Dear All of Us,
My friend Steve
tells the tale.
He and his wife
Sheryl were part of
a small church
that barely had
a baker's dozen
coming through
the doors.
Then they got an alive
and loving new pastor.
She right away
reached out to the
neighborhood children
and welcomed them in.
That neighborhood
was a mix of many needs.
The church was bounded
by a trailer park,
subsidized apartments,
and the homes of
the working poor.
What a response
and rebound!
Soon forty plus kids
were present and
accounted for
making it one busy,
boisterous congregation.
Real community and care.
It was alive and hoping!
Kingdom coming
That was too much
for some of
the baker's dozen.
The wanted the kids out.
And out they were put.
Steve and Sheryl
went out with them.
Within a few months
that church closed.
God showed up in
noisy, needy children.
There was not
a willingness
to meet God
as God showed up
in them and let
Thy Kingdom
come on in.
Jesus told a tale
about all this,
about being
READY
for whenever
God shows up.
He says that
getting into the
kingdom of heaven
is like ten young girls
(almost a baker's dozen)
waiting to greet
a bridegroom and
go on together with him
to the wedding feast.
The bridegroom
arrived later
than expected.
Five of the young girls
were ready and
five were not
and didn't get into
the feast.
Jesus cautions:
"So stay alert.
You have no idea
when
he might arrive."
Mathew 25:1-13
The Message
Translation
God shows up
as God shows up.
We don't get to
calendar, clock
or script it.
It's ours to be
READY
and
GO
That's a key concern
for a lot of individuals
and congregations.
We're talking strong here.
We're talking reality therapy.
It's pretty easy
to join most churches.
It's pretty easy
to set our own standard
for spirituality.
But they just don't
cut the mustard.
We're at the controls,
scribble the script,
set the "when & how".
No go.
No "cheap grace"
as Bonhoffer witnessed.
The Kingdom Qualifier,
the Kingdom front door,
is a lot wider.
It's to be ready
and welcoming
as God presents
and go on in for
REAL
Kingdom Life
REAL
Spirituality
So, how's God
showing up
these days?
When and how
do we encounter Him
and get on into His
Kingdom coming?
Well, it could be like this:
Our kids want us
to play with them
when we've just
gotten home after
working overtime.
We're busier than
a short order cook
and we're asked
to be on our local
social justice
task force.
Ou church needs us
to help it be
way more than
a pious place
once a week.
We look out the window
and see the second most
exquisite sunset
in twenty years.
Our spouse
is on a tare
and we cut slack
for them
to get over it.
Yes, yes, I know
about the grammar,
but hey, we're friends
talking the way
we really do:)
We're way,
way better off
than we need to be,
so we spot a bright,
needy student
for college.
Now that's being
READY
to meet God
in meeting
a big-time need.
An elderly neighbor
wants us over
for coffee and
what will be two hours
of stories they've told us
every time we've visited
in the last five years.
We force ourselves
to invest a
whole weekend
going on a
spiritual retreat.
To our surprise
we experience
divine intimacy
like never before.
We do what we can
at work to protect
a fragile colleague.
God shows up
in the most
surprising ways
often in the most
prosaic ways.
"So be alert.
You have no idea
when he might arrive."
Matthew 25: 1-13
JUST
Be
READY
******
WELCOME
MEANS IT IS WELL
WE ALL HAVE
COME TOGETHER HERE
IT SURE IS!
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HAVE A GREAT WEEK.
SEE YOU IN SEVEN.
LOVE TO ALL.
GOD BLESS
JOHN FRANK
Every creature is a word of God.
Meister Eckhart
frankly speaking
spirituality for the street
johnfrankshares.blogspot.com
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