skirmish in Korea, snow in Seattle, and Bristol Palin on Dancing with the Stars!

 

so much happening these days, so much that could be written. so much that should be said. 

but in the midst of all of it, one thing that's worth saying and not forgetting: Thank you, God, for Nov. 12th and what you did here on that night. 

As you know from my last post, Nov. 12 we held an event at our church called Lovesick: Relentlessly Pursued by a Lovesick God. Our church and ministry came together that night to put together this event for the greater Seattle community with the idea that if we're going to spend our time and energy and resources doing something, what better thing to do than to show people God's love? 

And we did. 

From my perspective, the thing that encouraged me the most was what we learned about what it means to serve God together. In church it's so easy to just get by doing the minimum. If our church or the people around us don't ask much of us, we assume that God isn't asking anything of us either except to stay out of trouble. And yet there's so much to be said, so much to be done. We just have to get off of our couches and outside of our homes. 

And we did. 

It was so cool to see people rise up and put together videos, media, music, food, promotional materials, etc. We even had some people working the social media resources for Lovesick, something that hasn't really happened much for things we've done in the past. I'm seeing now that we've got what it takes to reach out and follow God as he is at work in this world. Lovesick was just the beginning.

Now when I heard about the new South/North Korea conflict, and when I thought about the plight of those living on the streets in the midst of unseasonably cold Seattle weather, part of me wondered what use a little night like Lovesick with just a few hundred people could really be to God. And yet I'm reminded that God hasn't called us to solve all the world's problems with one event, with one movement. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. pioneered one of the greatest social movements in history and yet look at all the problems that still remain. Mother Theresa served so many in her lifetime, and her movement continues to heal and save people, yet look at all the people who are still crying out. 

No one event, no one movement solves or saves everything. 

But God still calls us to be obedient. God still calls us off the couch and out our doors. He is still at work, and he intends to use every act of obedience and faith, even a little thing like Lovesick, a simple coat drive at a local church, or even a potluck where brothers and sisters gather to love one another,  thank God together, and welcome others into a community pursued by and pursuing a lovesick God.

This is what faith is all about. Not simply whether you believe in God or not, but whether you hope in Him and His love for you and this world enough to get up off of your couch and out the door.

Hope with me. 

here are some pics from Lovesick: