Almost Leap Time

It's partially because I'm a slacker and partially due to a lack of worthy material, but I haven't blogged in a bit. Life's kinda flipped since I've been working down in the ER. My shift is 2 to 10:30 p.m., which I actually like. I'm definitely built to function well during this time of day. I even have time to hit the gym in the morning. But it does preclude most of my regular social interaction. It's hard to set aside time in the morning before work to call the family and friends, as well as run all the necessary errands during normal working hours. I will actually be working four 10's on an evening shift like this when I get through with my residency. We'll see how that goes.

All in all, things have been going well here. I've had some great times with friends on the weekends. Drove up to Snoqualmie on a beautiful sunny day where I got to watch the snow melting off the majestic peaks. (Do I sound like a Deep Thought by Jack Handy yet?) Then I came back and threw the frisbee near a local beach here in Tacoma. How many places in the world have that to offer? See snow-covered mountains within an hour's drive and then drive over to a beautiful waterfront in the same area? It just reiterated my number 1 reason for loving Tacoma.

On a more serious note, I'm still reading through Matthew and following the story of Jesus, and I can't help but be impacted by the reality that He was here for the broken. Every time. And it required that the individual realize their brokenness before He could change them. Because the Truth is that we're all broken. The Pharisees didn't know that, though. His hometown didn't know that they were either. As a result, He didn't minister too long or very much in these crowds. But the broken...Wow. The people who recognized Who He was would bring the dirty, the sick, the possessed in droves. And He would effortlessly change lives. It makes me think about a few things:

1. Is His ability to change me dependent on my realization of my brokenness without Him? If so, a greater recognition of who I was before Him or who I would be without Him AND (don't forget this part; it's just as important) Who He is/what He can do would revolutionize my heart. It would completely reconstruct my outlook.
2. What is my hope for the brokenness I see around me? Do I believe He can change them? Do I pray for them in the hopes that He will?
3. How do I respond to brokenness around me? Do I look for opportunities to take Jesus there? or do I try to just minister to people or in places that are clean, easy, and comfortable?
   

Jesus didn't place comfort anywhere in His list of priorities. I don't have anything remotely similar to His omniscience, but I don't think seeing the end result was required before initiating the process. I don't know if I'm explaining this well, but I know my biggest obstacles are the limits of my own faith. I don't have to have things figured out to be obedient. God doesn't ask that of me. That's my own safety mechanism that directly inhibits me from living up to my fullest potential in Him. Regardless of what statistics show, of precedents set, of my past behavior, God is still God. And He's limited by nothing, even in a life and a heart like mine.