Get Up, Stand Up...

Tonight at 7:22 (the young adults group that I have been going to at my church), the Lord really blessed/challenged me (and everyone else who was there I believe) with a great message. The guest speaker shared from the book of Esther (Esther 4:9-16 to be a little more specific). Just as a little background, the Jews were under the rule of Persia at the time and the King, Xerxes had taken Esther (a Jew) to be his queen. After a run in with Mordecai (Esther's cousin who refused to bow down to one of Xerxes men), Haman (the man that Mordecai refused to bow down to) convinced the King to eliminate all of the Jews from the empire. Mordecai found out about this plan and sent word to Esther to ask her to help.

Which is where we picked up in Esther 4:9-16.

9 So Hathach returned to Esther with Mordecai's message.

10 Then Esther told Hathach to go back and relay this message to Mordecai: 11 "All the king's officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days." 12 So Hathach gave Esther's message to Mordecai.

13 Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: "Don't think for a moment that because you're in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. 14 If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?"

15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 "Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die."

So Esther, being a realist, tells Mordecai that she can't go talk to the King because he didn't ask her to come to him. If she went to him without being asked, she could be killed. But Mordecai reminds her that she too is a Jew. And is she chose to remain quiet, she too could be killed. Then Esther asks Mordecai to fast and pray and she does the same. She decides that she can't stay quiet any longer. She is willing to risk her life to stand up for what is right. 

How often do we do that? How often do we take risks to do what is right? What are we afraid of? Not many of us face the risk of death on a daily basis, but there are things in our lives that we could lose if we chose to do what was right; friends, family, jobs, reputations... How much are we really risking? There is so much darkness and suffering in this world. How many of us are actually risking everything to fix it? How many of us are actually trying to bring God's Kingdom here on earth? How many of us risk everything to increase Jesus and increase others? I can think of one person who risked EVERYTHING for the Kingdom of God and He died on a cross. He spoke up. He did and said what was right and good and brought God's kingdom here to this earth and He died for it.

How many of us are afraid of making too many waves? How many of us are afraid of what other people will say? I think if we actually were to step out and to live lives that are counter-cultural and not of this world, some people would be pretty upset with us. If we actually lived our lives like Jesus and stepped out of the norm, there would be some opposition. But isn't that what we are called to do? Aren't we called to be followers of Christ? To live our lives like He did? Well he died doing what was right.

What have you risked lately?

(*Disclaimer: All of these questions are things that I am personally challenged by and that's why I am writing them down. They are in no way accusations against anyone specific.*)

Sometimes Churches Fail...

Today I got to church a little early (5 minutes... and for a church where everyone rolls in after the first song or two, that's pretty early) and sat down by myself like I normally do. After a couple minutes of messing around on my phone, the head pastor's wife came over and introduced herself to me. She welcomed me and said she was happy that I was there. She asked me how long I had been coming to this church and I told her almost a year. She was surprised that we hadn't met yet and asked if I was involved in a Community group. I told her that I wasn't but that I attended the young adults group (7:22) sometimes. She then invited me to their community group and encouraged me to look for a group to get involved with.

It was super nice of her to invite me to her Community group and I am glad that she noticed me and said hello, but it also made me laugh a little which kinda made me sad. I have been going to this church for almost a year now and this is the FIRST time that anyone has invited me to their community group. And for a church whose mission statement is to Encounter God, Grow Through Community, and Live Your Calling, that's somewhat disappointing.

Churches fail at this everyday and it makes me sad. For introverts like me, just going to church by yourself is a challenge, let alone trying to meet people and get involved. Why did it take an entire year for someone to invite me to a Community group? And how many other people have been waiting for that invite as well?

Don't get me wrong, I don't blame the church. I recognize that I am an introvert (and have been working on that) and I need to try a little harder to meet people and get involved in things (especially when it comes to church), but it's so hard. And I think the Church has a responsibility to make people feel welcome and to look for people who you haven't met before and invite them into your circle. Sometimes Churches fail at that... And to be perfectly honest... So do I...

On another note, 7:22 has been a big blessing to me and I am finally starting to feel like I know people there and that they notice me. I have met a couple people who are kind and ask about my life. I feel welcome and feel like people would actually notice if I wasn't there. Isn't that what every introvert wants?

First Year... CHECK!

Well I have officially been in a new city in NorCal for a year now and am getting ready to start my second year of teaching. This year has been a crazy whirlwind and it's amazing how much God has done in and through me. He constantly reminds me and shows me that I need to trust Him more and that His plan is better than my own. I moved up here a year ago and started working pretty much right away and had little time throughout the year to meet many people or explore the area. My plan was to spend the summer exploring and meeting people, but a hip/lower back injury kept me off of my feet and on my butt for almost a full month. So as I get ready to start up another year of teaching, I have to say that I am a little disappointed. I am disappointed that an injury could keep me from doing things that I wanted to do. This summer has been amazing and it has been a huge blessing to actually not be committed to anything, but I wish I had been healthy enough to do things and explore more.

But God is faithful and I know this happened for a reason. I was able to take a long trip home to visit my family. I was able to go to Maui with some amazing people that I would now consider my NorCal family. And I have been able to get more involved in the young adults ministry at church. And even though I go back to work Monday (two weeks of meetings and classroom prep, then the school year officially starts), I can say that I had a great summer and I am so excited to see what God has in store for me this year!

As I get ready to start another year of school, this is my prayer. This is my prayer for myself, for my coworkers, for my students, and for you as well. Build Your Kingdom here Lord. Use me in anyway you see fit. Let me be a tool in your hands and not a road block or a distraction to others so that they might see you through me. I pray that we will increase Jesus and decrease ourselves.

Come set Your rule and reign in our hearts again.

Increase in us we pray, unveil why we're made.

Come set out hearts ablaze with hope, like wildfire in our very souls.

Holy Spirit come invade us now

We are You Church. We need Your power in us.

We seek You kingdom first, we hunger and we thirst,

Refuse to waste our lives, for You're our joy and prize.

To see the captive hearts released; the hurt, the sick, the poor at peace.

We lay down our lives for Heaven's cause.

We are Your Church. We pray revive this Earth.

Build Your Kingdom here. Let the darkness fear.

Show Your mighty hand. Heal our streets and land.

Set Your church on fire. Win this nation back.

Change the atmosphere. Build Your kingdom here.

We pray.

Unleash Your kingdom's power reaching near and far.

No force of hell can stop Your beauty changing hearts.

You made us for much more than this. Awake the kingdom seed in us.

Fill us with the strength and love of Christ.

We are Your church.We are the hope on Earth.

("Build Your Kingdom Here" by Rend Collective Experiment)