I have had a few days now to think about my trip to Daytona Beach and the National Conference on Youth Ministries and I wanted to share a few reflections from my week...
Receive the day
Each morning at the conference, Earl Lavender from Lipscomb University led us in a morning devotional. While the crowd was sparse, what Earl offered was very rich! His focus for the week was to receive the day. He pursued the idea of starting the day open to what God has in store for you.
I tend to wake up and start the day by looking at my iCal to see what I have planned. While I am intend to stick to my commitments, I am going to work this year to not let my calendar dictate my day. I am convicted that I need to leave margin in my schedule for God to reveal opportunities for the inbreaking of his Kingdom.
Each day should be an opportunity for an exciting, unexpected encounter with God and his creation. I want to echo in my own life the words we read from Psalm 5:3 last week, "In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly."
Cherish the simple things
On our last morning there, our family went down to the beach to watch the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean. As we sat there anticipating the breaking of the sun over the horizon, I was reminded of the beauty of simple things. In a world where Facebook, texting, hundreds of channels on TV, iPods full of music, and busy schedules dominate our lives, we need to appreciate the simple things.
A sunrise. A bird walking along the shore. The smile of a friend. The embrace of a loved one. These are the true treasures of our world. I so often get wrapped up in the complexities of life that I miss the beauty of creation. We have created a world that demands our attention and often distracts us from the more important things. I often miss hearing God because I'm focusing more on what we have created, and less on the Creator and his creation.
Slow down
This will require me to slow down. I am too busy. My schedule is too full. I struggle to receive the day and cherish the simple things by my own doing most of the time.
I have bought into the American philosophy that busyness is good. I have been taught to believe that my productivity determines my worth. I often measure my value by what I am able to do, not who I am. Chris Seidman asked a question the first night of the conference that has stuck with me. He asked, "Are you living from the blessing of God or for the blessing of others?"
I am convinced that I spend too much time living for the blessing of others and way too little time living from the blessing of God. God tells me that I am his child, highly valued, not for what I do, but for who I am. I am his. He created me. He loves me. He values me. If I only I could slow down long enough to hear his voice.
God is in the business of redemption
David Fraze reminded us that, "Your life, your story, no matter how chaotic, is redeemable."
I needed to hear that for my life. I can be an idiot sometimes. I allow my life to become too chaotic. I don't receive the day from God. I don't cherish the simple things. I don't slow down. Even on my best days, I usually well off the mark.
God created me for relationship. Relationship with him. Relationship with others. And too often, I forget that. I live like I am created for success, recognition, or my own self-aggrandizement. God forgive me for pushing him off his throne and trying to climb in it myself.
There is hope in knowing that no life, regardless of the chaos, is beyond redemption. Thank you for that reminder. I am a sinner in need of God's grace and mercy. This is not some formula that simply wipes my slate clean. It is so much more.
This redemption is about a God who repairs relationships, restores identity, and renews life. God has not just saved me from my sins; he is saving me from myself. I am in need of God who loves me regardless of the mess I have made in my life and embraces me no matter what.
And that is what I need every day.
shine!
Jason
No comments:
Post a Comment