sabbatical reflections

               Said I would start to throw in a few reflections from the sabbatical processing so here goes. Divided reflections into four different categories so thought would do a bit from each over the next few days. Love ya to see a bit of where my heart and walk are at these days.

 

    Started with my own personal walk with God, which for me is the single most important relationship in my life. I figure that if this is not right then nothing really is. Here are a few of the intentions out of a lot of waiting on God, prayer and reflection.

 

    Long to experience a deeper intimacy with God. Think the way to do that is to prioritise spiritual disciplines. Honestly think these holy habits are the key to that intimacy with God. In fact, think we should get into them more as a church, might be part of Gods call to us over these days. Am keeping up with my daily journal, really in an attempt to lead a more examined life.

 

    God has really been challenging me about humility now for a number of months. A recognition that he is Lord of my life and of the church and that all the glory for who I am or what we are is all due to him. We must never become too full of ourselves. It is always all about him. This is the character trait God has been highlighting most to me. Over the sabbatical time I was very privileged to receive prayer ministry fairly regularly and God again and again reminded me of my need to depend on him completely. That in itself was humbling.

 

    I listened to a set of CDs by Gordon McDonald on The Resilient Life in which he talked about the different aspects of life over which some sort of intentional focus and direction is necessary. I am trying to work at these now in little ways. Those he named are; the physical, intellectual, emotional, relational, the ego, skills and competency, what he calls convictability ( Can I be rebuked?), and financial. Worth trying to do something in each of those areas I think.

 

   I have also decided to have regular quiet days to give me space to think, reflect and pray, the first one scheduled for mid October.

 

  Just a few things for starters, to let you know what I am trying to work on in my own life. Am grateful to God for his patience with and commitment to me.

 

 His is the glory.

something happening

               Been a while since I blogged so here we go again. Really good to be back at work again after four months away. Would like to feed into the blog some of the sabbatical reflections over the next few days, just to let you know what sort of changes I hope to make as I get back into harness. Might just inspire you to pray or do a little bit of reflection yourself.   Have really come to the conclusion that the unexamined is not worth living and have found myself emotionally reeling from a number of deaths connected to the church which have just shown me again that life is not a dress rehearsal and you only get one crack at it.

 

     Anyway, here is what is buzzing in my brain right now. I just have a profound sense that God is speaking to me and to us as a congregation and I am not totally sure what he wants to do among us or even what that looks like. But I am excited that he is speaking and that there seems to be a general consensus among us that he is. Some of the themes have been these;

 

-          the call to a clearer, bigger vision of God himself. That He might be our vision.

-          a sense that god wants to revive dry bones within us both individually and corporately.

-          That God is asking us “what is that in your hand”. Has God given us something unique as a church that he wants to use for his glory?

-          Is this a kairos moment for us, as God is calling us to be pioneers moving to a new place with him or returning to where we once were with him?

 

   Must confess I do have more questions than answers but have a desperate desire to lay hold of God at the minute because he knows absolutely what he is doing and wants to do. So many have said to me God is on the move. But what is “it” that he wants to do? How do we let him without quenching the Spirit and without frightening each other? Have we the courage, have I the courage, to let go and let God, wherever that means?

 

     The recurring though out of my sabbatical and as we teach these days is the importance of personal renewal, of the renovation of the heart, of the recovery of spiritual disciplines.  This has been a large part of the sabbatical time and I feel it is key to our onward journey as a church. In particular at the minute, fasting , repentance and confession are really pressing in on me.

 

    I think it is time to humble ourselves and seek the Lord.

 

Gordon  McDade