Confessions of a Pastor...

Occasionally, something happens in my life that could just about be good enough to be a funny story in a really famous person's book...So on Friday I get the call to go pray with a couple from cession who are expecting their first baby - the wife is in the early stages of labour - I'm thinking a nice Psalm would be good to read - so we (Kristen and me) start looking and we come across Psalm 136:

Psalm 136
1 Give thanks to the LORD , for he is good.
His love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.

4 to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
5 who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
6 who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
7 who made the great lights-
His love endures forever.
8 the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
9 the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.

It has a great feel - God the creator, God who's love endures forever - perfect for the occasion...until verse 10 that is:

10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
His love endures forever.

I don't think so.

The couple thought it was funny too...2 days AFTER the safe arrival of Isabella when we went over for lunch...

I've been reflecting on my spiritual processes under pressure. I have a tendency to become insular and self-contained when something really big hits - like for example completing my MBA requirements last week. I withdraw into a cocoon of focus, driven by desperation and comforted by things other than God. This is not a good thing. I virtually lived a life alone (from God) that week, saved only by our couples devotions which were a real lifeline...I think this is for me what "doing it in my own strength" looks like. So, this week I'm wanting to revisit my disciplines. I've long realised that I default to unstructured approaches to life but thrive in frameworks of discipline - a recent challenge is the impact of contract work on the ability to predict life and create positive patterns...so today, there needs to be some time to reflect...to make decisions...to stop blogging ie talking about it and DO something...

Step 1: I'm off to the gym. Just one of those disciplines that fell of the schedule. I do some of my best thinking there...

Ripped Kiwi