Life: Apply Liberally

Pastor Ellen's blog about life these days

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Monday, February 15, 2010

When I Can't...God Can.


This week's Alban Institute E-Letter article, Downward Mobility, directs us pastors toward analysis of what we are and aren't good at in our job descriptions and then asks us and our councils and congregations to accept the reality that we are "only human!"
The ultimate wrap is approaching ministry with humility which thrills me in light of last Sunday. I went into the day absolutely exhausted...was it because of the topic or the preparation or the week before or the weeks before? Probably a combination of all plus some I haven't considered.
Be that as it may, at the moment I stepped up to preach I knew I didn't have the energy to pull off "my vision" of a Sunday message. So I simply sent a prayer skyward that said something like, "God, I am humbled here and now by the task at hand. I am literally on the bottom of the energy barrel but you are God. Anything good that comes of the next 20 minutes is up to you and the Holy Spirit!"
And in the praying came the answer and the Word of God went forth. I am thankful and grateful and inspired by a God who "fills in the blanks" for us and I realize that this kind of rescue effort is going on even when, especially when, I am not humble enough to ask for it!

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