My Confession!!!
It’s time for a confession. Did that get your attention? I am telling you that I am going to confess to something. Ah something is fixing to go down! Some titillating revelation that we will all talk about for minutes, maybe hours to come. Yes, I must confess, it is true if you have heard the rumors. I am …. (for suspense) ….(more of those dots for more suspense) going to admit to one and all (needless banter for more suspense) that I am (yet another needless parenthetical phase) tired. Yes, it is true. I feel all poured out. Petered, as some might say. It has been a long year. Layton, might I add, turns one this month.
Now, that paragraph was fun, but I suspect that I am not the only one that can relate to the sentiments expressed there in. I sense it all around, especially in you student types. You just finished a semester and many of you are heading straight back into another or your getting down as a dutiful employee. School, work, church, eating, and sleeping just seem to take a toll. As I have been experiencing this state for the last few weeks I have been thinking more and more about Paul, who once was known as Saul.
No doubt that you know who I am talking about. It is the Paul who wrote most of the New Testament, was blinded by Jesus on his way to Demascus. If you need clarification, find a Bible and read the book of Acts. Towards the end of Paul’s ministry he wrote a confessional to his trusted friend Timothy, “…I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:6-7 NIV).” Paul also uses the same phase in another writing, “But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you (Philippians 2:17 NIV).”
I must confess that I can relate to this poured out feeling. Of course, it is a little different. Paul was referring to his perceived death in the first verse. I am not to that point in my life where I feel that I am going to die anytime soon. I mean we do never know, but there too comes a time when people seem to sense that the end is near, I do not sense this yet. What I see in this verse is a man who gave and gave. Poured out, but being glad and rejoicing, having fought the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith.
Now, if you know anything about Paul’s life you realize those words carry some weight. I am constantly amazed at Paul’s God focused life. Consider this incident, “Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand…But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects (Acts 28:3&5 NIV).” Now, what you don’t know yet is that this little snake bite incident happened after Paul had been taken prisoner, ship wrecked, after being caught in a storm, blown off course by the storm, nearly starved, oh and nearly killed by the prison guards on the ship to prevent his escape during the storm. Read all about it in Acts 27 and 28, it’s good stuff. All of that shipwreck business was just one of the many near death type events that happened in Paul’s life.
Paul went through all kinds of troubles. The types of troubles that will just wear you down, I could imagine that Paul could have used a few days, maybe even a week in the mountains or on the beach. I kind of take Paul as a mountain type, I mean did you read that ship wreck story? Oh, I nearly forgot. All this stuff was happening to Paul when he was trying to do what God wanted him to do. “Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.' So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island (Acts 27:23-26 NIV)."
Hungry, tired, wet, frustrated, in chaos, (have you read the chapter yet, it’s a crazy time), as a prisoner and an angel shows up saying it’s all going to be ok. Well, that’s good. Paul had a good understanding of suffering and following. God said he would graciously give the lives of all who where with Paul. But Paul still understood that it would be no easy task. He says, “I have faith in God, but we must run aground on some island.” Still, after the angel says it will be ok, we have to run aground, and on an island none-the-less, so we still have to get in another boat to get where we are going. Then get bit on the hand, I hate getting bitten on the hand, especially by vipers! Not only that, his clothes where probably wet, and that is frustrating. Sand all sticking to you and cold wind blowing on you, craziness!
Poured out. What more can you say? He was poured out. Does this challenge you? I mean I have never been ship wrecked, bitten by a viper. But Paul went, he went so strong it is mind blowing that he did not give up.
Tell us what you think.
It’s time for a confession. Did that get your attention? I am telling you that I am going to confess to something. Ah something is fixing to go down! Some titillating revelation that we will all talk about for minutes, maybe hours to come. Yes, I must confess, it is true if you have heard the rumors. I am …. (for suspense) ….(more of those dots for more suspense) going to admit to one and all (needless banter for more suspense) that I am (yet another needless parenthetical phase) tired. Yes, it is true. I feel all poured out. Petered, as some might say. It has been a long year. Layton, might I add, turns one this month.
