Mission Faithwalk

                     We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:6-8)                 Let’s begin with a deep breath. Release it. There is no reason to believe that this list of gifts is complete. If you lack these particular skills, you’re not giftless. If you’re not the greatest in the world at something, you’re not giftless. Even if you’re sure you’re a nobody, that doesn’t mean you are a nobody (or that a nobody is what you think it is.) If you think you may as well stay home because no one is go...

                Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. Psalm 119:165                 A good thing about working in the men’s department of a certain store was that I got to work with color. One of the challenges that my customers and I sometimes had was distinguishing between dark blue and black. Fortunately, the store’s colors were black, khaki, and white. I almost always wore black slacks, and often a black top, so I would take the garment of uncertain color and lay it across my black clothing. Granted the shade of black or blue in the material might not be the right shade for the item they already have at home, but at least it was closer.                 The Law is my black pants or shirt. Putting something up against it lets a person identify whether...

                    I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the Lord— in your midst, Jerusalem. Praise the Lord. (Psalm 116:17-19)                 As poetry and song, the psalms are sometimes (often?) dramatic. Even when they’re about level ground, there doesn’t seem to be a level ground. Things are either on mountain tops or in the valley of the shadow of death. They emotion of this psalm is gratitude, and when the psalm was written, one of the ways to express gratitude was to sacrifice. It might be said that they’re to throw an inclusive party. In addition to the animal sacrificed, which had to be eaten the same day, they had to make several different kinds of bread to share with the congregation.    ...

                 When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. (Psalm 94:18) When your foot slips, what do you do? Last Wednesday, I was helping a friend weed a large garden bed at my church. It’s a “specimen” garden, with a variety of bushes and lots of mulch in a mound, meaning that once you step off the grass, you’re on an incline. I lost my balance more than once and grabbed at the twigs along the branches. It tends to surprise me that something less than ¼” in diameter can hold my weight sufficiently  along its length to keep me from falling. Of course, if I’d grabbed a twig above me, its strength might not be sufficient to hold my weight. It would bend or break, but the point is that the help we need when our feet slip need not be great or dramatic. Dramatic, and possibly great, is what we want and want to give. I won’t go so far as to say that if my foot slips, I want to be swept off my fee...

                 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32) Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ( James 1:2) Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn . (Romans 12:15) All things ? There are some things that I would like, but thank God, God doesn’t give them to me because they wouldn’t be good for me or for someone(s) else. There are things that probably wouldn’t be as dangerous for me to have, but God doesn’t give me those, either. Some things He could give me would be useless to me. There are lots of things God doesn’t give us, because all things doesn’t mean all things, and we wouldn’t want it to. If all things meant all things , after all, it would include nasty, contagious diseases, poverty, broken relationships, and several other tragedies. One is bad enough...

                  The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give! (Psalm 21:1)                 The first thing that comes to mind as I read Psalm 21 is that God doesn’t give me victories. He doesn’t display His strength to me or on my behalf. Oh, of course, there was Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Yes, that counts, but you know what I mean. Ultimate victory doesn’t change the lack of present victory. It doesn’t make me feel victorious, at least not yet. I suspect there are at least times when you feel the same way.                 But, I’ll admit that I tend to have dramatic expectations of victory. I want the explosion of the shark or the Death Star . I want my enemies destroyed or humiliated. I want walk...