Like Zeke – I Speak

It seems like I learn more and more what being a pastor is all about – lonely yet surrounded by people, rewarding yet frustrating, busy yet slow moving with change, promising yet heart-breaking. I like most of it but there are parts that I don't like.

I like people – but sometimes – people hurt me.

I like seeing God work through and in people; changed lives are incredible – but it frustrates me when most of my time is spent trying to help someone fix a problem that stems from not following advice that was given in the first place.

I like teaching about what God teaches me – I find, though, that when I teach and people don't like what they hear – then I am "wrong" or a "bad teacher".

I like encouraging people to live a life worthy of the call – I don't like having to be "the watchman" and the "warning bell" because then you say the "hard things" and people have to decide where they stand.

Ezekiel was warned by God – "I have called you to be my watchman for Israel. You will speak my words and they will not respond. Tell them that this is the Word of God and that you are speaking it whether they listen or not." Zeke was told that if he obeyed and they responded – everyone wins but if he obeyed and they did not respond then he was free from the guilt of their punishment. He was also told that if he DID NOT speak and they stayed in sin or fell into sin then their sin was on his shoulders! Yikes!

So - Like Zeke – I speak.

Teach and share the truth. Please God – not men. Say the hard things – live the hard choices – endure the harsh criticism – pray for strength – cherish the good moments.

Who wants a New Car?

Have you ever prayed for something or even commented about praying for something and yet really was not too hopeful about it happening? My car situation has not been that great since going into ministry. Now don't get me wrong – we always have a means of getting around and we always get things fixed in ways that constantly amaze me. Recently, when my teens asked me "Dad, when are we getting a different car?" while we were driving in a vehicle that was overheating and had no air conditioning, I did not really know what to say so I just said, "Kids, we don't have anything saved up for a different car and I really do not have hope to get one anytime soon so why don't you just start praying and let's see what God can do?"

Honestly, that was just to get them to not ask anymore. Really, these kinds of things do not happen to me. So what happened? About three weeks later, a couple from church said they wanted to get together with us for dinner. They were real insistent about it and we were slammed with volleyball games and football games and Wednesday night church and whatever else you do with teens. So, they kept trying to "help us" find a date that week – I finally said, "OK, come to Jenna's volleyball game and then afterward we can go eat for a late quick dinner." Again, me being a bit of a jerk and not listening more to the Spirit in my heart. We left the game and went toward the parking lot and the guy steers us toward this blue Ford Taurus station wagon and hands me the keys. I asked politely about his new vehicle and thought "why did he get another car?" I asked a few questions and kept getting evasive answers so I finally quit. I figured he was letting me drive his new car so I could tell him what a great car he had picked up. Again, me = jerk.

We get to the restaurant, park and start to get out of the car. I hand him back the keys and compliment the great buy he got. He says "wait, there's one more thing before we go in to eat. Here are the keys to your car." He hands me back the keys and then hands me two more sets of spares. Pause – review my amazing ability to be a major jerk – get choked up and realize what God just showed me. Thank this couple profusely as my wife and I tear up at this amazing event of how God used two people who really could not afford it to meet a need that we could not afford to meet.

And all because I challenged two of my teens to pray about how God would meet the need of transportation for me, even though the challenge was from a wrong motive. How good is my God?