DAR, Day 4

Sooo, now that we're fully cognizant of the fact that we're all basket cases and that it's perfectly normal, where do we go from here??

SOUL CARE- Looking Forward: Seeking Balance and Rhythm in Life

CAUTION- I'm about to say something that might seem shocking to "the church"!!

*The vast majority of missionaries are operating out of spiritual dryness, due to the things that were mentioned in the last three posts.

We MUST learn to take better care of ourselves, to live in the unforced rhythm of GRACE

Instead, we live out THE GREAT OMISSION(forgetting to live as Jesus lived)

What prevents us from living in the rhythm of grace?
*Mandates, Expectations, Self drivenness, Desire to please, Needs all around us, Ignorance from our Christian culture; False guilt(I don't have time); Lack of permission

"Christianeese" tells us that we must go, go, go and do, do, do. We must give all we have, lay it all down, leave it all behind, run the race. After all, we can do all through Christ who strengthens us, right??

Wrong. Very, very wrong. That is the Great Omission. If we're going to equate running a race with the Christian life, what about the training part? The building of muscles? The eating properly? The replacing of lost liquids? The resting when you know your muscles are inflamed? The healing when you do damage to yourself? What about the PREVENTATIVE care?? A runner doesn't just run and run and run and not take care of himself. And neither, by the way, did Jesus.

Jesus practiced the following rhythms in his ministry: solitude/ministry/solitude. He withdrew from the crowds. And not only does it say that He withdrew from them, it says that He did it OFTEN!

"So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness to pray." Luke 5:16

Look at the following verses for more examples of his rhythm: Luke 4:31-42a; Luke 5:15-16; Luke 6:12-19

Things that were extremely good for me to hear:
1)It's ok for us to walk away from needs. Jesus did.
2)It is a legitimate thing to put my concerns and needs first in order to keep myself healthy.(I assure you, this is NOT taught in the mission community)
3)I can best serve others when I am healthy. I can best love others when I am healthy.
4)Learn to live in the unforced rhythms of GRACE

Jesus said, "Are you tired and worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me- watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." Matt. 11:28-29, The Message

Isn't that beautiful?? "Get away with Me and you'll recover your life. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace."