A SPIRITUAL DRIVING LESSON

 1 Timothy 4:15-16

Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

                After I turned 16 my parents signed me up for driver’s training. To say the least I was very nervous about the experience. My older brother had had a difficult time passing his driving test, so I was less than confident that I would do any better. There are a few things I remember about my driving instructor. He always kept a jar of hard candy in the car, which he sucked on constantly as I drove. When he taught me how to parallel park, he placed a small square of paper on the right rear window to remind me of how far I should pull forward before I started to back up and turn the car toward the curb. But the most important thing that my driving instructor taught me, which has stayed with me all these years, was the necessity to be aware of what was going on around you at all times. He used to say that my head should be on a swivel, constantly checking my mirrors. I needed to be aware of what was ahead of me, what was beside me, and what was behind me. To this day when I am driving, I am constantly checking my mirrors and scanning the sides of the road for any unexpected danger.

                I would like to use my driver’s training experience as an illustration of living the Christian life. Just as with driving a car, we can develop spiritual tunnel vision. We can become so consumed with what is right in front of us that we become oblivious to our surroundings. Most of us have no trouble focusing on the immediate. It is like watching the taillights of the car in front of us on the freeway. But if we only focus on the immediate, we quickly lose our perspective. My driving instructor taught me to be aware of what was going on several cars ahead of me. By raising my focus a little, I am better able to adjust to what is coming. The same is true in our walk with Christ.  We always need to keep the big picture in mind. God has a plan and He will accomplish it. One day Christ will return to this earth to culminate that plan. We should always be looking forward toward that day. Although we cannot predict the future, we can be ready for what may come by keeping a long-term view of life.

                When Jesus was teaching His disciples about His return, He instructed them to always be alert to what is ahead of them. “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.” (Mark 13:32-33) Driving on the freeway you always need to keep in mind where you are going. You need to be aware of what is coming up or you may miss your destination. The same is true for our spiritual journey. We need to keep in mind where we are going. We cannot get so caught up in the immediate that we miss our destination.

                When we moved to Michigan from North Dakota we had a long drive. I was following GPS because I did not know the way. For some reason, it took us off of the freeway and directed us along secondary roads. That would have been fine except that it was getting dark and I was getting tired. As I drove along unfamiliar paths, I was constantly scanning the ditches watching out for deer. Dusk is the time when deer like to be on the move and often will run out in front of you. I had to watch the road in front of me, but I also had to be aware of what was going on around me.

                Here again is a lesson for our spiritual journey. We often find ourselves traveling unfamiliar paths; situations that we have not encountered before. It is easy for us to become so focused on our current situation that we lose sight of all that is going on around us. We are in danger of missing two important things along the way. First, we may miss the signs of danger that lurk just outside of our field of vision. If we are not scanning the spiritual ditches for potential threats, we are liable to run right into them. Satan loves to catch us off-guard. He waits for a time when we are distracted then springs on us. As Peter warns us in 1 Peter 5:8, Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

                On the other hand, it is possible to be so focused on driving that we miss the beauty all around us. Recently we took a road trip to North Carolina. During a part of that trip, we had to drive through the mountains. The roads were steep, narrow, and windy. I had to be very careful to keep my eyes on the road. Unfortunately, that meant that I was unable to fully appreciate the beauty that was all around me. Sometimes in our Christian life we become so serious about what we are doing that we miss the joy and delight that God has planned for us. There is beauty all around us, if only we would take the time to recognize it.

                There is one last aspect of driving that we need to address. Especially when you are driving in heavy traffic, it is very important to keep an eye on what is going on behind you. Being unaware of what is behind you can lead to an accident. You could pull out in front of a speeding car.

                The Bible is very clear that God wants us to be aware of what has gone on before us. By taking the time to look back at the experience of other Christians, we can avoid many spiritual accidents. By taking the time to look back at what God has done for us in the past, we can gain the courage and confidence to face the challenges of the future. The stories in the Bible are not there to fill an hour in Sunday School. They are there to teach us about God, human nature, and how to live out our faith. They are an example of both what to do and what not to do.

                So as we head down the road on our spiritual journey, let us keep our eyes on what is before us, let us be fully aware of what is going on all around us, and let us learn from what is behind us.

Ephesians 5:15-16

Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

 

THE JOY OF WORSHIPPING TOGETHER

 

Hebrews 10:25

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

                This past Sunday we attended church with our son and daughter-in-law. Our granddaughter was being dedicated as a part of the service. The church was full. The worship was dynamic. The message was challenging and encouraging. At some point during the service, I realized how much I have missed genuine corporate worship. Worship on-line has been a necessary step over the past year, but it is not a substitute for gathering together with others in corporate worship.

