Tonight has been a somber night… Radiohead - In Rainbows is ‘mood’ music. I woke up from a nap with a headache. I quickly medicated it with caffeine, chocolate, and 800mg of Ibuprofen. I do not do headaches well. As a matter of fact they make me very sick. Just a simple headache can ruin a good day and make me want to cut my head off just to ease the pain. So as I sit here waiting for it to go away I have been meditating on past relationships and friendships. Specifically a missionary friend came to mind. We use to work together and do ministry together 10+ years ago.
I have Karl Barth’s book on ‘Prayer‘ sitting on my desk that needs to be read and well as his book on the ‘Call of Discipleship‘. I have also been reading Brother Lawrence’s book ‘The practice of the presence of God‘. Brother Lawrence wrote these amazing letters in the 17th century. They have been an amazing challenge to me.
I consider myself as the most wretched of men, full of sores and corruption, and who has
committed all sorts of crimes against his King; touched with a sensible regret I confess to Him all
my wickedness, I ask His forgiveness, I abandon myself in His hands, that He may do what He
pleases with me. This King, full of mercy and goodness, very far from chastising me, embraces me
with love, makes me eat at His table, serves me with His own hands, gives me the key of His
treasures; He converses and delights Himself with me incessantly, in a thousand and a thousand
ways, and treats me in all respects as His favourite. It is thus I consider myself from time to time
in His holy presence.
Mark Driscoll’s has started his new series on Philippians… it is amazing
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With servitude comes gratitude. While serving, I don’t believe I should expect any type of reciprocation from those I serve. If I do, then I’m ’self serving’. True and pure service is as if no one sees my hand to the deed. My reward is knowing He sees.
Likewise, when I’m served, I must learn how to say thank you, not in word, but in this culture, be a rebel and write down my gratitude and mail it, to acknowledge in a tangible way, those who’ve served me. Be the one leper who returns to say thank you.
Joy - Neh. 8:10b, my life verse. ‘This day is holy to the Lord. Do not be sorry for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ This verse pushes us onward to ‘thanking God for every remembrance of the people we’ve met’ … reading further in Philippians.