My family and I have spent the last four days in the Florida Keys. It’s nice to get away from the ruts we sometimes find ourselves in. That is where I am in my spiritual sojourn right now. I have had no ponderings to post because I have been ponderless. I have been lost in the academics of my faith, not in the relationality of it. If one is going to err in this balancing act between knowing God and knowing God (about, relational) I want to err on the relational side. We need both, but for me at this time relationship trumps knowing.
The Rewards of Ministry
I really enjoy Wednesdays, not because it is a 12+ hour day, but because by the end of it I am truly blessed. The first 9 hours or so are like any other day. Get up ponder, go to work but then the fun starts. First, I turn in my drivers license and get my photo ID, I then pass through a metal detector, scan my ID through one door (it closes), hand stamped with UV ink, through another door, walk a 1/4 mile across and razor wire enclosed compound and then meet with 19 men who have been convicted of various crimes. I then lead a study with them about integrity, authenticity, beliefs and values. What great conversations we have. These guys are intelligent, reflective and engaged in the conversation. To be honest, I don’t think it is so much the material that we study, but rather the fact that there are a number of us from the outside who come in regularly to share with and minister to these men. On Wednesdays there are 6-10 of use who make this trek regularly. For me, it is my attempt to live out Matt 22 and James 1, verses about loving your neighbor and caring for those forgotten by society.
I believe the men are ministered to through my presences and I know that I am ministered to and blessed by them being a part of my life. My challenge I leave with you is how can you be a blessing to those people God has put in your sphere of influence.
Sunday Morning Reflection
Ah, the quite of a Sunday morning. Coffee, the paper, pondering. The church we attend has a couple of Saturday services which we like to attend. This frees up Sunday morning to attend to the resting, relaxing and spending a little more time in God’s word or blogging. The rest of the family is busy getting ready to go and serve others in the church so I get a nice quite house. The perfect time to ponder and reflect on life.
By now you must be wondering if there is anything useful coming out of this posting, well I don’t know. My words of wisdom for this post are take the time the God has given you to listen to that still small voice, ponder on what He says, and then put it into action.