Obstructions or Opportunities?

The closer we get to the departure date for Asia the more things I realize that we need to do. Also, I find more and more people who are in the middle of significant transitions in their lives. Transition is never easy but it does give us a chance to see God at work.

In our case, we've received word that the government of the country we're heading for is in the process of creating some new laws, or changes to older laws, that will severely restrict the freedom of ministry. We don't know at this point whether there will be any impact on our plans to move this summer to work in the school. All we can do is pray with others that God will keep the doors open for ministry (not just ours) in the country. After that, we continue to prepare to leave.

I've been impressed these past days with how precious the preaching opportunities are. As we count down I realize that I'm almost in single digits for the number of Sundays I have to open the Word of God for the people. I'm also struck anew by the significance of what it is to "speak for God" to his people.

Catching Up

It's been almost two months since I posted. Time has gone quickly. Where we once had over six months until we move to Asia we're now down to four. I don't know if we'll get everything done that needs to be done.

Suzanne and I just returned from a pastor's retreat in Texas. It's provided through Pastors Retreat Network. What a gift! It's provided free for pastors - you just have to get yourself there. I was concerned whether we could afford the time away with the move coming so soon. I decided that we really needed some time to "come up for air" after all the stuff that's been going on. Much of it has been good. It has just been busy.

The program we studied was the Sabbath Rest. It was a great option for us as we tried to rest, reflect and be restored for the days ahead. We had a great time with the other four couples. On our last night we had a prayer time that really ministered to me. I hope that others had some benefit as well.

There were two things that stood out to me from the retreat. I'm not through processing the stuff, but the first was that Sabbath isn't primarily about resting. It's about getting close to God to remember that He's the one who sanctifies and liberates. Both of these thoughts come from the injunction to remember the Sabbath in Exodus and Deuteronomy. The "rest" is perhaps more accurately "cease" from the regular stuff to devote ourselves to knowing God better.

The second thing that I've brought away is the importance of "markers". I got into a book that spoke about images in the New Testament that can/should remind us of discipleship. ("The Discipline of Surrender".) I think that will help me in my thought life and general reflecting upon God. If I can take some common images and turn them into markers of discipleship I'll have even more reminders of God's plan for my life. Even more importantly, if I can do that, I'll have more reminders of God's great nature.