Careful Thought

Steve at Thunderstruck posts a Q Magazine interview with Bono of U2. They questioned him about the importance of three parts of his life:

“Q: Money. Irishness. God. Which one couldn’t you live without?Bono: Wow. Well it’s an easy question to ask but… here’s a thing. When I was 16, my head was exploding. I just felt my life was going nowhere. I didn’t fit in. I couldn’t get a job. I didn’t know how I could do my exams and I wasn’t even sure I could concentrate at college. In those days, I remember, a prayer came up inside me. I said “I don’t know what I’m going to do with my life but if there’s a God out there, and I believe there is, and You want me to do something, then I’m ready. I don’t have any plans for myself and I’m available for work.” Pretty much within a few months of that epiphany I had joined U2 and started going out with Ali. A pretty good two months! Now had my destiny been — if the God in heaven had said I want you to become a fireman and run up very dangerous buildings and save people’s pets, I’d like to hope I’d have gone at it with the same gusto. So — I couldn’t let go of my faith. But what’s more interesting is that I don’t think God will let go of me. I love it when people on bar stools rub their chins and say do you believe in God? That’s so presumptuous. A much more important question is does God believe in us?

Q: That sounds like you believe you were chosen.
Bono: No, no, no, I don’t believe that. I do think God gets a laugh out of using some very poor materials. I volunteered is what I’m telling you.”

Justin at Between Two Worlds quotes a hymn for pastors written by John Newton. It’s called, simply, Prayer for Ministers.

Chief Shepherd of thy chosen sheep,
From death and sin set free;
May every under–shepherd keep
His eye, intent on thee!With plenteous grace their hearts prepare,
To execute thy will
Compassion, patience, love and care,
And faithfulness and skill

Inflame their minds with holy zeal
Their flocks to feed and teach;
And let them live, and let them feel
The sacred truths they preach.

Oh, never let the sheep complain
That toys, which fools amuse;
Ambition, pleasure, praise or gain,
Debase the shepherd’s views.

(Read more here)

I probably do a terrible job of supporting our Pastor. Sometimes I’m so wrapped up in church business that I neglect the business of the church, which is to reach a lost and dying world. Our pastor stands firmly and uncompromisingly on the Word. I need to bless him more for what he does.

“Living as we expect to when God’s kingdom is established on earth is the way to overcome darkness with light - cursing the darkness won’t do it.” (Paul Mitchell at Chuck Colson’s Break Point site)

I guess I’m not a ‘darkness curser’. I don’t see the glass as half-empty or even necessarily half-full, but I figure that in His time God will fill it as full as it needs to be.