Dry Wells

What do you do when the well runs dry and it seems that God is silent? How do you get out of the funk when the music doesn’t make you tingle? Where do you go to hear the voice from the Father that refreshes you? Who do you talk to that challenges you to get over yourself and just be faithful?

I believe that it is a major issue with us or at least with me. We kid ourselves that we are fine because we are so busy. The hustle and bustle of life makes us numb and we spend so little time reflecting on not only where we might be going, but also the consequences that will come our way in the future because of what we are doing now. I have been there – the well has been dry. The music is not inspiring. The conversations are numbing.

What I have found is that God has not called me to “feel good,” but he has called me to be faithful, no matter how I feel. There are just sometimes that worship, serving others and just “being good” are musts and feelings have to be put to the side. I know that God wants our hearts. I know that God wants us excited about serving, worshipping and loving, but sometimes I just have to be faithful.

Yes, the well gets dry. You bet, the “tingly” feeling is not there. If you are in the desert, be faithful and God will refresh you. He will see you through. The Tempter will not win. Remember in the desert we develop a thirst for the Living Water.

Sid

In The Dust Of The Rabbi

I saw a video this past weekend that was one of the best I had ever seen. It is published by NOOMA and is done by Rob Bell by the title of Dust. In the video Rob Bell explains how rabbis in Jesus' day picked their disciples. He also explained the educational process of the Jewish student. The first stage is called Beth-Safar. This was for kids aged 5 or 6 to age 10. During this time, the children would memorize the Torah. The best students would continue their education in the next stage called Beth-Talmud. This is for those aged 10-14, here they would memorize all the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures. So the by the end of age fourteen they had the whole Old Testament memorized. The next stage of Hebrew education was only for the best of the best. Beth-Midrash was for those aged fourteen and above. This is where they studied the oral and written law.

This is the position that every good Jewish boy wanted to be in. To become a rabbi, or a teacher, was the highest honor to be had. To be a disciple of a rabbi meant not only would you know what the rabbi taught, but you wanted to be just like the rabbi.

When Jesus chose the twelve they were not the best of the best. They were not studying under a rabbi. They were fishermen, tax collectors, and zealots. He sought them out showing them and us that he only wants a heart of service not the greatest intellect or the greatest talent.

There is a phrase in the Mishna that says, "May you be covered in the dust of your rabbi." The idea was that if you followed behind your rabbi on the dusty roads, you would get covered in his dust. Meaning, you were following his so closely to be so much like him that you are glorified to be covered with the dust he left behind. That is how close a disciple wanted to be to his rabbi.

The question is: is Jesus your rabbi? Is his dust all over you? Have you so dedicated your life to Him that his dust covers every aspect of your life? May the dust of Jesus cover you!

Tulsa Thoughts

Last week I attended the annual Tulsa Soul Winning Workshop. As usual I saw old friends and had a great time with Keith Davis a good friend who preaches in Florence, Alabama. I got the idea for this from his blog. Below are statements that we heard during the week. Chew on them.

“When we listen to our own prayers, we find out what is important to us.” –Randy Harris (we pray for what we want or concerned about and not real kingdom issues).
“I've been gone from church from months and no one seems to miss me!” –Rick Atchley (if you are not missed, then what kind of service were you doing for the church?)
“We have become so biblically illiterate that some think that the epistles are the wives of the apostles.” –Mark Moore
“They’re going to heaven, they’re just not going to like the first couple of months.” –Patrick Mead (what a surprise those who have been very exclusive in their fellowship of other "Christians" are going to be to see the rest of us in heaven).
“Am I willing to be uncomfortable in order to take the good news to our world?” –Jeff Walling (Speaking about how we are going to have to get uncomfortable in order to change the things we need to to reach out to this post-modern age).
“Don’t worry about a plan that God has that we might miss.” –Edward Fudge (God has not laid out a step by step plan for any of us. At each step we must look to God to see what he wants us to do. If we mess up. Confess and look to him again. He will always show you the way).
“If there is a reality that we all need to know, we will unhook ourselves from the shadow.” –Don McLaughlin (In “religion” we get too focused on the things that are only the “shadow” of a “reality”. We must focus on "The Reality - Jesus).
“God has a plan, He will work His plan and nothing will stop His plan. We all believe this, but we don’t live like it. If we did, we’d be the calmest people in the world.” –Randy Harris (one of the most insightful things I heard).

Keep the faith. Seek God. Confess your sins. He will be faithful. Serve.

Sid