I love this video! This was day I felt like breakin out da burnin bush, da burnin bush!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Amazing Grace
Our senior pastor was recently on a mission trip to Cuba. So this Sunday we had one of our retired pastors preach. I always look forward to hearing this man preach because he seems to have such wisdom when it comes to spiritual things after over 50 years of experience in ministry. This Sunday was no disappointment. He spoke on four pillars of amazing grace. He set up his discussion of grace by talking about seeking. He really caused us to ponder whether we really seek God or does he seek us? Of course, Wesley's prevenient grace is all about God's seeking us before we were even in the womb. God is constantly seeking us.
As I pondered this, I really thought about what this means for me in my position of ministry. For me, this has always been one of the concepts that I have loved most. But, I constantly need to remind myself that the way God has always sought a relationship with me, He is also passionately seeking my students. It is not my job to get them to seek God, or push them into a relationship with God. Jesus never did this, Jesus didn't need programs, or trips, or flashy curriculum to reach those He encountered. Instead, He showed people a new way of life and invited them to this life, to really live. This is my calling. To do my best to live an honest and authentic life in a world of pretending. To lead a deep, connectional life desiring to reach out to God in the midst of cynicism, materialism, and despair. This is my Creator's desire for me, and His desire for my students. The longer I am in ministry the more I realize that my job is about service and relationships.
I worry that sometimes we over-program and worry too much about musicians, media, games, and food and not enough about offering an environment of experience with God. The truth is that I really want God to lead our ministry in my heart, yet I seem to many times find myself getting in the way.
I was reflecting with Carson today about our recent retreat where many walls came down and our group really bonded. I told our group that I believe that the retreat was less of a mountaintop experience and more of a jump on the incline that we have been on since the beginning of this year. At this retreat, I have to say that I feel really, really good about the way we programmed. Our adult team came together and made some things happen that none of us thought possible. Still though, as Carson and I talked, we felt that much of the way God moved during the weekend was more in the cabins and free time than in the programmed times.
I think it is time for us to sit in the presence of God with a clean sheet in front of us and let God lead how we program so that we are making sure there is room for Him to take us in a different direction. Don't know what this might mean, but I'll keep you posted.
As I pondered this, I really thought about what this means for me in my position of ministry. For me, this has always been one of the concepts that I have loved most. But, I constantly need to remind myself that the way God has always sought a relationship with me, He is also passionately seeking my students. It is not my job to get them to seek God, or push them into a relationship with God. Jesus never did this, Jesus didn't need programs, or trips, or flashy curriculum to reach those He encountered. Instead, He showed people a new way of life and invited them to this life, to really live. This is my calling. To do my best to live an honest and authentic life in a world of pretending. To lead a deep, connectional life desiring to reach out to God in the midst of cynicism, materialism, and despair. This is my Creator's desire for me, and His desire for my students. The longer I am in ministry the more I realize that my job is about service and relationships.
I worry that sometimes we over-program and worry too much about musicians, media, games, and food and not enough about offering an environment of experience with God. The truth is that I really want God to lead our ministry in my heart, yet I seem to many times find myself getting in the way.
I was reflecting with Carson today about our recent retreat where many walls came down and our group really bonded. I told our group that I believe that the retreat was less of a mountaintop experience and more of a jump on the incline that we have been on since the beginning of this year. At this retreat, I have to say that I feel really, really good about the way we programmed. Our adult team came together and made some things happen that none of us thought possible. Still though, as Carson and I talked, we felt that much of the way God moved during the weekend was more in the cabins and free time than in the programmed times.
I think it is time for us to sit in the presence of God with a clean sheet in front of us and let God lead how we program so that we are making sure there is room for Him to take us in a different direction. Don't know what this might mean, but I'll keep you posted.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Clouds
So I have been taking a lot of walks in the evenings over the last three months. It's been great for thinking and reflecting and of course it's good for me. Last night I took a walk and the night was beautiful. It was cold, but not the windy cold, bearable. The sky was clear and you could see lots of stars and the glory of this universe that God created. Tonight I went out and it was foggy and clouds covered the stars. I looked up into what seemed to be nothingness (flashback to The Never Ending Story : ) ). I thought about the difference between last night and tonight. One night, all was revealed... and the next, nothingness.
This is what it feels like sometimes in my spiritual journey. There are moments where it feels as though God is so evident in my life, it is impossible to miss Him. Then there are other times when I look for God and it feels as though I'm looking into nothingness. Many times this occurs when I am trying to listen to God and prepare lessons for my students. Sometimes I can feel so inspired that I can get up, only with ideas in my head, and deliver everything exactly as I feel it. Then there are other times when I have done lots of preparation, yet get up and feel like the ideas just aren't coming out the way they feel inside me,,, nothingness. I am aware that, like the stars, God is still there whether I see him or not. I am confident that even in the times that feel cloudy, God is working through me. I wonder though whether the cloudy times aren't times where I should stop and listen. Maybe less structure for my students during these times is what is needed. Perhaps the cloudy times are the times that I need to spend more time listening to my kids.
My prayer tonight is that my kids have plenty of clear nights when it comes to the beauty, mystery, and majesty of God. So many clear nights that they don't forget the presence behind the nothingness on the cloudy nights.
This is what it feels like sometimes in my spiritual journey. There are moments where it feels as though God is so evident in my life, it is impossible to miss Him. Then there are other times when I look for God and it feels as though I'm looking into nothingness. Many times this occurs when I am trying to listen to God and prepare lessons for my students. Sometimes I can feel so inspired that I can get up, only with ideas in my head, and deliver everything exactly as I feel it. Then there are other times when I have done lots of preparation, yet get up and feel like the ideas just aren't coming out the way they feel inside me,,, nothingness. I am aware that, like the stars, God is still there whether I see him or not. I am confident that even in the times that feel cloudy, God is working through me. I wonder though whether the cloudy times aren't times where I should stop and listen. Maybe less structure for my students during these times is what is needed. Perhaps the cloudy times are the times that I need to spend more time listening to my kids.
My prayer tonight is that my kids have plenty of clear nights when it comes to the beauty, mystery, and majesty of God. So many clear nights that they don't forget the presence behind the nothingness on the cloudy nights.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Labyrinth?
Why a labyrinth? I have always found labyrinths to be spiritually invigorating for me. A labyrinth is basically a single path that resembles a maze, but has no dead ends. It symbolizes a journey. My experience with labyrinths has involved a journey of prayer. A labyrinth can help us to focus on a path and allow God to speak to us. I am trying to spend more time in contemplation. I desire more time to slow down and enjoy the very presence of God. I simply want to regularly "be still and know" that God is God.
I don't write this blog for anyone to particularly read it, but more for my own personal accountability in taking this time. I hope to report on my journey here. I hope this blog will be for me, a labyrinth, in that I hope that it helps me to focus on the path and journey of regular contemplation.
I don't write this blog for anyone to particularly read it, but more for my own personal accountability in taking this time. I hope to report on my journey here. I hope this blog will be for me, a labyrinth, in that I hope that it helps me to focus on the path and journey of regular contemplation.
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