Well the mo is coming along nicely. I must admit that the idea of doing movember, and the reality of doing movember are very different. The idea seemed like fun, a good laugh, a journey with a bunch of mates. But the reality of standing in front of a bunch of young people and talking about Jesus, the meetings with youth pastors, as well as general interactions with strangers with this freaken slug across my lip is a whole different ball game. Thankfully I was in Masterton in the weekend, and the slug probably opened more doors than closed them. But is it worth it?
I think the answer is yes, certainly when I think about what this beast will look like at the end of the month.

On a whole different tangent, I have been reading a biography on a guy called Charles Simeon who died in 1836 and was an Anglican minister back in the day. He was a bit of a legend because he would preach Jesus, and people got so agitated by his sermons that they would often get interrupted by some of the more powerful church members. But people flocked to hear him speak. The guy is a flippin legend for a whole bunch of reasons and I don't want to write a long post on why... you might as well just read a book on him. But one particular moment did stick its head out as one worth reflecting on.

"Simeon invariably rose every morning, though it was winter season, at four o'clock... he devoted himself the first four hours of the day to private prayer and the devotional study of the Scriptures."

Straight away my mind started getting warmed up thinking ..."damm those morning people, they have it so easy. If I wasn't so nasty in the morning I would be that spiritual as well".

Then I read "The early rising did not come easily to him; it was a habit resolutely fought for and acquired. Finding himself too fond of his bed, he had resolved to pay a fine for every offence, giving a half crown to his servant". The hilarious thing is that Charles soon starts justifying why his servant needs the money, and so has to up the anti. He would fine himself a guinea (money not an animal) and throw it into the river if he slept in. Which was a lot of money for a guy living by faith. A hardcore guy.

What a challenge, and I wonder if the young leaders of today's church (point finger at me and some friends) are getting way to soft, way to comfortable, and way to dependent on what we think we know of God, rather than spending time in scripture and praying with God, learning his thoughts, being filled with God's Holy Spirit before each day.
I finished Phillip Yancey's book; "Prayer", and again that was filled with challenge and conviction for me. I am very much reminded of Jesus' seemingly impossible challenges to "be holy like I am holy" etc. And once again I am faced with the tension in my life of what is, and what should be, and deep inside I desperately want the "what should be".

Labels: jesus followers, movemeber, prayer