Perseverance

Sorry it has taken to so long to update this blog.

This past Thursday turned out to be a really beautiful night (at least in my opinion). Josh had prepared an amazing meal for us even though he was unable to eat with us, and had to work the grave yard shift of west elm. Josh we missed you much.

After we had finished eating and sharing our joys, we then shared announcements. It was really exciting for me to see all the things that are going on and the things that we as a group can get involved in to serve the community and the church. Monique was also kind enough to volunteer to assemble a list, and email it out to everyone(Again Thanks SOOO much Monique, such an awesome job!). If you didn’t receive that email and would like it let us know.

We started the night by talking about the idea of perseverance, and asking God for things. In our lives we often will ask God for parking spaces, health, and passing grades, but do we ask Him for his kingdom and more of Him in our life? How hungry and desperate are we to see Gods kingdom come and His will be done? What are we willing to give up to become more whole creatures that are more in-tune with God? How can we put flesh and blood on the gospel in such a way that those around us can’t help but taste God? The bible is full of stories of preserving, everything from the women who pushed through the crowd to touch Jesus to be healed, or the blind men that followed Jesus into a home to be healed, or the lepers who called out even when told to be quiet, or the widow in the parable who goes to the unjust king over and over and over again until justice is granted her or any of the other parables and people in Jesus’s life. Its kind of odd that Jesus likens God to that king, saying we need to keep going to God and asking over and over again. If we don’t get the answer right away keep asking and keep seeking. In this our city we need to keep asking and bugging God for justices and asking how we can be apart of His great plan of redemption for the people in this city, and even us.

After we talked about that for a little be we watched a Nooma movie by Rob Bell. It talked about the song that is being sung and has been sung since creation. The song is a metaphor for who God is. Rob Bell says that everyone is singing a song but the question is are you in-tune or not, what key are you singing in. After the movie we had an amazing discussion, maybe the best yet, exploring what it means to be in-tune here in our city of Philadelphia. We talked some about the struggle of what does it look like to be a christian in the everyday work place, and the idea of “Am I really where God wants me to be?”. The question was asked, why in the book of Acts are people coming to the movement of God by the thousands each day, and being healed when shadows fall on them, but today we see nothing like that? Are those same events meant to happen today like they did then? I think so. I think it goes back to perseverance, and are we asking for and seeking it with all of our being.

Untill next time, Grace and peace,

Chris

If you have time you should check out some of the podcasts that are on the right side of the page. Rob Bell ones are epic and not to long and the re:engaged once are full of meat and amazingly challenging.