Solitude in the Morning

{PAUSE}
I’m using Sacred Gateway as a guide. Some atmospheric music is at the background

as I’m waking up … Gareth is still asleep … I’m centering before a whole day of activity.

I can foresee lots of “new” and “old” noises that will flood me soon (in the next hour or so) This time is precious.

I want to listen to God FIRST … before anything else. It’s not whether it’s an option. It’s become a necessity for my sanity.

{PONDER}
I’m more at peace today. Had some decent sleep yesterday. A good leadership meeting for the church. A fine welcome home from Gareth which brightened my evening further 🙂

Some reoccuring “themes” came up last night … needing a change of dealing with them since it’s reoccuring! Realism is one thing … a mature Christ-like mindset needs to reign more supreme. Musn’t lose sight of the workings of the Spirit while dwelling on the sinfulness of humans.

Luke 21:5-11
“adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God” … “all will be thrown down.”
How often we miss the whole point in the midst of constructing or preserving what we deem to be good in our lifetime? or more precisely how often we miss the person – the Creator, Redeemer and Life-giver – God in our pursuits even so called noble ones.

Some of my own “ideas” of life, God and ministry fall in those catergories as well. Quite a few have been thrown down. A big chunk of expectations as well … even some relationships. All these experiences make me pause before overplacing my security in them … it’s just too easy to miss God in all this. It’s too easy to miss Jesus! It’s too easy to follow “false messiahs” promising the world but in actual fact leading us astray and away from the way of Jesus.

I’m still in this world, I’m still working in the midst of these floating ideas, expectations, achievements, relationships. At times, a moment of grace and there’s a connection with the reign of God at work. For those, I offer thanks. But the warnings of placing too much “sense of security” in anything other than God is a needed one. Only then I’m free to work, to live, to relate without being entangled by “false messiahs” or “insecure temples”.

perhaps now, I can focus and construct and preserve what REALLY matters … Lord have mercy. Help me .. Spirit. Jesus …

{Practice}
– Time pick up a phone and call Mr. K and reconnect.
– Follow up on a person in Hospital.
– participate in a LiFe Group tonight and discern God’s movement
– Keep the above in mind while scheduling the lay leaders and pastors training program for 2006
– Have a good breakfast conversation with Gareth when he wakes up 🙂
– Start doing some stuff I’ve delayed while being distracted by administrative matters 😛

Amen.