This morning during our Marketing department's prayer time, our discussion led to ways that we're reassessing how we do business; what "ministry effectiveness" really means (part of our mission statement). The credit union has always relied on what we do well, like financing, that makes business easy for us. But in this time of economic crisis, we have to step back, re-evaluate and begin looking at things like customer needs, ministry effectiveness, and how to approach business in entirely new ways. Which in turn will allow us to serve better and to be a better ministry to ministries.
This topic led to how difficulties (such as being laid-off, as so many around the country are right now), can be an opportunity to experience God in new ways, to re-evaluate life, etc.
What inspired me to write this post was that, as I returned from lunch and walked into our galley to put my leftover lunch back into the refrigerator, I walked past our Communications and PR manager (who had led our prayer meeting this morning), and another man from our Participations department. "How are you? How's your family?" He asked my the PR manager, Jac, enthusitically. "My son got laid off from his job a week ago," he replied. Immediately and in his deep, thundering voice, the other man set his hand on Jac's shoulder and replied, "Praise God! Isn't that great that He loves him so much that he allowed this crisis in his life to bring him closer to God?" I was walking away at that point, and couldn't see his face but could hear the smile as he spoke. I couldn't help but smile, even laugh a little.
As a Christian, I loved hearing this immediate response of joy in recognizing that those hard times, while not diminishing their difficulty, bring us closer to God and give us time to lean on him and know him better. And that is something to praise him for, not just whine about the frustrating circumstances. But if I were a non-believer, I would think these two men were delusional, irrational, and probably in denial.
What fascinated me further was the context I had for the conversation. Besides prayer this morning, my reading in 1 & 2 Corinthians lately has addressed all of this:
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer....8We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead."
And: "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
Suffering and trials produce dependence on God and opportunity be comforted by him - therefore leading to a greater experience of his love and power - which allow opportunities to comfort others, which brings them peace and salvation. To those who are perishing, to rejoice in suffering is foolishness. And that's okay. Because to those who are being saved, it is here that we find hope, peace and the experiential knowledge of God's power.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Christmas Reflections
The long-anticipated morning was so close, just a few hours before the kids would go to bed and wake up to warm, cozy house filled with cheery sounds of Christmas music floating up into their rooms as they arose. Their sleep would be cut short, too excited by the prospects of the presents that awaited them downstairs beneath their tree.
It was finally Christmas Eve, and every year after church service, a nice dinner, and watching Scrooge, the kids woul put on their pajamas and scurry down to the basement to begin bringing beautifully wrapped Christmas presents up to place under the glowing Christmas tree in the family room. The family would wrap and store the presents downstairs, where the dog couldn't get to them, until the last minute on Christmas eve. The three kids would excitedly carry them all upstairs, checking the tags to see which presents were for them and mentally tallying who had the most. Guesses about what was inside ran through their heads as they carried each one up and placed it under the tree, the stack growing larger and larger. They laughed and joked and squealed with joy as they anticipated what they would find inside the next morning, discover who had given them what, and think about having all day to play with their new treasures.
But maybe the most exciting was that, when those final presents had been set under the tree, and the kids had all surveyed how much was there and went to bed wondering how many hours it would take them this year to get through all of the presents, was that they all knew in the morning there would be even more. Their mom would be up late wrapping more presents she hadn't had time to wrap yet, as she did every year, and then their parents would top off their stockings with little gifts and treats, and finally place "Santa presents" among the piles - unwrapped gifts to start their morning of quickly before they dug into the rest of the boxes. So even though they'd seen what was sitting beneath the tree when they went to bed, they would wake up to many new surprises. They'd get out of bed, wait for their parents to finish preparing everything as always - a fully set breakfast table, lights on the tree, music playing, stockings about to burst, a mounds of glorious presents all wrapped differently with love and care. Their parents would be waiting for them with the cameras to capture their thrilled looks and bliss as the bright lights and beautiful colors around the family room captured their gaze; and as their eyes began to settle on the "Santa presents" with shouts and squeals of excitement while their dreams were finally fulfilled....
