Pastor Angie's In-Spire-ations October 2016

Grace and peace to you, my new family in Christ.  You have blessed me with your love for Christ and others.  I’m writing to you from my quiet time this morning.  My hot tea is steaming next to me.  The flame of my oil lamp is gently flickering.  Just one lamp is on leaving the rest of the house in darkness and dawn is just beginning to break.  Ruby, our little schnoodle, is snoozing   beside me as we curl up under a blanket in our quiet time spot.  I say “our” quiet time spot because she was here before me this morning as is the case most mornings.  She knows the routine and she hops up into our spot and waits for me to sit down—Bible, journal, study of the day and tea in hand.  Ruby is even protective of this time.  If Chris happens to be leaving for work and comes over to say goodbye, he can count on being growled at (by Ruby, not by me!).  This is interesting because Ruby is his little princess most of the time, but when it comes to quiet time, she lets him know that’s her time.  The same thing happens to me when quiet time is ended and I blow out the oil lamp to get up and start my day.  She nips because she doesn’t want it to end. 

In the familiar Matthew 11:28, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am  gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Although Jesus was making a political statement to people living under the oppressive burdens of Rome, we can hear a good reminder about Jesus being a place of rest.  When we reach out to   people in need, it’s easy to yoke ourselves to the burdens of others and begin to feel the weight of that yoke.  As we learn what it means to Help Without Hurting, I encourage us all to remember to yoke ourselves to Christ rather than the burdens of those we will meet.  To really help, we must build relationships and that means we become more vulnerable than if we practice a “hit and run” sort of sharing the gospel.  This was a hard lesson for me when I began working in the world of poverty and sometimes I still forget and find myself yoked to another person’s burden.  But then I see sweet Ruby waiting for me in our quiet time spot and she reminds me to be protective of the time that yokes me to Christ instead.  She reminds me to linger in Christ as a new dawn breaks to find rest for my soul.  May you also remember to find rest for your souls as we learn what it means to Help Without Hurting.

Pastor Angie

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