Pay Attention to Your Ministry

I often jokingly (well maybe not so jokingly) say that I'm a slow learner when it comes to spiritual things. God often must teach me the same thing over and over and over. Or remind me of things that I "learned" before. Or hit me upside the head with the metaphorical 2 by 4 so I will pay attention. Well, that's happened again for me.

Today I was reading in Colossians 4. At the end of the chapter, Paul is writing messages and greetings to different individuals and groups. One of the very last things that he writes is this: "And tell Archippus, 'Pay attention to the ministry you have received in the Lord, so that you can accomplish it.'" (Colossians 4:17) Hmm.

I don't know who Archippus was. I did a quick search and the only thing I found was that he is a man mentioned by Paul who had some sort of ministry. But I certainly wonder about him now. What was his ministry? Why did Paul feel the need to give this specific message to him (and individually to him)?

I wonder if Archippus was distracted by things happening in his church or culture. I wonder if he was anxious and overwhelmed by the challenges. Or maybe he just wasn't doing what he should be doing. Maybe he was discouraged or rebellious or just tired. Whatever was happening, he needed Paul's encouragement to pay attention to the ministry he had been given so he could accomplish it.

This is the third time in recent days I have heard this similar message.

First, Cindy shared a quote with me from Elizabeth Elliot: “When you don’t know what to do next, just do the thing in front of you.” What is the thing in front of me? The ministry God has given me.

Then a friend encouraged us in a devotion to focus on whatever ministry God has called us to do and not get distracted by other things. Concentrate on what God is telling you to do right now.

Okay, slow learner or not, I think I'm seeing a definite message here. I need to focus on what God has for me to do. Not worry about what someone else is to do. Not worry about or think about or be concerned about other work that needs to be done. What is the ministry I have received from Him?

A few years ago when we started our current journey, I prayed for what I needed to do. I learned four words that sum up my ministry - at least for right now. I posted these words in my office and I see them daily. This is what I need to pay attention to.

WAIT - I need to wait on God and not try to "make things happen."
WRITE - Writing is a gift and a passion from Him. I need to keep on writing, both my assignments and even when I have no assignments.
LISTEN - I must make a concerted effort daily to read the Bible and listen for what God is teaching me. I must also listen to the people around me.
SERVE - Each day I must look for ways to serve others in His name. Opportunities will present themselves if I just pay attention. (There's those words again.)

And when I do these things? I definitely feel His joy.

So I will pay attention to the ministry I have received from God so I can accomplish it. I am Archippus.

Make Space

In Exodus 3, Moses encounters a burning bush, a bush that is on fire but not consumed by the fire. As he approaches to see this unusual sight, God speaks to him from within the bush. God surprised Moses with a new assignment, a new purpose, a new direction for his life.

I've been thinking about this and some other things lately. God is a God of new, and He is always working to bring about new purpose and new direction in us. But, as I look around and inward, I see that I may not be ready for anything new.

I have no space for a surprise from God.

Moses had to leave Egypt, and he spent decades in the desert with sheep. In fact, he wasn't even looking for anything different than what he had when God spoke. But Moses had room for God's surprise. He had time to think and space for something new. In fact, he had so much "space" that he created several objections to this new thing.

I have the opposite problem. (Well I can create objections pretty well, too.) I have so much stuff crowded into my life that I probably wouldn't even see a bush burning along my path. Or if I did, I wouldn't stop to check it out. I would need to get to the next thing.

My schedule is quite full. My physical space is plenty full. My heart and spirit are crowded with emotions resulting from things happening recently.

I have no space for a surprise from God.

That's my current message - the one that keeps playing in my head. Get things in order. Make space. Get rid of stuff. Create an open area where I can breathe and rest and prepare for whatever may come.

I wrote recently about having physical, mental, and spiritual clutter that I need to sort things out. Now I have even more reason for sprucing up.

I need to make space. I need to be ready. A surprise from God could be coming.

Meandering

We love road trips. Our favorite type of vacation is driving around in the car. We may have an ultimate destination in mind or a scheduled stop at some point. But mostly we drive along the roads, seeing things we've never seen before, stopping when we choose to stop, looking for local unusual places to see or eat.

We like to travel the backroads. Interstates are great for getting somewhere fast. But the backroads are great for seeing the beautiful and the unusual. Pace is slower and the roadsides are often greener. We like driving through the small towns, even if we never stop in one. Something about that pace just seems more inviting (if you are not trying to get to a place at a certain time).

Sometimes we will just take a different road. "Go on an adventure," we say. Our motto is that if we get someplace where we can't continue, we can always turn around and go back to another route.

I'm learning that God is a more backroads traveler, too. In my spiritual journey, I want to jump on the interstate and drive straight there, no stops and no detours. That's my tendency. But those spiritual roads are rarely a smooth straight shot. In my spiritual adventure, I seem to weave through the countryside and travel at a much slower (than I think I should) pace.

But that's where the life really is. I discover so much more on those spiritual meanderings. I learn more about God and about myself, more dependence on Him and more growth for me.

At times I do hit a spiritual interstate and things move fast. But that usually happens only after I've stocked up and lived out life on those slower twists and turns. The backroads prepare me for those interstate bursts.

I'm not sure this all makes much sense. Maybe I've stretched a metaphor too far. But I am learning that--like many vacations--the joy in my spiritual journey comes in the traveling as much or more than arriving at the destination.

