Woke up at O'Dark:30 as is my custom every Sunday. You see I am not a morning person. I have to fake my body out to thinking the day is mid-day by the time worship happens so that this pastor/evening person/closet-introvert can actually say an intelligible sentence in public. But by the grace of God am I able to preach at all. So for me, every Sunday that I preach is sort of a "Surprise Me" moment.
I was wonderfully surpised by Karen Lukens before worship who came up to me and began by praying with me over our friends in Haiti. Needed that!
I was wonderfully surprised to see several new faces in worship this morning. I know it does not make God any more present when new faces are "in the house," but the place just feels more electric on days like today.
I was surprised when Lindsay said after the pre-worship prayer, "We are going to really rock it today." And they did...well I should say...God used them to rock the place! Mom's were dancing holding their children. Little kids were swaying to the music. People had their hands raised giving praise to God. (no small task for Scandanavian Midwesterners!) Not only that but Shane's scripture readings and prayers between songs were spot-on inspired. Great day of worship!
Earlier, Sonia asked me before worship...how are you doing/feeling? I shared how I was uncomfortable preaching after such a difficult week...Haitian tragedy and being away from home for 3 days at a conference did not help either. I shared, "If any good comes this week, God gets the complete and total credit!" I am not sure how it was received...I guess the hearer has to judge that.
After worship, Confirmation. The Forsman girls once again brought a friend. We ended sooner than usual...duh...there was Vikings game going on!
Ugh the Vikings game...the ViQueens (my team) was playing the favored CowGirls of Dallas. I have a strong dislike for the boys with the star on their helmets. (the 99 yard Tony Dorsett run on MNF, the debacle of the Herschel Walker trade...can you say Russell Maryland, Darren Woodson and Emmitt Smith to Dallas 5 players, 5 other draft picks for one worn out running back...and oh don't even mention the Drew Pearson Push Off play 34 years ago...ugh....don't get me started)
Anyway surprise, surprise the boys in purple came to play...whodathunk?!? 34-3 Lovin' IT! I suppose the Vikes could get blown out next week in New Orleans...but today was a wonderful surprise.
After the game I shoveled snow/puddles...without a coat in January. What a great surprise.
Last, the day ended by going to the Sioux Falls Stampede hockey game with the Forsman's. Our boys won in overtime! Someone from Family Wellness just gave away the tickets after worship. What a great surprise. What a great game. To top it all off, we were surprised to see the Behrend family at the game sitting just below us.
What a great day Abba-Daddy...thanks for the Surprises!
2 comments:
Yes, I did ask Pastor Tim how he was feeling before worship yesterday because I know how hard it is to stand up and speak the words God puts into your mouth and into your soul. His response to my question was, "It will all be good if God shows up."
"Oh, he will show up," I said. "He always does."
That, my friends, was an understatement! What a Message that God gave Pastor Tim to speak yesterday.
Part of the Message had to do with what we, as Christ Followers, have been called to do with our lives...how have we been gifted and called. Are we listening to God's call? If not, what is standing in our way?
In another part of the Message, Pastor Tim talked about those in a church who may wonder, "Why don't I have a position of leadership? I think I would be a great leader." The response to this is that we all have to be servants before we can be leaders. That's how Christ did it, and that is how we learn to lead...by following and serving first.
Deitrich Bonhoeffer, in his wonderful book, "The Cost of Discipleship," talked about these two very things.
RE: LISTENING TO GOD'S CALL
At one point in the book, Bonhoeffer suggests that a pastor, speaking to someone who is having trouble with belief, should respond by saying, “Only those who obey believe. You are disobedient; you are trying to keep some part of your life under your own control. That is what is preventing you from listening to Christ and believing in his grace. You cannot hear Christ because you are willfully disobedient. Somewhere in your heart you are refusing to listen to his call. Your difficulty is your sins.”
Wow. Doesn't that give you something to stop and think about? What are we holding back from you, God? Where do we refuse to listen to you or refuse to change which prevents us from fully and completely following your calling?
RE: LEADERSHIP
"The step into the situation where faith is possible is not an offer which we can make to Jesus, but always his gracious offer to us. Only when the step is taken in this spirit is it admissible."
In other words, we cannot tell Jesus what our gifts are and when and how we choose to use them. Rather, Jesus provides us with the gifts he believes we should have, and then points us in the right direction to use them for his purposes. The same thing is true in the church.
These twin concepts presented in the Message yesterday provided a lot for me to pray about. God, surprise me with clarity and direction to use the wonderful gifts you have given me. Surprise me...well...however you see fit!
Today I had been thinking of a friend Ross Major who had just pasted away and feeling sad and was prayer for him and his family when a thought jumped in to my head that Ross would have a good friend Brian who pasted away last year to show him around. I can picture the two of them sing and play their instruments and joking around gave me a smile. We can't that God enough for sending his son to die for us and making a place in heave for all who believes in him.
Thank you God
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