hearts that are broken. I see sadness and discouragement. Oh give me the power of the spoken word that I might speak the word and their hearts be delivered.”

The Lord came unto me and said, “Son of man, I have given thee the things which thou hast desired.” With great joy, I marched before the people of God. In my youth and in my enthusiasm, I spoke the Word and men were delivered. I spoke the Word and their hearts were made whole. I knew what it was to bind up the broken-hearted and to pour in the oil of joy replacing their mourning. While men were yet praising Him, glorifying His name, I went back to my secret chamber, I bowed my head in sorrow. I said, “Oh my God, my God, I am not satisfied.”

He came again unto me and He said, “Son of man, what is it that thou desireth of Me?” And I said, “Oh my God, give me power in my hands that as You did, I might lay my hands upon the sick and see the healing flow.”

He said unto me, “It is done as thou has commanded.”

God healed the sick. I went to the nations of the earth and I saw the sick raised from their beds. I saw pain and suffering go away. I was rejoicing as I went to my secret place. I bowed my head before my God.

I said, “Now my God, I will be satisfied for you have given me that which I have desired.” No sooner had the words come out of my mouth when the heart within me began to ache and cry. I said, “God, I don’t understand. Again my heart is sad. Lord, will You, just one more time, give me the thing I ask of Thee?”

He said, “It is done.”

“God, I desire to go against principalities and powers, the powers of the wickedness of this world and spiritual darkness in high places. He said, “Surely I give it unto thee. Now go.”

So I went and the Lord allowed me to go into dens of iniquity, the holes and dives where men hide from the light because of the sin and evil that is upon them. There was a day when I saw demons cry out at the very presence of the power of God that rested on me. Then I went back to my secret place broken.

I said, “God, I have asked You for all that I desired and still my heart is not yet satisfied. Nor do I feel that I have touched the thing that You have called me to. In my youth I have expended myself with all the things that my heart had desired.”

Then one more time a gracious and loving God visited me in the night season.

He said, “Now – what is it that thou dost desire?” In brokenness of heart, I bowed before Him and I said, “God, only that thing which You desire to give unto me.”

He came unto me and said, “Come with Me and I will take you on a journey.”

He took me past my friends. He took me past those with whom I had come into the house of the Lord. He took me into a desolate place. He caused me to go into a place alone in the wilderness.

I said, “Oh my God, what are you doing to me? You have cut me off from those I love.” He said, “I take thee to the place where all men must come if their heart’s cry is to be fulfilled.” At a certain hour, I bowed before a gate that is called.… The Eye of the Needle, The gate of Worship! There before the Eye of the Needle I heard the voice of the Lord say, “Bow low.” So I bowed lower.

He said “Yet lower. Thou does not go low enough.” So I went as low as I could possibly go. But I had upon my back my books of learning. I had with me my instruments of music. I had with me my gifts and abilities. He said unto me, “Thou has too much, thou can not go through this gate.”

I said, “But God, You have given me these books. You have given me these abilities.”

He said, “Drop them or thou dost not go.”

So I dropped them. I went through a very small gate that is called ‘The Eye of the Needle’. As I went through this gate, I heard the voice of the Lord say, “Now rise to the other side.” As I rose, a very strange thing happened to me. You see, the gate which was so small on one side that I must lay aside everything, was now so wide I could not fill it.

As I stood in the presence of the Lord I said, “God, what is this thing that You have done unto me, for my soul is now satisfied?” He said, ”Thou has come through the gate of worship. Now come up to the circle of the earth and I will show thee a great mystery. I will reveal unto thee the thing that I am doing among the sons of men.”

The Spirit of the Lord caught me away. He took me to the circle of the earth, higher than where the eagle flies, beyond where the clouds can rumble, beyond where the sun shines or the moon finds her path. There at the throne of my God, He said, “Look down upon My people. I saw strange things. I saw my companions gathered around a very small gate that is, ‘The Eye of the Needle, the gate of worship’. I saw them wringing their hands and crying. They were saying one to another,”But God has given us these instruments of war. This sword is my sword and I will work with it against the enemy to bring him down. I cannot go through this gate, for, if I go through this gate, I must put down my sword. God has called me to be a warrior and therefore, I will not do it.”

