What is your Quest?

Recently, while in Anchorage for conference meetings, we stayed at a hotel that offered a free continental breakfast. It was a typical setup - juice, milk, cereal, toast, fruit, and muffins. On the wall wrapping around the serving area was a ceiling-high mirror. On one part of the mirror was inscribed a message basically asking individuals to keep food in the eating area. Unfortunately, someone didn't do a thorough job of proof-reading before painting this message on the mirror. At one point, the no-food-out-of-the-eating-area policy is explained as helping 'ensure that there is enough food available for every quest.'

I am pretty certain that the intended message was that they wanted enough food for every guest, but the typo was there, blazing from the mirror in bright yellow - quest. At first, I thought it was funny - wondering if someone lost their job over that one. Then, I began thinking, what a cool idea to start the day - working to fulfill the message of the wall. This isn't just a day that something will be done - this is a day that I am entering a quest.

Today I have a purpose - a journey to fulfill. Today, I am someone sent - on a mission. What if we started every day that way? What if we sat down every morning, (or stood?) and asked ourselves, 'What is your quest?'

For most of us, our days are not that exciting. We don't normally think about going to work - finishing those reports - sitting through meetings - picking up milk and eggs - then heading home - as a quest.

What if we were to insert into the mundane a task - or quest each day. Today, I'm going to call that person I haven't spoken to in a long time. I'm finally going to invite that co-worker to church. Today is going to be the first day (again) of that new diet (insert excercise program, devotional time, or whatever it is for you). Today, I'm going to complement every person I see.

What is your quest? What, today, is going to make your day remarkable? What is going to set aside today as a day that was going to be different? What is going to make today a day that you can look back and remember?

What is your quest?

Watching the Water,
Pastor Dan

GOING FOR SECONDS

We closed our Vacation Bible School, Paul and the Underground Church, with a time of communion. With the number of kids who don’t regularly attend church, there were
likely to be more than a few who had never had the chance to share at the Table before.

As we began to invite the kids forward, there were amazing smiles on their faces. There was anticipation and excitement about what we were doing. The week had been a time of
ongoing celebration and real fun. In our singing, our praying, our playing and our learning we grew in our understanding of how God loves us.

Every day, the kids visited the Apostle Paul under house arrest. They were able to see the grumpy jailor, Brutus, accepted Christ by the end of the week and joyfully accepted his new post, cleaning the emperor’s stables. In the light of God’s love, anything can be done joyfully.
In the midst of learning about God’s love, we learned also about loving each other. In a bit of a surprise, (your’s truly was playing Paul), the kids consistently said one of their favorite
parts was visiting Paul & Brutus, and the folks in the underground church. We talked about how
we treat each other, and how God loves us unconditionally, and how, through Christ, he saves us from our sins.

We leaders discussed whether or not to have communion that last day. It was the expected concerns—would some of these kids understand its significance? Would they know what they were doing? Could they take it seriously? Was is appropriate to serve to children of such
young ages? Would it lose its power in the midst of the dancing and singing? With some faith, we went ahead with it.

You could have heard a pin drop. The smiles, joy, and whispered ‘Thank yous’ as the kids came forward removed any doubt that may have been there. Take it seriously!? Understand
it? Appropriate!? As those kids came forward, the thought struck me that none of those disciples that Jesus originally handed the bread and cup knew what they were doing either. None of them could grasp the significance, because none of them really got what was about to happen. And appropriate? Is the sacrificial love of Christ appropriate for any of us? Do any of us deserve it? When we remember it, we ought to also recall that it is undeserved, and offered only because
of Grace.

The idea that Christ’s love is never appropriate struck me as several of the kids, not thinking we saw them, came forward a second time. One of them even said, ‘That was really good, could I have some more?’ Do we approach the table of grace with that question often enough? “I really needed that, could I get some more, Jesus? I’d say you have no idea what my life is like, but you do. I know I have no reason to expect this, I can’t pay you back, but, man, I needed that.”

Thank you—with smiles of anticipation for what the Grace Giver can do—
Hanging onto the Rock,

Pastor Dan