IF:EQUIP Day 26

IF:EQUIP Day 26
Read John 11:55-12:11

If you believe this is true then:

• What does this mean about God?
• What dos this mean about you?
• What does this mean about the world?

I don't know that I can really answer these questions as they are presented when it comes to this passage. There is just so much here! We have an act of worship, that is what this is, from a woman who owes EVERYTHING to Jesus. I woman who knows death, because it stared her in the face with the death of her brother, and knows resurrection because it sits next to Jesus at the table. This woman lays her thankfulness, her gratitude before Jesus in an extravagant sensual way, baring her very soul to him. Why did she have the ointment? because she was counting on having to bring it to her brothers body for several days. Now she has great joy because life has been returned. She wipes his feet with her hair, something that is so inappropriate that I bet the disciples fell out of their chairs! But she was so into her worship that she didn't care. Her worship covered her, just as the sent covered her. I think about her that week carrying the sent around with her. I think of her hearing the news of his crucifixion and smelling that sent of death and worship in her hair. I think of it smelling ten times as sweet on Easter morning when she knows he is risen!

This is the kind of worship I want. This complete giving of myself to heck with the consequences kind of worship. Worship that pleases God and not necessarily humans.

IF: Equip Day 25

IF: EQUIP Day 25
Read John 11:1-54

This happens to be in my top two or three passages of all time and I have a hard time limiting my thought process to the one given in IF:EQUIP, but I will try.

If you believe this is true then:

• What does it mean about God?

That God is the ruler of heaven and earth! That God's timing is perfect even when it's not! God is in the resurrection business, which is even greater than restoration business. God deeply cares for us in a way that is above and beyond empathy or sympathy.

• What does it mean about you?

How often do I find myself yelling at God "Why weren't you here! If you had been here this wouldn't have happened."? But I tend to leave off the following words, that even now I know that whatever is needed you will do. My confession of doubt is often stronger than my confession of faith.

• What does it mean about the world?

God does not operate by our rules. The unreliable narrators in this passage say that Jesus cries out of love and sympathy, but I think he's crying for an unbelieving age. I think they are tears of anger. The cross of Calvary looms large and Jesus is not looking forward to dancing towards it! This act of mercy, the returning of Lazarus, will bring him closer and make his time more precious.

I pray for a faith like Martha's that even in the darkest of times trusts in the light of the world.

Friday Five

RevKarla over on revgalblogpals offers today's friday five.

Hi gals and pals~~

Happy Friday to you!  I don’t have a theme this week, but just a variety of questions for your writing pleasure…

1) How are you?  What’s taking up your mind-heart space these days?

Sick sick sick! Throat infection making my life miserable! Lots of unblogables right now so have maintained radio silence. Praying for clarity.

2) It’s St. Patrick’s Day on Monday~~will you celebrate or give a nod to it?

I will celebrate by wearing green to make my eyes stand out! Other than that, no.

3) My colleague is a voracious morning reader of blogs, online news, articles, etc.  What, besides RevGalBlogPals, do you look at frequently, if not daily?

email, the bible, google, ministry matters, pinterest

4) I got nothin’ here.  This is a free for all.  Just tell us something!

I would love to get two more tattoos, but I worry too much about what my congregation would think.

5) Use these words in a sentence or two:    map, magazine, sing, baby sloth, knit, penguin, love, weep, mountain, and messenger bag.

There once was a girl learning to knit from a magazine that she kept in her messenger bag covered in baby sloth and penguin embroidery. She learned that the path to love does not follow a map over the mountain but sings forth from the tears we weep.

Have fun!

