Good weekend dear friends.
I briefly mentioned it was "one of those weeks." We all have them. How we handle them is the questions that gets us either through them or they go straight through us.
Mine was because of a deadline. Around here it was like it was the week of April 15th. Our tax guy in Kentucky wants parents of university students who want to complete the FAFSA to have their taxes postmarked by Feb. 14th. So, my bride and I had a romantic evening completing our taxes, driving to the US Post Office at the SA airport and having those kind folks hand postmark the return Feb. 14th. That PO is open 24 hours every day.
Prior to that romantic evening I had been at Mt. Wesley in Kerrville with the conference board of ordained ministry. The spring meeting is both the most joyful and most painful. Candidates for full ordination are either welcomed, extended for another year, or told they are being discontinued in their process. It is a joy to visit with those whose hearts, minds, and spirits are ablaze with the understanding of God's call upon their lives and as they are asked questions they respond with full confidence and assurance. Others are not so sure or confident and they either don't interview well or just don't know the material they should have received in three years of seminary and then three years of probationary membership. The painful part is when someone is voted to be extended a year or discontinued, that puts a stop to their joyous plans of having family and friends present for their ordination service at annual conference. And as chair, it is my job to go outside and share with them the decision of the board.
What did David do? David, as king, was the commander-in-chief of his army and led each battle against his enemies. Many was the time he found himself in the valley of the battle, looking to the hills where his enemies were standing and awaiting the right time to attack. Could it have been those times that he wrote these words?
"I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore."
David and we should know from where our help comes. We, like David, should know the strength of the Lord and not only strength but diligence to our needs. Our God does not sleep! Peter said the devil never sleeps, but that's okay because we have a 24/7 God. David says our God will keeps us from "all evil; he will keep your life." In fact, our "going out and ...coming in" is under God's watchful eye.
PRAYER: Thank you, loving God for the promises of Your word to us. Our prayer is for those candidates that will be ordained this coming summer. We thank you for their lives and their faithful response to Your call into ordained ministry. We ask a special blessing as well on those either continued for another year in preparation as well as those discontinued. Their needs are great, their hearts are heavy, bring comfort and understanding to their lives. Help us all to trust You and walk with you. We pray this in Jesus' Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed weekend in the Lord!
e.v.
I briefly mentioned it was "one of those weeks." We all have them. How we handle them is the questions that gets us either through them or they go straight through us.
Mine was because of a deadline. Around here it was like it was the week of April 15th. Our tax guy in Kentucky wants parents of university students who want to complete the FAFSA to have their taxes postmarked by Feb. 14th. So, my bride and I had a romantic evening completing our taxes, driving to the US Post Office at the SA airport and having those kind folks hand postmark the return Feb. 14th. That PO is open 24 hours every day.
Prior to that romantic evening I had been at Mt. Wesley in Kerrville with the conference board of ordained ministry. The spring meeting is both the most joyful and most painful. Candidates for full ordination are either welcomed, extended for another year, or told they are being discontinued in their process. It is a joy to visit with those whose hearts, minds, and spirits are ablaze with the understanding of God's call upon their lives and as they are asked questions they respond with full confidence and assurance. Others are not so sure or confident and they either don't interview well or just don't know the material they should have received in three years of seminary and then three years of probationary membership. The painful part is when someone is voted to be extended a year or discontinued, that puts a stop to their joyous plans of having family and friends present for their ordination service at annual conference. And as chair, it is my job to go outside and share with them the decision of the board.
What did David do? David, as king, was the commander-in-chief of his army and led each battle against his enemies. Many was the time he found himself in the valley of the battle, looking to the hills where his enemies were standing and awaiting the right time to attack. Could it have been those times that he wrote these words?
"I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore."
David and we should know from where our help comes. We, like David, should know the strength of the Lord and not only strength but diligence to our needs. Our God does not sleep! Peter said the devil never sleeps, but that's okay because we have a 24/7 God. David says our God will keeps us from "all evil; he will keep your life." In fact, our "going out and ...coming in" is under God's watchful eye.
PRAYER: Thank you, loving God for the promises of Your word to us. Our prayer is for those candidates that will be ordained this coming summer. We thank you for their lives and their faithful response to Your call into ordained ministry. We ask a special blessing as well on those either continued for another year in preparation as well as those discontinued. Their needs are great, their hearts are heavy, bring comfort and understanding to their lives. Help us all to trust You and walk with you. We pray this in Jesus' Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed weekend in the Lord!
e.v.
