I'm sure that each of you has been watching the huge tragedy in Japan over the past 48 hours. It is to incredible to even imagine. In these moments when I can't even get my head around what has happened somewhere in the world, my question as an innovator is to ask, "What unique and intentional approach should I take in my response?"
Are you asking that question?
Well, I thought I would share my approach in hopes that it encourages you to identify how God will have you respond. From my perspective, in a moment like this I need to connect with God about what is going on and then connect with man in response.
So our family will be reading and praying through the Operation World entry for Japan and asking God to be with the people of that country this weekend. You can see a shortened version of the entry here: http://bit.ly/hRZmbk
Then we will be reaching out through an organization called CRASH Japan. One of our Innovation In Mission group members is a part of this effort on the ground in Japan. It is a group within Japan set up to do relief and development work and is uniquely positioned to reach out to their own people and be a light in this dark time. If you are interested in CRASH Japan, please click here: http://www.crashjapan.com/
Blessings as you take an innovative approach to your response.
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Misunderstanding the Moment
"Father, give me eyes to see and a heart to respond to all which will come to me this day. Forbid that I should miss its graces by looking ahead to some tomorrow. Let me accept the newness each moment brings with awareness and gratitude. In the name of the one who makes all things new I pray. Amen" (Disciplines of the inner life)
This prayer really hit me today. I usually miss the graces God has for me on a daily basis. Why do I miss them? Let me contend that I miss them because I misunderstand the moment. In Mark 9:2-8 Peter misunderstood the moment as Jesus stood there transfigured before him. He thought it was a moment to build homes and to establish power when it was really a moment of new understanding and new realization for Peter, James and John.
In our work as innovators we often misunderstand the moment. Even today we will think that we are to aggressively pursue our dream when He wants us to humbly wait. We might think that today is the day when inspiration will hit and miss that inspiration because we were too busy to talk to our neighbor. We might be tired and hope that today will bring no new action when God wants to use this day as a milestone in our journey.
Being in tune with what God will do with each moment of our day is a tremendous challenge. However, it is the challenge of the Kingdom Innovator. Only when we are aware of how God is using the moments in our day will we be available to be part of the innovations that God wants to use to show His glory in this world.
This prayer really hit me today. I usually miss the graces God has for me on a daily basis. Why do I miss them? Let me contend that I miss them because I misunderstand the moment. In Mark 9:2-8 Peter misunderstood the moment as Jesus stood there transfigured before him. He thought it was a moment to build homes and to establish power when it was really a moment of new understanding and new realization for Peter, James and John.
In our work as innovators we often misunderstand the moment. Even today we will think that we are to aggressively pursue our dream when He wants us to humbly wait. We might think that today is the day when inspiration will hit and miss that inspiration because we were too busy to talk to our neighbor. We might be tired and hope that today will bring no new action when God wants to use this day as a milestone in our journey.
Being in tune with what God will do with each moment of our day is a tremendous challenge. However, it is the challenge of the Kingdom Innovator. Only when we are aware of how God is using the moments in our day will we be available to be part of the innovations that God wants to use to show His glory in this world.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Prayer for Haiti
We are all overwhelmed with the needs in Haiti, but where do we start. We believe firmly that we start with prayer. That is what we are doing in our church and in our family and we would ask you to join us in that. Jon has created a 30 Day Prayer Guide for Haiti with Eric Foley as part of their work with .W (doers of the Word - www.dotheword.org). Take a minute to visit Eric's blog and download the prayer guide. And please be sure to share here how you and your family are responding.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
The Innovation Mix
My verse all summer has been Romans 12:12 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer." I'm not good at memorizing so I love verses like this. They are short and have 3 things!
Anyway, this has been a key verse for me because of its implications to ministry and innovation. Let me break it down for you:
1. Joyful in hope: An innovator has to be joyful. This is key because there are so many challenges and half steps in innovation work. I can guarantee you will struggle if you are depending on your own strength. But if you rely on hope in Christ, you can overcome the great obstacles that you will encounter. It is because of the hope we have that we can see beyond challenges to the big goal in front of us. That big goal is your innovation that God has set before you.
2. Patient in Affliction: When you suffer in the innovation process, be patient. So many times we demand that things be set right immediately or fixed quickly. But I have witnessed that in the pain of struggle to accomplish an innovation God will provide new opportunities and ideas that I would never have had if the pain had been avoided. Pain is an important part of what God uses to refine our ideas and our vision.
