Jonathots Daily Blog
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Fifteen friends and family joined us yesterday at the Summit Heights United Methodist Church in Louisville, Kentucky, to celebrate and fellowship over our final gig of the year.
What a year.
Twelve states, thousands of people and memories to last a lifetime.
The Summit Heights congregation was a beautiful human concoction of simplicity and joy, with a great sense of humor–guided by a bright, hopeful and forward-thinking young man named Todd.
So when I took the stage to begin the morning with our prelude, there was an eagerness and energy in the air. I thought to myself, This is what God wants. He wants His children showing up to His house ready for cookies and milk instead of thinking they’re going to have to stomach the medicine.
As I continued in the service, an abiding notion suddenly permeated my mind.
God is not going to do anything without us.
We can pray, we can study, we can hope, we can criticize the world, we can judge others–and God will ignore our feeble, religious efforts. For God is not going to do anything without us.
When Jesus wanted to feed the five thousand, he required the five loaves and two fishes from the disciples.
When it was time to preach the good news, he sent them out two by two.
When desiring to make wine, he requested water.
When people came for healing, he told them that their faith made them whole–and when their faith was absent, it says he was not able to heal many.
And certainly when God wanted to save humanity, He found a willing woman to bring the Savior into the world.
I don’t know why we’re so afraid to become involved in our own life, ministry, outreach and salvation–but it will take our spirit, our countenance and our heart to transform America from its angry position of self-absorption, back into one nation that truly is under God’s guidance.
What kind of spirit?
It’s a spirit of repentance. “I could be wrong and because that’s possible, I am prepared to change.”
What is the countenance?
It is a full-faced expression of joy, which shows that we’re aware of life’s pain, but we realize it can only be conquered through good cheer.
What is the heart?
It is a heart of compassion–letting everyone know that because we have weaknesses, we feel a tender kindness to those like ourselves, who find themselves weak.
It is my prayer that Summit Heights will take on the power of the Gospel, which is: “Christ in me, the hope of glory.”
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Jonathots Daily Blog 
Like these thoughts, Jon! Glad you had a good Sunday!
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