I woke up this morning and felt like I was run over by a truck. I think I took on too much this semester and I'm tired. To top things off, I found out last Friday that I have scoliosis. It should be correctable with physical therapy, but until then I have to radically change my posture and carry less in my bags. I woke up to back pain this morning. I don't know if it's really getting worse by the day or if I'm just more aware of it now.
February is a tough month to get through because it's right smack in the middle of Michigan winter. My mantra now is "3 more weeks till Florida." I've decided to take no work with me and treat my off days like a true vacation. I'll even allot a whole day to sleeping.
Some thoughts I've had about worship and vocation. I read in T. Trevethan's book The Beauty of God's Holiness that worship is about the object of worship (God). It's not about us or how we're best served or what we're used to. In fact, the reason the Israelites tended to corrupt worship was because they started practices that made more sense to them (modeled after pagan practices in their culture) rather than worshiping the way God had mandated them to. As I'm planning the worship seminar for my church, I've been thinking a lot about the style of worship. We often worship (musically) a certain way because it "reaches us more" or because we're "more comfortable with it." But those are not Biblical reasons to choose how to worship. In fact, the concept of choice in how to worship is not Biblical. So where does that leave us?
Similarly, we have this concept about vocation that we're called to do what God has best gifted us to do. We're also called to do what we're passionate about doing. But in the Bible, God often called people that didn't seem to fit their calling. Moses was not an orator. Gideon was not a warrior. Neither initially had the desire and passion or the giftings to do what they were clearly called to do. So where does that leave us in our search for our vocations?
The whole notion of worship and vocations fitting us - is that a new and incorrect concept? If so, how do we decide how to worship as a church? How do we decide what career to go into? I'm so confused. Maybe because I'm tired.
101 update
Task #99: Make chocolate-covered strawberries…and eat them. Saturday we had a spontaneous girl's night and we tried out my new dessert fondue. It didn't work terribly well, but it did work. We melted Ghiradelli milk chocolate and cut up bananas and strawberries to dip. It was delicious! =)
1 comment:
i think about those two things a good deal, especially the latter one when i think about my own gifting and calling. "God uses the weak to humble the strong.." does that mean that i have to be bad at something in order for God to use me to accomplish something for his kingdom? or does it mean that i must necessarily recognize my own weakness and utter inadequacy compared to God to perform whatever task with the skill and power that i have. ( which have been given to me by God anyway.)
i tend to lean towards the latter, because humility isn't defined by our relationship to other people, its defined by our relationship and attitude towards God.
and in terms of deciding about worship, a good quote from a pastor talking about the worship issues in his (blended/convergent) church: "If everyone is uncomfortable, then i know that i'm doing a good job."
enough rambling out of me. have a blessed week.
John C.
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