Author: devadmin

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Show Notes:

• Here is a picture of the mural of John Lewis in Atlanta, as well as the video of CT Vivian being assaulted in Selma.
• “It is our shame and disgrace today that so many Christians—I will be more specific: so many of the soundest and most orthodox Christians—go through this world in the spirit of the priest and the Levite in our Lord’s parable, seeing human needs all around them, but averting their eyes and passing by on the other side… alas, they are many—whose ambition in life seems limited to building a nice middle-class Christian home and making nice middle-class Christian friends, and bringing up their children in nice middle-class Christian ways, and who leave the submiddle-class sections of the community, Christian and non-Christian, to get on by themselves.” J.I. Packer. The longer quote in context.
• My favorite three biographies of the last couple of years:
  • Churchill: Walking with Destiny – by Andrew Roberts – WSJ and NY Times Best and Notable books of 2018 respectively. A captivating look at one of the most enigmatic figures in the 20th century.
  • Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom – by David W. Blight – Hey if you don’t take my word for it, it was on President Obama’s top books of 2019 and won a Pulitzer Prize. A great book on an all-time great American.
  • Walt Disney – by Neal Gabler: It is a long one, but should be required reading for Orlandonians(?), partiality the last third of the book which covers Disney’s captivating vision for theme parks. Great insight into how it was the Disney tapped into something so deeply resonant with so many people.

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When our children were young, we had a computer in our family room.  It was pretty old.  Not Commodore 64 old.  But old.  And it wasn’t very powerful.  Basically, all it was good for was simple computer games.  Like I SPY.  Remember I SPY?  There would be a picture of a castle or a box of Lego and you would look for all these different items in it.  You might find a rake and bucket and three marbles and 2 cars.  The kids and I used to love to play I SPY together. 

I don’t want to brag.  But I was pretty good at it.  Which is pretty funny!  Considering I can spend 20 minutes looking for my glasses.  Only to realize I am wearing them.  Or waste 15 minutes trying to find a certain shirt.   Only to have Robyn point to it on the shelf in front of me.  Honestly, it’s a good thing that I don’t have to search for those things that truly matter.    

Imagine if we had to search for God.  What if we had to look carefully to find Him?  Go on an I Spy hunt among the nooks and crannies?  Hoping to spot Him amidst the closets or attics of life?  To be sure, there are times when it feels like we must.  Ever been given a devastating diagnosis?  Ever grieved the death of someone you loved dearly?  Ever fought for your life against addiction?  Ever been anxious about the future?  Boy that last one really speaks to me now.  As the number of COVID cases continues to rise and another shutdown looms.  The economy falters and jobs are ending.  Where is God these days?  Turns out God is right here with us.

One of the most colorful characters of the Old Testament was Elijah.  In 1 Kings 19, he is on the run.  Queen Jezebel has threatened his life.  Elijah has embarrassed her.  And she wants revenge.  So, Elijah flees.  Far out into the desert.  Way, way beyond the last signs of civilization.  Until finally he collapses in exhaustion and fear.  He has lost hope.  His faith is faltering.  He has had enough.  He just wants to give up. 

Elijah feels like he is all alone.  But he is not.  He is convinced God has abandoned him.  But God is with Elijah even in the deep desert.  Turns out, God’s presence isn’t contingent upon our location.  Nor is it dependent upon us having it all together.  Or being strong in the faith.  God’s presence is not conditional at all.  God is with Elijah.  And God is with me.  And God is with you.  Even in a time of pandemic.  Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?  ⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  ⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, ¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.  Psalm 139:7-10

This week we are starting a new sermon series.  It’s called Life WITH God.  It’s based on Skye Jathani’s book With.  It’s a great read.  The goal of our series is to focus on the most powerful thing we can do in this season of isolation.  Which is to be WITH God.  TO treasure God’s presence above all else.  Instead of seeking to cement our security.  Or trying to manipulate circumstances into our liking.  Creating the room in our lives to be WITH Him.  The good news is, we don’t have to search to find Him.  Locating God isn’t akin to an I Spy hunt.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  Jeremiah 29:13

I can’t wait to unpack Life with God together.  See you in worship!  In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

As we’ve been settling into our beautiful and very comfortable new Parsonage, we’ve spent a lot of time doing the normal things, things like unpacking boxes and filling closets and finding out where things will go.

This past week, we finally got around to beginning to hang our photos. One commitment Ryan and I have always made to our little family is that we would document them as they grew. We had a great family photographer in Gainesville and also another one in Boca Raton that captured the essence of our children’s personalities and the joys of our little family. All that to say, we have a lot of pictures! Over this last week we’ve hung our wedding photos in one room and our baby photos in another.  And as we continue to hang up family photos that mark moments that are significant in our lives, I was thinking about how we make our houses a home. It led me to then think about how Jesus makes our heart his home. We were taught early on, if we were fortunate enough to grow up in church, that we must invite Jesus into our heart in order to experience eternal life. As good Wesleyans, we know that Prevenient Grace means that Jesus has been with us all along and doesn’t need an invitation, we just needed to wake up to God’s presence in our lives and except it for ourselves.

As we grow and deepen our faith, it’s no longer about Jesus simply being invited into our heart but inviting and allowing Jesus to make our heart His home. If you watch any of those home remodel shows, you might enjoy watching the sledgehammer knock down walls and the team that rebuilds old countertops. You might love the before and after photos when you see brand new furniture, painted walls or new light fixtures that brightens the space and chases away the shadows that once were there. And in this reflection, I can’t help but see the comparison of the work of the Holy Spirit in each of our lives too.

After inviting Jesus to make our heart His home and growing in our own spiritual maturity, it won’t just be about hanging up pictures or filling up closets. When Jesus is really the Lord of our lives, there will inevitably be some major reconstruction and even full demolition of the interior places of our heart and soul. But that’s what we signed up for, is it not? Gone are the days when we simply say the prayer and hope that Jesus will do a little chiseling away of our inner sin in hopes of being “good enough.” This is never what was meant by Jesus when he came to announce the Kingdom of God on earth. Gone are the days when we can simply paint a few walls or hang a few pictures or add some new furniture because there’s so much more that Jesus wants to do in us for the sake of the Kingdom and the transformation of the world.

Jesus wants to knock down the walls in each of us that are so divisive in our personal, professional and oftentimes strained relationships. Jesus wants and has every right to demolish the anger or greed or prejudices that are within. I don’t know what needs remodeling in your heart, because I don’t know your story yet and you don’t know mine. But we all have walls, me included. Walls that keep the “other” out, that justify our hate or perpetuate our privilege. We all are in need of new light fixtures in order to see the shame or pride or sadness that we hide from others. Jesus wants to do the remodeling work in each of us through the power of the Holy Spirit, but we have to be willing to open the door, invite him in and allow the work to begin. It is sometimes painful, but always freeing and it is what is required of each of us that call ourselves members of the Body of Christ.

I encourage you today to read and reflect on Ephesians chapter 4:17-32. I encourage you to focus on these verses in particular.

“You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Ephesians 4:22-24

Prayer:

Holy and Loving God,

We want your image and likeness to be what others see. We know then that we must let you in, give you the sledgehammer or tools and step back to watch you work. We want to be new people that reflect your light and grace. So do what you will, make us into what you will and make our heart YOUR home.

AMEN

And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” Mark 6:31

My sister Megan is a social worker. She’s worked primarily with aging populations and hospice patients, and now works with people recently diagnosed with cancer. It’s — unsurprisingly — one of the fields of employment with the highest burnout. She’s an amazing person, generous of heart and spirit and enthusiastic about her work, but she learned quickly that she can’t maintain that in the face of so much heartbreak through force of will alone. Megan has always been one of my guiding lights in terms of self care, recently more than ever. 

When a fire is burning out, if someone throws a log on it, we pretty much accept that as normal. Rarely have I heard at a campout, “Seriously? You are accommodating that fire? It’s just doing its job! I never had a log thrown at me and I’m doing just fine.” But people are expected to go-go-go without a break because we have to hustle to succeed. We have to “lean in.” We have to be Business B’s and Boss Moms. We have to save the world, and quickly. Well, I’m no good to anyone without sleep, time alone in a quiet room every day, and a long walk in the morning. I have no fuel. And when I don’t have fuel, I usually turn to the lighter fluid of righteous rage and just power off that for a while. “HOW CAN I BE THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN PUT A DISH IN THE DISHWASHER?!” 

There is no shame in putting fuel in your fire. For some people the bubble bath vibe doesn’t work and they need to vent to a trusted friend. For some people it’s time at the gym or the dojo or the driveway basketball hoop. But whatever lights you up is what you should run toward. Instead of focusing on productivity all the time, I try to allow myself a little time each day to do nothing, guilt-free. Not nothing (except paint my toenails) or nothing (except read this book on boundaries I’ve been meaning to get to) but real, untainted, nothing but sitting and waiting on the Lord. Because we need our strength wherever we can get it. 

~ Laura Paquette, Family Council Chair

Friday, July 17

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Thursday, July 16

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Wednesday, July 15

Tune in each Wednesday night at 6pm, as we take a trip back in time to past VBS through the years. Join us for songs, skits, experiments, and more! We will feature a new VBS theme each week.

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Tuesday, July 14

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Monday, July 13