daveingland.com   about church relevance, culture, life, community, & transformational faith

I’m feeling content with where I am at this week. I’m taking a break to seek God and only do ministry that he calls me to do, rather than what I feel I need to do in order to get to where I think he wants me to go. For the first time in my journey as a Christian I am not sure what tomorrow holds, yet I am feeling great peace in knowing that I can work through this time with God and not be before his people and potentially cause them to stumble.

For my last sermon last Sunday, I spoke about Romans 15:13. It’s my favorite verse in the entire Bible and it speaks to me in amazing ways…when I allow it to speak to me. Sometimes I take this verse for granted and it’s a terrible thing to do with God’s word. I’ve repented and I’ve been humbled before my Lord. I am learning to live in hope for tomorrow, yet recognizing the beauty of what God has placed before me today. I am hopeful that my time with my family will be honored by God and that he will use me to touch my daughters in ways that they will come to Christ and commit their lives to him as their Lord and Savior. Through my time of renewal and learning to wait on God, I am hopeful that he will call and I will answer in faith. In recognizing how far I have come, and realizing how far I have to go, that God will meet me where I am and show me the way to take those things that I have been gifted at doing and combining them with those things that God has burdened my heart for and made me passionate about. There is much to be hopeful for in the new place I am at this week and what a joyful and peaceful place I find myself as I remind myself of his promise to me and the promise he made to all of his people.

Romans 15:13- May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Lord God, I pray that you wil fill your people with the hope that will change the world. That through their witness you will become known to those that did not know you before. That the hope that overflows rains down upon those in darkness and calls them to come into your light. May we learn to trust in you so deeply that your Holy Spirit can give us joy and peace through the hope you pour into our spirit, so much so that it overflows into those you have placed around us. In Christ’s name, amen.

Just some more random things, but as I have watched some of the Olympics the past few days, some things have popped into my head that I believe apply to the church.

1. Unity- The Olympics obviously are about unity. Individual countries come together in unity and globally nations are coming together in China for the sake of a common goodwill and competition.
2. Peace- While there was some random violence that has occurred in China, there is a sense that all nations are coming together in peace. At the games there is no judgment on way or communism. It’s simply about sportsmanship and losers congratulating winners and just enjoying the opportunity to represent their beloved countries in this international competition.
3. Diversity- Not only is Beijing, China incredibly diverse with hundreds of countries in attendance for the summer games, but there is even diversity within each nation’s teams.
4. Teamwork- There are varying levels of talent within each team, yet no one complains about others dragging them down or how some may have to work harder and forsake individual recognition in order to help the team win. This was especially prevalent in the gymnastics floor exercises on Sunday night. Of course it will be prevalent in all of the team games such as basketball, volleyball, and even the synchronized swimming events.

If warring nations can come together in peace and just become people with a sincere desire to help their nation win a gold medal in the Olympics, why can’t we put aside our differences within the church for the sake of fighting the good fight of faith with the ultimate prize being Christ glorified through the salvation of the lost? Even within individual churches we can’t seem to come together in unity through a bond of peace.

One of the common notions within the church is that 10% of the people do 90% of the work. Why is that? Jesus came to serve, not be served. We say we want to be more like Jesus, yet we come to church to be served. There is just something wrong with that! It was also stated somewhere that if just 10% of the current Christian population would make an effort to tackle the world’s hunger crisis that it could be eradicated. Imagine that…a world where no child would go to bed hungry. Just 10% of us required to impact the world for Christ!

After watching spirited competition and a genuine desire to come together in unity and peace and give 100% of each person towards winning the prize, it is so obvious that we in the church don’t have much position to stand upon when Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Atheists, Christians, etc. can do this in the Olympics, yet we can’t do it in our workplace, our neighborhoods, or our churches. May our eyes be opened to the true nature of loving others–regardless of their skin color, religious belief, social class, etc.–in a spirit of peace and seek to be unified in Christ so that the way may be paved for his glorious return when he comes calling for his bride.