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This coming Monday begins what is called in the church Holy Week. It is the week before Easter and during it we remember some of the events that led up to Easter. We are reminded of The Last Supper and all that happened that night. Our minds try to grasp the arrest and crucifixion. After the death there is silence and then the big surprise that He is alive. For me Holy week has never been easy. So many emotions and thoughts fly in and through my mind that I am always glad to see Easter break through. From my vantage point Easter cannot get here soon enough.
Thinking about all of this has caused me to meditate on the idea that much of life is like the week before Easter. There are ups and downs and sometimes there are even curcifixions and deaths. Easter never seems to be soon enough. However looking back on my life I see that Easter does happen in many ways and at various times. So, during Holy Week live with anticipation of Easter coming. Come to think of it live all of life with the thought that Easter is coming.
This past Sunday I had the amazing privilege of baptizing two who had just accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. What was so amazing was their reaction to the baptism. One was quiet and the other was in tears. When the service was completed I went to thank them for allowing me the honoring of such a moment. The one who was more emotional gave me a hug and told me how happy she was to be baptized and more importantly to be forgiven and to be a committed disciple of Jesus. Reflecting on that happening, I rejoice that our Church is focusing on the mission of making disciples of Jesus.
It is so easy to forget what really is important in Church work. Too often I have been guilty of trying to do church rather than being the church. This year our church’s motto has been ‘the church has left the building.’ The Church has never been a building but rather is a body and bodies are always moving. If they are not moving they die. I hope O’Fallon First United Methodist Church will continue to reach out and bring more not only into our gatherings but into the body of Christ.
Last week I was a good one for me. I enjoyed my various activities. Why can’t every week be that way? Perhaps I am looking at life in an inappropriate way. How can I mature and grow if life does not have some struggles? In fact in the New Testament a person responded to Jesus by saying he believed but then asked to help his unbelief.(Mark 9:24) How can a person have their faith increased if they never have it tested? I do not like struggling but I do think I need it to make my faith stronger.
I wish every week would go smoothly. At least I think I wish that fact. But God has many plans for my life that are designed to make me a mature disciple of Christ. Those plans may and probably will include struggling. So, with fear I ask God to help me grow up in Him.
It is amazing how life changes the older one becomes. I was reading a prayer by an unknown author. The prayer went something like when I was younger I prayed to God and asked Him to change the world. In middle years I prayed and asked God to change those around me. Now in my latter years I pray and ask God to change me. Reading those words my spirit knew the truth of those words. Even in my latter years I, at times, am more concerned with God changing others than in God changing me.
What is even more amazing is how I can be so quick to find other’s faults and shortcomings and be blind to my own. All of this is why I need to be on my face before God asking for Him to change me. I need more a heart like God’s that loves all and devotes the majority of time to clean up my own life. When I think more deeply about all of this I know that the only person I can change is me. So, this week I am going to spend time alone with God asking Him to continue working on me.
Not feeling the best I took some night time cold medicine before I went to bed. When the alarm went off my mind was not totally awake. I got up but did not feel totally awake. As I was walking with my companion and friend Pablo,(he is our family dog), I started to think of everything I had to do today. I wrestled with an invitation to help out with a worthy project in the community. I knew I had to make several phone calls and I had to go to a couple of meeting plus check in on some sick folks. As I thought of all that awaited me, I started to let my mind roll down some negative thoughts. How come I had to do all of this? Will I ever get caught up? Before long I was wondering how come no one understood me and I was engaging in self pity. Although no one could see it as I walked, it was not a pretty sight.
When I got to my office, I got a cup of coffee and started to look at the stack of work that lie before me. In the midst of going through it all I stopped and took some time to switch mental tracks. I do have a wonderful caring family. My spouse is very supportive and loves me. My children are a gift from God. I am so blessed to be a part of a church that loves me and accepts me and allows me to minister here. I even thanked God for the janitors who had come in and emptied my overflowing waste basket. My whole outlook seemed to change. The day looked so much better and my energy to tackle all before seemed more than adequate. It is amazing what praise can do for the mind and whole being. Today I praise God for helping me to be more a person of praise.