And I heard another one say,”Me? Lay down my instruments of music? Lay down all God has given me, just to go through that silly little gate, to be nothing but a bare man who comes out the other side stripped of everything? I cannot do this thing.”  I saw them as they stood aside in their pride, afraid to bow themselves before a very small gate. Then I saw again, as the Lord brought me closer to the gate. I saw a man bow low, laying down everything that he had. As he came through the very wide gate on the other side, his instruments of music were there. His sword was there. His books were there. The power was there.

The Word of the Lord came to me,”Go now and tell this people before you, I have given unto this people extreme talents and much ability. But I say unto you today, if you do not come through the very small gate, which is the gate of worship, and bow low and lay before me thine instruments, thy talents, abilities, vision and power, thou shall always be among those who will only be able to minister to the hearts of men, and bless the hearts of men.

But there is a gate open to the Church in this hour, a very small gate. And through this gate, only men and women who are worshippers will go. These people will lay their talents before their God. These people will say, ”God, we will be Your worshippers.”

Through that wide gate they will come and they will arise on the other side, not to minister unto men, but to minister unto their God. I have brought you together this day, to make unto you a choice. You can minister unto men and I will cause you to sway the hearts of men with your talent. Or, you can go through a very small gate,that is ‘The Eye of the Needle’, the gate of worship, and while making new worshippers, you will minister unto the King of Kings and Lord of lords!”

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… this link.

Susan Boyle singing on Dancing with the Stars!

I have endeavoured in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses, pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it. ~Their faithful servant, C. D.

This is the preface of “A Christmas Carol” written by Charles Dickens in December 1843. Social concerns motivated much of Dickens’ writing, and this enduring Christmas tale or in his words “ghostly little book,” leads his causes for justice well. Dickens illustrated the plight of the poor during England’s economic depression, and indeed, left a “ghost of an idea” that the “better-off” of society should take care of those less fortunate, especially on Christmas.

It was not peace and goodwill completely, however, that drove Dickens to write “A Christmas Carol.” His last novels were not selling well, and his wife was pregnant with their fifth child. He was forced to make some quick money. Although the book became immediately popular, it was illustrated in color which raised the price. In the end, the novel did not bring in the profit Dickens desired.

Still, the magical tale endures.

Imagine writing a story so memorable, so compelling that generations of literate people of the Western World would embrace its meaning and remember its characters by name decade after decade. Hats off to Charles Dickens! Thank you, Chuck!

Who knows how many times the story has been read or re-enacted since it was penned in the dim light and strain of England’s economic struggles in the 1840’s.

Last evening, my husband and daughter and I saw Disney’s remake of the Christmas tale starring Jim Carrey in 3D at an IMAX theater, and it was brilliant. I want to see it again.  I can’t tell you how much I loved it. The old themes sprang to life again in my heart: the brevity of the past that is out like a candle  and that we will pay for  our actions with “chains” someday; the huge merriment of the present, and the fear and sometimes eeriness of the future. And no one wants to be forgotten at their death because their deeds were selfish. And lastly, the joy of giving and just how each individual has the power to change the world and his own disposition by giving to others.

As believers this is the message we live by everyday… an unspoken code of conduct that directs our choices. But I must say, as I watched the movie I had the response that old Charles Dickens was hoping for, that “ghost of an idea” planted new seeds in my heart that I need to give to others of myself, my time, and my finances to bring God’s kingdom to the earth.

In fact, that is the job entrusted to us by our Lord and Savior the day he ascended. Christmas is just a good season to reaffirm with action our duty.

silent moments quell
the chaos, muffle the din
and nourish the soul

You make my life pleasant, and my future is bright. Psalm 16:6

Yesterday our staff celebrated my birthday at a local Tex Mex restaurant. It was so much fun. Several of the directors of our ministry were in town from various countries for a fund-raising banquet, so  they were there too. It made is so special.

JB kept us laughing with all his “Jewish jokes.” He is one of the funniest guys I know.

That’s my sweet daughter on the end.

Dear friends around the table…

Hard-working staff gals… 

More friends and staff…

JB’s daughter is too cute! 

One of the best parts of the celebration was that they sang “Happy Birthday” to me in seven languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Chinese, Hebrew, and Russian.

Now for a gal that loves the nations like I do, that was the best part! I feel so grateful to God to have so many friends from different countries. In fact, I am feeling like the richest woman on earth right now!

