Phil

Phil Mickelson just came in second place today in the US Open. But thats okay. He is now taking off time to spend with His family, with his kids and wife, and time to just get away from busyness of his agenda.

Yesterday in church they continued on with their series on the ten commandments and living in Christ as the fulfillment of God's Law. The fourth week was about remembering the Sabbath and keeping it holy, for we were not made for the Sabbath but rather the Sabbath was made for us. Sometimes I just need to take a break from everything. In fact God calls us to take a time out. He knows that we can't be at our best 24/7, we were only created to be at it 24/6 or even 12/6 or less! To say that we can handle working seven days a week is not only arrogant, foolish, and immature, it is disrespectful toward the God of creation. As a follower of Christ if I am not willing to fully give myself over to God in every occasion I do not give Him the proper place in my life where He will be honored. It is only when I see God continually that I am able to experience the joy that comes from a relationship with Him. And it is only when I take a break and live in the here and now, in the joy of today, that I can appreciate all that is in and around my life. Times at dinner are not about worrying what homework I need to finish later. Times at a movie are not for me to focus on what emails I need to send when I get home. And times when visiting with friends and family are not times to wish I had missed this or that opportunity for sleep. Yes, rest and responsibilities are important but too much will leave me burned out and vulnerable. And when I get burned out and vulnerable, I sacrifice relationships, friendships, and joys that I didnt want to in the first place. And I fall into a cycle of trying to work, or provide, for those things that I am missing out with in the end.

It took heartbreak, it took pain, it literally took God stripping me of all the physical possessions that I have in order to get my attention. I fell into that trap that my father fell into the same way, its just that I fell into it earlier. It cost both of us things that were precious in our lives that are most likely lost forever, but God has/and is bringing both of us through those parts of our lives. I have the benefit of it being earlier on in my life so that way God can reconcile me to myself without kids, friends, relatives, or least of all jobs being disrupted through the entire ordeal. It took God to expose my hurt, my wound as a man to light, to air. Like a laceration that was temporarily bandaged but never given time to heal, I was pained and hurt by my father and his work. In a much less severe way than many of my friends, "the cycle of abuse" hurt me mentally and my wound of letting others down due to my incapacity to see clearly the values in life just caused me to get thrown up, and a few times sober or drunk literally throw up my emotional pain in a physical response. It wasnt till 2, 3, or maybe 4 weeks ago that I knew what is/was most important in my life. And each day after God has broken me so much that I have cried out as Paul did just that God would call me home. It was in this abandonment that God picked me up. Not in a sense of suicidal thoughts, for I mean not to be insensitive to that in any way, but rather in a realization that I literally have nothing to look forward to in this life that my life with God in heaven will make me miss. There is no wealth, or number of vacations, or fast enough I4, v6, v8, v12 cars that can quench that insatiable desire for the peace of God and the warmth of his smile. The physical world, the physical hopes or desires that I currently have are those for opportunities to minister to the needs of my brothers and sisters around me. That I would have a bench to sit on, or a phone to call someone with. Not that it would be complicated or worrysome. My safety and security is in God and for my wife, friends, and family someday....the protection I can only hope to provide is that of emotional and spiritual support in the downturns of life that we might crave the Lord together. To rest in one another's arms and chests and brothers and sisters in Christ. The only thing from this world that we can take with us are our relationships, so why invest in anything else. The joy of my salvation is so great that I long to share it with others. My peace is beyond my own understanding and my only hope for obedience is found in Christ alone. I pray that the password into my heart might be the echoes of Psalm 46:10. And that the only work I would do on my Sabbath....a Saturday or Sunday; would be that which is the joy of serving others and not inanimate objects to build wealth and power. For my faith, my work, and my life should be full of faith such that it is so strong yet so little as Christ compares it to a Mustard seed.

Matthew 17:20

He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

American Dream - Casting Crowns

Exodus 20:8-11