This is how I've grown up knowing Christmas to be. It's always been one of the best times of the year, if not the very best. My family's Christmas is steeped in tradition, practically every part of the day and Christmas Eve marked out the same way each year. And we were blessed financially, always enough money to give us just about all of our heart's desires. The presents always stacked up more and more each year, and we would rejoice if our present-opening time took an hour longer than the previous year. We wanted to stretch out that day as long as possible. And of course we knew it was about Jesus. Along with the presents, we always went to church, spent time as a family caroling, reading the Christmas story, praying together, and usually reading a book or sharing a story that had someone in tears. When we went to bed, we had done so after worshipping and knowing what the season was about. But before we were even asleep, our minds were already set on the stuff we would get the next day...wondering how much of our Christmas list was fulfilled. And I actually remember multiple years that I now recall with embarassment; years that I didn't get a certain gift I had really wanted, and that after all the presents had been opened and I realized I didn't get exactly what I'd asked for, I felt bitter and pouty. It just about makes me sick to think about now, how grateful I should have been and wasn't so many of those years. How bad I feel for my mom who poured hours and so much energy into making the day great for us, and I acted to spoiled to even appreciate it, probably just making her feel bad. Still, those Christmases were always so special, filled with so much love and joy and wonderful family time...they're some of my very best memories.
But finally in the last few years I've started to get it. As traditions that I so tightly held onto have changed with spouses and kids and natural change, I've been forced to let go of what I have always known Christmas to be.With the help of church and life circumstances and maturity, I've taken some time and space and deliberate thought to actually prepare for the season. Not in a material sense, but in a spiritual way. It's taken me many years, but I'm kind of starting over and looking at Christmas the way it should be seen. About worship, about God and the gift of his son, about us giving gifts back to Him in honor and praise, and not about me or stuff or what I think the day should be. I don't have a family yet, but I consider how I'll celebrate it with my kids when I have them - will we give each other many presents? Will we serve others? How do I make is special and warm and full of delight and memories for them without doing it for the wrong reasons?
I watched a video on www.adventconspiracy.com this year, which wrapped up how I was feeling about things. Why do I stress so much and spend so much money to find perfect gifts for everyone and let the season go by without taking time for people, and time for Jesus many years? It seems totally backwards. And this website is dealing with just that issue. Give presence, not presents. Give money away to help the hungry, needy, poor, lonely...not give more stuff to those who are already rich. As our pastor reminded us this weekend, if you own a car you're in the top 8% of wealth in the world. Do we really need to give each other more stuff? Is that what Jesus' birth was about? Did the wise men give gifts to each other? Did Jesus come so we could have a day to give and receive more things that won't last? Yes, it's a great time to be with family, a time to show you care and are thinking about each other through giving to one another. But I think this video sums up all that I really want to say about it. I want to change the way I do Christmas - give less stuff, give more time, and give the money I've saved to those who really need it. Use this time to use our blessings to be a blessing, as God has intended.
So to steal more ideas from this video in lack of my own brilliance, I'll end this post with their quote:
Spend less on gifts
Give more presence
Love like Jesus
Merry Christmas :)
It was finally Christmas Eve, and every year after church service, a nice dinner, and watching Scrooge, the kids woul put on their pajamas and scurry down to the basement to begin bringing beautifully wrapped Christmas presents up to place under the glowing Christmas tree in the family room. The family would wrap and store the presents downstairs, where the dog couldn't get to them, until the last minute on Christmas eve. The three kids would excitedly carry them all upstairs, checking the tags to see which presents were for them and mentally tallying who had the most. Guesses about what was inside ran through their heads as they carried each one up and placed it under the tree, the stack growing larger and larger. They laughed and joked and squealed with joy as they anticipated what they would find inside the next morning, discover who had given them what, and think about having all day to play with their new treasures.
But maybe the most exciting was that, when those final presents had been set under the tree, and the kids had all surveyed how much was there and went to bed wondering how many hours it would take them this year to get through all of the presents, was that they all knew in the morning there would be even more. Their mom would be up late wrapping more presents she hadn't had time to wrap yet, as she did every year, and then their parents would top off their stockings with little gifts and treats, and finally place "Santa presents" among the piles - unwrapped gifts to start their morning of quickly before they dug into the rest of the boxes. So even though they'd seen what was sitting beneath the tree when they went to bed, they would wake up to many new surprises. They'd get out of bed, wait for their parents to finish preparing everything as always - a fully set breakfast table, lights on the tree, music playing, stockings about to burst, a mounds of glorious presents all wrapped differently with love and care. Their parents would be waiting for them with the cameras to capture their thrilled looks and bliss as the bright lights and beautiful colors around the family room captured their gaze; and as their eyes began to settle on the "Santa presents" with shouts and squeals of excitement while their dreams were finally fulfilled....
