Grace and peace on this good Saturday. I'm glad and grateful we can finish the week together in the Pastor's Workshop.
This week we've developed a message entitled, "Ready to Reopen? Reassure Your Doubts." Scripturally it draws from the story of Gideon in Judges 6:14-21, 36-40. Existentially it explores the question and struggle our society and each of us personally is facing "Are we ready/ am I ready to Reopen?"
The message affirms that how we approach this core question is very different for each of us. Some are ready to "dive right in" and "reopen right now." Others are not so sure. There are hesitations, reservations, doubts and fears.
Knowing that God's man, Gideon, experienced all this and more, helps us realize this struggle is common, normal, human and OK. But more than that, as we look to the Scripture we see how God was with Gideon, "walking with him" through his struggle. God was patient, persistent and persevering in guiding Gideon along and growing Gideon up. Through answered prayer, encouraging conversation, successful trials, confirming signs and emerging vision God ministered to Gideon. Gideon was able to go from being fearful to embracing the commission and the future God had for him. God will minister that same "Blessed Reassurance" with us as we move forward in our own "journeys of faith."
Knowing that this is our message, what would be our prayers? How would you and I pray that gift of "blessed reassurance" for every one who hears this message? Moreover, what would we pray for our congregation, community and country as we move through these days of answering this question?
Here are a few of my prayers:
I pray we would embrace our hesitations, reservations, doubts and fears as normal and natural. We would not be afraid of our fears.
I pray we would trust these to God, knowing we live in covenant relationship with God who is Lord of all.
I pray that we would know God will lead us and grow us through this time. As we pray there will be answers. As we have conversations with friends there will be encouragement. As we conduct our own "trials" there will be successes. As we look for signs there will be confirmations.
I pray that as we have our doubts reassured we will experience a growing confidence in our hearts and minds about how we can approach the question, "Are we ready to reopen?"
I pray our community and country can begin to come together and work together on answering this question wisely and well.
These are a few of my prayers this week. What are yours? I encourage you to jot them down in your journal. As you record your prayers, you can also look back later and see how God answered your prayer and how you grew in your faith.
Saturday is a day to "prepare with prayer." So I'll let you get to it. Saturday is also a Sabbath day - a day of "different rhythms" from Monday-Friday, and a day of rest. I pray you know some of each today.
In that blessing, I'm glad we shared this time together today. I look forward to being with you tomorrow in the Master's Workshop as we join in worship.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank You for the gift of Sabbath and the blessing of prayer. Thank You that as we claim these mercies You would reassure our doubts and refresh our hearts. Let us not only know this grace today, but let us also share it with others, our family and friends. Let us do so in ways that reveal Your goodness and glory. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen
In Christ,
Paul