I wonder what our attraction to Christ looks like to others. Does it seem reckless? Do we look like a fleet of sleepy drivers weaving all over the place as we head to our destination? Maybe we seem like we are floating slowly towards Him? As we head into the summer season I hope that we consider what our desire for Christ looks like in our lives. I hope that we can find ourselves moving towards Him on a daily basis. Like clockwork I hope that when Christ shines His light on us we go flying towards Him and His love. I hope that we are a little bit more like June Bugs.

Some of you may have noticed that there is some work being done on the parsonage. We are currently working on redoing much of the interior. This means that walls, electrical, and our heat/air conditioning systems are all being worked on! This process has been pretty amazing to see. We are finding a bunch of neat things from the lives of those who have inhabited the space. Anytime you do a big project like this there are surprises and some of them are pretty cool! Old notebooks and pictures, odd construction quirks, doors hidden behind walls and all sorts of other things have been seen for the first time in years. As the walls are stripped and the carpets removed and the work of deconstruction shifts to the work of reconstruction the “real work” begins. Anyone can tear something down. It takes a craftsman to rebuild though. Someone who knows the job and has practiced and worked on projects like this before.

            As we lean on craftsmen for the reconstruction/renewal of the house we also lean on Christ for the renovation and renewal of our lives. We come to him needing to be reshaped and rebuilt. After years of hard use some brokenness is to be expected. As we invite Christ into our brokenness we may be tempted to hide the things that may need fixing. When the designer of the house comes back to do the renovations you are sure to have a good experience, and you certainly aren’t going to be able to hide the problem areas! Some things may be harder for us to let him work on but if we trust his vision for our lives then we give those long held things up. We may not be able to visual the finished product but Christ knows the beginning, middle, and end of our lives and we can trust him to do his best for us.  Let Christ work on your life and give his vision for you a chance!

Easter is just around the corner! We have been experiencing some wet weather here and while that may be nice for the plants it means our spring hasn’t been the sunniest. Days of cloudy overcast can get us down. The cool rain and breezes make us want to stay inside and curled up under a blanket. Some moments of sun have been very welcome relief but still it hasn’t felt like spring yet. A seasonal shift makes us excited for something new and the refreshing that comes with spring always makes me think of renewed life and vibrancy in our natural surroundings.

            Over the next few weeks we are going to explore the idea of God’s Vineyard and Jesus as the Vine. My hope in doing this is that we will come to appreciate God’s work in our lives and Jesus as the source of our lives. As we like to cling to our blankets and cocoa on rainy, cold, and overcast days my hope is that this exploration of God’s Vineyard will help us cling to Jesus when things aren’t the way we hoped they would be. If you want a preview of where we are going to be in the coming weeks look at Matthew 20, Luke 20, and John 15. I hope that you are as excited about this Easter as I am and that the Son shines a bit more in your life this spring!

I grew up playing video games. It started with a Nintendo and then a Super Nintendo. We got a Sega Genesis when it came out and it was hard to imagine what could ever be better than the things we saw on the screen. Playing with my brothers was one of my favorite things. We would take turns switching off trying to beat a level or zone. As we got older the games only got more complicated. I started playing computer games and found a deep appreciation for Real-Time Strategy and Grand Strategy games. You have to build up a good economy to sustain your expansion as you consider how best to conquer the little digital world that is depicted on the screen in vivid colors. I like the challenge presented and the instant gratification of taking over a fortress from my opponents. It is nice to have my own little kingdom where I am in control and have the power. It is a lovely illusion.

Sometimes I let that kind on kingly thinking come into my real life. I want to be in control. I want to make quick progress and see rapid change. In a game a few moments could represent days, months, or even years. The progress there is artificial and still somehow satisfying, but only as long as I play the game. As soon as I close the program I am just me again. I have a real life that doesn’t move so swiftly, the changes are harder to see, progress more difficult to track, and my enemies are clearly marked by the lines on the map or the clothing they wear. It is nice to have my own little kingdom sometimes. I get to be in control, I get to shape things, I get to make things happen, and decide where I go and what I do. As fun as it is to play games and get lost in that unreality, it is so much more pleasant to live in God’s Kingdom. He is in control, not me. He is the one who shapes the story, not me. He is the one who sees the progress made in my life and is satisfied. Having God in control makes life all the more enjoyable. That means I have to give up my little kingdom. I have to let go of the desire to control and be content to follow the leading of the true King, the Lord of All, and the Lover of my soul.