Monday, July 18, 2011
Getting Engaged
Before everyone goes all crazy...this post is NOT about getting engaged to get married...but it did get your attention, right? I'm attending the National Worship Leader Conference in Leawood, KS this week and I heard a fantastic message from Scotty Smith on the very familiar prodigal son story from Luke 15. Now, I have heard more sermons on this text than I can count, but tonight I heard something so fresh and challenging. I was reminded how easily we are lured away from just abiding in God as we get wrapped up in "doing ministry." Over time, we too become prodigals as we gradually hand over our allegiance and affection to the things that don't really satisfy and as we allow the things of this world to take the place of God on the throne! Even things that we love and things that we believe we are doing for God can become idols...and soon we are worshiping music instead of worshiping the God of melody who gave us the voice to sing. We can go through the motions of "being a Christian" without actually engaging with God. We can go to church every Sunday and not actually engage with God. How easy it is, particularly for those of us working in ministry, to simply disengage and go on auto pilot. But if we listen carefully, we can hear a whisper that beckons us home. And if we're willing...if we pick ourselves up and trudge back up the road that led us down to the pigpen we sometimes find ourselves in...we will find our Abba, our Father God in a full-out run to meet us. As Scotty said, He'll be the first one on the dance floor, ready to get the party started. This is our God...who relentlessly pursues us and longs for us to live in fullness and abundance and rejoices when we are satisfied in Him alone. "Taste and see, taste and see that He is good. Blessed are they who run to Him for He is good. And He's worthy of our praise, He is worthy of our praise, here to fill our hungry souls, taste and see. Full of mercy, full of power, full of blessings, full of grace, full of praise and full of hope is our God the Holy One. Here to speak His words of life and surround us with His love, here with healing in His wings, taste and see oh taste and see. He's worthy of our lives, he is worthy of our songs, here to fill our hungry souls...taste and see" ... lyrics by Tommy Walker. "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him" ~ Psalm 34:8
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Yes, I must say I "bit" when I read "Getting Engaged." But thank you for this lovely reminder of how easy it is (unfortunately) to get caught up in the details while totally missing the opportunities of being a partner with God in ministry! I love the image of God first on the dance floor!!! Twist & shout, baby!
ReplyDeleteBAHAHAHA! When I saw the title my head went back to the conversation we had and I was all like "WHAT! Dang! either that was speedy or she wasn't telling me something!"
ReplyDeleteThen I read it and smile. Very good post, very true. The concept of abiding is something I've heard a lot about this summer. a bunch of my friends are interning at IHOP and that's something they really focus on. Great job!