Just as you can hear the wind but can't tell where it comes from or where it will go next, so it is with the Spirit. We do not know on whom he will next bestow this life from heaven.
John 3:8 The Living Bible

Easter is just past. Perhaps you find yourself today wondrously invigorated by the celebration of all that God has done for us in Christ Jesus -- reminded of the abundant grace of God and refreshed by the news of new life arising from death. Or perhaps you are just exhausted. Too much planning of events and services has stolen your joy, wonder, and awe. Maybe the rest of the grave doesn't sound like such a bad thing after all. Take a deep breath. Relax. Rest.

In his book, The Road Less Traveled, M. Scott Peck ponders the paradox of grace which can seem like so much work. In reflecting on how few choose to heed the call of grace because of the difficulties involved, Peck writes: "...I have indicated that whether or not we become blessed by grace is a matter of our choice. Essentially, I have been saying that grace is earned....At the same time, however, I know that that's not the way it is at all. We do not come to grace; grace comes to us. Try as we might to obtain grace, it may yet elude us. We may seek it not, yet it will find us. Consciously we may avidly desire the spiritual life but then discover all manner of stumbling blocks in our way. Or we may have seemingly little taste for the spiritual life and yet find ourselves vigorously called to it in spite of ourselves. While on one level we do choose whether or not to heed the call of grace, on another it seems clear that God is the one who does the choosing....How do we resolve this paradox? We don't. Perhaps the best that we can say is that while we cannot will ourselves to grace, we can by will open ourselves to its miraculous coming. We can prepare ourselves to be fertile ground, a welcoming place." (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1978, pp. 306-7)

For those of us in professional ministry roles -- pastors, ministry leaders, missionaries, parachurch staff -- this can be quite disconcerting, and all too familiar ground. We really don't need Peck to tell us that for this coming of grace "...the study of theology is a relatively poor method of preparation and, by itself, completely useless." The challenge of cultivating, maintaining and deepening a vibrant relationship with Christ is always in our face. Recognizing the all-too-frequent poverty of soul is not the problem. What to do about it is.

The hope of this newsletter is not to add to the bewildering list of spiritual to-do's, but rather to invite us into the presence of a God who longs to be our refreshment. Each time we meet I hope to encourage your conversation with God in a way that will be water to your soul. I invite you to the unstressed comfort of coffee and conversation with your best friend at your neighborhood cafe. He already has your table waiting.

Find a quiet place and read out-loud to yourself three times the following poem by Judy Brown. Take your time. Don't rush. Pause between readings. Listen to the words and the sound of your own voice.

"Fire"

What makes a fire burn
is space between the logs,
a breathing space.
Too much of a good thing,
too many logs
packed in too tight
can douse the flames
almost as surely
as a pail of water.

So building fires
requires attention
to the spaces in between,
as much as to the wood.

When we are able to build
open spaces
in the same way
we have learned
to pile on logs,
then we come to see how
it is fuel, and the absence of fuel
together, that make fire possible.

We only need to lay a log
lightly from time to time.
A fire
grows
simply because the space is there,
with openings
in which the flame
that knows just how it wants to burn
can find its way.

(Sam M. Intrator and Megan Scribner, editors, Teaching with Fire: Poetry that Sustains the Courage to Teach, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2003, p. 89)

Take some time to reflect on Judy Brown's poem. What stands out to you? How well is your fire burning? What are the implications for your present pace? How would you rate the present state of your life balance? How would someone who knows you well rate it? What adjustments do you need to make? Where could you create more "spaces" in your life? To what degree do you trust that God is at work even when you are not?

Over the next 3 weeks plan at least 3 times when you will intentionally spend 20 minutes doing nothing "productive." Take a walk or spend the time relaxing in a comfortable chair. It might be a good idea to block off the time on your calendar right now. Often it is true, before we can hear God, we have to create a space for God. Are you making space for him?