What happens when?

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I’m listening to an evangelist on DVD.  Sermons that inspire!

John Bevere is not necessarily my style of speaker.  And sometimes his big swathes of ideas are crowned by illustrations that push towards the unbelievable.  But, I think my downfall in life may be belittling instead of accepting the improbable.

Perhaps that is where repentance comes in some days.  Someone figured repentance (see a previous post) is being able to take a hold of a new possibility because the one holding forth the possibility is credible.  To take a hold of that possibility is to leave behind that which shackles us to the lesser things of life.

And so, I want to be open to new things!  Not to presume on God to do what I want but to look for what God wants.  I guess that’s why I pray for wisdom.  To know and to hold onto that which God wants for me.

The tickle

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A short rest this afternoon turned into a longer respite – and a cough when I arose.  Funny how a slight tickle can turn into a full throated cough in mere minutes.  Now, if I breathe a bit too deeply I begin to try clearing my throat.  That leads an expulsion into my sleeve.  And finally, the frustration of knowing this may lead to a not-so-good forced rest over the next few days!

I’m going to be praying for clear sailing instead of stormy days to come!

Icy meetings

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Today our church service started at 11:00.  On the way in – from farther distances – there was much ice.  On the road.  With ditches on either side.  Beckoning!

So, our out of town people were not there in great numbers.  Another in church, whose pastor lives out of town, canceled their service.

Now, we also had the great smells of a potluck to entice people.  As usual, the usual fare of food was great.  And people enjoyed the fellowship.

Our numbers were good.  Our joy was good.  And now I’m looking ahead to the coming years to see where God is taking us – even in the midst of ice and snow, and even some sleet!!

Of the Sabbath

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Abraham Heschel’s book on Sabbath was suggested to me recently.  His Jewish perspective attempts to root the Sabbath in Jewish Scriptures (the Old Testament).  One review/comment on Heschel gives the following consideration:

Heschel says that Judaism teaches that humanity meets God in the realm of time. But if every instant  (space in time) is a moment when we may feel the possibility of living differently, of “turning” to use the Jewish term (teshuva, often translated “repentance”), . . .  [Sabbath] is an acknowledgment that God awaits one the next instant if only one looks beyond the things in space that occupy one’s time. The Sabbath is Teshuva, and it is also the reward for it. Both at once. The instant one performs the “turn,” one gets the reward.

Just a quick side note:  I love the idea of repentance being the moment when we may feel the possibility of living differently – and we act on that.  True repentance then, requires one who can create that possibility.  Certainly not ourselves – we soon realize our finiteness.  We need to look to the infinite creator – Jesus!