Only One thing

⁴¹"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴²but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Luke 10:41-42

So often my struggle comes down to worrying about my schedule, activities, organization, etc. I come back to my room, and the first thing I feel like I must do is checking my email, or making sure everything is in it's place before I can start the homework or studying that "needs" to be done. While I believe God does call us to do homework (being students is a large part of the why we are at St. Olaf and how he is teaching and using us, but not all of it), so often I neglect to take even a simple minute or two to gain focus and ask God for wisdom, for patience, for peace.

What if I focused on a small portion of God's word, spoke to Him and recognized his presence before I sat down to tackle the work in front of me? Perhaps I wouldn't be continually anxious about the next thing, be planning for the next activity, or be doubting/questioning God, but I would be slowing learning to recognize that God is here WITH me in the work I must complete.

I believe Martha had good intentions in her busying, worrying and work (to please Jesus, ultimately), but it was his love that allowed her to return to her work her of worry and striving. Ultimately, a meal still would have been made, but she would have been filled with a new understanding and God's love and peace.

Lately, this verse has encouraged me a lot: ^6-7Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. (Phil. 4:6-7, The Message)

My devotional "The Secrets of the Vine" by Bruce Wilkinson- tells me today,
"Pursue God with all your heart, determining that you will seek Him until you find Him."

This is going to take me some more effort- there are a few things I constantly struggle giving up to God, like my future career. I understand that if I'm not a Christian through the day I die, that it wasn't real- so I'm getting to the state of mind that Christianity is a lifetime thing, but I'm moving little by little- everyday prioritizing what I think Jesus would.

I also have talked to some non-believers, that say that they have seeked Him and can't find Him, can't find anything, etc. and I wish I could understand. This must be such a big struggle, and I grew up with Christianity so I have no idea how it feels to not have a God-safety-net (for Everything). They've always been on their own and fighting through in the dark... my heart is heavy for them and of my top prayer topics.

A close friend that took a lot of leadership in his Christian gathering at his college (and youth group before that)- was and kinda is doubting his faith. It was shocking to hear- he was my role model, and to hear that his words to his peers were getting empty.. it almost hurt. I talked to a non-believer about this and she saw it normal, that doubting is constant. The last thing I want to do is to be a hypocrite.... I'm sure I've been there and done that, but to hear that the most knowledgeable people of the Bible starts to feel distant from God.. it's not encouraging. But hey, we all run the race, and there will be mountains and valleys. Please help me pray for him.

Hurray!

"He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." (Psalm 126: 5)

I just have to write this little blurb before turning in for the night. God was so good to me today and faithful to His promise. A difficult situation with a friend was resolved by an honest and heartfelt discussion. The reason why our friendship stands unscathed is because God is working in both of us and has been working His wish to turn our tears (the burdens we are willing to give to Him) into songs of joy.

Hosannah and Amen :)

"Don't forget to be a blessing"

My mom and dad in one of their first times at the hospital for checkups and stuff when they found his cancer- they were in the waiting room and overheard an old lady talking on the phone and before she hung up she said "now remember, don't forget to be a blessing to others" (I think those are the exact words..). Apparently she was a patient as well.

This was a long time ago, but I was reminded thanks to watching the streaming of the Japanese church service in Japan this morning (I went to Buntrock 5 seconds too late for Rejoice.. haha) and the pastor mentioned our family and a letter that one of my parents sent him.

I try to constantly remind myself in the meaning of everything I do. This involves me being busy and me taking leadership, teaching drumset lessons, the like. Am I doing this for myself or am I doing this to glorify God by serving them for their individual needs? sometimes i can't tell if I am being a blessing or I just think it myself too. it's an on going process on trusting the Lord that I do His work here.

For thought

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you...

1 Thessalonians 4:11

Wow. Such a great verse. Especially for one in the throes of path-finding, career building, degree requirement fulfilling.

Acts Chapter 2:1-41

Something that's recently come to my attention through Bible study/prayer groups, etc. is my need to be completely Spirit-controlled and to grow in my understanding of the three People who make up the Trinity. Not until recent years have I addressed the Holy Spirit directly in prayer and tried to separate in my mind the Holy Spirit's functions from those of Christ and the Father. So, in my daily readings I'm searching for the Holy Spirit's and Christ's manifestations in the apostles lives and wanting to form a personal understanding of how I relate to each in a unique way.



Anywho, in Ch. 2 the Holy Spirit comes upon the disciples during the Pentecost and gives them the ability to speak in so many different languages that 3,000 new believers are added to the body of Christ on that day. So mind boggling!


Some quick notes I have on the H.S.'s action in this chapter:

• He comes upon a group of believers in community--"while the disciples were together" (v.1) Were they worshipping at the time? Just hanging out? Reminiscing about their time with Christ?
• He comes with a physical sound--the sound of blowing wind. It is so loud and real that it brings strangers running to the scene to find out what is happening.
• The anointing of the H.S. was noisy (all the disciples talking at once) and rather undignified in human eyes (some thought the disciples appeared drunk). But there was no confusion about what the disciples were preaching (they declared the "wonders of God") and their speech ultimately led many to reconciliation with God and marvel at His power. It was attention-getting, but ultimately glorifying to God and not humans.
• The following days truly encapsulated a mountain-top experience with many miraculous signs and wonders. The H.S. was providing a season of extreme closeness, excitement, and vision for the apostles before they would each begin their long, fruitful, difficult ministries on the earth. This is the way my (and everyone's) spiritual life is here on Earth--marked up alternating periods of amazing growth/fellowship and frustration/neediness. I'm always pulling away and being pushed back to God. Thank the Lord that He promises that one day we'll be in perfect communion w/ Him forever!