Now, that paragraph was fun, but I suspect that I am not the only one that can relate to the sentiments expressed there in. I sense it all around, especially in you student types. You just finished a semester and many of you are heading straight back into another or your getting down as a dutiful employee. School, work, church, eating, and sleeping just seem to take a toll. As I have been experiencing this state for the last few weeks I have been thinking more and more about Paul, who once was known as Saul.
No doubt that you know who I am talking about. It is the Paul who wrote most of the New Testament, was blinded by Jesus on his way to Demascus. If you need clarification, find a Bible and read the book of Acts. Towards the end of Paul’s ministry he wrote a confessional to his trusted friend Timothy, “…I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:6-7 NIV).” Paul also uses the same phase in another writing, “But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you (Philippians 2:17 NIV).”
I must confess that I can relate to this poured out feeling. Of course, it is a little different. Paul was referring to his perceived death in the first verse. I am not to that point in my life where I feel that I am going to die anytime soon. I mean we do never know, but there too comes a time when people seem to sense that the end is near, I do not sense this yet. What I see in this verse is a man who gave and gave. Poured out, but being glad and rejoicing, having fought the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith.
Now, if you know anything about Paul’s life you realize those words carry some weight. I am constantly amazed at Paul’s God focused life. Consider this incident, “Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand…But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects (Acts 28:3&5 NIV).” Now, what you don’t know yet is that this little snake bite incident happened after Paul had been taken prisoner, ship wrecked, after being caught in a storm, blown off course by the storm, nearly starved, oh and nearly killed by the prison guards on the ship to prevent his escape during the storm. Read all about it in Acts 27 and 28, it’s good stuff. All of that shipwreck business was just one of the many near death type events that happened in Paul’s life.
Paul went through all kinds of troubles. The types of troubles that will just wear you down, I could imagine that Paul could have used a few days, maybe even a week in the mountains or on the beach. I kind of take Paul as a mountain type, I mean did you read that ship wreck story? Oh, I nearly forgot. All this stuff was happening to Paul when he was trying to do what God wanted him to do. “Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.' So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island (Acts 27:23-26 NIV)."
Hungry, tired, wet, frustrated, in chaos, (have you read the chapter yet, it’s a crazy time), as a prisoner and an angel shows up saying it’s all going to be ok. Well, that’s good. Paul had a good understanding of suffering and following. God said he would graciously give the lives of all who where with Paul. But Paul still understood that it would be no easy task. He says, “I have faith in God, but we must run aground on some island.” Still, after the angel says it will be ok, we have to run aground, and on an island none-the-less, so we still have to get in another boat to get where we are going. Then get bit on the hand, I hate getting bitten on the hand, especially by vipers! Not only that, his clothes where probably wet, and that is frustrating. Sand all sticking to you and cold wind blowing on you, craziness!
Poured out. What more can you say? He was poured out. Does this challenge you? I mean I have never been ship wrecked, bitten by a viper. But Paul went, he went so strong it is mind blowing that he did not give up.
Tell us what you think.
posted by Kevin at
11:21 AM
3 Comments:
Yo, Kevin. I think the link to subscribe to an RSS feed of the blog still has the old blog web address on it.
I think I have fixed it. The link is updated, however I am not sure how well it will work with browsers other than Safari. If anybody has any insight let us know. How do you subscribe to an RSS feed with out Safari?
You know... I remember you talking about this blog last wednesday night, but I think I was too "poured out" to really listen to the application it has to my life right now. I am tired as well. Starting a new job, summer semester starting, taking 9 hours... it's just a lot. BUT... lately I have been reading my bible a lot more. Being grateful for the life I have... so on and so forth. And I feel I have once again found a passion that is deeper than me. (what isn't?) lol! No, but seriously. I needed to once again know that God is in it all and that our sufferings are almost (not neccessarily, but sometimes) an assurance that we're making progress... that is, when we still seem to find the good in our sufferings. I don't know if i am making any sense... but I guess I am trying to say that I am happy to be in school... to be a part of the ministry of my church... to have the opportunity to talk to the people I work with and see... and eventually... I will teach and use all of this craziness to (hopefully) be something wonderful in the lives of the children I teach. And THEN there's even more! ... I have something to look forward to that is better than what many have... I will one day be in Heaven! That is my ultimate reward! And I want to take as many as I can with me. That's my purpose! :) Thanks, Kevin...
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