As the arsenal of fireworks our neighbors have purchased for tonight's midnight display are set off in a caucophony of missile-like whistles, bangs and pops I wonder if our country's independence might be celebrated in a way which doesn't involve my trying to determine if the projectiles will put a hole in our pool liner.
When the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776 did John Hancock put his quill to parchment paper first because he was in a hurry to finish and get to lighting a bottle rocket? I think not.
The colonists had had it! That is why a team was formed to draft the Declaration. It included Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston and Thomas Jefferson-though Jefferson is most associated with the document. They chose Jefferson to compose the document because he was the best writer/communicator amongst the men, and because if the measure were to pass, it would need the support of the territory of Virginia-which Jefferson represented.
Interesting isn't it, that Jefferson was chosen because he had a gift for the task and because his involvement would insure success.
Jefferson began with the following, "When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."
This fancy introduction, called the Preamble, communicated that the colonists had had it, and that they felt it only right to say why they had had it, with whom they had had it, and what they intended to do about it.
Of all the words in the Preamble, I like words eight, nine and ten best:: "...it becomes necessary..."
The colonists had tried letters to the King, requests for policy change, visits to England to more strongly convey their grievances, a few protests, some product boycotts-all to no avail.
So as Jefferson wrote, it had become necessary for them to do something more.
Whatever your politics, religious beliefs, education, upbringing, there comes a time in life-or their will-when you too have had it and it becomes necessary for you to do something more. And that will be your Preamble. The moment when you choose to say why you have had it, what or whom you have had it with, and what you intend to do about it. Your Declaration will follow. The time and place where you declare what comes next for you, with regard to the circumstance and/or persons you've had it with. Your preamble and declaration may take the form of a conversation in your head, followed by prayer, discussion with friends, loved ones.
Your Preamble and Declaration may not involve two weeks of locking yourself away from others to draft a document bound to become the foundation of an uprising. It may be even more tenable, involving your specific gifts for the task. Your involvement may be exactly what is needed to insure success. God places callings in His people to stir them to action; He places gifting to move the action forward.
Recently our Children's Ministry Team asked all of us at The Word at Shaw to pick up an empty plastic, lidded box and to fill it with items from a list. These newly filled boxes will be delivered to children of Joplin who have been affected by the tornado. Because for those in our Children's Ministry, they had had it when they thought of children in Joplin who had lost everything, not having a venue to express themselves, or to play. To those of you who purchased sidewalk chalk, crayons, markers, small toys for the Boxes of Hope, thank you. Your gifts will impact positively the lives of children you may never meet.
Our Outreach Ministry Team couldn't stand the idea of not helping to physically rebuild Joplin. They will be taking a team there later this month. If you have had it with tornadoes creating great need in this state, and feel it has become necessary to help restore Joplin-this is your Preamble moment. See Pam or Ryan Gassar to sign up. Don't let this moment pass. Because God doesn't place a gifting and an ability to succeed at something in His people, for it to lay in wait. We are called to be a people of action.
Maybe you have picked up and filled a flood bucket, a Box of Hope, and you plan on being on the Joplin Mission Team because your call is to do everything humanly possible to help members of a slightly distant community in every conceivable way.
Or maybe there is something else stirring in you, something you can't quite name, but a restlessness about something in the immediate community of Shaw. If God is calling you to do something, I would reccomend obedience. The dogged persistence of some ministry teams and Word at Shaw Pastors is nothing compared to the chasing after our Lord is capable of.
Pastor Keith and I feel called to this church. Not to leading a church somewhere, but the church on the corner of Shaw and Tower Grove, at 4265, in the Shaw Neighborhood, in St. Louis, Missouri. A number of people felt called to Shaw with us-some for a period of three months, some for twelve months, some indefinitely. Some living in Shaw, some living farther.
The commonality is our desire to Know God, Love All and Serve Others. In fact, that is the mission of The Word at Shaw, with good reason. We feel called to do all three of these things. And we agree that through serving others, meeting various needs as God creates a passion in us commensurate with gifting and an ability to succeed at the task, we will draw closer to one another, to others, and to God.
1 Corinthians 12 talks about how each of us is given different gifts to perform the tasks needed for God's kingdom. In verse 4, "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit."
Verse 5, "And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord."
Generally this chapter of the Bible is quoted when discussing unity or the equal importance of each task performed in the name of Christ, be it up-front or behind the scenes. Being a different thinker, I am always drawn to the truth that our gifts are placed within at God's bidding. Therefore we have a responsibility to use our gifts for God's calling on our lives.
I don't point this out to apply pressure, but instead to confirm what you may already suspect. That stirring you can't quite name, that sense that it has become neccesary to do something, may very well be God's calling on your life to be actively involved in your community.
Now is a good time to ask yourself, "How am I called? What have I had it with?" If you are actively involved-thank you! Seriously. I pray that you feel God's blessing on the tasks you perform as part of His calling.
I know some of you may feel conflicted because you feel passionate about so many things and aren't sure if you are choosing the task or tasks that God has for you. That is a tough one, especially in balance with family and school and work. There is no easy answer for this dilemna, but I do reccomend prayer, and talking to others whom you trust have your best interest at heart, as well as a desire to serve God themselves.
If you would like to share where you are at with God's calling in your life-successes, stirrings, frustrations, questions-all are welcome and can be posted in comments to this blog. Lets start a conversation about our preambles.
Blessings-Lorilise.
No comments:
Post a Comment