Details , Minutiae , Tedious Tasks

It's supposed to be summer .........!

But........I've been bogged down by a lot of details lately..... I'm not sure why, except that I suspect they hide around the corner when I ignore them; gathering in numbers sufficient to attack in overwhelming force.

The business matters of the Kingdom, I have heard someone call them. There is no doubt that they are necessary,and required to make a ministry happen.

However,I recognize them as required tasks of ministry, however pale they compare in the company of passionate prayer, power-filled preaching, meaning-filled Bible Study and surrendered time serving embattled,lost,empty souls.

They, have names such as , committee meetings , contract negotiations, complaint response, reporting requirements, board meetings, statistics ,long range planning, finanacial management, etc......

I'll be the first to admit, these steps are necessary and required, but I'll also be the first to admit that they do not bring joy or fulfillment to this heart. I get them done, because they move the wheels that enable ministry.

But I consider them as lurking in the shadows generated by the heat and light of ministry.

Not the direct contact that enables people to hear the passionate voice of the Christ calling their name, feeling the nearness of a Savior .

I characterize them as,gripes,complaints,or paper work needed to document or facilitate ; implement, etc....etc.....ad infinitum......

I harken back to a quote of Annie Dillard , in her work, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek.....(old book, relevant thoughts) .... The quote is Thomas Merton's and goes something like this :

"There is always a temptation to diddle around in the organizational or the contemplative life, making itsy-bitsy statues" .
"There is always an enormous temptation in all of life, to diddle around making itsy-bitsy friends, and itsy-bitsy journeys and itsy-bitsy projects on end"

It is so "self-conscious, so apparently moral; simply to step
aside from the natural gaps,..... where the creeks and the winds pour down,
saying, 'I never merited this grace' and then sulk along on the
edge of rage for the rest of your days"

I won't have it! The world is wilder and braver in all directions, more dangerous and bitter, more extravagant and bright.

We are making hay, when we should be making love, we are raising carrots when we should be raising Cain ...or Lazurus.

What is required, is a life consuming passion to see torment,loss and pain being asssuaged by the Presence of the Christ.

The people need to see the Christ standing today, outside their door where they daily hide from the hatred and lies of this worlds powers.

To see and feel His Presence discovered in the midst of their pain. His power applied to their prayers.

So What ?................................. What!? .............................do I do .????

I,



Pray.........Praise...........Listen..........Serve........... live in hope ...........love without restaint..............

And pay the bills of detail..............its' part of the cost of discipleship...(with apologies to Dietrich)......

And its part of the cost of belonging to a world wide movement with God given resources , trying to reach the lost and desperate souls of mankind.

Do not think that the disciples were not involved in the busyness and the business of the kingdom?

they traveled the well worn roads of following; and yet they
provided a home for their children,
took care of the meals and travel of their group,
maintained their family ties and responsibilities,
managed the treasury of the Master,
reported the seekers at Pentecost,
counted the crowd at the feedings,
arranged for the boats and bailed them out when sinking,
wrote the records of ministry we call the New Testament,
counted the fish in the net,
delegated the feeding ministry and mentored the social services to disciples - soon-to-be-leaders ..........etc... etc..... ad infinitum.

But never forget to abandon yourself in loving service to others in whatever way they need to be served,,,, follow the pattern of the Christ who was alone to plan and pray, yet in the synagogue to worship and teach,... still spending much more of his time among the people of need in the streets ....listening,loving and once he had their attention, telling them of His Father and their relationship.