Okay, this will be one of those detailed what God showed Jen during her quiet time stories. Just so you know in advance. =) So, background, after subtle reminders, gentle pushes and relentless emails from my ladies small group in SC - I began my journey through the chronological Bible in one year with them - albeit late - I'm glad Sheri and Tina keep emailing me group emails and just plain ol' keepin' on and keepin' up with me. =) So, I read, I get ahead, I get behind, I get on the right day and then, I get on a day that God wants me to find. Yeah, this Sunday night was one of those. So, I'd given up hope of reading/having a quiet time this weekend - just plain given up - shame on me - and I did feel so bad for not keeping up. Sunday morning came and we rose with the chickens at 5:45 AM (Yes, I said AM --- Praise band here gets rolling early and Chris heads out before 7 am for the first PB practice and I stay here to get the kiddos ready until it's time for the second PB practice of the morning at 9:30 AM. What can I say, I love the Lord and He is so gracious to my grumpy AM self!) Okay, so we get to church and Pastor Dan was on fire - I mean Holy Spirit flames may have been shooting out of his ears, if I'd been able to see that closely from that far away. His sermon cut into my heart - and his comments, asides, free-stuff hit me in the gut (he even quoted from my favorite get off you butt passage of Romans 8:28-38). Some stuff I appreciated, some stuff I didn't. No one likes to get their toes mashed, but sometimes it's necessary! One of the things that I didn't like at all was him saying that the new pastor (Pastor Dan has one more official Sunday at KFBC as interim and the new Sr. Pastor begins the following Sunday.) has a vision for KFBC and we will all have to get on board because God has revealed to him (the new pastor) great plans for this church body.
Weeellll, I almost completely broke my attention off right then and there - we've served at a church where the pastor had a vision...and I use those terms loosely and having been there still leaves scars on my soul and sends creepy-crawlies down my spine when someone uses the term vision. I'll leave out the details because simply, the details and that story of that part of our lives does not glorify God, nor lift anyone else up, although, we always did our best to honor Him through that storm and God used it to bless us after we left that place to follow Him.
Soooo, Sunday night (post Super Bowl, of course) I had been blessed by the people of KFBC - I mean God just used their hearts, their words, their kindnesses to us to bless my socks off! So to give that glory back to Him, I sat to spend time with Him and sit at His feet and read His words for me. Mind you, I was 2 days behind that reading schedule for the group Bible reading thing, but I was slap dab where I needed to be --- and I opened up to Exodus 35 to 40 - the Tabernacle - woo-hoo (although there was no woo-hooing initially, I mean that stuff is boooring and there are no pictures)...
Here are some of the scripture that really just hit me over the head...
Exodus 35:20-29 was a sledge hammer and this is not the exact text - it's what I read from the text that I needed to read as a paraphrase to bring the heart of what the Israelites brought before Moses and the Lord and what I can bring before a new senior pastor and shepherd and before MY LORD...and all the congregation of the children of God departed from Moses. Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the Lord's offering for the work to be done, for all its service. They came, both men and women, as many as had a willing heart, that is, every man made an offering to the Lord. All the women who were gifted and all the women whose hearts stirred with wisdom. The rulers brought gifts. The children of God brought a freewill offering to the Lord, all the men and women whose hearts were willing to bring material for all kinds of work which the Lord, by the hand of Moses, had commanded to be done.
And it crashed in - that what scarred my soul was over and gone and to be learned from - though it was long ago moved on from - that I should not be afraid of vision that comes from the LORD - I should fear a man's vision, but God called Moses and revealed His plans for the tabernacle - isn't that last part of Exodus filled with scripture that simply ends in phrases like 'as the Lord commanded Moses' and 'as the Lord commanded him.' The Lord commanded Moses to do himself and also the Lord directed the Israelites to do as He commanded Moses to do. And words that I had heard Pastor Dan speak over the last several months rang in my head as clanging cymbals (Sorry, Pastor!) --- this new pastor will be accountable to the Lord to lead His people and truly KFBC feels God has brought him to us - we must be watchful and depend solely on God's wisdom (Proverbs 3:5-6), but if God has given this new pastor, truly, a vision, then I'd better straighten up! (The headship/submission issue did and will rear its ugly head, but God works on that too, for my good - as I've learned that men are placed over me for my protection and spiritual growth and truly, I know with my whole heart Chris is my head - try not to have that mental picture distract you.)
So, I need to serve the Lord with my gifts and talents and be excited about all He is going to do (just as He's already brought us on such an amazing journey)...and meet the new pastor with great expectation and lose all fear of visions. I'll be prayerful, pray with me, please, as KFBC begins transition soon...We should all be willing to do as the Lord commands us and our leaders.
Cool, huh? Yeah, God is so super cool...for real. Yay, God!
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4 comments:
There is a part of me that is a bit envious of the journey you are about to embark on. We are still searching for that Nice Church Home here in Ohio. Cindy and I feel a big gapping hole in our spirtual lives from lack of fellowship with fellow believers. But I get to fellowship with some of my former church family via blog. Thanks for sharing!! Keep us in your prayers and we will do the same for you. God Rocks!!
Great post Jen. Wow, so much passion ...
So interesting to hear what the Lord is doing for your church right now. We lost our Sr. Pastor here two years ago due to a breakdown, and have been without a permanent leader since. However, this period has seen amazing growth in numbers and growth in members' spiritual lives so it has really been a blessing.
However, we are now at the stage whether we need the new Leader that you speak about, and I am really excited that we have been sent an amazing man, who I believe is set to take us forward. Tonight we have a Church meeting to vote on his appointment. Hopefully, our next journey is about to begin!
I'm off to read that passage in Exodus now, and I will pray for your journey at KFBC.
Stuart
Hmm.. know what you mean when you talk about getting the heebie-jeebies around the word 'vision'.
Anyone who has been a Christian long enough has met people who have abused their position to push people into following their 'personal vision'.
Bubba's a good guy and you are blessed to have each other !
Dan Soares
i know exodus is amazing, but can we get an update!! and i know you're planning and packing for an exciting trip out west, but there's time to put a cute picture of ot and eg on here or something! looking forward to seeing you very soon.
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