As I prepare for a speaking engagement tonight at the University of South Florida's Intervarsity Christian Fellowship on the subject of God's heart for Justice and the poor (2nd this week), I take time to pause for a moment of blogging enjoyment.
I have not spent as much time blogging as I had hoped. Last week I worked over 60 hours (this week will be in the vicinity) and I realize I may not have another day of until the Saturday after Thanksgiving (that will be 13 straight days I believe- but, I am terrible at math). Many of these days will not be full days, but it is difficult to handle as I am not a work-a-holic and do not like giving myself wholly over a job, no matter how rewarding it can be and how many people are counting on me to help serve poor and homeless families in Tampa (they don't need me as much as they think they do).
I realize I had never offered my thoughts during the election cycle, which is a shame because one of the few things I feel I have to offer is decent perspective on politics and the crap surrounding it.
I also wrote nothing on the entire Haggard affair, even though I talked about this situation in a sermon on Community in the Book of Galatians (especially the idea of "bearing one another's burdens") and felt I offered some insight into this situation as an indictment of Christian community (or the lack of it) in the modern church culture of America (especially in the success oriented mega-church world). I wanted to share, but had little energy or time.
The sermon I shared on the concept of Christian Community in the book of Galatians (yes, I think the primary focus of the book is the divided table and breaking of the community. the secondary focus is on law vs. grace, which is important to Paul because it either enhances of breaks community) was one of my favorites in quite a while, partially because we have been living without the Christian community we have longed for since leaving Boston and I finally found words to express the importance of our former church to my life and ministry. It is online at the website of the church we attend (www.watermarkcc.org). If you listen to it, I will feel you are too good a friend and have too much time on your hands, even if I am proud of it.
I hope to get around to the things I feel compelled to blog about without taking any of the energy from family and work I need to expend in those areas. Blogging is cheaper than therapy for me and one of the only Rick Things I get to do during my busy season.
4 comments:
thanks for speaking at Impact the other night. it was good talking to you. did you ever find out if it was a prank? of coarse you probably wouldn't tell me if it was...especially if it's you.
rick that was a phenominal sermon. i have never ever thought of looking at Galations through that lens.
also, any sermon that mentions beer is a winner in my book.
Dude. That, my friend, was a very fine sermon. Nice work. The time you spent in revealing the nature of community within the church is a message i really needed to hear. It was extremely encouraging.
PS - the synthezier at the end made me feel like i was in some Carl Sagan video or something. Almost like the end of the movie Contact.
Thanks Rick. I wish Kim and I were 5 minutes instead of 5 hours away.
- Too good a friend with too much time on my hands.
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