Where: My office
Listening to: Pink Floyd
Drinking: Starbucks Sumatra
Pray: God, I am worn thin today. So many things are causing my heart to ache, and I'm doing my best to bring truth and reconciliation where I can. Right now, we are in the painful stretch between broken and healed. Reign your redemption and heal hearts. Minister to mine today.
Read:
1 Listen to my words, LORD,
consider my lament.
2 Hear my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
3 In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly. --Psalm 5:1-3
Think:
(Ask, Analyze, Apply)
Write:
It is morning, and I am lamenting. I feel solidarity with the psalmist today. There is so much broken, so much scarred. Friends and family are hurting in body and in heart. One of my best friends is watching family members' health decay. Times like this can make me forget the lengths of Your justice and the depths of your redemption. You have paid debts I never knew I owed. You have healed wounds when cuts were deep and hope was dim. You have made all things new. We are just catching up to your redemption. Today, pour out your healing and your hope. Make the worst scars into fresh skin. Beat hearts in sync again. Draw us all closer to you. Save the lost and sanctify the saved. Make all things new today. I'm laying it all on your altar today.
Do:
Today I'm going to practice redemption in ministry as I wait expectantly for God to bring redemption in the things beyond my reach. It is going to be a good day.
Where: My office.
Listening to: Coldplay
Drinking: Starbucks Pike Place
Pray:
God, I'm facing a lot of tasks. There is so much to plan, prepare and do these next few days. So much of it is beyond my abilities and control. Fill me with Your Spirit today. I want to be connected to you, so that everything I do brings You glory and blesses everyone around me.
Read:
7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets prisoners free,
8 the LORD gives sight to the blind,
the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down,
the LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the foreigner
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
10 The LORD reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the LORD. --Psalm 146:7-10
Think:
(Ask, Analyze and Apply)
Write:
In a culture of abundance and freedom, I have opportunity to blind myself to the cause of the oppressed. If I let my pride have its way, I would even blame the oppressed for their suffering, citing sin and poor judgement. That would be a tragedy. Do gays not suffer oppression? Doesn't God love them the same way He loves me? What about predatory lenders, murderers and rapists? The fact is, these were the guys He made his disciples. I think its interesting that oppressors always have a reason. They point out why they are right and the oppressed are wrong. Its easy to forget that we are all messed up. The least of this world need God's love as much as the great. They may even be one and the same. Our God defends the broken and fights for the cause of the marginalized and imprisoned. I don't want to ever forget that I was once blind and broken. He redeemed me and entrusted me to care for the broken (Matthew 25). Christ-like, unconditional love is the goal.
Also, when I think about how God frustrates the ways of the wicked, I think of how much falls apart when I'm not operating according to His will. Sometimes, "the wicked" is me.
Do:
Today, I'm going to check up on our Life Group Leaders to see how caring for the broken is going. I also have a few oppressed friends that I'm going to remind I love. I think I also need to consider if there is a need God wants me to meet this week, something I have been blind to until now.
