The Journey

The green grass

Scripture: Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd…this passage brings comfort to many including myself. It has been quoted at countless funerals, and a paraphrase of it is on my little sister’s memoral maker. It is a passage that I have often read when I am feeling depressed. Even though I have rarey thought about it deeply.

When one considers what it means to be under the care of a shepherd it means that there is a limit to our freedom. I have watched herd animals I know that they go where their mouth takes them. They gather in a group and wonder around, they end up slowly spreading out from the center. If not watched or controled in some way they will get lost and continue to wander away from the center wherever their mouth may lead, as they look for the tastey green grass.

Spiritually we wander away from center, we see something that looks a bit tastey just over there so we move. Then we get a glimps of something else and continue to move away from the center. Eventually we look up from our wandering and find we are do not even know where we are anymore so we put our heads down and continue to wander. We wander looking to fill our stomaches but we do not have a clue as to where we need to be.

The shepherd leads the sheep. This person watches where the are wandering and if they are moving too far away they will encourage the sheep to change directions. This encouragement comes in many forms: a vocal word keeping them near the one who leads, physical force, or today the use of service animals. God is calling us to the good feeding grounds, the pure water to refesh us, and he will also be there to protect us.

The rod and staff are used for both disipline as well as comfort. The rod can brush away the wool so the keeper can look for signs of injury. And the staff can be used to ward off a preditor. The Spirit of God is the rod and staff exaining our lives and warding off the dangers that we face.

Animals are intresting they can be complient or rebelious. They do not want to mind the boundries set up for them and yet they want to know that there is a limit. Spiritual growth is pushing the boundries and falling back into the herd. It is a flowing cyclical motion. As we get close to the boundries of our spiritual lives we can become fearful, in these times it is good to remember our shepherd and return to the things we know. Remind ourselves that yes we are in the right place. If we are not then we should move back into the area we know God has lead us.

Take some time to just slowly read this passage as you pray. I actually read it several times throughout my day and slept with it on my mind. Reflect on where Christ your shepherd has lead you, the times He showed you where you were wrong, and where He actually swung the staff to protect you. Also remember that a sheep can get tangled in many things when they wander, and can cause themselves harm be mindful of the voice of God and listen for His calls.

May the goodness and mercy of God follow you all the days of your life.

Remembering the past

We all have exciting stories to tell. Most of us think that our lives are boring and no one would be intrested to hear about it. The thing is life is intresting enough. We spend hours during the week watching reality television shows, when you could get the same entertainment spening time with people from your community.

A friend of mine posted this picture on facebook today, and it stirred wthin me many fond memories. I have actually visited this location, which is in Yalta, crimea, Ukraine (russia). It I very close to the White palace of the last tsar of Russia, which is also where the allies of Wold War II devised the future plans for Europe.

Why does it stir memories in me? I spent the summer of 2000 teaching conversational American English in Odessa, Ukraine. While doing this many exciting things happened. I realized the plans I thought I made for my life were not exactly the right plans for me, and the shy shell of my personality was broken away.

While teaching English I was able to share my faith. There were people asking questions and I was put in the position where I could not defer the answers to my parents, pastor, or anyone else because they were not intrested in anyone else’s story. They wanted to know about me, my life, my faith, and why I believed what I believed.

This short summer in Ukraine set in motion the rest of my life. I saw God woring in my life, the lives of my friends, and in the lives of people I helped. During this time I saw a new direction for my life, I was no longer supposed to pursue crop science but engage in a different type of harvest. I went to Ukraine with an idea to help other learn English. I went to observe the agricultural practices in a different country. But in the process the people of Ukraine helpd me become a minister, a pastor, and a friend of Christ. I was able to see that pretty much all that mattered in life was relationships: our relationships with God, our family, our community, our society, and our earth.

Today I encourage you to consider a short time to serve God and others in an area outside of your normal lifestyle. Go serve food at a homeless shelter, head down to Mexico to help build a church, or help provide medical services in a clinic in Africa.  In these times of service you may find that you find out who you really are. It will also help you realize just how important your story is, and also how important those people around you are. 

Why Do You Wonder?

Scripture: Acts 3:12-19

Why do we wonder? I guess it is part of our human nature. We have something built deep inside us that seems to ask the question, “why?”. Along with this question we add the who, what, where, when, and how as well. These are the basic building blocks in our quest for knowledge and wisdom.

In the scripture today someone just got healed and everyone is wondering what happened. I can honestly say I would be wondering too. I have never seen someone healed in front of me in a matter of seconds. At one moment laying near death then suddenly popping up asking for a bowl of soup. It is not that I do not believe that God could do that, or that I do not have faith, it is only that I have only seen healing through the gifts and knowledge of doctors.

The problem that I run into is when is it God healing and when is it man with great knowledge and skills? It is clear that this is what I going on here too. But these guys were not educated healers, they were fishermen, and the last time I checked I do not think my insurance covers treatment made by the people selling sea bass to Red Lobster. Which is why I love this sermon that is given. It is as if they are saying, “hello do you really think I could do that myself? Al I can do is rub some fish oil on him but the guy is walking. And this is why…”

Often times we get caught up in the who did it mode of thinking. Some cannot see God in anything others see God in everything. I remember talking to my son once and was excited because a check came in the mail just when I needed it. I whooped that God gave us money, my son said no he didn’t you just didn’t know when you were getting it. Which made me think, he was right but so was I. The timing was perfect.

As we pray I hope we will consider how God is working. Think about some of the dfficult times in your life, who helped and how did they help? What form did it take? Are you able to see just the works of man or can you see the hand of God using those around you? I also challenge you to listen to the still small voice, if you happen to think of a need that you can help with ask how. If you feel lead to act I encourage you to do it. The disciples acted, then they were given an oppertunity to speak the gospel, your one small act of obedience could encourage someone into a deeper relationship with God.