I have never been a fan of homework. My mindset has never been oh goody, homework, a chance to learn more! No, I just see it as something not fun taking up time when I could be having fun. This attitude unfortunately has transferred over to Bible Study and Sunday School homework. We have been given homework in Sunday School. I had kind of forgotten about it until an email was sent reminding everyone our assignment; how we love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. We are to take notice in the week or we can tell a way from our past. I like how the Message says it; "so love the Lord God with all your passion & prayer &intelligence & energy."
"My heart has heard you say, "come and talk with me." And my heart responds, "Lord I am coming." Psalm 27:8 NLT I think this is the beginning of loving God with everything in me. When HE wants to speak to me, I need to investigate, just like Moses and the burning bush, to see and hear all God has to say. Paying attention and slowing down, living with less clutter and intent on managing busyness. If I live the attentive life, I will discern God's presence in all things. Easier said than done in the ADD addled brain and attention span. Out of experiencing God's presence and being still, the overflow of loving God with everything is where ministry and serving spill out. So little ministry and serving...it's obvious I ain't loving the Lord with it all.
I read an interesting book this week, In the Sanctuary of Outcasts. True story of a man Neil White, his rise and fall in the publishing world and because he was kiting checks, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison. He served his term at Carville, LA. Interesting place, it was a minimum security prison and a place for those who have Hansen's disease, better known as leprosy. This man was put together and knew how to live and make great first appearances. He began to experience that all those things he held so dear to impress, weren't that important after all. He lost everything, even his wife divorcing him, but he found that with the time he served and getting to know some of the patients, he began to see what's really important in life. He would have never learned any of this, without the factor of time and being still. I'm glad that the Lord used this man's story to help me see how to love him more. No, I am not kiting checks and I am not put together. It was his story of seeing time and it's benefits to see how to love God with all I gots.
1 comment:
This reminded me of a story I read in the Houston Press a few weeks back about the Carville Leprosarium. It was about a man from the valley who was diagnosed with leprosy, and his time at Carville. He wrote a book about his experience, including how he never gave up on being with the love of his life. You can probably still catch the story online at the Houston Press, but his book is called "Squint: My Journey with Leprosy."
Post a Comment