Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Listening

Writing consistently is a practice I am still getting used to. I realize I have not posted for a bit, and so it is time. I wonder if you too have practices that you want to do in your life, but changing your routine to include these new habits takes more time than you realize? God calls me to new ways of living all the time, but I often dig in and resist, even when I know there is a reason for changing. I continue on my self destructive ways even when I see these ways do not serve me. I wonder if it is true for you to? The good news is that Jesus is the Lord of resurrection, and even when we do not have the energy or the vision or the will to "do a new thing", when we rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us, we can be surprised what we have the energy to do.
So the habit that remains the most important is to keep open to the Spirit and how God is moving in the day. Staying open to the the Spirit requires me to observe with my soul, not just with my eyes! So for today, I pledge I will leave room in my busy schedule to listen and respond! How about you?

Monday, July 9, 2012

Living with God

This Sunday I gave my congregation two questions to chew on this week. So for those of you who were away or in another place of worship here goes:
One: Are there places we are resisting God's activity in our lives?
Two: Is there some opportunity we feel God might be inviting us to, or some challenge God may be setting for us that we find difficult to embrace or entertain?
These questions were on the Working Preacher's Blog post.
I am inviting us to look at our responses and discern how God may be working in your life this week.
For me, as I begin this new year as the pastor of the Walnut United Methodist Church, I am looking for places that God is calling me to. This means I making changes to how I spend time, where I go to meet new people, and how to care for the present needs of the congregation. I am committed to being fully present to the Spirit as it guides me, and I confess the fear I feel about stepping out into the week determined to change what is keeping me from God's mission.
How about with you? What questions are you asking, and what answers come to you? Let's continue to dialogue.Pastor STeve