My Observations While Being Observed: Part 3

I had a "team" of doctors, but each one was focused on their own area.

Each doctor was aware that other doctors were treating me at the same time.  But they really were not very concerned with exactly what the other one was doing.  The cardiologist that I saw was intent on finding any irregularities in my heart that could be causing a problem.  He knew about each test, in relation to my heart, what it showed and what it didn't.  He provided every tool available to him at that hospital to be certain that my heart was healthy before he signed off on my chart.  When he had his conversation with me, he discussed just my heart and how it related to my symptoms.  

Each doctor, nurse, and technician afforded me their best care and attention.  Each one carefully explained what each test had revealed and how that pertained to symptoms.  Each one was totally consumed with how their particular area of medicine affected my illness and recovery. 

Many churches have a lead "team" but each person is focused intently on his own area.

As leaders, it's sometimes easy to become obsessed with our area of expertise, our area of ministry, and become consumed with only what we do that affects those that we serve in our congregation.  We need to remember that while we may deal with  a particular area, but we are all serving the same "whole body".  We are a team, and we hope for and encourage each other as we labor together to serve our congregation, not become obsessed with only those areas where  we are "specialists". 

 I am so thankful to be part of the ministry "team" of Momentum Church.  It is a group that truly is a team that purposes to reach others and grow together as fully devoted followers of Christ!

  

My Observations While Being Observed: Part 2

I was going to get better because someone else gave their blood.

It was a creepy thought at first. But as I lay there, it occurred to me that the blood that was going through my body had been in someone else's body before me.  I lay in the hospital bed, not sleeping, of course, thanks to the carefully scheduled visits to my room every 20 minutes by the nursing staff to check my vital signs, change my IV, or take more blood.  I thought about the person who had donated the blood that was dripping ever so slowly into my body.   And if they hadn't given it, I wouldn't be getting better.  I wondered who they were, where they lived, what their life was like.  And I was grateful for them. 

 And my spirit whispered:

I am going to live forever with Jesus because He gave His blood.

It was a very vivid and very personal reminder that true life is in The Blood.  His blood applied to my life, provides the covering and forgiveness that leads to an abundant life now and an eternity with Jesus.  I have known, believed, and rejoiced in this fact for a long time.  But I felt the reality of this "fact" come to life as I lay in that hospital bed. 

 I felt like the kids that I so love to teach when they understand for the first time a truth from the Bible.  You can watch their eyes light up, and see that look that says, "I see! Oh!  So that's how it is!"  The greatest joy I ever experience is when I see that look in a kid's eye.  I smile and think, "They got it".  

I wondered as I lay in Room 218, if Jesus looked at me with the same smile and said, 

"She got it."

My Observations While Being Observed: Part 1

Since my weekend trip to the hospital, I have been encouraged, strongly by some, to rest this week.  In my case, this really doesn't make sense because my physical condition now is much better than it was Saturday when I checked in.  But, I had to promise, so being true to my word, I thought it would be a good time to catch up on my blogging which has lagged as much as I did last week.

After much poking, prodding, and scanning, the ER physician told me I would need to stay overnight for "observation".  I know she was talking about the hospital staff watching me, but I found myself doing much observing as well.  Here are some of the thoughts I had while in and around Room 218:

Your outward appearance in the waiting room doesn't truly reveal the seriousness of your condition inside.

In the emergency room waiting area there were several people waiting to see the doctor.  There were  three little old ladies, hobbling on canes and walkers. (No, I was not one of them)  There was a family with several small children jockeying for a spot to see the TV mounted in the corner.  There was a mom, wrapped in a blanket, leading 2 preschoolers to the far corner seats.  There was a young couple, the wife with a bandaged finger.  As I looked around the room, I realized that some injuries were fairly obvious; the lady with the bandaged finger probably had a cut that would need stitches.  The mom with the miserable expression, wrapped in a blanket may have had the flu.  But, for the most part, you couldn't tell who was most seriously ill just by looking at their outward appearance.  The mom in the blanket could have a bad cold.  Or meningitis.  The old lady with the walker could have some arthritis in her knee; or a kidney that was failing.  Even my own situation, I didn't know if I was having heart failure or blood clots. (Fortunately, neither)In much the same way, we can observe the people in the world around us and still know that:

Obvious outward signs of sin or hurt, or the lack of the same,  doesn't always reveal the true condition of our spirit.

Only God knows our hearts.  We have become experts at concealing our sins and hurts.  We smile and hope people around us don't see the hurt that is deep inside. Or find out about the sin that we continue to live in.   Sometimes it shows.  We can't hide it all.  But  only God knows the true condition of our hearts.  And only He can provide the exact healing to the specific hurt that will make us whole.  

While I was researching obedience for Sunday's teaching, I came across this Proverb, which, being the sarcastic parent that I am, I wondered why I hadn't quoted it to my kids when they were not being obedient;

"The eye that mocks a father

and despises a mother's instructions

will be plucked out by ravens of the valley

and eaten by vultures."

Whoa!  That's gross.  And truthfully, even as sarcastic as I was, I really don't think I would have ever tossed that one at my kids.  The mental picture of Stephanie being chased across the yard by ravens and vultures after refusing to clean up her room is a bit off the wall; and a bit funny.  (Not sure I should admit that.)

But I have chewed on this verse this week.  If the meaning obviously isn't that you will literally lose your eyes to vultures for leaving your toys strewn across the room, what does it mean?  Perhaps in King David's time, if a person despised their parents and the wisdom that they offered, that person would either leave home, or be expelled from the home.  Without guidance, they may wander about the land, surviving as best they could, until they died; at which point the vultures would literally eat them. 

