After the Fire, Day 2: Refining the Mission

Well I woke up, and it wasn't a bad dream.
The Ministry Centre really was a pile of ashes and rubble.

The "high" of adrenaline, and worship, and being with the church all day yesterday, began to wear off.
On the inside I felt a bit numb today.
But the feelings started to rise up.

My external hard drive, gone.
My books, all of them, years of books, gone.
The study bible on my desk, the one I've used since seminary, gone.
The stained glass window my father-in-law gave me, gone.
The CD my friend gave me that I was going to upload on my laptop, gone.
All the little odds and ends collected or given to me after too many mission trips to mention, gone.

All things considered, it was actually a great day.
I talked with many folks who have pledged love and support.
Some I knew were going to call.
But a lot of folks surprised me, in a really good way.

Deep down I can already feel myself getting excited.
I just keep thinking about 1 Peter 1:6-7.
God is refining our faith, like gold in the fire.

And in our case I believe He is refining our mission.
God will use this fire to change us.

So it's not about just picking up where we left off.
And it's not about dwelling in the "why" questions.

It's about looking ahead and praying, "What now?"
You've changed our plans.
You've "tweaked" our direction.
Now show us the path you have for us.
And may we embrace the mission.

I don't know exactly where He's going to take us, or what it's going to look like.
But I believe it's bigger, better, and more beautiful than what we had planned.