Missionary Weapons (1)

"God's training ground, where the missionary weapons are found, is the hidden, personal, worshiping life of the saint" -- Oswald.

I am discovering that Oswald has several themes to which he returns time and again. The relationship between the private and public life of the saint is one of these themes. Oswald emphasizes that the private life must be solid for the public life to be of any value. And each time he returns to the subject, I am reminded of how easily I get it reversed -- focusing on my public life at the expense of my private relationship with God. The thing is, public service will flow naturally from personal worship, but it doesn't work in reverse. Not for me anyway. Public service, when it becomes the focus of my effort and attention, drains rather than revives me.

I am currently the elder in charge of worship at my church. I have helped to orchestrate several services where, while people told me they were blessed, I walked away discouraged and exhausted, blue even -- a sure sign, I think, that I was focusing on public service without the training ground of a hidden, personal worship of my God.

First things first, Barb. First things first.