renovation

I've been doing a little house work lately. Renovation is hard work. But at the end of the day you are glad that you did it. It is a meaningful process. Deep down we know that we are meant to undertake this work and not simply remain the way we are. We are to manage and steward this earth and our possessions as part of our task as image-bearers of God. In this work, there are hints of the redemption that God is unfolding in all of creation. He will make all things new. And so we renovate, whether its our homes or still better, our souls. Looking again to I Thessalonians, Paul affirms these believers for their love towards each other. But he does not leave them there. He implores them to uncover deeper reserves of this love and to abound ever increasingly in it. Renovation is hard work. It means excelling more and more. It means being established on a firm foundation. But it is the work that we do naturally when we pay attention to the grace and goodness of our Lord.

passion

last night, ash and i had our home group bible study. we drank french press coffee and finished our look at paul's first letter to the thessalonians. i like paul because he is so fired up about how these greek believers are living out their faith. he is passionate about how they are receiving the Word and being changed by it, about how they are sticking to this new way of life as followers of Jesus. paul has a deep conviction that this is the only right way to live. so much so, he tells these people that when they stand firm and grow in their faith he feels joy, glory and life itself! this is passion. this is a man who has found something real. this is something worth pouring his whole self out for. i want someone to be that devoted to my walk with the Lord and to my wife and my son as well. i think that there are a few and that makes me feel very humbled and thankful. i also want to be this kind of passionate and devoted fan for other people, cheering them on through this life's struggles and distractions that they might stand firm, that they might grow more and more in the Spirit of Christ. what are we passionate about? what do we want for each other? as a kid, i would see other people wearing those t-shirts that say "Someone in California Loves Me" and it would make me feel so sad. i would feel melancholy over the concept of being loved by one person being such a big deal that it merited a t-shirt. "shouldn't lots of people love you? is this person in california the only one? i'm so sorry." now that i'm older i see the value in having someone love you. maybe we would be lucky to have one paul who was passionate about our faith-walk? maybe you can be that one person for someone else. just don't give them a t-shirt.