                There is power in corporate worship that we just can’t experience on our own. The presence of the Spirit is far more tangible when the body of Christ is assembled. There is an energy that permeates the entire experience.

                Corporate worship reminds us that we are not alone on our journey of faith. I have read too many articles lately about the decline of the church in America. Sunday reminded me that Christ’s Church is still alive and vital. We are part of something bigger than ourselves. Nothing, including COVID, can stop the forward flow of the Church as it seeks to pursue God with all of its heart.

                Corporate worship also reminds us that we really do need each other. As Paul reminds us in I Corinthians 12, we are a part of the body of Christ, not independent agents for God. The body of Christ is made up of many parts, and every part is necessary. No part can stand alone. We need each other to accomplish God’s purposes. God’s design is for us to live in an interdependent relationship with one another.

                Corporate worship also allows us to experience the joy of the Lord. We can experience His joy in many ways and at different times. But our experience is intensified in corporate worship. King David, a man who has enjoyed a unique intimacy with God, expressed his joy in being able to enter into corporate worship. I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord." (Psalm 122:1)  

                Corporate worship gives us the courage and the strength to live out our faith in our daily lives. We are reminded of the truths of scripture and helped to apply them to our experience. We draw strength from other believers who are facing similar situations as we are. We discover that God is a refuge for the weak, the scared, the confused, and the weary. As Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

                Many pundits are predicting that up to 20% of people who attended church before COVID will not return. I want to challenge you not to be one of them. As the writer of Hebrews says, we need each other more than ever because the days are evil. Corporate worship is a significant aspect of our faith journey. Without it we can soon grow weary and give up the race.

Psalm 27:4-5

One thing I ask of the Lord,

this is what I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord

and to seek him in his temple.

For in the day of trouble

he will keep me safe in his dwelling;

he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle

and set me high upon a rock.

 

   

 

Have you counted your blessings lately?

 

Romans 10:12-13

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

               For some reason, it is a part of human nature to focus more on what we do not have than on what we do have. No matter how much we have, we are still unsatisfied. We want more. We want something better, newer, flashier. Whatever we have right now is not good enough.

                As I was running the other day, the thought came to me about what a blessing it is that I can run; not just walk, but actually run. I cannot run as fast as I did when I was a young man, but I can still run at a decent pace. My legs work, my heart pumps, my lungs provide oxygen. Every time I see someone in a store struggling to walk, I am thankful that I can run.

                Maybe running is not your thing; it probably is not, but think about the many ways that you have been blessed by God. Yes, by God! Let us not forget that the author of all of our blessings is God Himself. As James as said, Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17) God has promised to richly bless all who call on him. Each of our blessings are tailored to us as individuals. Each is a gift from our loving Father.

                On Saturday, we were blessed to sit on the sidelines and watch our 5-year-old grandson play soccer. We were blessed to have lunch with our son and his family after the game. We were blessed to be able to drive to Grand Rapids and see the new house that our daughter and son-in-law just purchased. One year ago, we were 1000 miles away and unable to be actively involved in our children’s lives. Today we are minutes away. What a blessing.

                Each morning I sit at a table and look out on our backyard as I eat my breakfast. Right now, it is an ever-changing scene as the trees blossom and bud, the birds flit around the bird feeder, and the creek sparkles in the morning sunlight. Some would say that we were lucky to get the house that we did. I say that we are blessed.

                On Sunday, I had the privilege of preaching at the church we are attending. It was a blessing to be able to open the word of God for those people. It was a blessing to sense God’s Spirit as He took my words and used them for His glory. Later we went on a hike at a nearby state park. It was a little more strenuous than we had anticipated, but we were blessed by beautiful sights all around us. What a blessing to have such easy access to such a beautiful place.

                But the greatest blessing that we can have is not material. It is the blessing of God’s redemptive work through Jesus Christ. When we place our faith in Christ, we are embraced by God’s unquenchable love. We are cleansed by God’s indescribable mercy. We are enriched by God’s overflowing grace. We are empowered by the indwelling of His Spirit.

                The Bible reminds us that we like sheep have all gone astray. Even as believers in Christ, we still act like sheep. We become distracted and we wander away. We become rebellious at times. Yet God never abandons us. God always calls us back to Himself with open arms. God’s forgiveness, grace, and restoration are unbounded. We should never take that for granted, but we should also never forget to give thanks.

                Every breath I take is a gift from God. Every new day is an opportunity to experience the amazing grace of God. Every day is an occasion to reflect upon the blessings of God and give thanks to Him. As the old hymn goes, count your blessing, name them one by one. Count your blessing, see what God has done. Count your blessings. Name them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God has done.

                Have you counted your blessings lately?

Psalm 103:1-2

Praise the Lord, O my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits--