pies

I recently have been privileged to get to know a lovely woman from my church named Judy. She is a breath of fresh air and is beautifully fragrant the way that only a woman after God's own heart can be. And the story of how a few college kids came to bake pies and form a friendship with a woman who already has grandchildren of her own is a story that I will continue to tell for a long time, beginning now.

We met Judy one day after the church service had ended, and somewhere in the course of small talk, she mentioned how much she loved baking. She could have not known the effect of that comment. After a joyful exclamation from one of the girls in our group, numbers were exchanged, and a date was set for the purpose of baking pies.

St Patricks Day came, and we found ourselves on Judy's front porch, entering a home as beautiful as the heart of the woman who owned it. We learned the art of pie baking, which is saying a lot after experiencing how seriously Judy takes her pies. Within the timeframe of three hours, we cranked out 16 delicious- and completely homemade- pies.

But what was significant about St Patricks Day this year wasn't the delicious pies, although they truly were the best pies I have ever tasted. No, the significance was so much greater than a pastry. The significance was in the community, the sheer joy of just being in each others' presence. And I think we all were surprised to find how quickly this fellowship developed: after only a few minutes of having these college kids in her home, Judy began planning our next event. Our day was filled with laughter and conversation. The blessing of fellowship was evident in every moment.

Last night, a few of us went again to Judy's. And yes, we ate more pie. But after some violin music, conversation, and plugging in of electronics, we found ourselves lying on the floor with pillows listening to a record of 'the Gospel Road' by Johnny Cash.

Friends, it's the simple things. It's pie baking and laughing and drinking coffee and watching the sun set and listening to Johnny Cash late at night. The little things can be the biggest blessings. Like meeting a woman named Judy at church.

professional

I think it's easy to become a professional Christian. It's easy to go to church every Sunday and Wednesday. It's easy to have a recommitment every summer at camp. It's easy to lead worship on a routine basis and to enjoy the performance instead of the worship. It's easy to learn the right church lingo and to say the phrases that sound nice. We learn what works and what is efficient. And because those things are efficient and require no examination of interior motives to execute, we continue to do them.

Friends, may we never come to a place where entering into the presence of God becomes just another thing to do. May we never think so highly of ourselves that our attendance or performance or speech is what earns us His grace and life. May we not go to church because it is the 'efficient' way to fit God into our Sabbath.

Let yourself be examined by the Spirit this week. Let Him go all the way to the depths of your being- to your traditions, habits, talents, insecurities, downfalls...let Him sift through it all. And ask Him to heal you there, on the dirt floor of your heart.

God doesn't need professionals. That's not what he wants you to be. That's not how he wants you to live. To be professional at reaching God is to rely on your own capabilities- to rely on the flesh.

"You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you...If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you (ESV Romans 8:9, 11)."

abandon

"In our abandonment we give ourselves over to God just as God gave Himself for us, without any calculation. The consequences of abandonment never enter into our outlook because our life is taken up with Him." -Oswald Chambers

It really bugs me when Christian books instruct the reader to abandon all to God so that ______ happens. So that you get a promotion. So that your prayer life is enhanced. So that you find the perfect spouse. So that your life can be good.

That view of abandonment is so very shallow! If we are entering into abandonment with the idea that we will receive everything we humanly want, we are not truly abandoning ourselves. Even if we enter into the idea of abandonment simply so that our prayer life will be enhanced, we are not abandoning ourselves for the true reason that abandonment even exists.

Abandonment is a complete trusting in who God is and what He wants to do in our lives. Abandonment is letting him do it. In fact, I think that the only proper response to God's goodness and glory is to abandon ourselves completely. Abandonment exists so that our lives are no longer about what we do or where we go or what we receive, but instead, they are intrinsically bound up in God's way of living- bound up in his patience, love, gentleness, generosity, humility, unity...we abandon ourselves not knowing what God will do with us but trusting him all the same. Abandonment is done out of faith, and that faith is always always rewarded.

Friends, abandon yourselves to Christ. Abandon yourself so that God receives glory and praise. Abandon yourself with the realization that God wants to use you even more than He already is. Abandon yourself because it is the only appropriate response to God's glory, holiness and goodness.

Oswald Chambers again sums up this whole idea perfectly:
"Tell God you are ready to be offered, and God will prove Himself to be all you ever dreamed He would be."

"You follow me!" -Jesus (Acts 21:22)