Breadmaking Evangelism

This morning in my Bible study on David, I was reading in First Samuel 21 where David, the fugitive warrior-shepherd running from Madman King Saul, shows up in Nob before the priest Ahimelech , hungry, scared, tired. David asks for bread.

So the priest gave him the holy bread, for there was no bread there but the
bread of the Presence....

These are the loaves that are placed in
the temple sabbath after sabbath
as a reminder of the covenant of everlasting
love.

How about I make bread every Friday to help us remember His covenant love with us? I started thinking again about how wonderful it would be to use my bread machine regularly. Is there anything that matches the aroma of fresh-baked bread? It fills the house with warmth and serenity like the very Presence of Jesus.

Wouldn't it be good to make a practice of remembering God's covenant love to me in a visible, tangible, edible way? To look forward to warm, delicious bread every Friday night (when sabbath begins)...what a pleasant thing. To think of the Bread of Life. As often as ye eat or drink, remember Me.

I would more purposefully think on Jesus--and on Susan-- from Saturday to Friday if I put evangelistic breadmaking into my week.

As often as ye eat or drink, remember Me, says the Lord. He didn't mean "as often as you take communion at church and hear these liturgical words."

I admit, I don't think of Jesus every time I pull a slice of bread out of the wrapper, I don't think of Him right away when I eat tortillas or muffins or even bread pudding. But there is something about smelling a loaf of bread baking that lifts my entire soul heavenward and makes me grateful. When I put a little bit of yeast into the machine and think of my sin ("a little leaven leavens the whole lump") I do think of Jesus who is Faithful and Just to forgive me of all sin.

Thoughts of breadmaking flowed rapidly, and before I knew it, God had prompted me to start wanting to make bread for my neighbor Susan. I have been praying for her for a long time, but I fail miserably at reaching out to her. I feel awkward about asking her to church when I hardly make contact about ordinary stuff, but I would have no trouble taking fresh, warm bread to her every Friday night.

I will, by God's grace, start making bread sabbath after sabbath. My prayer is that, after five loaves, Susan will start hungering for the Bread of Life. And I will be used to deliver the Bread.

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photo courtesy of Justin Clayton @ justinspaintings.com. He does amazing work!

His Words Make Me Sick

Sarah came home the other day and told me her English prof had said words that stung her. They stung me, too, because if you hurt my child, you better watch out. The prof's words make me sick.

Sick for a few reasons:
-that the Lord is so blatantly reviled on college campuses
-that this man has no idea how much this same Jesus, whom He despises, loves him so much
-that this man is in terrible danger spiritually
-that my daughter's heart breaks when exposed to this attitude
-that we are paying good money for some bad teaching

My guess is that this man may have been terribly abused within the church. Such is the case with many people who equate Jesus with His less-than-perfect people. I am sad for him.

The college campus reminds me of rocky, shallow waters near a coastline, in desperate need of lighthouses and foghorns. Sarah is among the brightest in her demeanor. She is praying for boldness to be more of a foghorn.

I Need 7 Priests with 7 Horns: Any Volunteers?

This morning I was reading from Joshua 6. It was clearly a Sermon to Self. It's the familiar account of the fall of Jericho. Since I can easily skip over familiarity, I use a pen and journal to analyze and meditate better. Here is what God showed me this morning.

"I have given you this opportunity. Now take it."

Even that is not new to me. It's familiar, but I miss it time and time again. Specifically, right now, I have opportunities to be part of changing those things I long to see changed. I made a list of 10 and was just getting started.

On that list, near the top, was "Invite Susan to Alpha." If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that my neighbor across the street has been on my heart for a long time, but have I actually said these words, "Would you come to Alpha with me?" No. I haven't.

Joshua 6 showed me three things to do:

1. March. Be active in your quests. Concentrate on the will of God for six days straight and expect results on the seventh. This may be literally six days, or six months, or six years, but the point is, "March!" Don't sit and be distracted.

2. Pray. The Lord told Joshua to get 7 priests to bear 7 horns, march around the city walls 7 times, and on the 7th day to blow the horns 7 times. Clear pattern here, huh? Of course since he number 7 symbolizes completion/perfection/maturity, God was saying, "Do the whole job. Stick with it. Persevere." But God made sure Joshua would rally a team of noise-making priests, shall we say, as major players in the conquest.

3. Advance, armed! With the whole armor of God, go for it. You've been given the opportunity, you've prayed and called for others to pray intently with you. Now go. Obey. Proceed. Advance. Advance the gospel. Destroy the walls that Satan has put up around people, and expect God to do glorious things. He has already given it to you!

So, dear readers, if you would commit to praying with me and for me, and for my neighbor, Susan, for seven straight days, being most persistent on Day 7, would you please leave your name here? I am looking for seven people who will write this request down, put in on their fridge or bedside or mirror or dog dish or washing machine --or all of the above places!--whatever it takes to remind you to pray for this "not yetter" . I ask expectantly, in faith, to see this woman say "yes" to Alpha first, and then to Jesus as a result.

Day 1 is today. Alpha starts Tuesday (day 6). Perhaps I should've posted this sooner, but I'm sure God is sovereign over my feet-dragging way. Now I will pick up those feet and march. March. Pray. Advance.

http://www.geocities.com/israeltour/20000414Hebrews9TheTemple.html

Blue Like Jazz

My current book of choice.

Anyone who thinks about evangelism and loving people--or not loving them well--should read this. I'm just two chapters into it and am gobsmacked by Don Miller's hard-hitting style. No cliches. No Christianese. No tepid phrases that let your mind wander off the page and into your dinner plans.

It's not for everyone. But it's just what I've been looking for.

I had to go to the Baltiimore County library system for it. Ebay also has some copies, but I'm into free.

Andrew Slate, from Mercy Ministries Russia, reoommended this book to me. (See my comment to Jessi in the comment box beneath "Meet the Dolls.") That's how I first heard about it. Thanks, Andrew!

Anyone want to read along?

One more thing...

My neighbor Sue is coming tonight. As yet unsaved, a native New Yorker so 9/11 hit personally. She's VERY supportive of troops. Please pray for us both.

Sarah Gets Her License

On December 12th, Sarah got her long-awaited, much-practiced-for Maryland State Driver's Provisional License. I am just now getting around to posting pictures. For those of you who know I'm praying for my neighbor's salvation, she lives in the house you see in this picture. Notice my hanging basket in the tree? Above it is my visual reminder, a birdfeeder. Paul Buckley exhorted us to "Keep your birdfeeder full," a metaphor for providing regular availability to, and care for, those who may be finding "food" in the world, but never being satisfied until they come to Christ, the Bread of Life. Eventually, or when times are tough, they'll come to your "birdfeeder." I see this view (minus Paul's car) every morning while I'm having coffee with Jesus, and I pray for Susan.

Anway, back to the subject....

The morning of her appointment, Sarah wanted to practice parallel parking a few times out front in Paul's car. Little did she know I was taking pictures AND videotaping her from inside the house. She bumped the curb a few times, but it looked pretty smooth otherwise from my vantage point behind a living room window.

Later that morning, she did just wonderfully. Parallel parking was fast and easy. I'm sure it was God's grace, not her natural ability to park (nor my inability to coach her well) that let her breeze her way through the DMV.