Tag-Archive for » encouragement «

Rescue Me

16
Feb 2010
By Andy

Scripture:

Psalm 25:16-26:3 “Turn to me and have mercy on me, for I am alone and in deep distress. My problems go from bad to worse. Oh, save me from them all! Feel my pain and see my trouble. Forgive all my sins. See how many enemies I have, and how viciously they hate me! Protect me! Rescue my life from them! Do not let me be disgraced, for I trust in you. May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you. Declare me innocent, O Lord, for I have acted with integrity; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and affections. For I am constantly aware of your unfailing love, and I have lived according to your truth.”

Observation:

Last week was a difficult week. Not last Wednesday, but the Wednesday before, we started our commitment to move Jenna out of our bed. It meant 1 to 2 hour long fights in the middle of the night and by the beginning of last week both Nicole and I were exhausted. Although my present pain is always more difficult than my past pain, last week felt more tiring than any time since Jenna was born.

This is my first journal entry since two Fridays ago – it feels good to be doing this again, and this passage is a good reminder of Scripture’s relevancy to my life. Toward the end of last week I had a conversation that, after thinking and praying, makes me identify with David’s prayer, though not with quite so much passion. I think I’d write something more like

Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in distress. Oh, save me from them all! Forgive my sins. See the misplaced frustration of my friends. Protect me! Rescue my integrity from them. Do not let me be disgraced, for I trust in you. May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you. Declare me innocent, O Lord, for I have acted with integrity. Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives. I am constantly in need of your unfailing love, and I try to live according to your truth.

Initially I wasn’t going to include vs 26:3 – “I am constantly aware of your unfailing love,” but it’s good to remember and helps put things in perspective.

Application:

I think the best thing I can do right now is to hold on to trusting in God. I don’t know how things are going to play out, but I can rely on God’s unfailing love.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for meeting with me. I missed this time last week. I pray the prayer above; declare me innocent, O Lord, for I have acted with integrity.

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Gardening

25
Sep 2009
By Andy

Scripture:

Luke 8:5-8 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

Observation:

I’m struck for the first time that %75 of the seed actually took root. The %50 that didn’t make it – they might have if someone were caring for them.  I think if I were to identify what “rocky soil” looks like in someone’s life, I would look to community.  The seed among thorns doesn’t take any more pondering for me – In fact, it’s stuff that I think American Christians are consistently faced with: “the cares and riches and pleasures of this life.”

Application:

As a church staff member, I think I am part of the “gardening team” for the seed Dad has cast.  So, in light of this verse and my observation, my two application steps would be to A) help people find deep, rich community at Life Center and B) help people clear their thorns.  The addition of Cobblestone to our website offers substantial resources for building community – I need to invest time in this.  Clearing their thorns though … I’m not exactly sure how to do this.  Perhaps this is a focus issue.  How can I help people focus on God instead of their thorns.  I think consistent online resources could really help with this.  With all the social media and SMS technology, we’ve got better and better access to lives.  I wonder if an active Life Center twitter account could help?

Prayer:

Lord – you are the master gardener.  You know the needs for each of us.  Please help me see the needs you would have me address, and then give me the inspiration and wisdom to do so.

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Away From Home

16
Jul 2009
By Andy

Scripture:

Hebrews 13:14 “For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our city in heaven, which is yet to come.”

Observation:

Last month the Harts were in town painting the Dauer’s house – they stayed for four weeks.  It was really fun to have them here, and they enjoyed it, but toward the end of their stay all of them grew very homesick and went home earlier than planned.  Tallia actually stayed behind with Tom and Kathy to go to the cabin and she’s been away from her parents now for almost a week.  You can almost see her heart aching for her parents.  These are the feelings (I think) Scripture tells us to have regarding our life here.  But it never really feels like that.  I imagine my cushy and relative problem-free life contribute to feeling “at home” here.  I also suspect if I were able to compare life here to life in heaven, I would feel quite differently.

Application:

One of my initial thoughts is that while I’m away from home, I’m less inclined to care what people think about me – “I’ll never see them again!”  Another thought is that I don’t acquire stuff while I’m gone – perhaps seasonal clothing, if forgotten at home; perhaps a small souvenier or gift, but not furniture.  Is there “furniture” that I’m collecting?  It also occurs to me that, while away from home, most of my money goes toward relational purposes.  Am I making the most of my earthly resources to build relationships while I’m “away from home”?

Prayer:

Well Lord, as I prayed before I began today, I can’t make this time happen without your help.  Please give me the drive to get up despite the amount of sleep I get.  Thank you for meeting me here each morning.  Give me an “away from home” mindset and correct my perspective.

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Letters to Leaders

30
Jun 2009
By Andy

Scripture:

Titus 2:7-8 “In all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.” (NASB)

Observation:

The letters Paul writes to these young leaders are really pretty cool.  They give direction in regard to what the men should be focusing on both in their personal life and as leaders of churches.  They outline, in a mentoring manner, the way the men should live.  They encourage “360 degree leadership” and are consistent in empowering their role as leaders to everyone in their community.

Application:

I can take encouragement from these letters.  Though I’m not in a teaching or highly visible leadership position, I can follow Paul’s exhortation with the hope that, at the very least, I don’t give cause for “the opponent” to despise Christ’s message.

Prayer:

I don’t really have a prayer for this entry – but I do pray for direction about whether we should pursue purchasing a minivan right now or if you want us to wait and allow you to bring one to us.

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Honestly an Honor

02
Jun 2009
By Andy

Scripture:

Proverbs 24:26 “It is an honor to receive an honest reply.”

Observation:

This subject continues to crop up.  It’s hard for me to think of what it is that I give if it’s not “honest” … am I dishonest?  Perhaps a good way to check whether “honest” is good is whether it is edifying – is what I hesitate to say going to build up a person, or tear them down.  Sometimes that hesitancy comes from wondering whether a person would care, or perhaps whether I care.  That hesitancy is also developed through concern (not from God) about how that person will then feel about me.

Application:

I think I ought to pause more before responding, and be more thoughtful in my reply.  I don’t think “honest” is always “complete” – there are certainly truths that could be told that would result in discouragement rather than edification.  Delivering lies from the side of my mouth does no good to the people I interact with, and it’s certainly no good for my soul.  In addition to this, I don’t think this is a unique struggle to me – I need to be more intentional about seeking honest replies.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for truth.  I submit my responses to you – help me hear what you would say, and then say it.

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