You probably heard that a teenage girl was pulled from the rubble after 15 days. I can’t believe it when I see people continuing to be pulled out alive after days without food and water.
It made me think about what a life-changing event that must be and what so many of our lives are about and not about. I asked myself the question, what would my life look like if I was “presumed dead” for over 2 weeks but was back to life again? We live too often with the assumption that tomorrow is coming and that there is enough time ahead of us to make an impact…
…but what if there wasn’t? If you were presumed dead for 2 weeks and given back your life, what changes would you make?
We start our winter term of small groups this week at Restore. Mine kicked off last night and we have a great group. Being the beginning of a new term we started with some basic “get to know you” questions. One of the questions was asking what led people to small group. Here’s some of the responses we had:
I want to connect with new people
We hope to strengthen our marriage through small group
I love the community that I experience in small group
It provides me with a group of people that I can call on in tough times
I want to learn more about God and the Bible
Small group is where I can take next steps with God
I love it! Whether you call it small group, life group, life transformation group, or whatever, God works in us when we connect with others in authentic community. You can’t help but see God change you, and others through you, when we gather to discuss God’s word and how it applies to our lives.
If you’re at Restore or any church and you’re on the fence about getting connected, you have to give it a try. You won’t regret it!
In Christian culture we love relating our lives to cups and to being filled and poured out… and I’m jumping on that bandwagon.
I was talking with a friend this morning who is a new Christ follower and he was asking “What’s next?” & “Why don’t I feel like I should be feeling?”. I had a cup of coffee in my hand so of course I had to put it to use:
The pursuit of the American Dream has seeped into the church and Christianity. It’s cozy and comfortable as long as your cup is filled; job is secure, family is healthy, bank accounts are stable, church is feeding me, etc. then life is good. But your life isn’t radical.
The Bible speaks often as God being our portion, for example, “Psalm 16:5 – The LORD is my chosen portion and mycup;
you hold mylot.” He’s all we need, and in fact, He’s so much more.
The question is, how much are you allowing God to be your portion? Does your life even require the need for God?
So I asked my friend, now that your eternal life is “saved”, how can you start living in a way that allows God to truly be your portion? It’s different for everyone, but where is there a need for God if we don’t live radical lives? Pour and pour and pour and pour out your life in radical ways and God will truly overflow your cup and be your portion.
