February 28, 2011

2-28-11 Monday, 6:38 am, 35 degrees, cloudy

I will be part of the Board of Ordained Ministry team conducting interviews today with candidates for the ordained ministry. This meeting was postponed from a month ago due to severe winter weather. I also have a peer mentoring group with the bishop where we will be discussing the Rendle book Journey in the Wilderness. Yesterday the four worship services went well as we received 30 new members, and the afternoon meetings with confirmation kids and their parents and the Honduras steering committee were fruitful.

Isaiah 38

Hezekiah gets sick and Isaiah the prophet tells him to put his house in order, this sickness is unto death. The king then humbles himself and prays, and God promises 15 more years. God gives the sign of the sun’s shadow going backwards 10 steps, and tells Isaiah to prepare a poultice and apply it to Hezekiah’s boil. The bulk of the chapter is a psalm written by the king in which he thanks God, and also recognizes his mortality.

Just yesterday I was contemplating how much longer I might live. The actuaries predict I will live to about 80, or 25 more years. I could die this week, or live to be a hundred. The fact is that this is a short life (when viewed from the end), and every day counts. I am thankful for each day of this human experience, and I seek to live it fully in the presence of God, for the building of God’s kingdom. Guide me today Lord as I work with candidates, mentors and make decisions about the future pastors of the United Methodist church here in Missouri.