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Reading on the web I just discovered that the seventh largest church in the United States is for sale and not functioning. I was shocked and very surprised. I thought the ministers were good servants of God. (I also learned that they just recently got a divorce.) There messages seemed to speak to my heart and rang true. Now I sit here wondering what is happening? As I ponder all of this I realize again that the messenger is not God. All messengers are human and indeed are not perfect. Finding myself a messenger I do not like that I am not perfect. But I think God loves it that way.
Only God is God. Only God never fails. Only God speaks to our deepest needs. It is too easy to become confused and think the messenger helped us change or the program did it. However, it is really God who is working and ‘using’ the messenger or the program. God is behind it all. Daily I am reminded of this truth. Standing at the back of the church shaking hands as people leave, there are time when someone will say that message really hit the spot. Pride can and does at times start to enter my being. I can really preach. But at such times I am reminded it is God who made it hit the spot not me.
My days are filled with much that is emotional. I see people who are at different stages of the emotional ladder. Some are happy and some are very sad. I have actually had days when I have rejoiced with a family over the birth of a healthy happy baby and then seen a family that has experienced the blow of death. Those are extreme but I have had great news and then some not so great delivered in the same hours. Life is filled with many moods and happenings.
So, I ask myself what am I suppose to do? How do I react to all that is flying around me? In my best moments I know that I have to focus on God. God is the solid rock upon which I want to build my life and I do know that He is dependable and can be counted on to calm my nervousness about life’s ups and downs. Today is a good day to look to God and trust Him for all of life.
Today Phyllis, my spouse, was reading to me from the devotional My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. Chambers has a way with words that makes me think. Today he spoke clearly about what God wants out of all His followers. Chambers was saying that some wonder what they can do for God. They want to do something and yet God calls all of us to obey Him. God wants obedience more than good deeds.
This thought has been rolling around in my head. As I said Chambers makes me think. Obeying God requires me to put His ways above my ways. Obedience to God is a life long journey of commitment. For me this has often meant turning away from my selfish ways and thoughts and turning to God and asking for help to live life His way.
Doing what I want for God is much easier than obeying Him. Today I am in prayer that I will be obedient to God.
While walking my dog I spy a dog on the loose. His owner is nearby. The dog rushes at my dog and me. I am not sure if this dog is friendly or not. Being a dog owner myself you would think that I have no fear of dogs. But dogs especially ones I don’t know do indeed frighten me. I could give a list of other animals that I really don’t care to see up personal and close. But it is not just animals that cause me to be alarmed. I fear failure and rejection and many other of life’s happenings. Some of my fears have caused me stress that was really not needed. There have even been those times that my mind has caused me to lose some sleep.
I have read enough of the Bible to know that God does not want us to live by fear. In fact the phrase, “fear not” is used in several different places in the Bible. So, today I am making my confession that I have had many failures in fearing and am asking God to help me live a fearless life. That is my prayer for myself and I ask you to join with me in making O’Fallon First a Church of fearless followers of Jesus.