Claimed, gathered and sent

For my undergrad class on the prophets, this week’s exegesis was on Ezekiel 11:14-21 , pitting the self-righteous Jerusalemites against the exiles in Babylon . The more I read, the richer this text became. Several things particularly struck me. The word of the Lord through Ezekiel for the exiles is one of overwhelming grace. Ezekiel was at the point of despair in verse 13, asking if the remnant were to be destroyed. This passage full of mercy, love and grace is God’s answer. The remnant in exile (verses 19-20) “will be renewed spiritually, so … they will be God’s obedient people … from the heart … an echo of Jeremiah’s New Covenant idea (Jer. 31:31-34). [1] That renewal is wrought “by virtue of an unanticipated and unmerited act of grace.” [2] God will: regather them (v.17a), restore them to the land (v.17b), cleanse the land of abominations (v. 18), and fulfill a new covenant with them (vv. 19-20). [3] The remnant and true sanctuary being with the exiles corresponds to the

Thanks to Clint and his link, I have found a site that is a treasure trove for those interested in spiritual disciplines such as fixed hour prayer, lectio divina, and the daily readings. For quite some time now, I have found such practices along with journaling to be useful in drawing near to God and hearing his voice.

God calls, we respond. Gifted for Leadership has a post reminding us of the relational nature of God's call. It goes beyond a career. I am grateful to be reminded of what should be the obvious, particularly during Holy Week. What Wondrous Love is This!

It is good to take some time to look at where we're at, how far we have or have not come, and where we're going. We do that as individuals. Do we do that often enough as a church? During the summer, Emanuel Lutheran Church , West Warwick, RI did that in a series of cottage meetings in members' homes. It was enlightening and action has been taken as a result. Gordon MacDonald suggests what it could look like if the church followed Starbuck's example of closing for a time to retool. What do you think? Pictures courtesey of Fotosearch.

One of the final courses I'm taking for my bachelor's degree is a course on the Old Testament prophets. Each week we exegete a passage of scripture. Last week's was Ezekiel 4:1-17. Here's what I wrote. Ezekiel 4:1-17 I. Historical/Cultural Context Ezekiel alone is situated solely in Babylon , [1] with the prophet and other Jews in exile. He was a contemporary of Jeremiah. No details are available outside of this book. He was from a priestly family, [2] mentioned in “a postexilic list of priests (I Chron. 24:16) [3] and was widowed “in 588 B. C. at the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem (24:15-18).” [4] Due to sin, the Southern Kingdom would be exiled. II. Analysis of the Passage-Symbolic Acts Against Jerusalem Ezekiel demonstrates God’s message symbolically. This “enhances[s] … the spoken word, to make possible … [a] more intense kind of identification.” [5] He depicts Jerusalem ’s besiegement on a “clay tablet” (E

“A vision is a picture of a possible, ongoing future you intend to create that illuminates your underlying purpose, values, and beliefs” (Stoner, Zigarmi, & Blanchard, 2003, p. 2). Paul paints it in Ephesians as, “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20, Today’s New International Version). Paul was a determined, focused leader who effectively communicated his vision to the church. “Paul almost single-handedly spread Christianity…His secret was a focused life” (Warren, 2002, p. 32). He wrote, “I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead” (Philippians 3:13, New Living Translation). This enabled empowerment of others in leadership. “… the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2, Today’s New International Version). Paul shared leadership. He entrusted his churches to those he taught. Paul loved his followers

“When an organization’s vision stems from the innermost values and beliefs … it generates a tremendous excitement, a compelling spirit, and a passionate commitment… Enormous energy is … unleashed” (Stoner, Zigarmi, & Blanchard, 2003, p. 1). Jesus best exemplifies “…vision stem[ing] from innermost values and beliefs” (Stoner et al., p. 1). Jesus generated commitment because “Knowing your purpose motivates your life… produces passion. Nothing energizes like a clear purpose” (Warren, 2002, p. 33). “’My food…is to do the will of him who sent me…’” (John 4:34, Today’s New International Version). Followers are freed to “feel … empowered to act independently and be assured that they are benefiting the organization” (Stoner et al., 2003), p. 1). Jesus was credible. “Do What You Say You Will Do [is a] …commonsense definition of credibility … To be credible in action, leaders must be clear about their beliefs… know what they stand for” (Kouzes & Posner, 2002, p. 38). Jesus’ words wer