Bishop Wills' Life Journal Entry for March 24, 2008 based on I Corinthians 9: 26-27, "I Can't Share What I Do Not Have"
S: I Corinthians 9:26-27 (The Message)
I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me I’m staying alert and in top condition.
O: In this chapter Paul has been answering his critics. But now he says there is something more important. There is a race to run and we all need to be in it. We are going somewhere together, and this requires all our attention and all our energy. We are not spectators watching what other people do and commenting on it: we are runners. And if we are running this race we have to be in good condition and train. And…..if running a race, you don’t have breath to comment on the other runners.
A: As a Bishop, I visit a lot of churches. It is so easy for me to come into a church and begin to comment to myself on a lot of what I see. Are the ushers friendly? Is this a community of people I would enjoy being around? Is the right ritual followed? If I am not preaching, I wonder if the minister is prepared. Does he or she read his or her sermon? Is the message interesting to me?
In fact, I can get so caught up in commenting to myself about so many things, I miss entirely the experience of worshipping God!
I must realize this community of faith is there and I am part of that community because we are in a race together with a goal. I must come to worship my Lord. This also means I can’t show up to worship once a week and think my faith is fulfilled. No, I have to be in Scripture every day. I have to learn where my “rough edges” are and ask the Lord to help me be more obedient to God’s Will.
For me, my time in scripture and my time of prayer each day is my training. I want to be part of the race when I come to worship God each week. After all, I cannot share what I do not have.
P: Father thank you for this day with Scripture and this time to talk with you. I lay my life before you this morning. I seek only to train in such a way I can join my brothers and sisters in running the race. Love, Dick
Y: I give up my tendency to not do this needed daily training to run the race.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Bishop Wills’ Life Journal Entry for March 5, 2008, “The Choice Is Mine To Make Today And Everyday”
S: Deuteronomy 1:27
You complained in your tents: “God hates us. He hauled us out of Egypt in order to dump us among the Amorites – a death sentence for sure. How can we go up?"
O: Moses is giving a sermon before the people go into the promised land. He is talking about 40 years ago when they got to the Jordan river and became afraid of the people on the other side even though God had promised them to have this land.
A: Eugene Peterson makes the observation that: “some time or other, we all find ourselves huddled in tents under dismal conditions, even desperate conditions. Though we cannot choose our circumstances, we can choose how we will respond to those circumstances. We can talk in our tents and find something to gripe about (the way the wilderness generation did) or we can find something to be grateful for, giving thanks in all things, (the way Paul did in Philippians 2:14-15”
I do not know why it is so hard to trust God in hard times. I think the reason I list, at the beginning of my prayer list, all the times God intervened in my life when life seemed to be the hardest, is to help me remember the many good things God has done in my life. I want to make sure to thank God for each of these times of seeing me through hard times because I know today something hard may come my way. My temptation is to sit in my little tent and complain about how bad things are now.
I have found with this long list of times when God has delivered me when I could see any positive end, I find strength to thank God even in the hard times because I know even though this time seems like Friday that Sunday is coming!
P: Father no matter what today brings into my life, thank you. Help me never forget all those times when you were with me and saw me through hard times. Forgive me if I, in my tent, complain about what cannot happen and how bad things are. Help me see what can be and will be by trusting you completely. With great thanks for what will come today. Love, Dick
Y: I give up my gripping about how bad things are and will seek to live my life with great gratitude.
S: Deuteronomy 1:27
You complained in your tents: “God hates us. He hauled us out of Egypt in order to dump us among the Amorites – a death sentence for sure. How can we go up?"
O: Moses is giving a sermon before the people go into the promised land. He is talking about 40 years ago when they got to the Jordan river and became afraid of the people on the other side even though God had promised them to have this land.
A: Eugene Peterson makes the observation that: “some time or other, we all find ourselves huddled in tents under dismal conditions, even desperate conditions. Though we cannot choose our circumstances, we can choose how we will respond to those circumstances. We can talk in our tents and find something to gripe about (the way the wilderness generation did) or we can find something to be grateful for, giving thanks in all things, (the way Paul did in Philippians 2:14-15”
I do not know why it is so hard to trust God in hard times. I think the reason I list, at the beginning of my prayer list, all the times God intervened in my life when life seemed to be the hardest, is to help me remember the many good things God has done in my life. I want to make sure to thank God for each of these times of seeing me through hard times because I know today something hard may come my way. My temptation is to sit in my little tent and complain about how bad things are now.
I have found with this long list of times when God has delivered me when I could see any positive end, I find strength to thank God even in the hard times because I know even though this time seems like Friday that Sunday is coming!
P: Father no matter what today brings into my life, thank you. Help me never forget all those times when you were with me and saw me through hard times. Forgive me if I, in my tent, complain about what cannot happen and how bad things are. Help me see what can be and will be by trusting you completely. With great thanks for what will come today. Love, Dick
Y: I give up my gripping about how bad things are and will seek to live my life with great gratitude.
Bishop Wills’ Life Journal Entry for March 3, 2008, “The Most Important People”
S: Mark 10:14-15 (The Message)
But Jesus was irate and let them know it: “Don’t push these children away. Don’t ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom.
O: Over and over Jesus has to tell the disciples about the importance of children.
A: This morning as I reflect on the life of the United Methodist Church, I am more aware than ever that we are growing older and many of us are not making children a priority in our churches.
Without large numbers of children and youth I fear we may become a sect just as John Wesley feared we might become some day. Jesus makes it very clear to me this morning that I must join hands with the many people in our churches who value children. I think Jesus had in mind to more for children than just providing child care and Sunday School, though both of these are very important. I think Jesus wants me and others to put children first and make sure we do not get in the way of children encountering the risen Jesus.
I was at a church on Sunday which had only 2 or 3 children. This church has made an effort in their community to reach children. Sunday during the service there were 21 children in this congregation of mostly older adults! The pastor brought the children down front and made sure they knew they were important to Jesus and to this church. The pastor then prayed for those 21 children because they were so very special. The children then went with some very loving adults to a very creative and interactive children’s worship experience. I knew yesterday Jesus was proud of this group of mostly older people who were making children special in their church. I believe this church will find vital life again as it reaches out to more and more children.
I want to be the kind of Bishop who makes a special place for children in our churches and in our Annual Conferences.
P: Father thank you for this day. Help me always value children. Forgive me if I ever fail to notice how important children are to you and your kingdom. Love, Dick
Y: I will value children every day.
S: Mark 10:14-15 (The Message)
But Jesus was irate and let them know it: “Don’t push these children away. Don’t ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom.
O: Over and over Jesus has to tell the disciples about the importance of children.
A: This morning as I reflect on the life of the United Methodist Church, I am more aware than ever that we are growing older and many of us are not making children a priority in our churches.
Without large numbers of children and youth I fear we may become a sect just as John Wesley feared we might become some day. Jesus makes it very clear to me this morning that I must join hands with the many people in our churches who value children. I think Jesus had in mind to more for children than just providing child care and Sunday School, though both of these are very important. I think Jesus wants me and others to put children first and make sure we do not get in the way of children encountering the risen Jesus.
I was at a church on Sunday which had only 2 or 3 children. This church has made an effort in their community to reach children. Sunday during the service there were 21 children in this congregation of mostly older adults! The pastor brought the children down front and made sure they knew they were important to Jesus and to this church. The pastor then prayed for those 21 children because they were so very special. The children then went with some very loving adults to a very creative and interactive children’s worship experience. I knew yesterday Jesus was proud of this group of mostly older people who were making children special in their church. I believe this church will find vital life again as it reaches out to more and more children.
I want to be the kind of Bishop who makes a special place for children in our churches and in our Annual Conferences.
P: Father thank you for this day. Help me always value children. Forgive me if I ever fail to notice how important children are to you and your kingdom. Love, Dick
Y: I will value children every day.
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