Here is a true statement: Discerning what is important is important. I think we all know that, but we don’t always do it. We just let life build up and things get out of line. Discerning what we are doing and what we need to do is at the heart of discovering who we are and what we are being called to do?
As an illustration: How long has it been since you sorted through your sock drawer? Do you even know what is all in there? As I went looking for a pair of socks this week, I saw a lot of different things. There were several single socks that I must have thrown in there thinking the match would show up someday (it usually doesn’t). There were even some pairs of socks that had matches, but I don’t think I have worn since 2008! There were others that somehow ended up at the bottom of the pile and had not been used for a while – and needed to be pulled up to the top and put back in circulation.
This can be a metaphor for our life, our church, or even our faith life. There are things that are thrown in our days that don’t fit anymore. There are things that are clogging up our system that don’t match with who we are or what we are trying to do! Sometimes we need to clean out the sock drawer of our life. We have to spend some time looking at what we are doing and finding out what is important and what doesn’t need to be there. What are we missing that somehow got buried? What doesn’t match who we are – and maybe hasn’t since 2008? Are there things that are worn out and need a change? That is the task of discernment.
Gordon Smith writes in his book The Voice of Jesus, “One of the deepest desires we have as Christians is to know the voice of Jesus… We yearn for God to speak to us and give us wisdom, direction, and assurance in the midst of perplexing circumstances. We will live with sanity only if we are able to nurture the capacity to discern – to know the voice of Jesus in the midst of the choices we must make and in the midst of the myriad of competing voices we hear. To discern is to make a distinction between the voice of Jesus and those competing voices that invariable speak in our heats and minds.”
We are launching into Sabbatical season at Green Timbers Covenant Church. Pastor Andy will be away for three months, and we will be pushing on in ministry – not just doing the things we have always done, but listening, praying, and discerning what the voice of Jesus is calling us to do and be.
As we go about our work, what will help us to live out our mission to cultivate God’s values in the world? What will help us nurture community? What will help us build bridges into our life circles, our neighbourhood, and the global village? How do we practice hospitality? Who are we developing as leaders? Are we continuing to focus outward? Where are we seeing disciples made?
The missional engagement task force continues with that work! That is the work of this team! Pray for them. Participate in the interview. Let’s do this together.
This is a time to examine ourselves and see what happens as we clean out the sock drawer of ministry. How do we hear the voice of Jesus over the worries, busy-ness, and disconnect that the world produces? Let’s discern that together!!
WE ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PUT TIME AND EFFORT INTO PROCESS OF PUTTING A CROSS ON THE ROOF! If you want to be a part of that speak with Linda.
