April 2013
The Pastor’s Ponderings Pastor David’s cell phone—765-330-4170 and email address —fleeneda@gmail.com Being that this is being written during Holy Week, things are a little crazy around the office right now. Papers keep piling up on my desk. There’s a stack of books I have yet to read – and probably won’t read for another few weeks yet. It’s a bit ironic that during the holiest week of the Christian year, my thoughts are not so much on God but on preparing for each of our four worship services. I guess you could say that I have a bit of a “Martha” complex, concerned with getting things done, rather than taking time at the feet of Christ as Mary does (Luke 10:38-42). But through the busy-ness, I trust that God is at work. Even during frantic, last-ditch preparations, I trust that God is involved in the process. After all, Christ gave us the words by which we should pray to God. Paul writes about the Spirit, which intercedes for us in our weakness (Romans 8:26). God is involved in the work, no matter what kind of work it may be, as long as it is done in faithfulness to him. So I – and we – can let go, letting God take command of our work to shape it according to his purposes. I love Reinhold Niebuhr’s Serenity Prayer, which keeps my work in perspective. May it do the same for you.
God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, Courage to change the things which should be changed, and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, Taking, as Jesus did, This sinful world as it is, Not as I would have it, Trusting that You will make all things right, If I surrender to Your will, So that I may be reasonably happy in this life, And supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen. See you in church! Pr. David