Saturday, June 24

Alright, let's do this...

You would think typing a few words, journaling down some thoughts about life, God, maybe the World Cup, etc. really wouldn't be that big of deal. Just write what's going on, what you see God doing in and around you and click 'publish post'. Simple right?
Then why in the heck does this small step into blogdom feel like 'that test in college you put off studying for because you knew you weren't going to do very well on it anyway' (this was a very common scenario for me in college) or like that scene in Indiana Jones 'The Last Crusade' when Indiana takes that seemingly suicidal step from the lion's mouth with the abyss below him?
Is it because I'm not sure I have anything important to say, or the fear I won't have more than one good idea a year to write about, or is it because I'm afraid everyone will continually mis-type 'standingonthedesk' and never make it to this site...probably a little of all three.
Regardless the reason for my trepidation into the blogosphere I realize I must do my best Jamie Lee Curtis 'Halloween' imitation and face my Michael Myers head on, and stab it in the neck...with a coat hanger...7 times...so, (regardless of whether you understand that last line or not) here we go...

We have learned much in our three weeks in Chicago, we have been able to experience and participate in an incredible body of believers in Jesus and to be immersed in a staff culture at Community that is life-giving. Two of the many things I've jotted down in my notes are as follows...both apply greatly to this 'new thing' God is calling us to in Knoxville...
One is a quote used in the Mult-Site Practicum at Community two weeks ago...Peter Drucker once said, "Decisions are not so much made but they become apparent." It has been two months since a meeting in Orlando around a very large, very round table in a very large, very spacious hotel restaurant/lobby set the lives of Nelson's into a whirlwind. That night God 'made apparent' the first few 'official' steps of His desires for us. He obviously had been working on that for quite a while. Evidently He decided to 'slap us upside the head' as blatantly and as powerfully as He could. (I've always been a 'slow learner') Some would say it's easy to look back over the last few months and say, 'Oh yeah, it's been incredibly obvious how God has been leading', and in retrospect, it has. Absolutely. But sometimes, for a myriad of reasons, the 'apparency' is slow in coming to some us.

...Oh God, may I be careful to pay attention.

The second thing is this. It's a passage the leaders of Community have used as a foundation to ask the question 'what's next' for them...it's something written by that guy Paul, in Romans, chapter 8, from the Message Version...
Romans 8:15-17 This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him!

18-21 That's why I don't think there's any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what's coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.

...Oh God, continue to grow in me this adventurous expectation, continue to confirm who we really are as we continue to know who You are. We can hardly wait for 'what's coming next'...May the joyful anticipation deepen.

shalom,
mark


ps- If you happen to not know the details of what is happening in the lives of the Nelson's I will include the text of an e-mail that is a couple of weeks old in a posting to follow this one. That will, hopefully, catch you up on some of the specifics of how God is moving & shaking our lives, and how we honor and adore Him for 'saving the day'...

Mark Nelson at 11:50 AM 3comments

3 Comments

at 6:48 AM  The Adkins Family said...

Congratulations of your first post. I shall stand on my desk with you in celebration. However, unlike you, after a short time of celebration, I will get off of my desk, because I am afraid of heights.

- Greg

 

at 8:13 AM  Anonymous said...

I find it amazing how God uses our insecurities and turns them into something great. Of course you will have more than one good thing to say... the Holy Spirit is active in your life. I feel so blessed that you and your family have become part of my journey.

-Sarah

 

at 8:14 AM  Anonymous said...

In a small but similar way, I understand your trepidation, the tension between the inspired voice and the "blank page." As a writer who knew once said, "writers write." Simple as that. You can no longer stifle your voice, spoken or written, then you could resist the very Spirit that gives you the voice. So, in the movie quote-laden spirit of your post, allow me to paraphrase that great prophet, Obi-Wan Kenobi in Episode IV, "trust your feelings, Luke."

 

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