This is how I've grown up knowing Christmas to be. It's always been one of the best times of the year, if not the very best. My family's Christmas is steeped in tradition, practically every part of the day and Christmas Eve marked out the same way each year. And we were blessed financially, always enough money to give us just about all of our heart's desires. The presents always stacked up more and more each year, and we would rejoice if our present-opening time took an hour longer than the previous year. We wanted to stretch out that day as long as possible. And of course we knew it was about Jesus. Along with the presents, we always went to church, spent time as a family caroling, reading the Christmas story, praying together, and usually reading a book or sharing a story that had someone in tears. When we went to bed, we had done so after worshipping and knowing what the season was about. But before we were even asleep, our minds were already set on the stuff we would get the next day...wondering how much of our Christmas list was fulfilled. And I actually remember multiple years that I now recall with embarassment; years that I didn't get a certain gift I had really wanted, and that after all the presents had been opened and I realized I didn't get exactly what I'd asked for, I felt bitter and pouty. It just about makes me sick to think about now, how grateful I should have been and wasn't so many of those years. How bad I feel for my mom who poured hours and so much energy into making the day great for us, and I acted to spoiled to even appreciate it, probably just making her feel bad. Still, those Christmases were always so special, filled with so much love and joy and wonderful family time...they're some of my very best memories.
But finally in the last few years I've started to get it. As traditions that I so tightly held onto have changed with spouses and kids and natural change, I've been forced to let go of what I have always known Christmas to be.With the help of church and life circumstances and maturity, I've taken some time and space and deliberate thought to actually prepare for the season. Not in a material sense, but in a spiritual way. It's taken me many years, but I'm kind of starting over and looking at Christmas the way it should be seen. About worship, about God and the gift of his son, about us giving gifts back to Him in honor and praise, and not about me or stuff or what I think the day should be. I don't have a family yet, but I consider how I'll celebrate it with my kids when I have them - will we give each other many presents? Will we serve others? How do I make is special and warm and full of delight and memories for them without doing it for the wrong reasons?
I watched a video on www.adventconspiracy.com this year, which wrapped up how I was feeling about things. Why do I stress so much and spend so much money to find perfect gifts for everyone and let the season go by without taking time for people, and time for Jesus many years? It seems totally backwards. And this website is dealing with just that issue. Give presence, not presents. Give money away to help the hungry, needy, poor, lonely...not give more stuff to those who are already rich. As our pastor reminded us this weekend, if you own a car you're in the top 8% of wealth in the world. Do we really need to give each other more stuff? Is that what Jesus' birth was about? Did the wise men give gifts to each other? Did Jesus come so we could have a day to give and receive more things that won't last? Yes, it's a great time to be with family, a time to show you care and are thinking about each other through giving to one another. But I think this video sums up all that I really want to say about it. I want to change the way I do Christmas - give less stuff, give more time, and give the money I've saved to those who really need it. Use this time to use our blessings to be a blessing, as God has intended.
So to steal more ideas from this video in lack of my own brilliance, I'll end this post with their quote:
Spend less on gifts
Give more presence
Love like Jesus
Merry Christmas :)
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Fasting
"And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites...but when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face..."-Matthew 6:16
Our pastor recently pointed out during a sermon the fact that the way Jesus addresses the topic of fasting indicates that it's assumed his followers will be fasting. This comes after he talks about praying, which is another normal assumption of the Christian life. Yet how many of us actually fast on a regular basis...or at all? I know I don't. I mean, I have a few times, but it's definitely not a regular part of my life. Sure, I've thought about it many times since taking a class on spiritual disciplines and practicing fasting at that time. But it's hard...I think about doing it, and the idea of going hungry, being tired, trying to concentrate at work with no energy, being distracted by hunger pangs all day long...and somehow I always manage to find an excuse. I know how beneficial it can be, and yet I still can't bring myself to do it.
