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This weekend, as we do on a monthly basis, we took a group of middle school and high school youth downtown to spend time with and serve some of our homeless brothers and sister in downtown Memphis. Over the past several years, the city government as well as a group called the Center City Commission have continually subtracted areas that we might consider public spaces to become somewhat hostile for many working poor and homeless people. I was able to use a simple nature call to illustrate this point to our group. While we were downtown, one of our kids needed to go to the restroom. So, using the buddy system, I let the young person go to try to find a place to use the bathroom. Well after about 15 minutes, they came back frustrated because no business would allow them in to use the restroom. They went to 8 separate places and were turned away at each one-often by paid security guards.

I was frustrated for him, but it did not pass without a teaching moment. I asked our group during reflection time where they thought many of the homeless people we had just served go to use the bathroom. Where do they go when the body that God created works as it is supposed to and they need to go to the bathroom? This may not seem like a big deal, and I would argue that it may seem that way because you have a place that you can go to “relieve” yourself with out jeers, eye-rolling of passers-by, or legal trouble from Memphis’ finest.

This isn’t a problem only in Memphis. This happens in many urban environments. I wonder if this could be part of a modern day parable of sheep and goats from Matthew 25…when i needed a place to go pee without harassment, you let me use your bathroom…or not. This may sound silly to many, but this speaks directly to the compassionate hospitality that is mandated in the scripture of the Old and New Testaments.

Yesterday, the Radicalis conference kicked off at Saddleback Church.  Rick Warren and Perry Noble kicked it off with compelling messages about radical devotion to Christ.  Warren offered this prayer as one to be repeated on a regular basis:

Today I am stepping across the line.  I’m tired of waffling, and I’m finished with wavering.  I’ve made my choice; the verdict is in; and my decision is irrevocable.  I’m going God’s way.  There is no turning back.  I will live the rest of my life serving God’s purposes with God’s people on God’s planet for God’s glory.  I will use my life to celebrate his presence, cultivate his character, participate in his family, demonstrate his love and communicate his Word.

Since my past has been forgiven, and I have a purpose for living and a home awaiting in heaven, I refuse to waste any more energy on shallow living, petty thinking, trivial talking, thoughtless doing, useless regretting, hurtful resenting, or faithless worrying.  Instead I will magnify God, grow to maturity, serve in ministry, and fulfill my mission in the membership of his family.

Because this life is preparation for the next, i will value worship over wealth, “we” over “me”, character over comfort, service over status and people over possessions, position and pleasure.  I know what matters most, and I will give it all I’ve got.  I will do the best I can with what I have for Jesus Christ today.  I won’t be captivated by culture, manipulated by critics, motivated by praise, frustrated by problems, debilitated by temptation, or intimidated by the devil.  I’ll keep running my race with my eyes on the goal, not the sidelines or those running beside me.  When times get tough and I get tired, I won’t back up, back off, back down, back out, or backslide.  I’ll just keep moving forward by God’s grace.  I’m spirit-led, purpose-driven, adn mission-focused, so I can’t be bought, I will not be compromised, adn I shall not quit until I finish the race.

I’m a trophy of God’s amazing grace so I will be gracious to everyone, grateful for every day and generous with everything that God entrusts to me.  I am a radical in the original sense of the word:  rooted in Christ, rooted in love, and rooted in his Word.

I hereby declare my supreme allegiance to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I say however, whenever, wherever, and whatever you ask me to do my answer is yes!  I’m ready.  Anytime.  Anyway.  Whatever it takes Lord; whatever it takes!  I want to be used by you in such a way that on the final day I’ll hear you say, “Well done, good and faithful one.  Come on in and let the eternal party begin!”

So be it!

So I am 34, and I am just starting to really learn to sit still. (Insert my parents’ applause here). The pace of life in our culture is lightning fast, don’t you think? I have been meditating and reading L.B. Cowman’s Streams in the Desert. For today, she was talking about how fast paced life was (mind you she wrote this in like the 1920′s). I wonder what she would think about the pace of life now!! Anyway, we are so busy at being busy that we forget to make room in our lives for the things that matter. Namely God, our family, and even oursleves. I drank the Kool-Aid. I’m busy by nature-a workaholic even. But I am learning about disciplines, especially spiritual disciplines. I used to think that disciplines were about checking a box. Read bible. Check! Pray. Check! But John Ortberg once said that the disciplines are about creating space, making room. So for me, learning to sit still is a discipline I am learning so that I am able to make space in my life for God. I am beginning to use the same for my family and even myself. Creating space in our lives allows us to connect with God, others, and ourselves.