If any of you lack wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.—James 1:5
We are in the middle of our first day of three days of church-wide prayer and fasting. This morning, I was stuck by our need during this season for wisdom. Wisdom to know what is from God and what is not. Wisdom to know how to spend these days in prayer. Wisdom to know what to pray for and how to move forward. Truthfully, we need wisdom to be the church God is calling us to be and to go on the adventure God is calling us to go on.
In yesterday’s sermon, I shared the start of both Mary and Joseph’s adventures with Jesus. Each of them had to face the question of whether they were open to adventure or not. God wasn’t calling them to an easy, average adventure. God doesn’t call us to ordinary adventures either. No, God asks us to walk extraordinary adventures with Him…if we are willing.
The Leadership Team continues to feel God’s calling as He prepares us as a church for adventure. However, we are still waiting to hear what the specific adventure is. This week, we’re asking the church to join us in a time of prayer, fasting, and worship as we continue to seek God’s adventure for us this Christmas season and beyond. The Leadership team will have its monthly meeting this Tuesday at 7 pm and we would greatly appreciate your prayers! On Wednesday at 7 pm, the Dwelling Place will be meeting in the prayer room and we invite you to join us in this time of worship and prayer. Let’s join together and ask God for wisdom. Let’s join together and open our hearts as a body to the adventure God is preparing us for!
I also want to invite you to think outside the box this Christmas season. Advent is the celebration of Jesus stepping out of His comfort zone in heaven and coming to those who needed Him most. Perhaps this Christmas season, God is calling you on an adventure to do the same. Can you imagine what things would look like as we all step outside of our comfort zones and took the message of Jesus to those who needed Him most? If we all stepped out and invited someone to join us on Christmas Eve for worship? If we asked that coworker or neighbor to come to breakfast on 12/23 and see our kid help lead the service? Jesus came to us on that first Christmas…let’s invite people to Him this Christmas!
As I said, God is not calling us to ordinary things…step out and answer the call to do something different, uncomfortable, dare I say extraordinary this season!
In Christ Alone,
Pastor Jan