Enkindling

I just watched a show today called Monk. Apparently he is a widowed police detective. In today’s episode he finds the man who murdered his wife. The man is in the hospital on a morphine drip to take the pain away. The man apologizes profusely to him for killing his wife. Monk’s anger boils and he dis-engages the morphine drip which places the man in severe pain. Monk says to him: “This is me turning off your morphine”.  Monk waits a minute in anger to see the man suffer. He then turns it back on to relieve the man’s pain.  As he re-engages the drip, Monk says to his wife’s killer: “This is my wife Trudy turning it back on.” Monk then leaves the room as the man cries aloud. Wow! What a great illustration of forgiveness.

Countless times on my knees I have prayed for Grace.
Dancing she found me.  And I am still trembling.
 
Lord, you are her source of strength and compassion.
She joyfully proclaims your name to all.

Her lips are softer than my heart breaks.
The voice of Truth flows freely from them.

Her loving eyes penetrate my soul deep.
Encouragement and hope escape between every blink.

I am her Warrior when she is ready for me to be.
Her heart is guarded with every beat of mine.

Until that day may I keep my eyes fixed on you God.
Sculpt her into the best friend I cannot possibly deserve.

May you keep us abiding in you in every moment.
Let your presence draw us nearer as I wait…

– For Annette

Tonight I had the opportunity to spend time with other Christian singles. It was a time of socialization and mission. A friend of mine was given a vision to be the “hands” of Christ. He invites singles all over north Atlanta to spend time together on a friday night. And while we are socializing… we are making sack lunches to be handed out the next day to the homeless people living under the bridges of Atlanta. Great idea huh? We were split into two teams. One team prepared the sandwiches. The other wrote personal notes onto scripture cards to be placed into the lunch sack. We swapped half way through.

Often I find myself wondering if we really get it? I’m sure you have never thought that. It is all too easy to put together sandwiches and place yourself on a pedestal. It is a another thing to put together sandwiches and realize there but for God’s grace would I not have to eat that sandwich tomorrow. As I wrote my personal notes an overwhelming feeling of my own “neediness” settled in. Therefore, here is what I wrote on those cards:

“Every one who was involved in getting this lunch to you needs God as much as you do. As you enjoy this food please pray for us. Some of us are less aware of our own need.           — God Bless You.”

Sometimes God takes the broken, less fortunate, downtrodden people in our path to bring us closer to Him. Instead of showing the homeless people in Atlanta (or where ever you live) how much they need you; try showing them how much you need them. Which is more Holy? God needing you? Or you needing Him?