The Key to Joy

Paul wrote: "I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content--whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:11-13)

Paul learned that God strengthened him to do anything, to deal with anything, so he was content in all circumstances. In a recent Bible study, the author commented about being content. And then he said that if you wished for things to be different, you were not content. Uh oh.

I say that I trust God in all things. I say that I believe God is in control, that He is sovereign. I say that He will work out all things for His glory. If I truly believe all of that, why do I so often wish that things were different than they are. I must be content in whatever circumstance I find myself (as Paul said). And, even if it is not the circumstance that I would have chosen, I should not yearn for things to be different. Discontent undermines, leaving a crack for the enemy to wedge in and disrupt joy.

I must rest, content in where God has placed me; rest in the sovereign hand that knows what is, what was, and what will be; receive the strength that allows me to endure prevail over whatever comes. In that contentment is my joy.

That doesn't mean that I am happy about everything that happens. (Happiness isn't the same as joy.) That doesn't mean that I do not hurt or mourn at brokenness and loss. But underneath all of the emotions that stir inside us is that abiding joy and strength that comes from Him.

His strength = ability to do all things = content in whatever circumstance = joy

Sweating with the Preschoolers

Today we got a workout. I had music with 3s and, for some reason (they are 3), I planned lots of movement activities. We waved scarves to fast and slow music. We marched with our scarves, reversing direction several times. We sang a song and pretended to play instruments. We moved like different animals to some grooving music. We "popped up" (which is their favorite thing to do ever). And we sang that traditional movement song (with related movements) "Father Abraham."

"I'm sweaty, Mr. Scott," several of my friends told me. I was, too.

In between those movement activities, we had some sit-down songs, too. We sang one song about growing and moved our hands up as if we were growing. One boy kept pushing his hands through his hair. I asked him about it. "My hair is growing," he replied. I completely understood what he was doing.

One group of 3s wanted to sit close today. So I was surrounded by children, all sitting within arm's reach. I introduced the song "Kookaburra" to them. The song played and I moved slightly back and forth as I sang among the children. It suddenly popped into my mind that I felt like Mr. Rogers, singing and talking with children. I felt in my element.

My joy today was being with those 3s. And seeing the other age groups as they came into the center or when I peeked into their rooms. I know I write a lot about music with preschoolers. But I had no idea how blessed I would be this year with this opportunity.

In months that have had ups and downs, anxieties, and some sadness, I've been gifted with opportunities for welcoming smiles and excited voices, ready to tell me what they brought for Show and Tell or what they saw just outside. I've been given a place where I feel I truly belong.

In a time of searching for joy, I've received more than I could have imagined.

Looking for It

I spent every day for a month looking for the joys - large and small - and found something each time. This current month I have not specifically searched for something each day - and you know what, I haven't seen something every day. I'm not saying it wasn't there. I'm say that I didn't see it.

We are a funny lot. We see the things that we are looking for. We tend to miss things that are right in front of us. This is a trait that we use for good and bad. If we suspect something, we see all evidence of it. If we want something, we see its traces everywhere. If we don't like something, it pops up everywhere we look.

So...I want to continue to see joy. I want to see evidence of God's glory. I want to see His hand at work. So I'm looking for those things.

When I sat down to write this today, I was feeling a little down. That's why I began to write about looking for joy. And you know what, several things suddenly appeared in my head.

• I spent the day working on things that I love to do. I worked on preschool curriculum, and I think that teaching young kids is just about the best thing ever.
• I got to work in my sweatpants. I get to wear my comfy clothes many days since I work at home. (And believe me, no one wants to see me in my sweatpants.)
• I had doughnuts for breakfast. Not a big deal in the overall scheme of things...but still something good.
• I got up this morning. This day wasn't promised to me and God gave it to me anyway.
• I read my Bible this morning. And I could. No one protested or threatened me because of it.
• I got to talk to my wife. She's here, not in a hospital sick or worse. She can hear my voice thanks to the grace of God and technology.

There's more, so much more that I could say. 

Is there stuff on the other side? Of course. I could probably easily list things to be upset or sad about. But I find those all too easily.

I'm just going to keep looking for the joy every day. (And maybe write it here.)

The Road

I'm continue to learn or maybe relearn that the road that God has us traveling on is not always an easy-to-understand path. It can be difficult or confusing or even hurtful. But with Him it is the road we should travel.

Several years ago I started down what I believed was a right road, a new turning point in my life. Shortly after that I ran into a dead end. That road ended - and not by my choice. I wandered confused and waiting. And waited for a while until I realized that my "waiting room" was my new path. I still don't understand all that happened then or why things happened as they did - but I know that the changes I experienced were preparations for what came next.

I'm now in another part of the journey where I'm not sure why things are happening as they are. But God's thoughts and God's ways are not the same as mine. And even when I don't understand or can't understand, I can trust in Him. Seek the path He is lighting for me.

A few years ago, in that before time, I started writing a poem. I found it again today and refined it some. It speaks to where I was...and in different ways where I am today.

The Road

The twisty turning road

Seems to lead to nowhere

What was a bright and shining path

Has dimmed, a shady cul-de-sac

The wait that held promise, full and new, 

The wait that caught excited breath

Now seems interminable

A long pause with no resolution

The connection that brought new understanding

New ways to know both self and God

That connection now is frayed

With garbled messages at best

Was it all a mistake, 

A dream that really wasn't right

A turn that shouldn't have been made

A path best left untrod?

No.

The glow of that unfound promise

Continues to burn at horizon’s edge 

This twisty road

Still seems right

Still seems true

Still beckons

Even when it seems I've no more steps to take.

R. Scott Wiley