Or, possibly, that without the wisdom of the generation that is before us, we are spiritually short-sighted, or even blinded, and satan has the opportunity to steal our vision.  In a generation now that values everything that is cutting edge, culturally relevant, and globally accessible, the wisdom of the prior generation is easily discounted.  And though the venues for using that wisdom have certainly changed, and are constantly changing, the wisdom itself is of great value.

God hasn't changed.  His Word hasn't changed.  His faithfulness to the prior generation still needs to be rehearsed in the ears of their children just as the Israelites were instructed to rehearse all that God had done to deliver them from Egpyt; 

"Talk about them when you are at home and when your are on the road; when you are going to bed and when you are getting up."

We can "talk" about God's faithfulness on our podcasts and blogs.  We can attend webcasts broadcast from around the world.  We can facebook and twitter His goodness instantly to thousands of people that we may never meet in person.  But let's be careful that in our embracing of the immediate ability to share the now of what God is doing, we don't despise the testimony of our parents by discounting it as no longer valid.  But let's take what they have laid as a foundation, and continue to build on it, and present to the next generation a clear ability to see God and His vision for us today.

The Week of Reminders!

I have a love:hate relationship with to-do lists.  I love the satisfaction of marking off each item, and, by days end, holding a piece of paper full of lined out words.  On the other hand, I hate spending the time to write a to-do list, when I could be doing one of those things instead of composing the list.  Having that list on my desk, in my car, or in my pocket, reminds me of the things I need to accomplish that day.  I believe, part of my issue, is that I don't want to admit I need the reminder.  I want to think that I am aware of what I need to do, and that I will just do it.  I mean, hello?  I am an adult.  I have a brain.  I am aware of the day of the week.  I know what needs to be done.  But, my confession is, I still need reminders.

Last week, I had a week of reminders.  Not concerning my day to day responsibilities, but about what really matters.  Reminders of who God is and what He said in His Word.  Ok, again, I am an adult.  Spiritually.  (not a perfect one, or one who has arrived, but not a new Christian).  I am aware that the "hour is late, time is short, the night is coming when no man can work....".  I know what needs to be done; people need Jesus.  But, again, my confession is, I still need reminders.  These are some reminders God sent my way last week through others:

We are all a hopeless mess.  Pastor Ross has brought the best series I have ever heard from anyone these last few weeks.  You will be changed if you listen to Dysfunktion.  

That God's mercy and grace is evident in our families when we are far from perfect.  Both Stephanie's story at Journey Group and Reggie Joiner's message at the Orange Conference backed up Jeff's quote, "Satan is just giving God more to work with when he throws this junk in our lives."  I don't know a perfect family.  And if there was one, how would those kid's learn of God's grace and healing power?

And in all this mess, we have access to the Creator of the universe and everything in it, who can bring order to the chaos of our lives and get glory from doing it.  Eric and John both reminded me of this unlimited power that our God brings when we go to Him.  Those words flow so easily, unlimited power.  But stop; and be reminded of what ALL ACCESS means!

Then, mark that off your to-do list, put it back in your pocket, and watch God's grace be unveiled!

Lessons from the Mold

Ok, this time of year brings out the deepest desire in me to be able to produce a lawn that is nice.  And for me, that is a high goal.  It doesn't have to be  beautiful.  It doesn't have to be the best in the neighborhood.  I just don't want to be embarrassed.  My gardening skills are, to put it nicely, lacking.  I try.  I just don't seem to have that green thumb gifting.  So, I think the Lord, in His mercy, shows me things from time to time while I'm working in the yard, so that my time invested there isn't completely in vain.  

I was clearing out the leaves that had accumulated along a bed where a row of hostas grow in our back yard.  As I raked out the leaves that had settled there over last winter, I also raked away last year's stems and leaves from those hostas.  I noticed that many of the leaves were molded and wet.  I assumed by now they should have died, decomposed and disappeared into the ground.  But these had laid under those leaves, wet, dark and rotting.  I may not be the gardening expert, but I know that moldy leaves don't help plants grow.  They will actually cause disease to the new growth.

My heart wondered if that same process happens in our spiritual lives.  I can't live on last year's provision.  What was good for me in the past, not only is insufficient to sustain me now, but, if I cling to that, it can hamper my growth.  My walk with the Lord is a daily provision.  He knows and provides what I need today, for where I am today.  

And, can I even apply that to our world today?  If we only offer what sustained growth last year, will it be the best we can offer?  How much more if we only offer what was successful 10 years ago?  

So, I gathered up the moldy leaves and left the new hosta sprouts to breathe fresh air.  And I prayed, Lord, don't let me dwell in last year.  Keep me close to You for what You have for me today.  And as part of Your Church, let me be attentive to what You want to happen today to reach the world around me for You. 

Rest

Rest.  Everyone knows we need it.  Everyone knows that life goes better all the way  around when we get it.  But we often just don't do it.  Life is busy.  To-do lists abound.  "Opportunities" present themselves.  And we answer; we live, cross off one task, add two more to the list.  

I love my busy life.  It seems the more there is to do, the happier I am.  But happier in the moment sometimes comes at the expense of a quality of our work.  We are still doing our best, just our best, isn't really our best.

So, rest.  Find time, make time, take time.

I suggest sand and Starbucks at St. Simon's Island.

(ps - don't forget the sunblock)