Way too late to be awake on a school night...
God, You care about every detail of life in Kitsap county. In our world, even. Help me trust You, patiently. You hold the entire world in Your hands. There's no reason for me to worry or be anxious.
Come, Father, and reveal Your Glory. Show us Your love. Your paradox of justice and grace. Your deep forgiveness. Your mercy that rescues us. You are our hope.
Father, You asked me to come to Kitsap. When my heart was broken, You carried me home to experience healing, family, community. You grew my heart. You painted Your mission across the mountains, in sunrises and sunsets. You reveal Your face in every student, every teacher, every stranger at the grocery store. These are Your people.
This is not my home. Not just the condo in Bremerton. Thinking bigger, EARTH is not my home. I was made to worship God, to bring Him glory and enjoy Him FOREVER. Days like today help me appreciate the hope of eternity forever with Jesus.
It's the beauty of the book of Revelation! We know the endgame. Worshiping God IN HIS PRESENCE. And it's also the beauty of now. Worshiping God in FAITH. I don't know that we ever get to understand this in these bodies (1 Cor 13) but how exciting to worship forever! And forever is now!!!
So caught up in the energy of worship, I struggle to apply passion. How do you passionately wait for God? How do you obediently follow? What if I'm already here?
Forever.
God, I'm here to trust You. Forever. I'm here. Send me.
But what if You want to send me HERE? What if You want me in Kitsap?
The other night, driving home from a youth meeting, I realized some of the limits of my faith. Our youth ministry is launching two new campuses this summer. Making room in groups, in gatherings, to invite more students into relationship with Jesus. But, do I have the faith to trust God for another year of living in Kitsap, sharing life with students? What if God asks me to stay INDEFINITELY? What if God asks me to move to Gorst? Or to Belfair? Or to Tacoma? My faith isn't that big yet.
God, grow my heart.
Remove these limits to my faith. Give me the strength to trust You. Really trust You.
"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but of power" 1 Cor 4:20 NIV
Father, use me to bring Your kingdom to earth. Even Kitsap county. Break my heart. Shatter my plans. Here is my life, as an offering for You.
All in.
In Jesus' name, Amen
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
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Ephesians 5
Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving. For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them, for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light – for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth – and find out what pleases the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. But all things being exposed by the light are made evident. For everything made evident is light, and for this reason it says:
“Awake, O sleeper!
Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you!”
Therefore be very careful how you live – not as unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is. And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church – he himself being the savior of the body. But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, so that he may present the church to himself as glorious – not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own body but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is great – but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Not knowing. I find comfort there.
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