In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day – Reflections on the first 100 pages

In chapter 2 Mark writes, “When it comes to God there are no degrees of difficulty.”  This truth resonates deep within me.  It begged the question, “How often do I excuse the likelihood that God will intervene, solve the problem, heal the sick person, because it’s just a really big problem.”  

In December, Mom discovered that she had some spots on her lungs and her liver.  Today we know it to be a recurrence of her uterine cancer, which was thought to have been contained and removed three years ago.  So many times before as I have prayed for people who have been infected with such a serious disease my prayers were soft.  They would begin with qualifiers like “God if it is your will” or “God I know you can, but if you don’t.”  In some way I was trying to give God a way out just in case what I asked for was not given.  

With this perception that there are no degrees of difficulty with God then I realize that I’m not making a list for Santa Clause with a smattering of really big gifts and a few small ones just so I got something from him.  If God is God, then I just need to wear Him out with my requests until He gives me what I desire, or until He reveals to me what my heart should really be asking for.

In chapter 3 Mark shares a story of Sarah when faced with fear was able to face her fears because of one reason, “I was called.”  Recently I’ve had conversations about calling.  I’ve asked questions about how old one has to be to know they have been called to do something.  Should we limit short-term mission participation to only those who feel like they have been called to go? 

While these questions aren’t necessarily addressed in this chapter I felt like Sarah’s one reason to go is really the only reason we should ever have for going to do anything.  Many times we answer a general call like “Go and make disciples of all nations,” or “pray without ceasing,” but some times there is a specific call of God on our lives meant solely for us like Moses being called to go back to Egypt, or me being called to preach and lead the church.  I believe we need to spend a lot more time quietly discerning our paths into ministry.

The last thing I want to mention is in Chapter 5.  Mark summarizes the parable of the talents by saying, “The reward for good work was MORE work.”  I often sense in churches that there is a tendency to want to sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labor.  Pastors will lead a church to grow even beyond their own expectations and then prepare for retirement and try to ride the momentum as far as it will carry them thinking the reward for their hard work was rest, relaxation, full time vacation.  In reality, we who lead should expect the workload and responsibility to increase.  While that actually excites me I think that it might exhaust others I work with, and even one I live with.