Ridiculous Promises

Ridiculous Promises

We all want to know God's plan for our lives, but sometimes God's plan doesn't feel very close to our lives. This week, pastor Ben showed that it just takes is a small change in perspective to be able to see it.

The Story

The story of Naaman and Elisha shows us that God's providence is always near, usually closer than we realize. God had used Naaman to liberate Israel from the wicked king, Ahab. Later, when Naaman fell ill with leperousy, God used a servant girl in his house bring him to Elisha; he sent another servant boy to show him the wisdom in the Elisha's words; and the Elisha himself made Naaman go through the steps to be ritually clean so that he could worship God.

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God was evident in so many ways that Naaman couldn't see:

• saved Israel from Ahab
• wife who speaks up
• prophet in israel
• servant boy who speaks up

A Better Way

Naaman expected to be healed from a disease, but he left having been cleansed so that he could worship God. Elisha was a great prophet, but even Elisha wasn't willing to speak to Naaman, much less touch him. Jesus shows us a better way. Jesus was willing to touch lepers and remind them of their human dignity.

Jesus heals us, but he also cleanses us. It is through Jesus that we're able to find wholeness and comfort, but it is also through Jesus that we become cleansed of our emotional filth and our past wrongs so that we can come to God freely. We know that we are loved by God because Jesus says that we are forgiven.

God's Plan

God's plan is underneath every little piece of our lives, the problem is that we can't see it most of the time. Just like rebar is to construction, God's plan is there underneath the surface, holding us together and making us stronger. It is God's providence that makes us capable of the great things that we do in our lives; it's also the thing holding keeping us from falling apart when our world goes bad.

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So what do we do when God's plan isn't as clear?

1. Listen to someone from that you don't normally listen to. Maybe your kids. Maybe your spouse.

2. Tell the rumor! Share about what God has done. Share on facebook, in your work, to your family.

3. Take a day off to pray and ask God what his mission for your life might be.

Like what you see but want more? Check out Washington Cathedral's website for more information.

Great Faith Requires Great Risk

Pastor Tim begins the new series about ridiculous faith, centering around Elisha. Like the prophet Elisha we all have risk in our lives.  The only way to have anything is to have risk in our lives- to live to the fullest. Risk and faith, resulting from that risk, makes life more beautiful.

““If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.”

Matthew 16:24 (NLT)

 "The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it,

but that it is too low and we reach it."

Michelangelo

Wouldn't it be nice if we could say that faith was a no risk proposition?  But life is all about taking risks; if you're afraid of taking risk, then you're afraid of life.

On our Board of Directors we have a Mathematician by trade, B.J. Eliason.  He has been an incredible blessing to our church.  He is a strong quiet man.  You might know him because he has run the math tutoring class at our church for years.  I don't know how many kids in our church have passed Calculus because of him (not to mention the adults going back to school).

His job is in actuarial mathematics.  He helps companies mathematically figure the risks of projects.  He and I were having coffee the other day and discussing the lessons that we have learned over the past several years at our church.  He told me something quite shocking.  You can never completely eliminate risk- every mathematician and businessperson probably already knows this and deals with risks on a daily basis.  You can try and predict the outcome and you can try and learn from it but eliminating risk it is impossible.

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I had the chance to meet Peter Drucker, the dean of American Business, more than once and had the honor to sit under his teaching.  He had a calling to teach pastors the art and science of business, so he invested his time hanging out with the pastors of Churches Uniting In Global Mission.   Peter Drucker said, "People who do not take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year.”   That can leave us to the conclusion that we will make mistakes, no matter whether we are risk-takers or not.

Now in scripture we are taught to seek wise counsel and engage in two-way conversations with those who are mature enough to be involved in it.  It is not always so easy to find wise counsel in a world where everyone thinks they are right and just want to throw rocks.  But when you do find them it is all the more valuable.  You will benefit from reason, wise loving advice, and those willing to get involved in the process to make the best decisions.

Then there is risk. It is a part of faith.  But when your goal is so beautiful that even your failure is a success then you have a winning combination.  Risk is tough but when you are sincerely following Christ - walking with him faith still moves mountains.

“Either life is a daring adventure or nothing at all.”

Helen Keller

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