Day 20: Missional excellence
Posted: May 13, 2013 Filed under: 40 Day Walk With God, Bishop's Blog | Tags: 40 day walk, annual conference, bill mcalilly, bishop, god, jesus, memphis, moses, paul, Prayer, tennessee, trust, UMC 4 Comments
Romans 10:8-10 (Read verses 8-11)
But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the message of faith that we preach). Because if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and in your heart you have faith that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Trusting with the heart leads to righteousness, and confessing with the mouth leads to salvation.
Have you ever noticed how many of our favorite hymns are about trust? “Only trust him,” we warble contentedly. “Tis’ so sweet to trust in Jesus,” we advise in song. And what is more uplifting than standing in the great congregation, surrounded by family and friends, singing happily “Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in God?” But do we really? Trust in God?
Trust the God of Jesus Christ, Paul says. God is generous and God will save if only we trust. Paul seems pretty sure that this trust issue is a problem for Christians; so sure that he writes about it to the church at Rome – a church full of people Paul has never met! If we say that Jesus is Lord, Paul suggests, we ought to trust that the same God who ordered Jesus’ life will order ours. We might even believe that the same God who raised Jesus to transformational life in the Resurrection will transform us in the Resurrection life!
“Trust in God” is not just words, it’s a way of living in the world that says that we have placed ourselves in God’s hand. We place so much trust in people and things every day. Our employer will pay us for our work; our computers will not crash; drivers will obey traffic laws; the grocery store will have groceries. We put huge chunks of our lives in the hands of others. So why is it so hard to trust that God is faithful and will lead us to whole and healed lives through the Lordship of Jesus Christ?
As we take this walk with God, we need to slow down a little and think a lot. Think about how our response to God’s love in Jesus is shown in the lives we live as we trust God to help us order our lives as Jesus ordered his. Then we may truly sing with joy, “Tis’ so sweet to trust in Jesus.”
Prayer: Wondrous God, your love for us is faithful, no matter what. Help us in this season of prayer to give our hearts to Jesus’ way of living in the world. May this journey truly transform us as we learn to more completely trust in you. Amen.
The Rev. Lucinda Nelson
Spiritual Formation Team-TN Conference
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REFLECTIONS FOR THE DAY | Use a program on your computer, a traditional journal, or feel free to use the comment section of this blog post to record your reflections as a conversation with others…
READ – What spoke to me as I read today’s meditation?
REPENT – Where is God showing me that I have failed to be obedient to the call to discipleship today?
RECEIVE – What words of redemption and grace is God offering to me?
REMEMBER – Who and what is God calling me to remember in prayer related to today’s reading?
RESPOND – How is God calling me to respond today?
RESOURCES:
> DOWNLOADS – 40 Day Walk prayer guide (.PDF), 40 Days of Doodles kids journal (.PDF)
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Greater Things Are Yet To Be Done 
[…] Day 20: Missional excellence […]
Trust is the basis for all relationships. Why then is it so hard for Christians to do as they sing and profess? We must trust Jesus, who gave his life for our lack of trustworthiness.
Bishop,
Sent today’s devotion (May 15th) as a mass email to all of Northside. The line, “it doesn’t take a perfect church, but a church that is willing to show up!” really caught me. I’m learning that when pastors, leaders, and a congregation have a shared Vision from God for our community and world, getting people to show up is much more likely. Sunday I will sit down with a couple who have never been in church. The man works for a man in our church. He and his wife have built a good, caring relationship with this couple. They have been there for this other couple through some tough times. The unchurched couple has been at church with them now for about 6 weeks. The man called and told me they wanted to talk with me about becoming Christians. His next words were words I’ve seldom heard in the churches I have pastored. He said, “Whatever Bart and his wife have we know we really need! Will you talk with us and help us know what it is?” I was stunned and overwhelmed. Needless to say I am ready for that conversation Sunday.
Thanks for the devotions. I hope this one further motivates our church. Take care of yourself and keep leading!
Thanks, Don! Blessings.