But it struck me this weekend that I really do need to make a more regular practice of this discipline. And I'm specifically talking about food, but I could make a regular habit of fasting other things as well. Our church called us to fast this past Friday, and some people did it all week, others fasted various things beyond food. I wrote earlier about this...fasting activity, spending money, and then food on Friday. Fasting spending and shopping freed me up a lot. I tend to make several trips to the store during the week, constantly thinking of some food item or toiletry or article of clothing that I "need". But it's not only a money waster, it's also a time waster. This week I made one trip for groceries and didn't make any other shopping trips. Meaning my evenings and lunch times had more free time. Because i took a break from "doing" and being productive, that basically meant my evenings were totally open. And each evening I spent time in prayer, reading my bible, and seeking God. Nothing amazing or out of the ordinary occured out of that time, but I do think it prepared me for Friday and Saturday.
Friday I fasted up until 8, when our church broke our fast together. And it actually wasn't too bad. sure, I was hungry...but there was something peaceful about that discomfort, in that i knew I wasn't being controlled by my desires, by food, by filling myself with something that I so regularly depend on. Fasting from both food and spending helped me to feel more free, as though those things have control over my mind and heart at times. Being disciplined actually made me feel more free. And i expected the fast to be brutal, especially after sleeping for only 3 hours after ministry. But while I was tired, it never felt horrible. By 8 pm I was incredibly tired and ready to eat, but it wasn't the worst thing in the world by any means. And all day i could reflect on how God is the only nourishment that i need, the only that truly satisfies. I've noticed that I'm much more intent and focused on prayer when I fast. I'm not worried about eating, or fitting everything into my lunch time. And knowing that fasting is a great time to really plea to God for something or someone, it made me approach prayer in a much more serious and intentional way. I prayed for myself, but mostly prayed for someone in Hollywood who my heart constantly breaks for. I've thought about fasting for those in Hollywood many times, but haven't "gotten around to it". (In other words, I'm selfish and haven't wanted to put them before me because I hate being hungry. ugh.) I really enjoyed praying for this boy in this way.
Then at church, we broke our fast with communion together...followed by a big celebratory dinner together. In Mark Buchanan's book The Rest of God, he addresses the idea of "staying hungry" and celebrating Sabbath with feasting. He says this,
"In the bible, food is food- a gift of the earth that makes our bones strong and straight, that lends joy to our gatherings-but it is also a picture of something else: the way God fills and nourishes us. Sometimes our feasting expresses this, and sometimes it eclipses it. Sometimes our abundant meals reflect God's abundance. Other times, all our eating dulls us and lulls us into forgetting him altogether...One thing Jesus did in the Eurcharist was to connect eating with obedience and worship. He joined earth with heaven, bread with manna, flesh with Spirit. He linked physical hunger with spiritual hunger. He reminded us that every bite is also a prayer.
Do you eat this way? I have two suggestions for this Sabbath Liturgy. The first is that you receive your very next meal-breakfast, lunch, dinner, whatever-as a gift from both heaven and earth. Partake of it with thankfulness and simplicity, eating just enough to fill you, then stopping. Nourish your Spirit and your body together. Try to do this whenever you eat and drink. The other suggestion is that your next sabbath meal be a fast: a time of enjoying the sheer bounty of God and his creation. Maybe, if you don't do this already, invite others to join you. Overdo it a big. Delight in the utter extravagance of God, who does exceeding, abundantly more than all we ask or imagine."
I felt that's what we were able to experience on Friday...relying on God to satisfy our hunger through Him alone during the day. Then at night, celebrating together in his abundance and the amazing things he had done that week in many lives and for our church. And we were all provided a meal, for free, and a taste of God's goodness through food and fellowship with his family.
On Saturday I woke up, slightly hungry, and thinking that I didn't have that urge to just quench the hunger right away. There was something about it that compelled me towards Christ, something about satisfying it so quickly and easily that just felt like a distraction from God and as though that's what was filling me, not God. I ended up eating just a little and going to a conference at church slightly hungry. In the afternoon at that conference, we later took the Lord's Supper once again. Something about it this time hit me much more than the previous night, oddly enough, since I had eaten a plentiful lunch. But the taste and feel of the delicious bread in my mouth made me think back to the previous night. That God provides and sustains us. That he died for us for that. That the pleasures of this world, the acceptance of others, the things I can do and attain, the approval I can win from others...none of it satisfy or fill me. Or if they do, it is not the food I should be relying on, only God should be doing that for me. It hit me that I didn't need to try so hard- to get things done, to get approval and acceptance in whatever way- but that he loves me that much that he died...he gave his body and blood to fill me and every one of my hungers and needs. And in that moment of tasting his body and blood, it hit me how much he already loves and accepts me, and in that I am freed to love others in the same way and never require anything back.
