All I could ever need...
I am rich.
I am so filthy, stinking rich.
These were the words out of my mouth last night at our worship service, which concluded the annual singles Labor Day retreat here in Destin, Florida. 700 of us descended upon the Gulf Coast to a slightly different scene and mood than that to which we have become accustomed. Despair and hope unequally spattered on the faces of the hundreds of refugees that fled the disaster brought on by hurricane Katrina. Hope floated to the surface of every conversation. That is, if by hope you mean "confident expectation". Many were sure that things would work out, but just uncertain of the "how". We were happy to love on them in whatever ways we could, even if that just meant praying for them.
We had a very effective teacher in Jarrett Stevens this weekend. Most poignant to me were the points he made about the banquet mentioned in Luke 14.16-24. If you follow the symbolism behind the parable, you read that you are seated at a banquet table with God, but there is still more room even though many invitations have gone out and many guests have arrived. It was a bit of a force play, but I confessed that night that my efforts to invite my younger brother to that table have not been fervent enough. (Not for my liking, anyway...)
While communion was solemn, the following worship service was raucous and loud - just the way I like it (it only lacked at kickin' ska horn section)!!! In the midst of our prayer and praise, I found myself jumping up and down in a mosh pit of believers screaming the words to David Crowder's "No One Like You" I realized a lot about what I have and do not have.
Have Nots:
An Acura MDX and NSX
My own house
18 inch biceps and washboard abs
20 feet of water in my town
looters in my backyard shooting at helicopters and rescue workers
Haves:
I have a huge church family that is dedicated to creating fertile environments where the Holy Spirit can cultivate growth toward God. Most of all, I have a Father in Heaven who flat-bottom-line loves me no matter how far I have strayed, no matter what I have done. He has always and will always be there to lift my chin up for me. He sent me something I never knew I needed - a savior to rescue me from the world, the enemy, and my own self, through his own death, suffering, and resurrection. That's a God that really gives a rip.
Why can't Christians just keep to themselves? Ha.
Because we have everything we could ever need - and don't want anyone else to have any less.
Please continue to pray for Rick Pearson and contact us here at Ready Defense for more information on the upcoming benefit concert here in Atlanta. Visit his website for updates on his condition (rickpearson.org). Life's short, pray hard. We've been given everything we need, but it would be a great bonus if the Lord of Life would grant him a radically miraculous recovery.
Photos to come later this week from the Labor Day retreat. Stay tuned.
Fusion begins again in 13 days.
Sing to the King!
I am so filthy, stinking rich.
These were the words out of my mouth last night at our worship service, which concluded the annual singles Labor Day retreat here in Destin, Florida. 700 of us descended upon the Gulf Coast to a slightly different scene and mood than that to which we have become accustomed. Despair and hope unequally spattered on the faces of the hundreds of refugees that fled the disaster brought on by hurricane Katrina. Hope floated to the surface of every conversation. That is, if by hope you mean "confident expectation". Many were sure that things would work out, but just uncertain of the "how". We were happy to love on them in whatever ways we could, even if that just meant praying for them.
We had a very effective teacher in Jarrett Stevens this weekend. Most poignant to me were the points he made about the banquet mentioned in Luke 14.16-24. If you follow the symbolism behind the parable, you read that you are seated at a banquet table with God, but there is still more room even though many invitations have gone out and many guests have arrived. It was a bit of a force play, but I confessed that night that my efforts to invite my younger brother to that table have not been fervent enough. (Not for my liking, anyway...)
While communion was solemn, the following worship service was raucous and loud - just the way I like it (it only lacked at kickin' ska horn section)!!! In the midst of our prayer and praise, I found myself jumping up and down in a mosh pit of believers screaming the words to David Crowder's "No One Like You" I realized a lot about what I have and do not have.
Have Nots:
An Acura MDX and NSX
My own house
18 inch biceps and washboard abs
20 feet of water in my town
looters in my backyard shooting at helicopters and rescue workers
Haves:
I have a huge church family that is dedicated to creating fertile environments where the Holy Spirit can cultivate growth toward God. Most of all, I have a Father in Heaven who flat-bottom-line loves me no matter how far I have strayed, no matter what I have done. He has always and will always be there to lift my chin up for me. He sent me something I never knew I needed - a savior to rescue me from the world, the enemy, and my own self, through his own death, suffering, and resurrection. That's a God that really gives a rip.
Why can't Christians just keep to themselves? Ha.
Because we have everything we could ever need - and don't want anyone else to have any less.
Please continue to pray for Rick Pearson and contact us here at Ready Defense for more information on the upcoming benefit concert here in Atlanta. Visit his website for updates on his condition (rickpearson.org). Life's short, pray hard. We've been given everything we need, but it would be a great bonus if the Lord of Life would grant him a radically miraculous recovery.
Photos to come later this week from the Labor Day retreat. Stay tuned.
Fusion begins again in 13 days.
Sing to the King!
posted by Aarron & Cristine Pina at 7:59 PM
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