February 22, 2011

2-22-11 Tuesday, 6:19 am Springfield, clear, 21 degrees. (This is my 300 posting on this blog, begun in Lent, 2010.)

I have just reviewed my schedule for the upcoming week. Yesterday I had a very good day, finalizing the purchase of the 2003 Kawasaki Concours at 10, working in the office til noon, lunch with Doug Anderson followed by meeting with him as coach until 3:45. The communications task force met with us at 4, followed by the staff parish committee at 5:30 until 8:45. Today’s schedule begins with a breakfast meeting at 8:15, followed by a 10 – 2:30 session with the pastors and executive staff, then the Sunday morning task force at 4:00, followed by the dinner and visioning with church council (60 reservations so far) from 5:30 til 9:00. Whew! All of this work is so important to becoming a more fruitful, effective congregation that makes more disciples of Jesus Christ who worship care and serve. I am thankful for this process, and I recognize that it could wear me out!

Isaiah 33

Contrasting the outlook of chapters 28-31, this chapter continues the theme of chapter 32 which states the benefits of trusting in God completely, rather than a foreign ruler or anything else. The prayer in verse 2 is my prayer this morning: “O Lord, be gracious to us; we have waited for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation also in the time of distress.”

My trust is completely in God, and as we walk through the HCI process at Wesley, there will be conflict stirred up as we seek to expand the fruitfulness and the reach of the gospel in our generation. Lord be my strength every morning, specifically this cold February morning in the Ozarks. Guard me from complacency, give me the courage to act with confidence, even in the face of resistance to change. Guard me from resentment, and help me to choose the “long view of this short life”.