Author: Wick

Quick on business: First month quota: Missed by like 8%. Ah well….there’s always next month.

Man, prayers and thoughts go out to those involved and affected by Katrina. I know you’re all probably hearing a TON about it already, but they definitely deserve our constant prayers. If you’re wondering how you can get involved beyond just whispering a prayer, check out http://www.ncm.org

Anyways…I’m preaching Sunday morning….EVERYONE COME!!:) 9:30AM, Trinity Church of the Nazarene here in Decatur. I’m not saying anything more than…you’ll want to be there.:)

So everyone out there has started school finally….right? How is it? Are your schools doing anything in response to the hurricane?

Gas prices are getting annoying. At first it didn’t really phase me…what’s a few extra cents per gallon of gas? But more and more it’s adding up….I think perhaps I’ll start doing all of my business on the phone soon.

Okay, this goes out to everyone….won’t take long to respond….what is the BEST restaurant you’ve EVER eaten at?? 1, 2, 3….GO!

Ever go somewhere often, and see the same people time after time, and wonder about them?

I’m a Panera fan. Every saturday morning I’m in town, with nothing to do around 7am….you’ll find me at Panera with a cup of great coffee and a book. Sometimes someone will meet up with me there, but not usually by appointment. They just know I can be found there. I love it. And if no one shows, I have my book and my coffee, and it’s grand.

I see the same people, week after week. They see me. I wonder who their families are. What their jobs are. Who they hang with. What they do in life. I usually find a moment, and sometimes the entire morning, and ask for God to allow me to see them as He sees them.

Love.

For that moment, whether by my own imagination or by God’s complete divine intervention, I’m filled with love for these people, men, women, children, old, young, whatever….the Love of God for them. A love that kinda wants to go up to them and give them a huge hug, and see how they’re doing; but even deeper this love leads me to pray for them. Not knowing their families, their lives, their jobs, their worries, their fears, etc…but knowing each of these things exist for each person….I pray. I don’t get down on my knees and sacrifice a bagel in their name. But I watch them….I pray for them….I imagine a bucket of love being poured over their head.

I recommend this activity to anyone, really….it’s a great experience. If you find it hard to just “love” the people, then try working the other direction. Pray for them first. And in genuinely praying for those people, you will find yourself loving them with God’s love.

And so I wonder. What do people wonder about me? Do they wonder? The guy who’s kinda quiet….comes in with a book….sits off by himself and reads. Sometimes someone will meet up with him. That person may be a teenager in street garb, or a business-looking man in suit and tie. Or he might just sit quietly and enjoy his book, looking up occasionally to people-watch. Who is he?

Do they wonder?

How long will the routine be kept before someone outside of my usual social realm will approach me simply for the sake of knowing more about me?

Or will I break the routine to find out more of someone else?

Man, I love people.

A prayer that was most likely prayed by Christ Himself as he spoke at the synagogue at Nazareth…

During the service, the one chosen to read the scrolls, was also expected to conduct the “devotions”. There are a couple other prayers Jesus would have prayed first, and then moving towards the Ark, would have begun another set of prayers….including this…

“Thou O Lord, art mighty forever; Thou. Who quickenest the dead, art mighty to save. In Thy Mercy Thou preservest the living, Thou quickenest the dead; in Thine abundant pity Thou bearest up those who fall, and healest those who are diseased, and loosest those who are bound, and fulfillest Thy faithful word to those who sleep in the dust. Who is like unto Thee, Lord of strength, and who can be compared to Thee, Who killest and makest alive, and causest salvation to spring forth? And faithful art Thou to give life to the dead. Blessed art Thou, Jehovah, Who quickenest the dead!”