January 15, 2026

Dear Central Church,

One of my favorite authors is Eugene Peterson. You may know him best for The Message, his paraphrase of the Bible. Peterson pastored for more than thirty years, and in the later part of his life devoted himself almost exclusively to writing. Perhaps the best way to describe him is a mystic.

Mystics teach us to be “heavenly minded,” directing our affections and attention toward God in a world that is constantly vying for them. And yet, if I’m honest, there is a part of me that is frustrated with mystical reflection. I sometimes wonder if such people are so “heavenly minded they’re no earthly good.”

I remember preparing to come to Central when a mentor gave me Peterson’s book on the Psalms, Where Your Treasure Is. I assumed he was equipping me to answer all the pressing questions of ministry that awaited me in a new assignment. I was looking for a “how-to” guide—practical wisdom for leading in a new context.

But Peterson the mystic gave me very few answers. Instead, his response to nearly every question was frustrating in its simplicity: pray.

Seriously? That’s it? Pray?

I wanted quick answers and actionable solutions. But the mystic’s invitation to slow down and listen was exactly what I needed then—and what I still need now. Maybe you do too:

“Prayer means that we deal first with God and then with the world, not as a problem to be solved but as a reality in which God is acting.”
—Eugene Peterson

Increasingly, the world feels like it’s on fire. Almost every day someone reminds me, “These are not normal times.” And yet, more than a plan or a reaction to the latest head-spinning headline, the people of God must begin with the mystic’s call. The world—with all its problems, plagues, and pariahs—is “a reality in which God is acting.” God is present in the chaos, and prayer makes Him known to us and to those around us.

The Lord continues to teach me that prayer is less about resolving my problems and more about deepening my relationship with Him. As our heavenly-minded friend once said, “Prayers are tools not for doing or getting, but for being and becoming.” (Answering God: Tools from the Psalms for Prayer)

Now that kind of wisdom will do you some earthly good.
 

Until He's Finished,
Pastor Mark