The Charcoal-Fire Tenderness of Jesus
What do you do when things don’t work out like you thought they would? Not little things. Big things. Things you had given your heart, your best energy, your trust, your reputation, your dreams, your sacrifices. Big things.
Despair. Disappointment. Depression. Disillusionment.
We are bewildered. Disoriented. Spiraling. Everything has changed. Like my own heart got ripped out. Even I failed me. What to do now?
I guess we go back to what we knew before.
Ok. I tried that. It was beyond empty. Completely fruitless.
“Friends, did that work?” echoes a voice from a distance.
No.
“Well, try this instead,” we hear. It almost sounds too good to be true. But we have a sense about the Source.
OH! That was like 153 times better!! How did you…Oh my God!
“Come and share breakfast with me.” He says.
Wait. The last time I was around a charcoal fire, I was denouncing my vows, my association, cutting myself off from Him.
How does He know to use an intimate circle of friends around a crackling, charcoal fire to reinstate me, to reaffirm me, to repair me, to reappoint me?!
“Come back to the things you did at first, your first love.”
“Will you?”
“Will you?”
“Will you?”
One for each time I’d said I didn’t. One for every time I act like I don’t. His tenderness calls me back. Back to intimacy, back to trust, back to belonging.
“Now get back out there and do the stuff I made you for!”- Jesus
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I hope this is a welcome re-telling from John 21:1-17, Revelation 2:4-5, and Ephesians 2:10. I was inspired to write it after listening to a podcast from Life Center. The speaker said, “Jesus was on a mission to get His disciples back on track.”
That’s my hope today for you. For me. For us!
ps. “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (Philippians 1:6) ¡Amino!
-Dave Helmuth
Author of the Five Faders and Founder of Ad Lib Music
The Charcoal-Fire Tenderness of Jesus (Nº 169)
Why do some leaders succeed at building lasting worship ministries while others fail? In the Five Faders, Dave Helmuth explores the process of development and breaks down the lies, myths, and traps keeping you from being the fruitful leader God desires. Using decades of evidence-based insights, Dave reveals how understanding what motivates you is the first step in becoming a Five Faders Leader.
With our framework for becoming the best Artist, Shepherd, Priest, Educator, and Producer, you'll learn to slide each Fader up or down as Love requires you in each moment of leadership. Through relatable stories, insight gained from years of coaching worship teams in every kind of setting, and step-by-step advice, readers learn how to become the healthy expression of their Fader, build a culture of honor on your team to bring out the best in everyone, and be the most effective leader in the ever-changing landscape of ministry. Whether you’re looking to relieve frustration, increase confidence, or outlast change, this book offers the tools to become a Five Faders Leader.
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