Satisfaction

We set up Good News Club at the elementary school as they announced the results of the student council election.  And there were cheers.  And tears.  Accolades and best wishes.  Condolences and hugs.  It's great to win.  And it's rough to lose.
We had at least two defeated candidates in club and God had planned the perfect verse, "Be content with what you have, for God has said, 'I will never leave you.'"  It was hard to speak in the face of pain, tears and disappointment, but the gospel is always good news. 
The gospel says, "God loved me so much He gave His best, His only, as a sacrifice for me."  And as we learned the verse together and prayed, asking God to give us contentment, I had to admit that there are some things in my life that cause me to think, "If only I had (     ), my life would be better."
The kids shared their if-only's: the DX-MX454 (or whatever the newest gadget is), an ipad, an ipod, an iphone, a better friend, a bigger family, and the list went on.  But when we looked at the life of King Ahab, we saw the path of wanting what God has not given: death and destruction. 
If I really, truly believe God is God and He loves me, I will trust Him to provide what is best.  I can trust Him to provide what I need.  And I will be content--satisfied with my job, my home, my car, my body, my children, my church....  When I have a need, I will ask God and wait. And I will wait with hope and anticipation, knowing that whatever He chooses is best.
This morning that message still rang in my head as David and I read from Psalms. When it was my turn to pray, I asked God to make me more grateful.  My stinky self is never grateful, never satisfied, but God....  God is within, doing His supernatural work.  Then, as I sorted clothes for the washing machine, I was surprised to hear myself say, "Thank you, God, for the children that wear these clothes.  Thank you for the privilege of knowing them and being part of their lives.  Thank you for the gifts you've given them and the gifts they are to me."  And I knew God had answered my prayer.

The Un-Bucket List

I stopped in my tracks as I read, "And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).  It was the verse of the day above my kitchen sink, but it stayed there more than a week.
The context wasn't new.  The verse wasn't new.  But I wondered how many weaknesses or infirmities I could list in thirty seconds.  Even a minute.  I wanted to, but knew I would come up lacking.  If my weakness is truly my boast and pleasure, it should be at the forefront of my mind.  I should be able share a fifteen-minute discourse.  What I needed was an here-I-am-after-kicking-the-bucket list.  You laugh because you know that, by now, God has given me the privilege. 
A few days into my brewing weakness inventory, the morning was dreary and I wanted to sit back and do nothing. I had a couple of hours and knew I could hunker down with hot chocolate, animal crackers, and a chick flick.  The house was empty.  But thoughts of the manuscript I wanted to edit, the emails that needed to be sent, the laundry, cleaning and cooking hammered in my head.  "God, if you want me to get it done, you're going to have to move me.  I don't want to do any of it."  It wouldn't have gotten done, but it did.  I am weak.  God is strong.

To make more sense of the verse, I studied "weakness" in other Scripture passages.  In Romans, Paul wrote, "I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh."  That rattled in my head for a day or two.  "The weakness of your flesh...."  And I remembered the Roman death penalty that involved tying a murder victim to the murderer's body, limb to limb, until the murderer succumbed to infection and decay. Our spiritual, "new man," indwelt by the Spirit, is incorruptible and can't be decayed, but I pictured the hand of my new man reaching out to offer compassion or care, bound to the old man's hand.  Both are visible and present. Thus the struggle with sparring motivations. When the foot of my new, Christ-filled self steps out in faith, it is accompanied by a rotting foot that seeks to go it's own way.  Moving forward requires determination, prayer and dependence on God.  This is the weakness of my flesh (and gives life to Romans 7-8).

Friday I emailed a dear friend who lived 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 the last two years.  After reading her response and enjoying the wonderful turnout we had for a bonfire with international students at our home, the light came on.  We appreciate, acknowledge and praise people for the outcome of a successful event, project or activity.  But the praise and thanks does not belong to us.  It is the "power of Christ."  Mine is the weakness; the inability to reach the goal; the incapacity to control the variables, the infirmity and ignorance that precede and intersect each interaction, each moment.  My glory, my boast, is in what I cannot do.  Why? Because as God works, He is magnified.  My inability is a directional device that points others to Him.  The results build His reputation as a powerful, loving, amazing God who works marvelously through objects that were once dead, but walk in newness of life--breathing His breath, using His eyes, thinking His thoughts, functioning as His Body. 
What a gracious, loving God to use empty vessels!  Empty.  For if we are not empty, how will He fill us?
Which begs the questions:  How empty am I?  How weak?  How aware of my pain and sorrow and brokenness?  If God is glorified in my weakness, do I know it?  Walk in it?  Glory in it?  I've started a yes-I've-kicked-the-bucket-and-this-is-how-you-know-it list.  I hope you'll join me.

 

The Gift of Personal Worship in a Corporate Setting

Worship is a lot like eating.  It's personal.  What goes in is who we become.  What's been ingested is evident to others, lacking the details.  Worship and eating are both private and corporate practices.

After a piano offertory last week, a gentleman approached wanting to ask a "personal question." 
Knowing this grandpa has a great sense of humor I said, "Sure,"with a laugh .
"Do you ever play for just you?"
"Of course.  When I'm stressed, or need time to think or just worship. I leave whatever I'm doing and play."
"I thought so," he said with a smile.

When each of worships God personally, our corporate worship becomes richer, fuller, deeper.  One of my friends has the ability to pray Scripture, especially the Psalms.  She speaks with passion and heartfelt humility, her voice rising, falling, tapering to silence.  Before she completes a petition, every eye in the room is moist and every nose sniffles.  Our hearts are satisfied; we have experienced God differently through her experience and expression than we have through our own.

Regardless of how we minister in our local churches, we must come setting aside self and revealing God as we know Him through His Word. What thoughts or Scriptures aid you in corporate worship and ministry?  I'd love to hear your answers.  Would you leave one here, even if it's brief?

"Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,  that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.... As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.  If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 4:1, 9-11 NKJV)
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20 NKJV)