All right,
so nobody told me that signing your kid up for junior high track meant that
you’d be standing around all day waiting for him to run a race that took all of
15 seconds. In the cold wind, with sand and dirt blowing from every which
direction in your face and eyes. With a concession stand lunch consisting of a
lukewarm hotdog.
The
sacrifices we parents make for our children. Guess I’m exaggerating a little.
It wasn’t really all day. Just that we arrived in Rochester for the 9 a.m.
meet, and it wasn’t until about 11 that Tyler participated in his first event,
the long jump. Then we must have waited another two hours before he ran in the
100. Then I think it was another two hours before his relay team was on the
track. So, yeah, pretty much all day.
Not a
waste, mind you. We were able to see quite a few PORTA junior high athletes
perform, and they all gave a great effort in representing the school. So, good
job, guys, in your first meet of the season!
We are
blessed to have a good school with teachers and coaches and administrators and
staff, not to mention some outstanding volunteers, who lead our kids well and
strive to prepare them for success in life, whether in the classroom, on the athletic
field, through music and the arts and a host of other organizations in which
they have opportunity to learn and to lead. Thank you for investing in our
children’s lives!
Who really
enjoys waiting, though? It’s not one of our strong points. We live in a culture
where we want and expect things now, not later. You pull up to the
drive-through at your favorite local fast food establishment and you don’t want
to be there for 20 minutes when you only have a 30 minute lunch break. You
arrive early at the doctor’s office for your appointment in hopes that you
won’t have to wait too long, but you know bringing a good book with you anyway
is a good idea. And who waits to read the morning newspaper when you can get
all the stories right on your mobile device now?
The people
of Israel were not good at waiting either. God had called their fearless leader
Moses to the top of Mt. Sinai where He would give Him the Ten Commandments on
tablets of stone. As Moses went up the mountain, the glory of God came down in
a cloud and His presence like a devouring fire lit up the atmosphere. I long
for the day when God reveals His glory so visibly in our midst. Or perhaps I
fear such a day.
Well, the
people grew restless as Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights on the mountain. They
got tired of waiting. Apparently they forgot to bring their Kindle Fire along
or couldn’t get a strong enough wifi signal to download another book to read.
Either way, they wrote Moses off and demanded of Aaron that he make gods for
them, apparently soon forgetting commandments number one and two (see Exodus
20:1-6).
And Aaron,
Moses’ brother who was left in charge, rather than standing boldly for the Lord
in truth and righteousness, caved in to the demands of the crowds, fashioned a
golden calf and declared, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up
out of the land of Egypt!” (Exodus 32:4).
It is a sad
day when leaders of the people give in to the tide of current popular opinion
instead of gaining strength by waiting upon the Lord. It is a sad day when
leaders let the ungodly set the course and go right along with them. It is a
sad day when leaders seek to please men rather than seeking to please God.
Rather than
waiting to hear from Moses the Word of the Lord, the people began
self-destructing by doing whatever they saw as right in their own eyes. Let us
be a people who wait upon the Lord, who delight in and yield to the authority
of God’s Word, and stand boldly upon His truth and righteousness in a world of
wickedness and destruction.
I hope you
had a great Easter celebration this past Sunday. We were blessed by a wonderful
worship service in which our choir sang the praises of the One who died and
rose again. What a blessing, as well, to see all the children lining the
platform for the children’s message!
To all our
guests who attended, as well as to our faithful fellowship, thank you for being
a part of this special day. It was truly a joy to worship with you. And as I
said, if you are looking for a church home but just haven’t quite found the
place, we’d love to talk to you more about the mission and ministries of the
First Baptist Church.
All I can
say is, something good is going on. Maybe better said, Someone good is going
on. That Someone is Jesus. And as long as He’s the main attraction of the main
event, then church is good.
We’re not
here to dazzle anyone with our music, although we do strive to give our best to
the Lord through our songs of praise. We’re not here to impress anyone with fancy
stained glass windows or magnificent architecture, although we’ll try to keep
our windows clean and our building in good working order. We’re not here to
tickle anyone’s ears with a feel-good, self-help, seven-steps-to-a-better-you
kind of message, although we do hope you’ll feel better when you hear and
believe the gospel message.
Our desire
is to encounter the glory of God in worship. We want to hear from heaven. We
want to experience the presence of the Almighty in our midst. And I believe God
wants to show up and show out among us more than we know.
I think too
many times we’re content to settle for less than God wants for us. We’re
comfortable with going through the motions of worship without actually
worshipping. We’re satisfied with coming to church instead of actually being the
church. We’re good with making room for God without giving Him full control. We’re
okay with hearing the Word of God as long as it doesn’t interfere with the
routines of our lives.
Friend, God
wants to interfere with your life! He wants to disrupt your convenient schedule
and change your self-focused plans and dreams. He wants to transform your worldly
way of thinking. He wants to reshape your selfish attitudes and half-hearted motivations.
He wants to conform your stubborn will to His.
The
psalmist knew something about this desire to truly encounter the Lord and to
seek Him above everything else. He didn’t settle for lesser things. He wanted
the real thing and would not be satisfied with anything else.
We have two
growing boys, both of whom often come home from school having worked up a mean
appetite. They’re not satisfied with a single pretzel or a baby carrot or a
slice of an orange. They’re hungry for food, and lots of it!
In Psalm 27
David’s worked up a mean appetite for God. His one-thing desire is to dwell in
the house of the Lord, meaning to live continually in the light of His presence
and glory. He’s not satisfied with a small taste of the Almighty or just okay
with keeping traditions. He wants to encounter and enjoy and be blown away by
the glory of God.
The reason David’s craving is so
intense is because it’s fueled by knowing that the Lord is his light and his
salvation. The Lord is his safety against the advances of the enemy. The Lord
is his stronghold and shelter. There’s nowhere else to go.
It is time
for us to look heavenward, to fix our eyes on Jesus, to settle for nothing less
and nothing else than to know Him more, to encounter His presence, to glorify
God and enjoy Him forever. Let’s come to church ready to be blown away by the power
and majesty and glory of God! Come, Lord Jesus, steal our show for Your glory!
