Change of Direction?

I spend my afternoons walking a track around a field behind our house.  My husband is very diligent about keeping the grass cut so that I may have a clear path to walk and can see what is ahead of me.  We have it measured out perfectly as to how many times I must walk around to equal a mile.  He is so good to me.

During my walks is one of my daily prayer times.  Where God and I discuss my direction or path in ministry and what I am called to do.  After years of ministry work in the church everything from children's director to treasurer I find myself without direction.  Changing churches and changing environments has given me the chance to stop and ask the question, "What am I suppose to be doing?".  I'm sure I'm not the only one who has asked that question... anywho...

As I was walking, God and I were discussing the direction He would like my ministry to travel.  I asked the question, "Is this where you want me to be? Am I going in the right direction? Please show me some kind of affirmation."  then "POOF"  a snake right in my path.  It was only a green snake, so I stopped put my hands on my hips and began a conversation with the snake.  "One of us has to move... which is it going to be?".  He just sat there and looked at me so I continued on my way and walked around him.  I turned and told him that if he was still there on my next lap I was going to take him home.  He was gone when I got back.

The second day God and I were still having the same conversation and then "POOF" another snake.  This time it wasn't a green garden snake but a big copperhead.  Needless to say, this snake and I didn't hit it off as well as the green snake from the day before.  I stopped in my tracks and called for backup from the "Snake Killers" in my family and it wasn't long before this particular snake was no longer a concern.

So what is God trying to tell me?  That my path will always have obstacles no matter how green and peaceful it may be and that I need to face my ministry challenges head on?  Both times I have overcome the obstacles in my path one small and one not so small, but I keep pushing forward to complete the job ahead of me.  Are the snakes symbolic of sinful stumbling blocks?  Or maybe I need to change direction all together.  God is the snake killer of my path and as long as I keep my eyes on Him he will intervene on my behalf and clear the path of my ministry travel.

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Assumptions

Scripture Reference: Luke 2:39-52. On their way back from their annual trip to Jerusalem, Mary and Joseph assumed that Jesus was traveling back with them in the Caravan.  After a day's travel Joseph and Mary begin to inquire inside the caravan of friends and family if they has seen Jesus, who was 12 at the time, and to their horror nobody had seen him.  Immediately they traveled back to Jerusalem in search of their little boy only to find him about his Heavenly Father's business in the temple.

Just like this event in the Bible when Joseph and Mary assumed that Jesus was with them, many churches today assume that Jesus is with them also. (with emphasis being on assumed).  More and more churches are becoming more like country clubs and self centered organizations with emphasis on themselves assuming that Jesus is with them.  Jesus didn't just minister to those who were in His inner circle.  Jesus didn't just minister to those who would come and listen.  Jesus went to the people.  To many times churches say, "The doors are open, it is up to the people if they want to come".  They are afraid of change, afraid of stepping out of the comfort zone they have made for themselves. 

Question:  If your church were to shut the doors today, would the community be affected?  I'm not talking about members of the church being affected, I'm asking about the community.  Would they know that the church has even closed their door?  Does the church minister to the community or to the inner circle? If the church closed the doors would the community care?

Assumptions can be detrimental to your faith!

What do you fish with?

We are called to be fishers of men, but sometimes our fishing tackle doesn't represent what type of fish we should be catching.  There are different fishing lures to catch certain types of fish.  As a church what type of fishing lure are we using?  Do we use the most expensive tackle to catch the best fish or do we use homemade tackle to catch ordinary fish.  The truth is we shouldn't be using tackle at all.  We should be using nets.

During the time of Jesus, fishing nets were used to catch fish.  By using nets you caught all kinds of fish and lots of them.  With a fishing net all fish are caught and hardly any are able to avoid the net.  What is your church fishing with?  Is your church fishers of ALL men regardless of their financial status, marital status, social status or color?  Have our churches become Country Club churches where we hand select our members? Do we throw people back into the sea of sin and deny them worship because they don't meet our idea of a perfect church member?

Put your lures away and throw out the net.