It's been a very busy time lately and I know my posts here have been few and rather light in nature. It's quite a challenge at times to keep up. I do wish there were just a few more hours in each day. Here's a few early morning thoughts...
-I'm nearing the finish of a 5 year writing project with a friend. We have been working on a book and are now in the final editing work. It's funny, but after all this time I'm not as interested in the project. I do need to finish it though.
-My uncle Lloyd died yesterday. He had battled prostate cancer for the last few years. I haven't seen him in a while, but I will miss him anyway. It's hard to watch my parent's generation pass. It makes me more aware of my own mortality.
-I've been thinking a lot about prayer lately. There are a few of us who spend a lot of time in prayer, I'm not one of them. I desire to spend more time with God just listening, being with him, worshipping, talking, but I get distracted so easily. It's frustrating. I want to spend more time in prayer. I know it's important, but I get distracted....
-"Who's your Paul?" was a question asked of me yesterday. I've heard this discussion often. Who is your Paul, your Timothy, your Barnabas? It's a discussion about friendship, discipleship and accountability. At the moment I don't have a Paul, an older saint walking alongside me. It seems I'm filling that role in other people's lives. I wonder, is there a time when we become the spiritual fathers and mothers of the church family and don't realize it? I'm not saying I'm "Paul material", but I think there is a time when we must grow up spiritually. I hope I'm doing that a little.
-On the topic of sin. I'm rather tired of sin. I'm tired of its ongoing hold on parts of my life and I'm tired of dealing with it in the lives of others. What a mess we would be in if we didn't have a savior!
-Tomorrow I get to speak at our conference for the middle school kids. I'm really looking forward to this. I don't get to hang out with our youth ministry much, but I love it when I can. And, I have to tell you that I'm really excited about our youth pastor, Charlie. I love working with him and can't wait to see what God does in his life.
-I wonder if we are beginning to see some "end time" events unfolding. 7.0 earthquake in Haiti, 8.8 in Chile, and another one in Taiwan yesterday. It looks like there is an escalation and intensity of events talked about by Jesus. Just wondering.
-I need to get busy and get the day started soon. I have a men's group I lead that meets at 6 am this morning. Just a couple hours away. I'm really excited about this group. They are amazing guys who all want to serve God and grow in faith. Some of them really humble me with their passion to know Christ. It makes me want more of HIM. I think that's why a good group like this is so important.
-I think I can get about an hour more of sleep before I have to start the day. Maybe I should rest a little more, but then I think about how much I have to do. I'm glad the Lord said he takes care of things even when we sleep.
-One last thought and then a little rest. I don't think I have ever seen our culture, the American culture, in such a difficult place....people out of work, no work to do, worries over how to live, marriages breaking up, anarchy at the door. I wonder how God will work through all of this. It seems many are near despair in their lives. I wonder what God's up to.....
1 comment:
On the last point, is it really what God is up to or what He is allowing and what satan is up to? I'm am very sad over the many marriage break-ups I see. But I think a lot has to do with so many who are struggling with unemployment and difficult times. It takes a TOLL on a marriage to constantly try to figure out how you are going to get things paid - much less how you are going to deal with teenagers and people at work and just getting things done at home. The stress on so many of us in similar situations is unlike any I've seen before.
And re your post on defending the faith - that is a tough one, too. I know recently at work I was talking with 3 people all with different faiths than me, but yet with faith none the less (if that makes sense). It's a challenge to adequately convey the TRUTH without being offensive. Unfortunately, Christianity can sound offensive to others even when that isn't the intent.
Life is hard. I fail miserably on a daily (if not hourly) basis. If it weren't for Romans 8:1, somedays I think I would feel like a persistent failure.
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