Stuck in Dallas Traffic

Last Friday afternoon I found myself stuck in downtown Dallas traffic at rush hour trying to make my way through the bumpers and brake lights and exhaust fumes to get a car load of kids to the Youth Evangelism Conference.  It hit me as I sat there trying to figure out how to get there after missing a turn I needed to take - 23 years ago, in 1988, I was doing the same thing.

I was a single staff pastor in a little church stuck in downtown Dallas traffic at rush hour with a van load of kids trying to get them to the Youth Evangelism Conference. I was full of anxiety and anticipation on my first trip out of town with the youth group.  I missed my turn back then too. I could not imagine then that 23 years later in a much larger church, with a much larger staff, with a much larger youth group, I would still be doing the same thing.

Somehow it hit me - this is progress, to still be doing the same thing.  That first van load of kids I took to Dallas are all grown now, I did three weddings from that group in that van that day.  They have children of their own.  Last Friday I was taking my own child to YEC to see her commissioned for a mission trip overseas. Gone is the Reunion Arena that we went to 23 years ago.  It is now a parking lot for the Dallas Convention Center that we went to this year.  So many things have changed, yet so many things are still the same.  God worked in those kids then and God worked on the kids last week too. 

Who knows, maybe 23 years from now, God willing, I maybe stuck in Dallas traffic again trying to get to Youth Evangelism Conference to see my grand kids.  If I am, I will see doing the same thing over again as progress.

For the journey...

Generations to Come

I am struck with repeating phrases as I read through the section of the Bible on the Kings of Israel and Judah.  One phrase is he, "did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done."  The other phrase on the negative side is he, "did evil in the eyes of the Lord, walking in the ways of Jeroboam and his sin which he had caused Israel to commit."

David was far from a perfect father, that may have been one of his weakest areas, but God still used his influence for generations after he was gone.  Jeroboam set a course as a king for the nation of Israel for generations to come; a course of idolatry that they would never recover from and which would eventually be their downfall.  Neither David nor Jeroboam was able to realize in his day how he would influence future generations but they each did.

The same is true of us in our day, we are influencing generations to come in ways we do not now realize.  God can use the positive even in a flawed life.  But in a life that turns from Him, even just a little in the present, the future is drastically altered.  Like an airplane pilot or a boat captain setting a faulty course at the beginning of a journey, the mistakes of the present become actions that set us miles off course in the future.  Our choices are powerful and important, for generations to come.

Sunday we will look again at how Joshua stood in his day to set the course for another generation, "choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."  Today, with God's help, we can influence a generation yet to come.

For the journey...

The Hearts of Children

As I continue to approach being an empty nester, I heard a statement that continues to resonate with me.  When it comes to raising children, "the days are long, but the years are short."  I look back and wonder where did all those years of raising children go? They are gone and it seems so fast.  But I have very clear memories of changing diapers and driving kids to school and it seemed like it would never end on some days.  Those were some long days.

'The days are long and the years are short' are not just true in a family, they are true in a church as well.  We come to Vacation Bible School week; these will be some long days.  But how long do we have to influence a generation?  How many times will we be granted the opportunity to explain the gospel to this child or that child.  The years can be short.

Let's determine this week to make the most of "today" with the children we have been granted.  Let's put aside our inconveniences, our differences, even our fatigue for the sake of the heart of the child who now stands before us.  He or she may not stand there next year, in fact, today may be all we have.  Let's make the most of it for the sake of the good news of Jesus and for the sake of a generation yet to come.

For the journey...

Prayer Muscles

Prayer is in the news today.  A judge has blocked even the mention of prayer and the word "prayer" and "amen" from the Medina Valley High School graduation exercises.  Judges may be able to block public prayers at public school functions but no one can keep a person from really turning to God.  Though I do not agree with that judge, a judge has never been a hindrance to my prayer, busyness, distractions, spiritual coldness - those things have been my biggest problems.  I think for most Christians a lack of prayer does not come from being told not to pray but from choosing not to pray.

I came across this statement from Richard Foster that helps me.  "We must never wait until we feel like praying before we pray for others.  Prayer is like any other work; we may not feel like working, but once we have been at it a bit, we begin to feel like working...our prayer muscles need to be limbered up a bit and once the blood-flow of intercession begins, we will find that we feel like praying."

Individual Christians and churches may need times of their "prayer muscles" being limbered up.  This Sunday will be a day like that.  I hope you will come stretched and ready for a good workout.

For the journey...