Some very good lessons for just one day of fasting :) um...why don't I do this more?
Our pastor recently pointed out during a sermon the fact that the way Jesus addresses the topic of fasting indicates that it's assumed his followers will be fasting. This comes after he talks about praying, which is another normal assumption of the Christian life. Yet how many of us actually fast on a regular basis...or at all? I know I don't. I mean, I have a few times, but it's definitely not a regular part of my life. Sure, I've thought about it many times since taking a class on spiritual disciplines and practicing fasting at that time. But it's hard...I think about doing it, and the idea of going hungry, being tired, trying to concentrate at work with no energy, being distracted by hunger pangs all day long...and somehow I always manage to find an excuse. I know how beneficial it can be, and yet I still can't bring myself to do it.
But it struck me this weekend that I really do need to make a more regular practice of this discipline. And I'm specifically talking about food, but I could make a regular habit of fasting other things as well. Our church called us to fast this past Friday, and some people did it all week, others fasted various things beyond food. I wrote earlier about this...fasting activity, spending money, and then food on Friday. Fasting spending and shopping freed me up a lot. I tend to make several trips to the store during the week, constantly thinking of some food item or toiletry or article of clothing that I "need". But it's not only a money waster, it's also a time waster. This week I made one trip for groceries and didn't make any other shopping trips. Meaning my evenings and lunch times had more free time. Because i took a break from "doing" and being productive, that basically meant my evenings were totally open. And each evening I spent time in prayer, reading my bible, and seeking God. Nothing amazing or out of the ordinary occured out of that time, but I do think it prepared me for Friday and Saturday.
Friday I fasted up until 8, when our church broke our fast together. And it actually wasn't too bad. sure, I was hungry...but there was something peaceful about that discomfort, in that i knew I wasn't being controlled by my desires, by food, by filling myself with something that I so regularly depend on. Fasting from both food and spending helped me to feel more free, as though those things have control over my mind and heart at times. Being disciplined actually made me feel more free. And i expected the fast to be brutal, especially after sleeping for only 3 hours after ministry. But while I was tired, it never felt horrible. By 8 pm I was incredibly tired and ready to eat, but it wasn't the worst thing in the world by any means. And all day i could reflect on how God is the only nourishment that i need, the only that truly satisfies. I've noticed that I'm much more intent and focused on prayer when I fast. I'm not worried about eating, or fitting everything into my lunch time. And knowing that fasting is a great time to really plea to God for something or someone, it made me approach prayer in a much more serious and intentional way. I prayed for myself, but mostly prayed for someone in Hollywood who my heart constantly breaks for. I've thought about fasting for those in Hollywood many times, but haven't "gotten around to it". (In other words, I'm selfish and haven't wanted to put them before me because I hate being hungry. ugh.) I really enjoyed praying for this boy in this way.
Then at church, we broke our fast with communion together...followed by a big celebratory dinner together. In Mark Buchanan's book The Rest of God, he addresses the idea of "staying hungry" and celebrating Sabbath with feasting. He says this,
"In the bible, food is food- a gift of the earth that makes our bones strong and straight, that lends joy to our gatherings-but it is also a picture of something else: the way God fills and nourishes us. Sometimes our feasting expresses this, and sometimes it eclipses it. Sometimes our abundant meals reflect God's abundance. Other times, all our eating dulls us and lulls us into forgetting him altogether...One thing Jesus did in the Eurcharist was to connect eating with obedience and worship. He joined earth with heaven, bread with manna, flesh with Spirit. He linked physical hunger with spiritual hunger. He reminded us that every bite is also a prayer.
Do you eat this way? I have two suggestions for this Sabbath Liturgy. The first is that you receive your very next meal-breakfast, lunch, dinner, whatever-as a gift from both heaven and earth. Partake of it with thankfulness and simplicity, eating just enough to fill you, then stopping. Nourish your Spirit and your body together. Try to do this whenever you eat and drink. The other suggestion is that your next sabbath meal be a fast: a time of enjoying the sheer bounty of God and his creation. Maybe, if you don't do this already, invite others to join you. Overdo it a big. Delight in the utter extravagance of God, who does exceeding, abundantly more than all we ask or imagine."
