A few weeks ago I started what has become my normal flight pattern traveling for ministry out of Ft. Lauderdale. Which is: creatively pack for cold weather, sleep little, get up super-early and head out equally early for the airport while everyone sleeps. Then run through the sometimes-humiliating check-in -security process for my connection to anywhere through Atlanta!
Well, the FAA and other flight system computers - were NOT cooperating that day. Suffice it to say that I made it back home by 11 a.m. after a close to 8-hour day. BUT - I had my luggage praise God! Well, the next day I started the whole process all over again but I learned some things along the way. Re-do's aren't always bad! This Christmas season, as always – is positioned right in front of the start of a new year. Besides being a time of celebration and sharing – it is also a time of great self-examination. Very few of us like what we saw the year before and desperately long to see greater fruitfulness in the year ahead.
That being said – this season don’t allow your introspection to thwart the power of God’s “re-do’s in your life! My last ministry trip’s escapades became a prophetic reminder of such things. No one likes wasted moments or cancellations to plans and purposes but perhaps knowing that His grace is always available for greater clarity may help. Here’s what happened to me:
For one thing - I repacked! I realized that after lugging my entire luggage around for an entire morning, that I simply had too much “stuff” that was not necessary for the journey. Our natures are adverse to risk – so much of our strength is wasted carrying around things in our life that simply do not aid us in Kingdom life. Only occasional “stops” in our busyness help us to re-gauge just what in the world we are carrying around all the time. Take some time to eliminate the little things you carry around for comfort from your “old life” that are totally useless in the Kingdom way of living! Nagging bad habits or attitudes will cripple you and simply make you exhausted!
Next, I discovered that my “stop” positioned me to enjoy some rather extraordinary conversations that were uplifting along the way. It simply sharpened me. In other words – it wasn’t the end-of-the-world! On the contrary – it was a blessing I would have missed. I was purposefully decisive in not letting my frustration get in the way of “noticing.” My “stop” was so random and relatively obscure that I practiced opening my eyes to see what God had in store for me.
As a result I spoke at length with a young NYFD Captain in military service who had just completed a survival exercise! I thought just being in the Fire department of New York City was enough! But not for this guy – he was on a mission. He taught me how to catch and skin seagulls if I was ever dropped out of plane and left to die in open waters! Yuk! Interesting – but I think I am pretty confident of meeting my Maker just the same! The truth is that life is often missed when we are on program. Sometimes it takes a pause or a mishap to slow down AND NOTICE. I learned much about commitment and passion from this young soldier and was rewarded with a life lesson (more than the seagull exercise!) for my trouble.
This Christmas season and New Year – unload the baggage and pack lighter so that you can enjoy the “stops” along the way. More importantly – enjoy the journey God has you on to greater fruitfulness for he desires your best more than you do!
Hey, Pastor Jimmy long time no hear. I was wondering how Solera was doing so I thought I would look on the web for you guys. I'm proud to see my home church still functioning and well. We are doing great a little cold up here in Wisconsin,none to bad for the wear. As for your sermon as usual great! Your right we need to unload and pack lighter and enjoy lifes stops along the way for our God has our future in hand.God has my back and he wants me to grow in greater fruitfulness. We love you and miss you all, The Talaveras
Posted by: Sara Talavera | 01/18/2010 at 06:06 PM