3. Faithful in Prayer: Hope is impossible to attain and Affliction is impossible to overcome without prayer. Prayer is how God keeps us steady and reassures us in our work. We tend to wander in our thinking and in our emotions but prayer brings us back to the core and reminds us of what God has put in our hearts. If we seek Him in prayer, God will not let us loose site of the vision He has given us.
I know that many of you are struggling today. You are discouraged, tired, out of ideas, questioning . . .
This verse in Romans is for you! Be encouraged.
Anyway, this has been a key verse for me because of its implications to ministry and innovation. Let me break it down for you:
1. Joyful in hope: An innovator has to be joyful. This is key because there are so many challenges and half steps in innovation work. I can guarantee you will struggle if you are depending on your own strength. But if you rely on hope in Christ, you can overcome the great obstacles that you will encounter. It is because of the hope we have that we can see beyond challenges to the big goal in front of us. That big goal is your innovation that God has set before you.
2. Patient in Affliction: When you suffer in the innovation process, be patient. So many times we demand that things be set right immediately or fixed quickly. But I have witnessed that in the pain of struggle to accomplish an innovation God will provide new opportunities and ideas that I would never have had if the pain had been avoided. Pain is an important part of what God uses to refine our ideas and our vision.
3. Faithful in Prayer: Hope is impossible to attain and Affliction is impossible to overcome without prayer. Prayer is how God keeps us steady and reassures us in our work. We tend to wander in our thinking and in our emotions but prayer brings us back to the core and reminds us of what God has put in our hearts. If we seek Him in prayer, God will not let us loose site of the vision He has given us.
I know that many of you are struggling today. You are discouraged, tired, out of ideas, questioning . . .
This verse in Romans is for you! Be encouraged.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
An Innovator's Christmas Prayer
Dear God,
It's been a busy year and I haven't stopped and to pray like this nearly as often as I had hoped.
But this morning as I drink my coffee and reflect I want to thank you for the blessings in my life.
I want to thank you for the inspiration on those late nights where so many ideas were born.
You gave me hope to expect good from the most difficult circumstances that I faced.
You showed me the right timing to move forward on that exciting project.
You guided me to fix the key things and flex on the rest.
You provided the courage to be authentic in my relationships and my efforts.
You showed me that you can use art, cell phones, conferences, and countless other tools to impact people's lives.
You encouraged me to dig deep as I sought the new ideas and inspiration to work.
You celebrated with me on the good days.
You challenged me to be risky and dangerous in my efforts to serve you.
Maybe we have been talking more than I thought this year God. So many times you are there and I don't even realize it. In those brainstorming sessions, the early morning breakfast meetings, the quite times reading a book, the long talks with friends . . . you made all those possible. Thank you.
But as I sit here typing on Christmas Eve, the innovation that I am most appreciative of is your greatest gift. I am baffled and amazed at your majesty that would design the incarnation. Your perfect design for my life included your Son coming to Earth and saving me from sin.
Thank you for the hope and courage that you have given me this year and I pray that it would increase as I strive to serve you in the coming year.
Amen
It's been a busy year and I haven't stopped and to pray like this nearly as often as I had hoped.
But this morning as I drink my coffee and reflect I want to thank you for the blessings in my life.
I want to thank you for the inspiration on those late nights where so many ideas were born.
You gave me hope to expect good from the most difficult circumstances that I faced.
You showed me the right timing to move forward on that exciting project.
You guided me to fix the key things and flex on the rest.
You provided the courage to be authentic in my relationships and my efforts.
You showed me that you can use art, cell phones, conferences, and countless other tools to impact people's lives.
You encouraged me to dig deep as I sought the new ideas and inspiration to work.
You celebrated with me on the good days.
You challenged me to be risky and dangerous in my efforts to serve you.
Maybe we have been talking more than I thought this year God. So many times you are there and I don't even realize it. In those brainstorming sessions, the early morning breakfast meetings, the quite times reading a book, the long talks with friends . . . you made all those possible. Thank you.
But as I sit here typing on Christmas Eve, the innovation that I am most appreciative of is your greatest gift. I am baffled and amazed at your majesty that would design the incarnation. Your perfect design for my life included your Son coming to Earth and saving me from sin.
Thank you for the hope and courage that you have given me this year and I pray that it would increase as I strive to serve you in the coming year.
Amen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)