... and seven days have been reflected on (and counted) and I think I can say it has been a week in which whilst not all of it was enjoyable, none of it was that bad.
Today was interesting as I more than once I found myself wondering where the lunatics that might run the asylum were to be found and found myself gently chastised for preaching what was before me in the word and in the flesh. I was told people need to be praised and encouraged not told things that will depress them. But, oddly perhaps, I found the words to be fitting and saw nothing but a call to action rather than dissatisfaction as a lifestyle.
Jesus, God's living word has come - the servant whose ministry is a light to the Gentiles and exactly what those 'far off' seek in their neediness and distressed situation. The call of God and the reconciliation with Him through the Christ coming as Isaiah's servant - the Messiah - and dying for us combined with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, sublime. Jesus - our paschal lamb who takes away the sin of the world - in the brokenness of his body, in the bread and wine, in the paucity of our response - how can we not look around and take our place in the family of faith and join the family firm as co-heirs, cohabitors, and co-workers?
But instead we complain about the situations before us looking for someone to be doing what is needed when surely that someone is us? If you have the right to complain then you have the right and responsibility to act. Can it get any simpler?
But overall I enjoyed today for I got to sing God's praises and share His word, and His peace, and be Church. Overall I have had a great week and as it becomes history I look forward to the coming day and the opportunities God gives us to reach out and make a difference because of Him.
Sad spot is that I don't rue the fact that I have led no one to Christ this week as much as I would have hoped I did - I've shown His love to those near but somehow in the daily round been distracted from 'making Him known' to those far off - and this sits uneasily with me. "How I'll they know unless somebody tells them?" But I have the sneaky feeling that habit, circumstance and experience are making me something less than I would like to be.
Lord, for the encounters, the challenges, the blessing, the tears and the joy this closing week has provided, I thank You. Make me your man in the places I find myself this week and help me to become just that bit more like You I pray.
Come on new day - let's get busy.
And in a never to be repeated monitoring of the week, the scores on the doors were:
Communicated 142
Hours worked: 72
telephone calls made:183
Texts: sent: 151
Emails sent: 212. (Emails ignored: far too many :-). )
1 comment:
Surely, your role isn't to tell people what they want to hear, but the truth as you see it through the Gospels that we are reading. Extracting and interpreting those readings in ways that make them available in today's context. And that news won't be all soft and huggy feely, because while Jesus was compassionate (divinely so) was also someone who used metaphor and narrative to call out those who were offending his father and exploiting those less able them themselves.
He called out sin and those who used the law to suit their worldly wishes, not those of the Kingdom. If I'm uncomfortable because I hear a home truth in a sermon, I go away to reflect and pray on it, not moan and shoot the messenger.
All strength to your elbow I say.
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