The Beginning of a Good Work

"The One who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion" (Philippians 1:6)

On Wednesday, I mentioned the hunger meal of rice and beans that we do at Christ UMC on Ash Wednesday. I'm not really sure when or how this tradition started (maybe some of the Christ UMC folks can fill in the details), but I know it has been happening for several years. Volunteers provide the food and cook the meal (it's really quite tasty!), and it is free with donations going to a hunger ministry. This year, the Outreach Committee decided the funds would go to the Open Table, which is a ministry in Nashville seeking to mobilize resources to help the marginalized, specifically the homeless, especially those who were displaced from Tent City during the flood last year. They are doing some really great things.

Recently, I have been feeling something stirring inside of me around the issue of homelessness. I can't really define it and don't understand it yet, but something is happening. I think I am in the beginning stages of God calling me to do something about this issue. Again, not sure what. This Sunday, I am preaching about the paralyzed man in John 5 that Jesus healed. Part of the amazing thing about this story is that the man had great faith and thought he knew how God would heal him (through the waters of the pool). In the end, Jesus pushed him beyond his expectations, outside his mindset and the box in which he had put God's activity. I'm hoping to avoid that very pitfall by trying to keep an open mind and a willing heart and see what happens. I guess that's all anyone could ask of me at this point.

I am encouraged by the words above from Philippians 1:6. I know God has begun something in me, something good. I don't know what will happen or how it will end up, but I trust that together we will see it through to completion.