Weekly Assigment: Mud Pies or a New Life

Weekly Assignment: Mud Pies

1. Read: (slowly and thoughtfully) Francis de Sales: One True Devotion on Wednesday or Thursday.
2. Study: reflection questions talk them over with someone or journal abut them on Thursday or Friday.
3. Practice: Pick one suggested exercise to try over the weekend.
4. Pray: Respond to God about the material and lift up other group members.
5. Gather: Next Tuesday at Sierps at 7-8:30 pm.

Please don't let the above assigment burden you.  If you can only Read and Gather, that is fine.  I consider gathering to be our main practice at this point.  It can be a real spiritual exercise to do so with all the other things begging for our attention. May God give us the grace we need to come together for refreshment, encouragment, and learning.

I could not hope to touch all the things I found interesting and helpful and encouraging from our time together.  So much sharing!  I was pleased to see the Spirit active and among us through our words.  I heard people who experienced relieved thankfulness, who praised God for his work in their lives, who confessed their need for God, and who were burdened with the desire to follow Jesus more nearly.

For all these appearances of the Holy Spirit, I am thankful.  Often I find the Spirit so helpful and encouraging, nurturing me as closely as a mother hen.  (I guess we usually think of a dove, but the Psalms sometimes talk about God like a mother hen.)  Yet there are times when the Spirit points out things I'd rather not think about in an effort to get me to fly.  God is easily pleased, but not easily satisfied, I suppose.

I do not think that such times of struggle are meant to make us miserable and down on ourselves.  God is not particularly honored by that.  I think when we notice our brokenness or lack of interest in God and his work, it can be like a promise.  "It will not always be so," God says.  "I have much greater plans for your success and happiness with me."  Or as C.S. Lewis puts it,

It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. (from The Weight of Glory)

Our desires are not too strong, but too weak.  I think that is much of what Edwards was trying to share in his writing.  With new life in Christ comes new desires.  But most will come more gradually as they are cultivated by our trust in Jesus as Savior and Teacher.  We will be learning about some of the different ways we can work with God in the garden of our lives through various streams of Christian living.

The good news is that although the end of the show is still ahead, the adventure and joy with God begins now.  That is what Jesus meant when he said, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand."   It is at your hands today in Christ.  The very power of God to deliver you from all you are worried about is waiting for you, unlocked by your setting aside the "mud pie" that seems so interesting and trusting him take you on that "holiday at sea!"  Leave the mud behind.  Just try it once and see what the Lord will do.

May this week be a time of blessing and growth for you in God's way, God's time.