Friday Five

Todays Friday Five comes from Deb.
I have been busy writing “professional” papers, where it is required that staid, measured prose be properly footnoted, annotated and credited. I am tired of living there!
However, my creative brain is somewhere in the land of strange to illogical. So join me in my flight of thought and tell us:
1. A color that you enjoy (and where you find it)
Green in all its crazy wild and calming forms! In my husband's eyes, on my bedroom walls and on my jamberry nail wraps today!
2. A food or drink you have discovered recently that is just da bomb!
Gevalia coffee with Bailey's Brown Butter Pecan coffee creamer
3. A simile for tiredness
As tired as one armed paper hanger
4. A random picture from your phone, camera or computer

Me and my middle baby @ her school Christmas party

5. Your least favorite bill: car mechanic, dentist or plumber?
Dentist (And all three of the little ones are going in March!)
BONUS: If you are going to have a Lenten practice or discipline, what is it? If you have a book or on-line resource, be sure to share it!
Reading the book of Luke a few verses at a time.

If EQUIP: Day 13 and Day 14

IF:EQUIP Day 13
Read John 6:16-21

If you believe this is true then:

• What does this mean about God?

God is not held captive to nature. As the creator he overcame it without difficulty. God is so much bigger than we tend to allow God to be. If God has such control, why do I doubt God's control over and in my life?

• What does this mean about you?

I too set off without God from time to time. What might I miss by leaving Christ behind? Am I always looking for or expecting Jesus to show up? How do I react when he does? Do I turn around if he doesn't?

• What does this mean about the world?

Christ has not and will not abandon the world, a common theme in John. The love of God is deep, strong, and overpowering. Time and again we reject or walk away and time and again God draws near.


IF:EQUIP Day 14
Read John

If you believe this is true then:

• What does this mean about God?

God is basic, a necessity for our lives. Just like bread, Jesus is to be a staple in our diet. While God does tire of us seeking only when we are in need or because we want more, God does not begrudge and still offers to fill us as we need to be filled.

• What does this mean about you? the world?

If Christ is so basic why do we treat him as a luxury, set aside only for once a week and maybe less than that? Why do we not indulge daily? Where am I setting a table and not putting Christ on it? Jesus should be the first thing offered to friends, family and strangers.

IF:EQUIP Day 11

IF:EQUIP Day 11
Read John 5:16-37

If you believe this is true then:

• What does this mean about God?

God is present and available. There is no hiddenness with God. God enters into our lives and becomes accessible.

• What does this mean about me?

Where have I let me expectations of God keep me from recognizing God? Where have I let other's perceptions about God keep me from following what I know to be God's call? Where do I need to let me preconceived notions fade away?

• What does this mean about the world?

God has entered into the world with the purpose of preserving and healing. Why do we struggle against God? Why do we seek control?

God, make yourself known to me, my family, and the world, today, NOW! Help me to trust even when I can't see the next footfall. Help me to honor you in my thoughts and actions. Speak to me and clean out my ears so I can really hear you!

IF:EQUIP Day 9 and 10

IF:EQUIP Day 9

Read John 4:43-54
If you believe this is true:

• What does this mean about God?

God makes good on God's word. Christ did not have to be physically present to command healing. God knows that we desire to see "signs and wonders" and has granted them, however they are not necessary for faith to occur.

• What does this mean about you?

I am heard by God, important enough to be listened to by God. There are so many times I feel that my issues are too small to lay before the Lord. But God does hear God's children.

• What does this mean about the world?

God is concerned about healing and wholeness. There is no place where God's hope and help will not reach. Why do we act as if we are above or below God's love and understanding?

IF:EQUIP Day 10

Read John 5:1-15
If you believe this is true:

• What does this mean about God?

God is seeking us out. All broken and wounded individuals God seeks to restore. Christ cared enough to go to the sick those in need. God loved too much to let the man stay in his illness. God pushes past our excuses and allows us to see opportunities to be made well.

• What does this mean about you?

How am I going to the sick and needy? Where am I offering hope and healing? Words are not all, action is important as well. Where am I in need of Jesus' healing? Where am I too busy giving excuses to allow healing to occur? How am I reliant upon others for healing?

• What does this mean about the world?

Too often we let others keep us from wholeness. And when we are healed we have a hard time getting on with our lives! There is so much more available to us if we would get up and walk!