Palm Sunday

I awoke at 5:15, without the benefit of the alarm. Audrey and I returned home at 11:00 last night from attending the funeral of our friend Linda Hurst Locke near Memphis, TN. Linda was Audrey's last roomate before we married, and a servant of Christ who worked on the staff of several United Methodist Churches in Tennessee. Her funeral was a celebration of her life, and the gathering of her family and friends in our grief. My body is now still weary, but I got a good night’s sleep and am ready for this Palm Sunday. Rochelle will lead the musical, Micki Pulleyking will preach at 9:30 and 10:40. 

Scripture – Matthew 23:29-39

Jesus laments over Jerusalem, noting that the prophets are killed in that city. The current religious leaders build memorials to them and say they would not have killed them. God says to them “behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city.”

Last night I read the daily reading from Bonhoeffer’s compendium and having just attended Linda Hurst Locke’s funeral, it was fittingly on death. He described the two deaths – one outer – from the bullet (or the gallows, or the knife or the blood clot, bacteria or who-knows-what.) The other death is the inner – dying to self every day, giving one’s life away, “losing one’s life that it may be found.”) Linda’s life was such an example, Bonhoeffer’s life was, and I desire for my life everyday to be such an example of the inner death of surrender, pouring it into the lives of others.

The prophets gave their lives away, saying hard and accurate words about God’s will and the people’s actions. There will always be a tension between what people want to hear, and how they will respond when God’s servants are obedient.

Guide me today, most holy Lord as your obedient servant, giving my life away on this day in April. 

Day 31 – Forty Days in the Word

Mission Blitz today!!!  I look forward to being present at both sites in both communities.   This is our seventh year to dedicate a Saturday in April for the Wesley UMC congregation to be out in ministry in the Springfield community. The sun is bright, though it is chilly. Six months of preparation have been focused upon today's efforts, and the follow-up which will ensue.       

Day 31 – Forty Days in the Word.

Philippians 2, especially verse 13

“For it is God who works in Bruce Baxter to will and to act according to his good pleasure.” To rewrite this verse, inserting my name as per the devotional plan for this week prescribed by Rick Warren is powerful. It is God who works in me. It is God working in me that adjusts my will – Psalmist – Lord give me the desires of my heart – ie cause my heart to desire what You desire. It is God working in my that directs my actions – “that I may do, what Thou wouldst do.” My actions today as I visit the two mission blitz sites and interact with all the people involved will be the result of God working in me.

As I consider my possible role in seminary leadership, it would be God working in me to will and act according to His good pleasure in the operations, outreach, design, implementation and funding of the work of educating and training pastors. This gives me great confidence. I am not alone. What I will and do is not self-generated. My life is hidden in Christ, filled with the Spirit of Christ and directed to the purposes of Christ. As I preach and prepare messages, it is God at work in me to speak the word of reconciliation, of love, of life with hope, joy and peace.

Thank you Lord for this scripture from the pen of Paul and from his heart. My prayer this morning is that You would more fully and powerfully be at work in Bruce Baxter to will, desire, and plan to act according to all that pleases You and extends Your kingdom on earth, even as it is in heaven.