Wednesday, April 30

Today’s Lectionary Readings: Psalm 130; Deuteronomy 19:1-7; Matthew 28:16-20; Ephesians 1:1-10; Psalm 8

There were many books I read and conversations that I had that stayed with me from my sabbatical last summer. One of the most important was a book titled “The Contemplative Pastor” by Eugene Peterson. While there were several nuggets of wisdom I mined from the book, one thing in particular stayed with me and helped redefine my entire approach toward ministry. Let me share that with you. In the book, Peterson stated there are three words that should be used to describe an effective pastor. The first two (prophetic and apocalyptic) were within my current practice of ministry at the time so I didn’t think too much about them. The third adjective, however, bowled me over. The adjective was “unbusy”. By this Peterson meant that an effective pastor should schedule his or her life in such a way that there is time to respond to spontaneously emerging needs. I remember thinking, “How is that possible with the countless demands that pull a pastor in a thousand directions?” Despite my initial skepticism, I decided to try scheduling myself differently when I returned from my sabbatical last fall. I began to prioritize my commitments (actually getting rid of some of the less important ones) and found that it was possible to create a more flexible schedule that would allow myself to be there more for others AND myself. I was reminded of this process when I read today’s words from Ephesians . Portions of Ephesians 1:7-9 read: “Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah … we’re a free people…And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything…He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him” (The Message). That language reminds me of the way the various threads of our lives that threaten to pull us in a thousand directions can be woven into one tapestry where we have a true sense of perspective. By integrating those streams we can actually do the unthinkable in the fast-paced world in which we live: we can lead “unbusy” lives that exude a sense of freedom! If you are feeling overwhelmed by the many demands of your life today, I invite you to take a moment and step back . Look at those many competing threads. Then remember the One who can take those various threads and seamlessly weave them together into a beautiful new tapestry you might call your life. Til next time…