I Never Cease to Be Amazed...

Some of my professors in Seminary smilingly offered the advice that pastors should never write a letter of resignation on Monday morning. This is when the servant of God has had time to reflect on the events of Sunday and ruminate on interactions with those who mean well, but... The wisdom of the professors was profound. There have been many "Monday Mornings" - but no letter of resignation.
Perhaps a corollary to that bit of wisdom would be for preachers never to evaluate a sermon on Sunday afternoon. This morning's worship was not one for the record books. My mind was scattered. The songs didn't go as smoothly as I wanted. The message seemed (to me) to be forced and staggered like an old pickup truck when you pop the clutch. I was not impressed. I could almost hear God chuckling at my desire for pastoral perfection. Then it happened...
I began to receive feedback beyond the obligatory, "nice sermon" at the door. The feedback continued to be positive. Not one of my even closest confidants derided me for pedagogical pointlessness. My prayer was answered. You see, I asked God at the beginning of the service to "do more than we can take credit for". I asked God not to be limited by my feeble vocabulary. I prayed that the Spirit would transform what I said into a message from the Throne room of Grace.
I'm still not satisfied with the message. I would like to have had a bit more composure... But if God can take five loaves of bread and two fish and miraculously feed 5000 people, why is it such a stretch to believe that He can take my wavering mind-cluttered message and transform it into something that intersects with people's lives.
No letter of resignation - just a declaration of dependence upon my Rock, my Fortress, my Deliverer!

In 1883, Julia Stephen published a pamphlet entitled "Notes from Sickrooms." It was a brief piece intended as an instruction addendum for domestic nurses. In one section, she writes,

"When an illness has gone on for some time, the sick person becomes very weary of the things that surround her. She has looked at all the pictures which hang on the walls and at the patterns which ornament or disfigure the paper till she can bear them no longer. The nurse cannot, of course, alter all these things, but she can give them a certain change in the aspect of the room. A looking glass, so placed that it can reflect the sky and the trees--or if the sufferer is in London, some portion of the street--will be a refreshment to the eyes which have for so long not pierced beyond the narrow boundary of the sickroom."

I feel like that sometimes. Stuff goes on all around me that I cannot change. I cannot stop the sick from dying. I cannot stop those who wish to do you harm. It seems I am powerless against the raging power of evil. But what if I could just change someone's perspective. Could I change the way people think about God just by altering one small part of my attitude? Could I change the way someone thinks about the claims of Christ by a kind word spoken? It might not be changing the world, but I think it's definitely worth a shot....

On Thursday, January 10, there was a robbery. A Wachovia Bank in Washington, D.C. was taken for a large sum of money (some reports say "only" $100 grand ... other reports list the take as nearly $400 grand. There were no hostages. No shots were fired. The robber simply walked in dressed as an armored car driver and asked for the daily cash pickup. It was nearly 11 hours before the police were notified. The robber was clever (perhaps brilliant). I hope he doesn't get away with it!

Have you ever been fooled by an imposter? Someone pretending to be someone they're not... a friend, confidant, a lover? Thinking that everything is legitimate, we allow them into the most secure areas of our lives - only to be taken... It happens to the best (and worst) of us. Don't think that just because someone has fooled you in the past that no one can be trusted.

Have you ever been fooled? Is it time to trust again?

Have You Ever Lost Hope?

According to my calendar, Easter has come and gone once more. It's easy to get excited when everyone is celebrating, but what happens when the cheers fade? Have you ever lost hope? It happened after the very first Easter. I am convinced that it continues to happen today. It's not something that we talk about much, but I'd be interested to hear your story. Everything still going like a dream? Or do you find yourself drifting into a hopeless nightmare?