I felt that's what we were able to experience on Friday...relying on God to satisfy our hunger through Him alone during the day. Then at night, celebrating together in his abundance and the amazing things he had done that week in many lives and for our church. And we were all provided a meal, for free, and a taste of God's goodness through food and fellowship with his family.
On Saturday I woke up, slightly hungry, and thinking that I didn't have that urge to just quench the hunger right away. There was something about it that compelled me towards Christ, something about satisfying it so quickly and easily that just felt like a distraction from God and as though that's what was filling me, not God. I ended up eating just a little and going to a conference at church slightly hungry. In the afternoon at that conference, we later took the Lord's Supper once again. Something about it this time hit me much more than the previous night, oddly enough, since I had eaten a plentiful lunch. But the taste and feel of the delicious bread in my mouth made me think back to the previous night. That God provides and sustains us. That he died for us for that. That the pleasures of this world, the acceptance of others, the things I can do and attain, the approval I can win from others...none of it satisfy or fill me. Or if they do, it is not the food I should be relying on, only God should be doing that for me. It hit me that I didn't need to try so hard- to get things done, to get approval and acceptance in whatever way- but that he loves me that much that he died...he gave his body and blood to fill me and every one of my hungers and needs. And in that moment of tasting his body and blood, it hit me how much he already loves and accepts me, and in that I am freed to love others in the same way and never require anything back.
Some very good lessons for just one day of fasting :) um...why don't I do this more?
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Under the Overpass
A few weeks ago I had an awesome God experience, and yet have totally forgotten to blog about it.
I read Under the Overpass recently, which I think I wrote about on here, and am now reading the devotional. It has 6 days of devotions, and on the 7th day is an "action" day, where the author gives 3 suggestions of ways to put your faith into action. The first day there were 3 choices relating to giving to the homeless community or those in need. Well, instead of writing it all out again, I'm just going to paste an email I wrote to a friend that weekend:
"Since you talked at [church] I've been trying to pray each day that God would use me, show me opportunities, and help me to keep my eyes out for people he might want me to talk to. It's actually been kind of frustrating because I feel like I haven't had many opportunities, but even more so because I almost feel scared when I pray that, as if I don't want him to actually give me the opportunities, or make me go out of my way. Which is so stupid! I always get so excited when I have chances to talk to people and talk about God. I guess it's probably Satan messing with me when I pray.
But anyway....I am excited today because I've been able to reconnect with [someone] online. I barely know him, but about a month ago he sent our whole family an email "coming out" about his atheism and not being a Christian anymore. In the past couple of days we've been able to get into email conversations about it, and it's been really easy and good and I think the conversation will be going for a while. I know other people in my family are talking to him, too, so I just pray that God will use us!
Then today, I've been reading this devotional that goes with the book Under the Overpass, that is basically intended to challenge people to put faith into action. So one of the things the first week he suggests is keeping water and granola bars in your car to give to homeless people who are holding signs for money and stuff like that. (which by the way, I think is a cool idea because then you always have something on hand to give to someone and lead to a conversation). So I bought stuff this morning and prayed that God would give me an opportunity to use them. On the way to my sister's there was a guy holding a sign that he needed work and obviously homeless. So, realizing this was an opportunity, I did a quick u-turn because I passed him at first. So I pulled into a gas station, got a water bottle and granola bar and headed back. But he had moved to the other side of the street, so I couldn't hand him anything. So I did another u-turn, parked illegally at the gas station, and walked back underneath the freeway (under the overpass, oddly enough) to where he was sitting. I introduced myself and handed him the food.
I found out that he has worked construction, so that's the type of work he'd like. I was going to see my brother-in-law, who's a general contractor. So I got his number and am going to see if he has any work this guy can do for him. I also got some info about his situation and then prayed with him. I was in a hurry to come babysit my niece, so I couldn't really get into a long conversation, which was kind of a bummer. But I was stoked to see how God was bringing me chances to share Him more than once today!"
I read Under the Overpass recently, which I think I wrote about on here, and am now reading the devotional. It has 6 days of devotions, and on the 7th day is an "action" day, where the author gives 3 suggestions of ways to put your faith into action. The first day there were 3 choices relating to giving to the homeless community or those in need. Well, instead of writing it all out again, I'm just going to paste an email I wrote to a friend that weekend:
"Since you talked at [church] I've been trying to pray each day that God would use me, show me opportunities, and help me to keep my eyes out for people he might want me to talk to. It's actually been kind of frustrating because I feel like I haven't had many opportunities, but even more so because I almost feel scared when I pray that, as if I don't want him to actually give me the opportunities, or make me go out of my way. Which is so stupid! I always get so excited when I have chances to talk to people and talk about God. I guess it's probably Satan messing with me when I pray.
