When Love Breaks Through

25 Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer: "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people. 26 Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work."

Matt 11:25-26 (MSG)

So it's Wednesday night at New Hope, with all the warmth and frenzy that we some how manage to hold in equal portions. We've made it past the frantic preparation of the meal and its consumption. The different groups have scattered and I'm in with the adult prayer and Bible Study group.

A few years ago, instead of calling on someone to lead and close in large group prayer, we went to small table groups. It's made a huge difference in participation. Almost without exception, everyone prays out loud.

Praying out LOUD is Tommy's specialty. He's developmentally disabled, but really seems to enjoy coming for the fellowship, and he takes part in the prayers. Tommy, like many people with that affliction, tends to fixate on an either / or, black or white, good or bad - on everything. And that extends to pretty much everything - baseball, football, and politics.

Somehow, Tommy became a Republican. And his prayers reflect that. One of our kindest members had to instruct him to calm it down about the politics when he's here at New Hope, because we aren't about that. We're serious about following Him Who can make a real change - in us and in the world He created. But still, Tommy's prayers tend to be laced with appeals for God to smite the evil Islamic terrorists, create democracy, and to make America great again.

So he launched into his prayer last night. Pretty much as I described - he really doesn't know any better.

But then he asked God to give His mercy to Ted Kennedy and his family. To reach out and touch him with His peace. To heal him.

Maybe Tommy knows more about God's grace than we realize.
Maybe God used him last night to speak a word of grace and mercy into our lives. As far as I know, no one else had prayed for the Senator.
Maybe love broke through. After all, that's the way the Father likes to work.

Have a great Memorial day weekend, giving thanks for those the Father has given us who gave their all for us.

Grace and peace,

David

--
Visit with me at my blogs:
http://davethepastor.vox.com/
http://itslikeherdingcats.blogspot.com/
Or visit New Hope!
http://www.newhopevalp.org/
http://www.churchcloud.com/new-hope-valp/

With Arms Open Wide

Every now and then I'll be reading the Bible and come across something that I've seen before, but never SEEN before. That ever happen to you?

So here I am today in the middle of the minefield of Romans 9 through 11.

You can lose a theological leg here.

Well meaning believers have been beating up other well meaning believers over what's in those three chapters for centuries, while the world walks by looking for the love of Jesus. After all, those three chapters are about who's in and who's out. How God is going to handle the Jews. All that interesting stuff.

Admit it - you skipped them.

You need to stop by again.

20 And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God:
"I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me."Romans 10:20 (NLT)

Could be you. Maybe you're off the gospel train, haven't been to church in a while, but something's been bugging you, or you've been wondering a lot lately about "things." Good news - God's available for a sit down anytime. In fact He's been pinging you for a while.

Of course it could be you've taken an inventory of your soul practice and found yourself a little messed up in the whole holiness department. When you get that way it doesn't seem to take long for people to turn away from you. Thing is you know you are doing it, but something in you causes you to wind up doing it anyway.

Well, God's so BTDT

"All day long I opened my arms to them, but they kept disobeying me and arguing with me."

Romans 10:21 (NLT)

Listen, friend.

Please?

God is waiting with arms open wide for you to come home, or to come home again. "All day long..." gives testimony to just how good, and patient, and loving He is. Do NOT base your opinion of God on how those of us who try imperfectly to follow Him live out what we believe. Trust Him to be Who He says he is in the Bible.
I just saw again today how He's waiting for all of His rebellious and stubborn children - With Arms Open Wide.

Turn around.

David
--
Visit with me at my blogs:
http://davethepastor.vox.com/
http://itslikeherdingcats.blogspot.com/
Or visit New Hope!
http://www.newhopevalp.org/
http://www.churchcloud.com/new-hope-valp/