Laced With Grace

“It’s time for the Church to be the Church!”

I had the awesome opportunity of attending a simulcast of Willow Creek Church’s Leadership Summit recently.  I am not sure if this was the intended “theme” of the Summit, but that was the message the Holy Spirit kept driving home to my heart!  Especially now, in today’s hurting world, we must STEP UP and “be the Church.”

I know that most of us have tender hearts that CARE about people and that we WANT to help….

But, somehow LIFE can “get in the way.”

We become distracted.  We’re busy.  There is school….and soccer….and meetings….and work….and supper….and laundry…..and carpool…..and bills……

God plants seeds of inspiration, calls us to serve Him in different ways.  Maybe He whispers to us to visit the lonely neighbor.  Maybe He nudges us to sit down and write a letter to someone who needs to hear from us.  Call our parents.  Play a game with a child who has been asking.  Make a meal for a grieving family.  Babysit for a stressed out mom.  Send an email to a college student who is away from home for the first time.  Call a friend who has been on our mind.

You see, sometimes we think “MINISTRY” has to be serving on a mission trip half way around the world.  But, God has placed each one of us in our own “space”, our own sphere of influence to minister to the hurting people around us…..to BE THE CHURCH.

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.  ALL THE BELIEVERS WERE TOGETHER AND HAD EVERYTHING IN COMMON.  Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.  Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.  They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.  And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”  Acts 2:42-47

Isn’t that a beautiful picture of the Church?  They loved one another.  They met with one another daily, eating, praying, talking about God.  They helped one another.  There was SINCERE joy.  They were able to perform miraculous things.  And, every day, God added more who were being saved.  Amazing.

I am ashamed to admit that I don’t know the names of many people at my church!  Would I be willing to sell my possessions in order to help them? 

The Acts 2 Church knew how to “be the Church!” 

I want to “be the Church!”  I need to get to know the members of my church family…..know their names, learn their “stories.”  I need to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit as He leads me and guides me, placing people in my path to love/help/minister to.  And, I need to (again) take a look at my schedule.  Does it allow for real time for real relationships?  Are there some activities that could be trimmed so that I have time and energy to answer God’s call?  Is there someone right now who God has placed on my heart, but I just haven’t taken the time to answer?

Father God, thank You for Your amazing, beautiful design of Your Church.  Help me to see people the way You do.  Help me to take the time to “be the Church.”  Give me boldness when You ask me to minister to someone.  Help me to trust You.  Help me to be Jesus with skin on.  I love You, Lord!  In Jesus’ Name I pray.  Amen.

If you have time, please listen to the song “Give Me Eyes” by Brandon Heath. And I would love for you to visit me at my personal blog:

Thirsty for Him,

Tracy

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  Jeremiah 29: 11- 13

This is one of those verses that makes it onto encouragement cards or even gets the highly honored name of “favorite verse.”  It’s a verse that’s so full of hope that we cling to it like a buoy in the stormy seas of life. 

It’s one of those funny verses, though, that is smack in the middle of a book in the Bible that we don’t often read.  So, when I was reading through Jeremiah recently in my read-through-the-Bible in a year plan, I practically grazed right over that verse without noticing it.  Then, I stopped, a little bit startled.   That verse, that favorite hopeful encouraging verse, was right in the middle of Jeremiah?

Wait a minute?  I was just reading about how God planned to destroy the Babylonians, to pour out His wrath upon Israel and Judah, and all God’s reasons for these disciplinary measures.

God’s people, the kingdom of Judah, had disowned Him.  They had actually sacrificed their own children in the fire to another god, which seems like the most abhorrent sin I could ever imagine.  So, I was right on track with God’s plans to clear the promised land of these people who called themselves by HIS name, but lived like pagans.

They were immoral, they were unjust, they disobeyed God’s direct commands, they killed His prophets, they thought they could get away with their sinful lifestyles without consequences.  And finally, after years of putting up with this atrocious behavior, God is ready to bring down the hammer.

So, “His” people were attacked, carried off to Babylon (and various other countries), the temple and palace were burned to the ground and Jerusalem was left desolate.  God said it was about time that the land took it’s Sabbath rest.

BUT….

But, God never ends with discipline.  He didn’t give up on His people even though they had forsaken Him.  He stilled loved them with an everlasting love and He still planned to woo them back into His embrace.

Sometimes when you read a verse in the context of the rest of story, the meaning changes a little bit.  But this time, the meaning was only amplified for me.  When things seem to be at the very worst they could EVER be, that’s the exact moment when God says He has a plan.  Yes, His people are undergoing great discipline, but His plan is never for their harm.

Ultimately, God’s plan for our lives isn’t about prosperity and everything being just wonderful.  No, His plan is that we would seek Him.

And so, I realized that God does have a plan for my life and that alone gives me great hope.  But when the plan seems difficult, I am reminded that His plan for me always revolves around my relationship with Him.   Whatever is going on in my life, His ultimate plan is that I would come to Him, seek Him and live in communion with Him.

Seeking Him,

*Photo Credit:  Bern Altman at stock.xchng

“Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.”                 Philippians 3:17

“Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct,                      imitate their faith.” Hebrews 13:7

This past weekend we went to our daughter Missy’s home for the weekend. It was a spur of the moment thing, but we needed a “fix” really bad, so we decided to go and spend some time with two of our grandchildren.

One of the biggest blessings for Mike and I is being able to bless our family with gifts occasionally.  Not to buy their affection, but to be able to give them something they need or desire out of the overflow of blessing the Lord has given us.

Earlier this summer we bought for our grandson the book, “Dangerous Book for Boys.”  If there is a boy in your life, I highly recommend it.  He has referred to it several times already in making things or learning how to do something.  On one occasion, he and his Pappy made a soapbox derby car.  This visit, Saturday morning Logan brought out his already well worn book and said, “Pappy, can you help me build this tree house?”  Ol’ Pappy didn’t even hesitate, “We’ll go to the store right after breakfast and get what we need.”

The rest of the day they sawed, hammered and nailed.  They managed to get the floor up, but the walls and roof will need to wait until the next visit because they ran out of time.  Until then, Logan has a great place to play in his favorite tree and Lana can set up housekeeping underneath and enjoy playing with her dolls.

But much more was built this weekend then a tree house, memories and life lessons were made.  They will way outlast the lumber.

During the course of the day, Logan told his Pappy that he was really lucky to have a grandfather like him.  He even told him he wished we lived in the same town as they do.  When they were at the store getting supplies, Logan got a lesson in how much a project like this costs. He started to fret over how much Pappy was spending and even told him he didn’t need to get him anything for Christmas.  My husband assured Logan he was paying with cash, he weren’t being hurt financially by doing this and that it was a blessing to be able to afford to do this for him. But most importantly, love and gratitude flowed freely from grandfather to grandson and back again through the vein of time.

The way we live has a profound impact on our legacy. Our family will usually live what
they see us model rather than doing what they hear us say. The legacy we leave is so important because it will affect those who come after us for generations to come.

How will people remember you in generations to come?  Godly grandparents are an important example to their grandchildren. They can see the fruit that comes from a life lived out of obedience to the Lord. If you are one, realize that your prayers and your living example are critical to the generations coming after you. Your prayers and how you live can have a powerful impact on your family.

If you are a parent, remember how important your actions and decisions actually are to the future of your children and grandchildren. Among other things, how you manage your money now will effect how you can financially bless your family in years to come.

We should all live our lives with future generations in mind.