It’s my birthday today…

… wonderful to take a slow and easy morning counting the early birds just after dawn…

For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)

There’s a town crier on every corner of the world’s stage—animated, influential, convincing—demanding attention. In this age of high-tech communication, competition is fierce. Occasionally, these sounds drowned out my own voice—even more frustrating—my heart.

With so many voices, sometimes, I don’t feel heard. Since I want family and friends—or occasionally anyone that will listen—to know my thoughts, I speak louder, more forcefully.

There are a lot of town criers where we live. Wayne and I just moved to Jerusalem. From our living room and kitchen windows, we have a broad panorama of Mt. Zion, Mt. of Olives, and the Arab village, Silwan.

Wow—Mt. Zion! That’s what I think every morning when I open the shutters. I sit on the veranda and drink morning coffee and pinch myself.

King David called Mt. Zion the perfection of beauty where the presence of God of dwells. He also wrote that God loves the gates of Zion and has chosen it, and from there, The King will rule the nations. Imagine… Zion is the joy of the whole earth…the place where God’s fire burns.

Mt. Zion is lackluster and only a hill. The slops descending into the Hinnom Valley are arid and brown with a few roughed dirt roads that wind around. The Pope’s Way (built after Pope Paul VI’s visit in 1964) is close to the top and a few ancient olives trees are scattered throughout. Hotels, parks, restaurants, an amphitheater, and cinema dot the landscape at various levels.

It is a place of historic significance and blessed hope to the Jew and Christian.  Before Jerusalem was united in 1967, King David’s tomb was the most revered place to pray, because Jews could not get to the Western Wall. Christians have honored its geography and symbolic meanings for centuries.

Perched on top of Mt. Zion are the Dormition Abbey, King David’s tomb, the gravesite of Oskar Schindler, and the Room of the Last Supper—each claiming its place as “king of the mountain.” But no owns Mt. Zion. It belongs to those that embrace its meaning and worship its Creator.

Sound resonates here without microphones or amplifiers. At night, the town criers of Mt. Zion pump music into the air with classical and pop concerts, weddings, bar- and bat-mitzvahs, festivals, or parties—occasionally several at once.

During the day, there are different sounds—the routine noises from the people that live here. The Dormition Abbey rings its bells every few hours during daylight. Both the close-by Arab villages broadcast Islamic prayers from the minarets at various intervals. During Ramadan, the loud beating of drums with eerie chants echo through the valley and up the mountain at three in the morning, waking the sleep of Muslims, Christians, and Jews, even atheists within earshot.

We hear the music and booms of fireworks from nearby Arab weddings. Sirens wail through the valley twenty minutes before the Sabbath, a warning for all Orthodox Jews to return home. They also signal times of memorial or impending danger.

Packs of starving dogs run wild on the hills and valley—snarling, barking, and howling—claiming the territory as their own. Their deprivation drives them to meanness, wayward beasts suffering from a dreadful lack of human kindness, food, and water.

The sounds of Zion today are generated from the town criers of varied roots and religions, expressing their desires for pleasure, religious rectitude, traditions, or exposing injustice and voicing pain. All declare ownership, privilege, need, or want.  And more importantly, a human face with a yearning heart is behind each cry.

Their demands conglomerate into chaotic clamor—the restless din of a suffering city. A spinning society, seemingly abandoned, reduced to screeching into the air and feeling its way along the rough walls of a dark room called the complexities of modern Israel. I realize I am not so different. Just like me, many in the city long to be heard.

There is a unique sound arising in quiet and loud tones—the prayer, praise, and intercessions—a 24-hour house of prayer—down the road from us. Their voices may not be the greatest or the most flamboyant, but they are constant, interceding for the peace of Jerusalem and the welfare of Israel. They fulfill Jeremiah 31:6: There will be a day when watchmen cry out on the hills of Ephraim, “Come, let us go up to Zion, to the LORD our God.”

Once the people of Israel knew the songs of Zion (Psalm 137:3), but I believe the hills will sing again. And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away (Isaiah. 35:10).

My husband and I will be adding our voices to the sounds of Zion’s town criers. We pray that the humanity, living in the community we share, will hear and respond.

For Zion’s sake, we cannot keep silent. Not until Jerusalem is a praise—not a clamoring, chaotic din—but a praise in all the earth.