But anyway....I am excited today because I've been able to reconnect with [someone] online. I barely know him, but about a month ago he sent our whole family an email "coming out" about his atheism and not being a Christian anymore. In the past couple of days we've been able to get into email conversations about it, and it's been really easy and good and I think the conversation will be going for a while. I know other people in my family are talking to him, too, so I just pray that God will use us!
Then today, I've been reading this devotional that goes with the book Under the Overpass, that is basically intended to challenge people to put faith into action. So one of the things the first week he suggests is keeping water and granola bars in your car to give to homeless people who are holding signs for money and stuff like that. (which by the way, I think is a cool idea because then you always have something on hand to give to someone and lead to a conversation). So I bought stuff this morning and prayed that God would give me an opportunity to use them. On the way to my sister's there was a guy holding a sign that he needed work and obviously homeless. So, realizing this was an opportunity, I did a quick u-turn because I passed him at first. So I pulled into a gas station, got a water bottle and granola bar and headed back. But he had moved to the other side of the street, so I couldn't hand him anything. So I did another u-turn, parked illegally at the gas station, and walked back underneath the freeway (under the overpass, oddly enough) to where he was sitting. I introduced myself and handed him the food.
I found out that he has worked construction, so that's the type of work he'd like. I was going to see my brother-in-law, who's a general contractor. So I got his number and am going to see if he has any work this guy can do for him. I also got some info about his situation and then prayed with him. I was in a hurry to come babysit my niece, so I couldn't really get into a long conversation, which was kind of a bummer. But I was stoked to see how God was bringing me chances to share Him more than once today!"
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Lectio Divina
Last night, as part of this seeking God in our church, I set aside plenty of time to just be with God. But I've been reading through Genesis, basically starting over in the bible to go through it again. And something about that just didn't fit in with my pursuit of him and waiting to hear his voice this week as far as vision and direction. So I ended up in Proverbs, where I went back to one that i had read recently but had stuck out to me. And then I remembered the practice of Lectio Divina, a long, meditative, repetitive study of the scripture.
And it made me wonder why I don't do this more. It's such a good way of getting scripture stuck in your head, knowing verses and where they're found and their context. After you read a passage multiple times, through and through, it gets stuck in there pretty good. If only i did that more, I may not have tons of scripture memorized, but I would come a lot closer and much more on my mind at all times. And it allowed to see things I hadn't seen before, understand God speaking to me in new ways, and trying to reiterate ideas to me that haven't been getting through, but finally made sense.
It also showed me how tired I actually am. i started praying (step 3 of the process of lectio divina) and nearly fell asleep. I think that was around 9:00. Who knew that if I just stopped in the evening, I could just crash like that? This insane busyness keeps us aware that we must be tired, but prevents us from seeing just how tired we are. Maybe if I got more rest, I would actually do better at everything during my waking hours.
And tonight, from some prompting from God and other ideas around me, I'll be praying for ministry in particular. Which is something I always want to pray a lot for, but just don't seem to make enough time.
And it made me wonder why I don't do this more. It's such a good way of getting scripture stuck in your head, knowing verses and where they're found and their context. After you read a passage multiple times, through and through, it gets stuck in there pretty good. If only i did that more, I may not have tons of scripture memorized, but I would come a lot closer and much more on my mind at all times. And it allowed to see things I hadn't seen before, understand God speaking to me in new ways, and trying to reiterate ideas to me that haven't been getting through, but finally made sense.
It also showed me how tired I actually am. i started praying (step 3 of the process of lectio divina) and nearly fell asleep. I think that was around 9:00. Who knew that if I just stopped in the evening, I could just crash like that? This insane busyness keeps us aware that we must be tired, but prevents us from seeing just how tired we are. Maybe if I got more rest, I would actually do better at everything during my waking hours.
And tonight, from some prompting from God and other ideas around me, I'll be praying for ministry in particular. Which is something I always want to pray a lot for, but just don't seem to make enough time.
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