Church Street

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Church Street, Princeton
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It would be just like him

The God of the Bible looks like Jesus, the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being. It would be just like him to go to the cross.

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Practicing Our Scales

Imagine if our walk with Christ, representing his kingdom in the world, were as practiced and pure as Hania Rani’s fingers on the piano keys.

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Rescue

I practice the spiritual discipline of rescuing earthworms on paved surfaces. It's a reminder to me that I can pause what I'm doing, get a little dirty, and help. Also, that I've been given the responsibility to care.

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Your Roots Are Showing

The life that I bring to the world can only be found in my attachment to Christ. His presence with me is essential.

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Connection

I live in a U.S. county with traffic problems. It's a peninsula, and what's not swamp land has been developed. Building new roads is difficult and expensive. Making things worse, roads that could connect don't.

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Living Rick Shafer Living Rick Shafer

Move to a place of safety. Now!

Our refuge is a Person.

Since Isaias came through, our Leland, NC neighbors have been dealing with tornado cleanup. Next to storm surge, the threat of tornadoes can be the scariest part of a hurricane. Our TVs and phones alert us repeatedly to find a place of safety. Now!

Where are your places of safety? When we were young children ― and if we were fortunate to have a healthy family ― our place of safety was a person. If we were frightened, we ran to Mom or Dad. But in our adult sophistication, we run to safe rooms and safe deposit boxes.

2020 has been a tornado. It would be good for us to remember that God is our refuge. In Christ, we are his kids and he is our perfect Father. Maybe this year we will rediscover that our real ‘place of safety’ is a Person, and not a place at all.

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Forming Rick Shafer Forming Rick Shafer

Connected

Separated from Jesus, we wither.

This week Hurricane Isaias made a quick visit. Once again we pile limbs at the street. It's a reminder of the importance of connection. These branches still look fresh and green but we know it won't last. Jesus told us that our fruitfulness depends on our connection to him (John 15:4-5).

Life flows from the Father, through Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit. If our life is fruitful (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control), it's because of our connection to Christ. Our lives are grafted into his (Rom. 11:17) and we are wholly dependent on that bond.

Jesus said "Remain in me and I will remain in you."

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Living Rick Shafer Living Rick Shafer

Morning Liturgy

Some lessons from a morning walk.

When I walk or run in the morning, I’m on the lookout for earthworms wriggling on paved surfaces. I catch them and move them to a grassy area. With this morning liturgy, I remind myself that:

  1. God commissioned me to be a steward of his creation. Not a worshiper of it, but a good steward.

  2. I cannot solve every problem—save every worm—but I can do what’s in front of me.

  3. As a human, I enjoy privileges that a worm does not. I can use my privilege for a another creature’s—or another person’s—benefit.

This is something I can do when I walk or run, but not when I ride a bike or drive a car. When I move fast, I miss opportunities.

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