The "Gathering" Posts

Our Sunday gathering doesn't meet today. And, that's a welcome reality for Evie and me. Last week was a long one for both of us. Both of us had tough weeks on our jobs and busy weeks of what people, at least used to call, "living missionally," especially for Evie. But, I was doing physical labor until nearly ten last night and until after ten the night before.

Paul cautioned the Galatians not to become weary in doing good and, sometimes, the best remedy for that weariness is to do nothing. And, something pretty close to nothing is the plan today.

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But, for the moment, a brief partial explanation of my posts on the gatherings I participate in:

Recently I recorded, on the blog, my understanding of my calling which involves both uprooting and tearing down, destroying and overthrowing and building and planting.

Over the time I have embraced my calling to be a prophet, even many who are sensitive to what I have to say have expressed the wish that I wouldn't always be so negative. My reply to them is that I don't come up with this stuff on my own but I merely attempt to put into words what the Lord says to me. And, that was and is the truth. And, I make no apologies as long as I am faithful in my struggle not to allow me, in my flesh-my sinful nature-to shine through in what I say and do. My flesh almost always attempts to take control.

Nevertheless, I myself also yearned for a more positive way to frame the message that is laid on my heart. So, the time came that I expressed that to the Lord in moments of meditation and prayer. And, it was from those moments that I began to feel led to journal my own life in community.

The posts on the gatherings I participate in give me the opportunity to reflect on how I, as Paul admonishes the Philippians, "continue to work out (my) salvation with fear and trembling," even though there is also great joy and peace in the tremors.

Interestingly, as a general rule, the gathering posts are among the most read of my posts, though they are rarely commented upon.

And, my sense is that, for some who read my blog, they are far more convicting than my rants against the hypocrisy/talkism of church leadership and the foolishness of institutional ways.

There is, indeed, a way to live in community with other Jesus followers that doesn't involve budgets and salaries and the majority of attenders being consumers of religious products and services and, with very little support or encouragement, and with some rather focused institutional opposition, we seek to walk in that way.

Hence, these posts which journal my journey. Blessings to all of you who keep tabs on the journey by reading these posts.