I miss Sarasota afternoon Thunder, but as I sit here in my breakfast area on a Saturday morning, my house shakes from artillery training blasts. Sounds amazingly similar, but with actual vibration.
Wednesday I had a chance to give a short message to other Chaplains from Col 4: 2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
One of my points was that we need to pray for open doors, and be careful to discern when they are open. I had one counseling session yesterday where faith never came into the picture. That was not why he was in my office, he had no religious background, and I felt it would have been harmful to bring it up. But he was pleasantly surprised how helpful his first visit ever to a Chaplain could be, and he promised to come back by to let me know how he was doing.
On the other hand, I have had many opportunities to share openly, in several different settings. Wednesday was my monthly Bible study, where we looked at money, love of it, that it is not just a problem for the ultra rich, but that Jesus made himself poor so that we through his poverty may be already rich in him (2 Col 8).
I am teaching a Sunday School series on the New Heavens and New Earth, and how there are current implications--not just future--of Jesus' resurrection. Next week I go to the field for 2 days and will hold a small, informal worship service for those interested in attending.
Even still, I wrestle with the question of when there is an open door and I am too hesitant to walk through it. God grant me the wisdom and discernment to know when it is open, to look for it, to pray for it, and to courageously walk through it. And may your Word thunder forth in the hearts and minds of spiritually sleepy Soldiers, through this your feeble servant. Thank you that the gospel is the power of GOD, and not my power, that it is not me I am calling them to but you, and that I am not a salesman for you, but a proclaimer. May it be so, amen!
Wednesday I had a chance to give a short message to other Chaplains from Col 4: 2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
One of my points was that we need to pray for open doors, and be careful to discern when they are open. I had one counseling session yesterday where faith never came into the picture. That was not why he was in my office, he had no religious background, and I felt it would have been harmful to bring it up. But he was pleasantly surprised how helpful his first visit ever to a Chaplain could be, and he promised to come back by to let me know how he was doing.
On the other hand, I have had many opportunities to share openly, in several different settings. Wednesday was my monthly Bible study, where we looked at money, love of it, that it is not just a problem for the ultra rich, but that Jesus made himself poor so that we through his poverty may be already rich in him (2 Col 8).
I am teaching a Sunday School series on the New Heavens and New Earth, and how there are current implications--not just future--of Jesus' resurrection. Next week I go to the field for 2 days and will hold a small, informal worship service for those interested in attending.
Even still, I wrestle with the question of when there is an open door and I am too hesitant to walk through it. God grant me the wisdom and discernment to know when it is open, to look for it, to pray for it, and to courageously walk through it. And may your Word thunder forth in the hearts and minds of spiritually sleepy Soldiers, through this your feeble servant. Thank you that the gospel is the power of GOD, and not my power, that it is not me I am calling them to but you, and that I am not a salesman for you, but a proclaimer. May it be so, amen!
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