GREENSide Update
  • reflecting a bit
    • Easter 2019: Four ‘D’ Words of The Passion Week
    • Spring 2019: ‘Kingdom of God’ Reflections a Week After
    • Early Winter 2018: Taking a Closer Look at The Advents
    • Late summer 2018: Impressions from the Incapacitated
    • Summer 2018... Confronting Fears
    • Happy New Year 2018 Wishes
    • Christmas 2017 - Reconstructing the Christmas Story
    • Fall 2017... Returning, Rest, Quietness & Trust
    • Summer 2017... Reflecting Pools Matter
    • Spring 2017... The Singularity of God's Kingdom Purposes
    • Winter 4th qtr. 2016... One Foot, Two Feet, Three
    • Fall 2016... Personal Confessions of Mistaken Political Thinking
    • Summer, 2016... Waiting and Listening
    • Resurrection Sunday, 2016
    • Winter 1st qtr, 2016... The Marrakesh Declaration
    • Christmas 2015 Greeting
    • End of Year, 2015... Are We To Care?
    • Spring 2015... What are you and I doing about it?
    • New Year's Day 2015... New Mercies Never End!
    • Christmas/New Year 2014/15... Holiday, Holiday, What have you done?
    • Fall 2014... On Kingdoms... Past, Present and Ethereal
    • Spring 2014... Didascalicon: Man, God and Greatness
    • Christmas 2013... Even in the Air and Space
    • Winter 2013/14... Callings
    • Christmas 2012... 'Jumping Beans' in old age
    • Spring 2012... New Beginnings
    • Fall 2011... People of Promise
  • a look behind
    • Spring 2019: ...Off the Starting Blocks
    • Early Winter 2018: Sabbatical Results and First Furlough Leg
    • Summer 2018... "Come and See"
    • Summer 2017... Making Full Circle
    • Spring 2017... Completing Pre-furlough Commitments
    • Fall 2016, JJ's New California Home!
    • Summer 2016... Accomplishing Significant Milestones
    • End of year, 2015: Building God's Kingdom Among the Middle East Unengaged Muslims
    • Summer 2015... Building Deeply in Small Ways
    • Christmas 2013 photos
    • Winter 2013/14... Up and Running!
    • Winter 2012... 'Global Impact 29', first steps
    • Fall 2011... A great school; A promising alliance
  • a look ahead
    • Spring 2019: Finishing Touches to a Special Furlough
    • Early Winter 2018: Expanding to New Beginnings
    • Summer 2018... Winding Around the Country
    • Summer 2017... Three Decades and Counting
    • Spring 2017... My Upcoming Two Greatest Decades
    • Winter 4th qtr. 2016... Our Upcoming Furlough, Part Two
    • Summer 2016... Our Upcoming Furlough, Part One
    • Early Winter 2016
    • Summer 2015... Looking to Remember the Middle East
    • Winter 2013/14... The West heads East
    • Winter 2012... Coming out, going deeper
    • Fall 2011... Getting and Giving 'Perspectives'
  • prayer
    • Spring 2019
    • Early Winter 2018
    • Late summer 2018
    • Summer 2018
    • Fall 2017
    • Spring, 2017
    • Winter 4th qtr. 2016
    • Fall, 2016
    • End of year, 2015
    • Summer 2015
    • Why pray?
    • Winter 2013/14
    • Winter 2012
    • Fall 2011
  • finances
    • Spring 2019
    • Early Winter 2018
    • Summer 2018
    • Winter 4th qtr. 2016... Year-end giving
    • Fall, 2016
    • End of year, 2015
    • Summer 2015
    • Winter 2013/14
    • Winter 2012
    • Fall 2011
  • get involved
  • fun
  • more contemplation
  • in case you missed it
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Fall, 2017
on... Returning, Rest, Quietness & Trust
For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel,
​“In returning and rest you shall be saved;
        in quietness and in trust shall be your strength...”
​Isaiah 30:15a, ESV
We are now full-steam into our sabbatical season. It will be good coffee as we connect with friends, family and more importantly, our Lord in contemplative reflection; intentionally choosing to do all with an eye to "returning and rest" in "quietness and trust" in keeping with the spirit of Isaiah 30:15, our Scriptural compass during this season. Yes, in our return to the States we have been instructed by our leaders to no less than 70% of our time given to rest (what a great Thanksgiving thanksgiving!), but our real mission will be to seek qualitative Rest as we look for refreshing times of Quietness with the hope of experiencing deep Trust in God and each other upon our Returning to our land of origin.

I wonder how serious we think of these four elements as we contemplate our "salvation" and "strength" in our day-to-day hustle-n-bustle. This passage of Scripture was given by the Prophet Isaiah in the form of a rebuke best seen in the closing statement of the verse "but you were unwilling." We choose to be willing! "Lord, grant us Rest, Quietness and Trust in our Return!" Isaiah writes this as a part of a larger narrative during a time of tremendous outward glory for the people of God whom had experienced prosperity even in their divided kingdoms rules. Spanning the reigns of some twenty-one kings from Uzziah to Jehoiachin in the southern Kingdom of Judah and Jehoash to Hoshea in the northern Kingdom of Israel the Prophet Isaiah ceaselessly called upon his people to repent (i.e. return) from their idolatrous ways of looking to foreign gods for help, their living self-reliantly in their daily pursuit of sustenance in their own strength and their pleading for help in all the wrong places (e.g. looking to the super imperial power of Egypt for staving off the impending Assyrian and Syro-Ephraimic conquests). Sound a bit like today?! Sure it does! But before we look at others, criticize our governments or make undo resolutions it will do us well to look at ourselves and contemplate a bit. To whom do I really put my trust? What do I think I need for quietness in my soul? Is it a bed, a vacation, more money? "If I could only work a bit harder" we ask, "acquire a bit more," "buy that one other thing I need." Taking a moment to reflect upon our imminent Thanksgiving holiday, what is it I am really hoping for in this holiday? Do I think I will find some measure of 'salvation' or 'strength' in the dynamics of the holiday? "Oh that I would be close to my family and friends for in them will be my salvation and strength" we might muse. No!!! Never!!! It is God and Him alone that I find my salvation and strength. It must be God in whom I find my rest and quietness. Let us join in the chorus of the redeemed, "I will trust in God and Him alone!" Listen, this is not to dismiss the importance of family and friends, but they are to occupy their proper place. It is God and Him alone where we find our most wholesome and abundant life. We believe the Lord would have us remind ourselves of this often during our sabbatical; it is God to whom we must regard for our rest, our quietness and our trust. May it be so for us! And may it be so for you this holiday season!

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