May 21st People Reflection

Sunday 5/21/2006

Acts 27.1-12-We ran into bad weather and found it impossible to stay on course.

1 Samuel 2.12-36-The boy Samuel stayed at the sanctuary and grew up with GOD.

Psalm 50-This is God, your God, speaking to you.

2 Esdras 16.35-52-Listen now to these things, and understand them, you who are servants of the Lord. This is the word of the Lord; receive it and do not disbelieve what the Lord says.

John 15.9-17-The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them.

Luke 22.14-22-This is my blood. It is poured out for you, and with it God makes his new agreement.

Psalm 116.1-14-I love you LORD!

"It wasn’t even close to noon."- It was 11am- I told the girls it was almost noon. They were supposed to be helping clean the house. Well….close is a relative term- maybe not close in minutes but close in hours? How does that sound? They got up and helped. I need to watch my relationship with God. Keep it close. For God is always close. But at times I draw away. I run the other way and I’m not close. But God seems to run after me. God seems to find me and open new opportunities for me to be close to him. God finds me in the bad weather when I’m finding it impossible to stay on course; God finds a way to put me back on course. Samuel grew up in the sanctuary with God. But I think in my life God is growing up in my sanctuary of life. God is growing up with me, inviting me out to play. Giving me chance after chance to serve him in his kingdom. I must listen to God, understand and be his servant. This is his Word and I believe it. I can hear his Word each morning in prayer and devotion. See his Word active in places, people and things all day long as I play in his kingdom. Jesus standing at the door asking, "Can Billy come out and play?" – Will I?- This is God, your God, speaking to you. And in that play I meet other friends along the way. Friends that Jesus introduces to me. Friends I am willing to die for. Friends that together we share in Jesus blood poured out for us and friends who hear just as I hear; God’s new agreement. I love you Jesus! I want to be close to you. Thank you for finding me in the storm. Thank you for shaking my shoulders and leading me to see you when I have turned away. "It wasn’t even close to noon." – But you are always close to me.

Jesus, you are close to me always. Spin me around and straighten me out when I need it. -- Amen