Busy Weekend

Saturday—Another weekend but I have way too many things to do yet again. Neither car works so that’s a bit of an emergency… Also I am extremely tired, coming off an amazing retreat but really needing a break. I came away from that meeting with so much homework! I will try to space everything out over the next couple months but it will still be difficult.

 

Sunday—On Saturday I worked on the car but was not successful with either of them. I got the front door fixed and the window in our bedroom redone, and my communication class homework done. I had to take public transport looking for the car parts I needed and, as per usual in Beira, I could not find the parts I was looking for even though I stopped at 6 stores. Sunday I am taking it easy, though I defaulted to upgrading a server and completing a VPN connection to Brazil to help one of my friends.

 

On the rest side of things, I played a game, spent some time with the kids, and took a nap. I am still very tired though. How do you get away from feeling like the whole world is on your shoulders? How on Earth can you live in Mozambique in peace, with everything breaking down constantly, a lack of skilled professionals meaning you always have to babysit them and a lack of stock in the stores meaning you always have to be shopping? I tried resting more, taking a walk, but it was impossible to really rest, knowing that at home I had 2 broken cars and a front door that wouldn’t latch.

 

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. The High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. - Hebrews 4:14-16

 

God, teach me to boldly approach your throne of grace for rest. I need so much from you, and I don’t know how to do it alone. I know there is a promised Sabbath rest for your people - teach me how to live in it.

 

Rewards are Awkward

"Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6 (emphasis added)

Reward is built into the Christian life. This is a little awkward for me, because I’ve been taught that you shouldn’t have to have a reward to do the right thing. I still believe that’s the case, but we don’t live in an ideal world. Also, when just looking at the rest of my life, I optimize for reward - what will this action bring me? To divorce the Christian life from reward takes the teeth and action out of it, because you can have a faith without fruit, a life without results.

I was reading a book about why men don’t like going to church and it mentioned reward was a big part of it. Men are more likely to look at the reward of a certain activity. And why not? I don’t do things unless I consider it worth my time. I just don’t think I realized how much of a hypocrite I was being in insisting my time / money / energy meant something outside of faith while insisting for pure motives inside.

This isn’t just some obscure verse - it’s an oft-quoted one from the Faith chapter. And this isn’t the only time Jesus talks about reward. When Peter tells Jesus they have given up everything, Jesus talks about the reward the disciples will receive for their sacrifice. In work, rewards are one of the most basic motivational tactics. It looks like, yet again, my own ideas of the world come smack into the truth of scripture and I am forced to change or ignore them.

Thank you Lord for your word is truth. Thank you for using rewards to bring us to you. Thank you for being a realist and seeking us where we are at, and not waiting till our motivations or lives are perfect before seeking us out.

 

Taking Chances For God

 

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:16

How much of heaven do we have access to but we don’t live in? How bold can we be? How far off the edge? I think when most people think of grace and mercy, they think of their sin and yes, we need mercy and grace for that. But what about the mistakes we make for Christ? The times we dare greatly, risk everything, and need God to rescue us? I think that’s such a better use of grace.

Can you have a passionate relationship with Christ without risk? Isn’t taking chances one of the most powerful ways we show love to other people? Without it, our relationship with Jesus can diminish and dim, but I think it’s an aspect that has been really downplayed in the church.