Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and of the heart...
Just finished watching one of my favorite TV shows.. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
This week a young girl named Cassandra who had battled cancer wrote to ABC asking for help to renovate the cancer ward at her hospital so future patients would be able to recover in a happier environment. They brought the animation team from Disney and redecorated the white hospital walls. I was like wow... but the team also planned surprise makeover of the families own home. In 7 days they transformed a house that had a mold problem into a house where the family with 6 children would spend many treasured years. After her chemotreatment Cassandra has been making necklaces to help raise money for cancer research. So the design team made a bead room so that she would be able to continue to pour out her heart. In application video she said Love comes first.. indeed love comes first.
For the cynics out there, you are probably quick to jump at the immense corporate sponsorship and the fact that it is just another reality show that induces a few tears, and makes us sitting on our couches feel good. Because how many of us are really going to go out of our way to do something? And for the few that are motivated to make a difference, daily distractions and endless to do lists quickly drain our energy. Personally I know I must caution myself, as I am very easily moved and want to be involved in everything. However even with the best of intentions, over the years I have found myself stressed and burnt out.
Which connects me to today's sermon, based on Luke 10:38-42, Freedom from Stress and Anxiety.
38As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
The speaker started off talking about why we have worries and stress. She pointed to Martha as she was busy preparing the household, however she emphasized it wasn't the deed that was wrong but Martha's attitude. Martha due to her busyness, try to get attention onto herself. She had become distracted with regards to her goals and priorities. And this was what the speaker thought was the main cause of stress; when get so distracted and go about life with no goal or priority, or even worse let busyness take over us so we loose our goals and priority. And the consequence of this stress is that we become self centered, focused on our own emotions. How true her words were for me.. totally relating how sometimes the best intentions can go wrong...
Good thing though is the passage points to a prevention set by the example of Mary. She is described to be sitting at Jesus' feet. Many have been quick to criticize her for taking the easier passive role, however the speaker pointed out that in many other bible versions, it emphasizes that Mary did this in addition to her normal duties. Moreover, she had to overcome extended distractions, cultural expectations to be sitting at Jesus feet. Transformative listening takes time, concentration and discipline... which connects to my life. It is easy for me to dream and be inspired by shows such as Extreme Makeover, however am I really willing to put the time and discipline to actually be changed by God so I can be used for His work?
A song from service today... Give us Clean Hands.
We bow our hearts, We bend our knees O' spirit come make us humble
We turn our eyes, From evil things O' Lord we cast down our idols.
Give us clean hands, Give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
O' God let us be, A generation that seeks,
That seeks Your face, O' God of Jacob
Just finished watching one of my favorite TV shows.. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
This week a young girl named Cassandra who had battled cancer wrote to ABC asking for help to renovate the cancer ward at her hospital so future patients would be able to recover in a happier environment. They brought the animation team from Disney and redecorated the white hospital walls. I was like wow... but the team also planned surprise makeover of the families own home. In 7 days they transformed a house that had a mold problem into a house where the family with 6 children would spend many treasured years. After her chemotreatment Cassandra has been making necklaces to help raise money for cancer research. So the design team made a bead room so that she would be able to continue to pour out her heart. In application video she said Love comes first.. indeed love comes first.
For the cynics out there, you are probably quick to jump at the immense corporate sponsorship and the fact that it is just another reality show that induces a few tears, and makes us sitting on our couches feel good. Because how many of us are really going to go out of our way to do something? And for the few that are motivated to make a difference, daily distractions and endless to do lists quickly drain our energy. Personally I know I must caution myself, as I am very easily moved and want to be involved in everything. However even with the best of intentions, over the years I have found myself stressed and burnt out.
Which connects me to today's sermon, based on Luke 10:38-42, Freedom from Stress and Anxiety.
38As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
The speaker started off talking about why we have worries and stress. She pointed to Martha as she was busy preparing the household, however she emphasized it wasn't the deed that was wrong but Martha's attitude. Martha due to her busyness, try to get attention onto herself. She had become distracted with regards to her goals and priorities. And this was what the speaker thought was the main cause of stress; when get so distracted and go about life with no goal or priority, or even worse let busyness take over us so we loose our goals and priority. And the consequence of this stress is that we become self centered, focused on our own emotions. How true her words were for me.. totally relating how sometimes the best intentions can go wrong...
Good thing though is the passage points to a prevention set by the example of Mary. She is described to be sitting at Jesus' feet. Many have been quick to criticize her for taking the easier passive role, however the speaker pointed out that in many other bible versions, it emphasizes that Mary did this in addition to her normal duties. Moreover, she had to overcome extended distractions, cultural expectations to be sitting at Jesus feet. Transformative listening takes time, concentration and discipline... which connects to my life. It is easy for me to dream and be inspired by shows such as Extreme Makeover, however am I really willing to put the time and discipline to actually be changed by God so I can be used for His work?
A song from service today... Give us Clean Hands.
We bow our hearts, We bend our knees O' spirit come make us humble
We turn our eyes, From evil things O' Lord we cast down our idols.
Give us clean hands, Give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
O' God let us be, A generation that seeks,
That seeks Your face, O' God of Jacob
