Pittsburgh Katrina Trip

Faith, Courage, Obedience, Preparation and Action!

Sunday afternoon we had our commissioning service at Hiland. There was wonderful music from the Heritage praise band and Hiland’s choir. Pastor Ruby and the three D.D.’s all shared in the prayers and lessons for the service and Rev. Dan Merry delivered a very inspiring message about the five things it takes to overcome a giant (man like Goliath or problem like Katrina). Making us repeat the lessons as we learned them (maybe because he kept forgetting them, I don’t know) he discussed: The power of faith, the essential element of courage, the role of obedience, the necessity of preparation and (finally!) the mighty requirement for action! (See Dan, I was paying attention!)

“Action!” I just like to say the word, like a director, barking on the set. I imagine people scurrying to make everything go as planned upon my single word command. Not out of any heady thoughts or power trips. It’s just where I often imagine myself in the “perfect” process. Action. Why did he have to include action? Faith…got it (most of the time), courage…check, it’s usually there when I need it, Obedience…okay, maybe I’m not GREAT at that one but I understand it’s importance, preparation…Oh, I’m great at that one! If I am motivated to “Do” something, I can prepare the daylights out of it! I can plan, outline, design a flow chart, boil it down to the essential facts, brainstorm, problem solve…I know how to prepare. But, action? Let me prepare a little more first. I’m not quite ready for action. Tell ya what…let me sit up here and direct things, don’t make me go down there and act!

Maybe that’s one of the things I hope and need to personally take away from this trip. The actual practice of “action.” Doing stuff. Not that I do nothing. I’m involved. I take part. But I often get stuck in the planning and preparations, never feeling quite ready to…not just make the leap into the waters…but to keep on swimming to the other side once I’m in.

Back to the service, after Dan finished picking on poor Rev. Dorsey (I’m glad he doesn’t know ME that well yet!) we laid hands and all said the prayer of commissioning. We then adjourned to the library for cake and coffee. Did I ever tell you why I stopped looking for a church after visiting Hiland a few times? They have food there every Sunday! I mean it, EVERY SINGLE Sunday they have at least a little snack and they come up with any reason they can to have food. Kind of like Pittsburgh and fireworks! What can I say? Jesus knew that people often needed to have their physical needs met before they would concentrate on their spiritual needs (cup of cold water, feeding the masses…). I guess Hiland learned this lesson well!

Now I’m hungry for some action!

posted by Jon @ 2/14/2006 12:23:00 PM