The Tide

I was listening to an interview with Seth Godin earlier this week. He shared the push back he is receiving from people to do things that are risky. They use the state of the economy as the excuse for not being bold and daring.

Seth responds by saying, "just because the tide is out it doesn't mean there is less water in the ocean."

I have been thinking about my attitude toward risk. I have been wrestling with how wide my bandwidth of trust and obedience is of God. Do I still believe this is God's church? Do I still believe this is God's vision? Do I believe it is up to me or up to God?

There is a church I follow closely that has declared that they are living under "the new normal." I like that mentality. I love that vision of the tide. I don't want to live out of fear. There isn't less water in the ocean. Yes, things are different, but our heavenly Father is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

God has given our church a mission to reach out to those who are searching and equip believers to become fully devoted followers of Jesus. I am more committed to that mission than I have ever been in the six years I have been at Charter Oak Church. We are living into it with greater intentionality every day. We have laser beam intense focus to listen to God and walk obediently in the power of the Holy Spirit, together.

It's a great adventure!

Intentionality

"If we would only give the same amount of reflection to what we want out of life that we give to the question of what to do with two weeks' vacation, we would be startled at our false standards and the aimless procession of our busy days." - Dorothy Canfield Fisher

Greater Things Are Yet to Come

LORD, I have heard of your fame;
I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD.
Renew them in our day,
in our time make them known;
(Habakkuk 3:2)

Prayer of St. Patrick

Today recognizes one of the great prayers of Christianity. Here it is:

I bind unto myself today
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One and One in Three.

I bind this day to me for ever.
By power of faith, Christ's incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan river;
His death on Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb;
His riding up the heavenly way;
His coming at the day of doom;*
I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself the power
Of the great love of the cherubim;
The sweet 'well done' in judgment hour,
The service of the seraphim,
Confessors' faith, Apostles' word,
The Patriarchs' prayers, the Prophets' scrolls,
All good deeds done unto the Lord,
And purity of virgin souls.

I bind unto myself today
The virtues of the starlit heaven,
The glorious sun's life-giving ray,
The whiteness of the moon at even,
The flashing of the lightning free,
The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks,
The stable earth, the deep salt sea,
Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward,
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile men that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In every place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me these holy powers.

Against all Satan's spells and wiles,
Against false words of heresy,
Against the knowledge that defiles,
Against the heart's idolatry,
Against the wizard's evil craft,
Against the death wound and the burning,
The choking wave and the poisoned shaft,
Protect me, Christ, till Thy returning.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same.
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of Whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.