Another busy Saturday around the neighborhood. Camps were visited, with everybody doing ok. Basketball practices were going on. Some garden work was done. A wedding was attended. God is good.
Was great to see Lomax and Stephanie say I do and start a new chapter in their lives. Joey did great as one of their groomsmen. Good to see old friends and meet some new family members.
With summer camp over with, the center was quiet this week. Hard to believe the summer is coming to an end and school is about to start. Backpacks and school supplies are being gathered. Tutoring plans are continuing. We can always use your help with our afternoon activities, please come and join in on the fun.
Tuesday evening, Rickie led the men's Bible fellowship, reading from John 5: 1-9, the healing at the pool. Sometimes we get looked over by others trying to be first, Jesus does not see the first by relates to the least. How does He see you?
Thursday was hot and humid, as we gathered for our community time. Ms Jackie shared the Word in chapel, as Ms Abbie and Bryce shared the music. We had a summer picnic complete with pizza and ice cream sundaes for supper. Lots of help was provided from a local bank in the dining hall and the Market. A good evening.
It was nice to hear from our missionaries this week. Elizabeth McCormick dropped me a note saying we were in their hearts this week as they are about to begin their new journey in South Africa. Please keep them in your prayers. Prayers for our friends living outside, the heat is unbearable.
In reading John 5, telling of the invalid, this is how this translation describes the man at the pool, had been handicapped for 38 years. A great number of disabled people gathered at this pool to wait for the angels to stir the water. If you were the first in the pool, you would be healed of your infliction. Can you imagine, the pushing and shoving that must have happened to be the first in line. When chapel is over, the community runs to be the first in line, to get a chapel card and out the door! We like to be first at anything. The first born, the first kiss, the first paycheck, the first catch. Our society teaches us, trains us, to be the first, not the second, surely not the last. But in God's world, that philosophy does not apply.
This disabled man, had been waiting and wanting to get to the pool first but so far had been unable to do so. He was always to late or to slow to do so. In verse 6, Jesus saw this man and asked him, do you want to get well? My first thought, to Jesus' question was well du! But Jesus needs to hear us say from our heart, what we want.
Then in verse 8, Jesus said to him, Get up! pick up your mat and walk.. At once the man was cured, he picked up his mat and walked. Amazing. But as we talked about it more, we talked about Jesus' ways are not our ways? This man, 38 years waiting to be cured. Has seen others cured by getting in the stirring waters of this pool. He hears this man Jesus say, get up and walk. He did not get in the pool of water, like he had seen his whole life, but a man spoke to him and he was cured. Not the way he expected to be cured, but the way Jesus wanted him to be cured.
We often pray to God for a way out of the mess we are in, directions for our lives, paths to take for our community. We think we have it all planned out, the way we think it should go and ask God to bless it. God does not work that way, He sees us, He knows us, He knows what is best for us and makes a way for us.
We need to begin to let go of our ways and let God direct His ways through us. We need to be open to changes. I know in my limited experiences, all most always, what I prayed for did not turn out the way I had asked. I was trying to put God in my box, to make things simple, to not stretch my faith, to not get out of my comfort zone, but God laughed and said, mr brian, hold on, you are about to get your world rocked!
God does things the way He wants them to happen. He has put all of you in my life and I am so blessed. Common Ground is blessed because of your presence and your hearts. Let's pray together to let God be the boss, let Him direct our paths, let Him be our leader, let Him build His Kingdom working in and through us! Amen!
Have a great week. Enjoy your time with your family and friends. God is good!
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