Accents

Just a thought: when you talk with someone long enough, you begin to acquire their accent.  You will sound like they do.  You can tell if someone is from New York, Australia, England or South Africa just by hearing their voice.

When we pray, we talk to God.  We speak, and we listen.   I wonder how long it takes to start speaking in the accent of Heaven?  In what we say, how do we reflect our encounters with Him?  Others can tell who we’ve been hanging around the most.  Let it be the right One.

“Never stop praying.”—1 Thessalonians 5:17

This Is My Home

It really is strange, moving to a new place.  Geographically, spiritually and relationally, everything is different now.  You see, I visited Tallahassee last week, and what I found was this: it is no longer my home.

I flew down for my friends’ wedding(which was incredible), and I got to see and talk with most of my good friends from the last four years(who are all amazingly lovely people).  I was blessed, for sure, to have that opportunity.  Finally, though, I had to face the reality: I just don’t belong there any more.  It’s unnerving, quickly growing distant from many old friends and very slowly developing new ones.  It leaves me in a kind of in-between place.

There is good news for me.  I know I was placed here in DC by God.  And since that is the case, I know He has a purpose in mind.  This is my home, because He is with me, and my heart belongs to Him.  Wherever He sends me I go, even if it’s hard for a while.  His love reigns and will reign forever in me; I am in good hands.

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”—2 Peter 1:3

Rebellion, Protest and the Divine Right of Kings

Living in DC, most all the local buzz is about politics.  It’s a little strange for me, because I was never really that interested in politics.  I tended to ignore it most of the time.  This was my philosophy: God controls politics anyway(Romans 13:1-7), so why worry about it?

Some protesters got arrested a couple days ago in the hallway outside Nancy Pelosi’s office.  They had been tearing pages from the new health care bill, throwing crumpled pieces through the doorway while shouting things like “You’re going to Hell!”  Embarrassing things like that serve to strengthen my philosophy to just stay out of it.

But still, I pray.  The Bible says to pray, so that’s what I do.  I pray in public places, and I pray in the closet.  I’m really not certain how effective the public prayer is.  After all, Jesus discouraged it.  It can seem like a protest, and I don’t want to be a rebel(1 Sam. 15:23).

What I do know is that God uses our leaders for His purposes.  Here is a prayer I spoke silently in front of the Supreme Court the other day: “Lord, just as you used your servant Nebuchadnezzar to judge the Daughter of Zion, use these nine Supreme Court justices to judge the Daughter of Washington with all righteousness.”

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”—1 Timothy 2:1-2

Parallel Parking

One thing I’d never done before I moved to DC is parallel park.  When I got here, I had to learn fast, because there are almost no parking lots or driveways in the city.  It’s not a bad thing, just very different.

There are many things in life we need to adapt to.  Think of it: if I relied only on my previous driving training, refusing to change and learn a new thing, I would be completely lost.  Even now, I would still be driving around the city, completely unsettled, never finding rest.

There’s one other thing to which I needed to change my approach: my relationship with God.  My lifestyle is completely different from what it was just three short months ago.  Gone are the days of sleeping on my friend’s floor, reading books all morning and spending all afternoon in the prayer room.  Now I have a job, a commute, a half-hour lunch break.  When I get home, I’m worn out and want to go to sleep.  Where does God fit in all this?  I’m finding out more and more each day.  It really is exciting finding new ways to seek after Him.  It’s difficult, and it’s worth it.

“Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.  Selah“—Psalm 24:6