I’ve been asked several times, now that Arizona Christian
University has begun, and I am not there, how I am doing with my “semi-retirement.” That’s a hard question to
answer. I found myself with a little
achy, empty hole in my heart on the day I would have normally been heading back
to Phoenix for a new year; and, randomly, I still do! At the same
time, over the summer, I had a house full of grandchildren, and was privileged to be involved in some more speaking ministry. These things reminded me that this is
part of what God’s new season, for me, is all about. Being
“semi-retired” has its benefits. I
really miss the students and my teammates at ACU, but I didn’t miss going back to 109-116 degree heat in August. I do find myself in need
of some semblance of routine (which I haven’t fallen into yet), but I thoroughly have enjoyed the
leisure of early morning
sit-on-my-back-porch-in-the-mountain-cool-with-coffee-and-Jesus time, for as
long as I want! I miss the sense of
satisfaction at the end-of-the-day daily ministry, but I am scheduling some
little bit of speaking that has a different sense of fulfillment. So, I still feel a bit mixed…
University has begun, and I am not there, how I am doing with my “semi-retirement.” That’s a hard question to
answer. I found myself with a little
achy, empty hole in my heart on the day I would have normally been heading back
to Phoenix for a new year; and, randomly, I still do! At the same
time, over the summer, I had a house full of grandchildren, and was privileged to be involved in some more speaking ministry. These things reminded me that this is
part of what God’s new season, for me, is all about. Being
“semi-retired” has its benefits. I
really miss the students and my teammates at ACU, but I didn’t miss going back to 109-116 degree heat in August. I do find myself in need
of some semblance of routine (which I haven’t fallen into yet), but I thoroughly have enjoyed the
leisure of early morning
sit-on-my-back-porch-in-the-mountain-cool-with-coffee-and-Jesus time, for as
long as I want! I miss the sense of
satisfaction at the end-of-the-day daily ministry, but I am scheduling some
little bit of speaking that has a different sense of fulfillment. So, I still feel a bit mixed…
In the middle of all this consideration, I’m still carefully
evaluating what this new season is going to look like. I am hesitant to make commitments until I see
the direction the Lord is taking us.
There’s still the side of me that wants to just sit in my fuzzy pajama
pants and a t-shirt all day, but there’s the responsible desire to be
Kingdom-minded and effective, too. I’m
still on the first couple of pages of this new chapter in my story, so I know
there is no rush. However, I’ve always
been a fast reader, and I want to see where this story is going… I’ve had multiple conversations with the Lord
about this.
evaluating what this new season is going to look like. I am hesitant to make commitments until I see
the direction the Lord is taking us.
There’s still the side of me that wants to just sit in my fuzzy pajama
pants and a t-shirt all day, but there’s the responsible desire to be
Kingdom-minded and effective, too. I’m
still on the first couple of pages of this new chapter in my story, so I know
there is no rush. However, I’ve always
been a fast reader, and I want to see where this story is going… I’ve had multiple conversations with the Lord
about this.
Then, one morning, I picked up where I left off in the gospel of Matthew. Jesus is calling “followers” (we’ve talked about that); but then, in chapter 6, verse 1, he starts preaching about “practicing righteousness.” He says this, “Beware
of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise
you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” I’ve always read that passage in the
negative. Jesus goes on to discuss with
his would-be-followers a strong warning in regard to public practice of acts
that might be considered “righteous.” He
emphasizes four in particular: sacrificial giving, prayer, forgiveness, and
fasting. It hit me somewhere in the
middle of verses 1 – 24 that he wasn’t preaching total abstinence of the
practices, just how and where to go about it.
The thought stirred my soul, and started bubbling up inside of me. At the end of the day, for right now, I know
this one thing: Jesus wants me to go back to the basics. I am to be about “practicing righteousness.” He’s giving me an opportunity to sit a little
more leisurely in the mornings on my back porch in solitude (as long as the weather allows) and in “pondering
& reflecting.” He’s allowing me to
carve out some space for intimate conversations with him, and to strengthen my
spiritual well being. He has reminded me
that at my salvation, he gave me the unobtainable gift of righteousness, but righteousness is as foreign to my human nature as it is yours. Righteousness is like a strange language I
don’t understand, or speak fluently. It
is one I must practice; yet, not before men! So sitting in the quiet on my back porch, or alone in the peace and
quiet of my upstairs loft, and in my pajama pants is just fine! I can practice for as long as I want, dressed however I want! We all need it. It doesn’t take semi-retirement to go
there. It’s an admonishment for us all;
we are all learning to be followers. So, this one thing I KNOW to be true. Following Jesus requires a “practice of righteousness.” (Let me re-iterate, practicing righteousness is not for the purpose of being made righteous – I AM in HIM.) Practicing righteousness simply means setting aside some time to rehearse some of the most basic ingredients that build relationship and help us trust the one who is leading. Have a great day & a great week….as for me, I’m off to do some righteousness-training.
of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise
you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” I’ve always read that passage in the
negative. Jesus goes on to discuss with
his would-be-followers a strong warning in regard to public practice of acts
that might be considered “righteous.” He
emphasizes four in particular: sacrificial giving, prayer, forgiveness, and
fasting. It hit me somewhere in the
middle of verses 1 – 24 that he wasn’t preaching total abstinence of the
practices, just how and where to go about it.
The thought stirred my soul, and started bubbling up inside of me. At the end of the day, for right now, I know
this one thing: Jesus wants me to go back to the basics. I am to be about “practicing righteousness.” He’s giving me an opportunity to sit a little
more leisurely in the mornings on my back porch in solitude (as long as the weather allows) and in “pondering
& reflecting.” He’s allowing me to
carve out some space for intimate conversations with him, and to strengthen my
spiritual well being. He has reminded me
that at my salvation, he gave me the unobtainable gift of righteousness, but righteousness is as foreign to my human nature as it is yours. Righteousness is like a strange language I
don’t understand, or speak fluently. It
is one I must practice; yet, not before men! So sitting in the quiet on my back porch, or alone in the peace and
quiet of my upstairs loft, and in my pajama pants is just fine! I can practice for as long as I want, dressed however I want! We all need it. It doesn’t take semi-retirement to go
there. It’s an admonishment for us all;
we are all learning to be followers. So, this one thing I KNOW to be true. Following Jesus requires a “practice of righteousness.” (Let me re-iterate, practicing righteousness is not for the purpose of being made righteous – I AM in HIM.) Practicing righteousness simply means setting aside some time to rehearse some of the most basic ingredients that build relationship and help us trust the one who is leading. Have a great day & a great week….as for me, I’m off to do some righteousness-training.