The Widow and the Willow

The Widow and the Willow
Thoughts after Hurricane Irene...

The Widow:    Irene blew open the sashes and gave me a new perspective toward the people in our community. I wonder why it takes such an event to move me forward. I felt an incredible sense that God wanted me to check in on a widow who lives behind our home. Over the years, the trees have grown so tall that we are unable to see one another or converse from our yards. Ashamedly I say that on most days, I don’t even think about Mrs. Gert. Thankfully, God laid this dear lady on my heart, so my girls and I decided to whip up a casserole and some banana muffins and pay Mrs. Gert a visit on Sunday. The workings of our God never cease to amaze me. We knocked on the door, but she did not answer. In the very moment we turned to leave, Mrs. Gert pulled into her driveway and was being dropped off by her daughter. Although we hadn’t seen each other in years, and at the ripe age of 86, Mrs. Gert remembered all three of us, and even my daughters’ names! She invited us for a visit. This was a rich time of sharing fond memories of her husband, Mr. Ed, who had passed away a year ago. We shared some teary moments as she described caring for him in his final days with Alzheimer ’s disease. She told my girls that he awoke each morning at 5:00 to read his Bible and that he was a good, Christian man. She told them that the Lord is her strength and that she still drives to church every week. Her faith in Jesus is the most important thing in her life. Jesus is what keeps her going. We listened intently to every word she had to say. We prayed together and look forward to visiting again. We never made our way into a church building on Sunday, but we heard the best life sermon we could have asked for. We chuckled as we made our way home because WE thought WE were going to be the blessing, but most assuredly, WE were the recipients.




The Willow:  My daughter, her small group friend and I were able to connect with a bunch of Mountain Christian Church folk to help clear away a large willow tree that had fallen in a townhome community in Abingdon. A neighbor from Mountain cared enough to come to the aid of a family in need. She was not physically able to participate in the clean up, but she leapt with joy spiritually toward this family with the love of Christ and called the Help Line through Mountain. The family does not attend Mountain and could hardly believe that we would show up to help, not knowing them at all. Kids and adults worked together as a team cutting, hauling, raking and spending time talking to the home owners and their neighbors. We circled together and prayed for the family. These people are loved by God and they matter to Him. I pray that they know that. I look forward to praying for these folks and for God to work in their lives through this event. Silly me…He already has.

You Have 1 Missed Call

You have 1 missed call.   What's worse?  You have 2 missed calls. 

When it comes to God's calling upon my lilfe, I don't want to miss it. 
When I think of calling, the image of a telephone comes to mind. Were God to connect with me using a phone, I would want to hear His voice so clearly that I'm able to say, “Yes, Lord” with the assurance that I have heard His invitation. Not that God's calling is in any way mechanical…don't take the analogy too far. Nor should we expect to hear an audible voice so clear that the need for faith is minimized. That said, the illustration works.


Multiple components make it possible to receive a clear voice over a phone line. The cord itself is not a single wire but multiple strands. So it is with God's call. Consider a few strands that might help in discerning the call of God for your life and ministry.


God's calling is rooted in Scripture and prayer


God will not call us in a direction that contradicts His Word. In the context of Sabbath rest, Hebrews 4:12 reveals that God's Word is living and active. There is a quiet confidence that develops in the devotional life, resting upon the power and promise of God's voice in Scripture. God speaks as we listen with an open Bible.


• As you live out the spiritual disciplines and meditate on His Word, what is God saying?


• What passages of Scripture are speaking to the depths of your heart in these days of decision?


God's calling is righteous


Romans 8:28–29 reveals a central purpose for each of us: to become more like Jesus. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled…and fulfilled.


• What decision will position you best to become more like Jesus?


• Do you sense confirmation during times of worship?


• Does this decision line up with God's good purpose for you and others?


God's calling is right


Reflection on Scripture (Psalm 139, Romans 8:28–30) builds assurance that God has wired each of us for a unique purpose. He makes no mistakes. It makes sense that He would call you to a place that is with the way He designed you. Some of His wiring might be weakness for HIS strength to be manifested, but His call will be the right fit. The following questions should clarify this component of His call:


• Do your natural, God-given abilities indicate a right fit?


• Has God given you a spiritual gift that suggests a right fit for a ministry decision?


• What training have you had, and do your learned skills point to a right fit?


• Have you taken assessments that bring confirmation of “rightness?”


• What decision will best line up with your passions, values, and vision?


• What are you doing in ministry right now? God's calling is as much about the present as the future. Abundant life and ministry are for today, not just tomorrow.


God's calling is rightly confirmed by others


This is a critical element. This means the church, which is the family environment for ministry equipping (Ephesians 4). This means leaders in your church, in the denomination, and friends in the kingdom. What are those who know you best, including family, speaking into your life? Calling comes in the context of relationship. Listen with a discerning ear to Godly counsel.


God's calling is sometimes revealed and punctuated by providential circumstances


Although balance between the subjective and the objective is crucial, many testimonies are shared of God bringing forth pointed circumstances to identify His hand and His invitation toward a specific task or ministry.


• What circumstances might God be using to speak to you?


• What events might form a pattern of God's leading?


• What issues are your friends and coworkers wrestling with?


Summary


Of all these components, the most important truth to remember is that we are called first and foremost to a person. Jesus said, “Come, follow me”(Matthew 4:19). We, the sheep of His pasture, can hear His voice (John 10).


Active listening in a relationship of active following affirms God's calling. It's His quiet voice in the solitude of reflection that guides us. When all the strands of God's leading are wrapped together, there grows a deep inner conviction that God's voice is speaking clearly. This develops into a necessary sustaining conviction for those entering vocational ministry and missions.


Is your heart phone ringing? Is God calling? Don't wait for someone else to answer. Be available. Be involved today. You'll be glad that you plugged in, completed the connection, and answered, “Here am I, Lord. Send me” (Isaiah 6:8).