“Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” (I Corinthians 15:58 NASB)
Professor Carolin (spelled correctly) Crawford, a professor of Astronomy, once had this to say about rotation: “Rotation is a fundamental physical process throughout the Universe. So much is spinning, from planets and stars revolving on their axes, to whole spiral galaxies rotating around their centre. We shall start by looking at the fundamentals of rotational motion, including the concept of angular momentum. This then will be extended to show what observations of rotation can tell us about how planetary systems form and develop, how neutron stars evolve with time, and how rotational motion provides crucial evidence for the presence and distribution of the elusive dark matter.”
We may not be as astute as the academic figure above, but we can definitely identify with the term “rotation.” Many of you have a pattern of rotating your clothes over your preferred period of time. When it comes to household chores, tasks or assignments, they are usually rotated among family members. In secondary school classes, when the bell rang, it was time to rotate to another class on your schedule. Typically, you don’t serve meatloaf or any other main dish item every day, but you rotate the day or week on which it is served. Somebody is saying, “Thank you Jesus!” In the sport of basketball, players with a perfect shooting style shoot so that the ball has perfect rotation and defenses are rotated from man-to-man coverage to varying types of zones. Major League teams that are participating in the baseball playoffs, have a plan, devised by the manager of the team, to rotate pitchers. These are just some examples that show that we are familiar with rotation. I’m sure you can think of more.
Rotation is not only an applicable term from a study of astronomy or relevant to fundamental physical process or in regard to every day common processes, but it is also a term that we can apply to our spiritual process through life. How so? Let me explain what I mean. Our scripture references will help. The opening verse relates to not rotating and being unmovable, always abounding the work of the Lord. The closing verse speaks to rotating from place to place and from person to person, actively trying to recruit individuals, putting forth the effort to remake them as disciples, and retain them in the church. Rotation is never ending in this positive perspective of the term’s meaning. Once we have won one person to Christ, we move on to, rotating to the next place to find another person. If we rotate properly, following the example of Jesus who went to various cities and towns and villages, if we refer to the work of the apostles in the early church, including Paul, we see how proper rotation grows the church.
It’s Saturday, and I usually encourage you to attend church on this day. So, I will stay with my regular rotation and urge you today to rotate out of the patter you adhere to from Monday through Saturday and do what you are supposed to do on the Lord’s Day, Sunday, roll on into the house of the Lord. Need I say more about being in the assembly of the saints? This rotation will ensure feeding the soul and fellowshipping with other believers, members of the household of faith. Set your alarm tonight, so you will rotate to where you should be tomorrow, reveling in praise and reaching up to heaven to where our help comes from! Have a great day this Saturday! Have a glorious day tomorrow! Be blessed!
Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” (I Corinthians 15:18-20 The Message Bible)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King