As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.  – Proverbs 27:19

The last full day of school is here.  Crazy to think about.  I know they say time speeds up as you get older, but I know many kids who are realizing that time zips on by.  Not long ago it was the first day of school, then Christmas, then the New Year, then Spring Break, and now . . . C-ya, we are done.  I wouldn’t say I’ve hated this year, but it has been a rough one.  If I had to give myself a grade . . . I might get a C.

Spiritually speaking, I just haven’t done well.  I’ve let things bother me that I’d swear didn’t used to bother me.  They say the older you get, the more you get set in your ways.  I don’t want that at all.  I want God’s ways to be my ways.  I want to be growing in Him until the day I draw my last breath and stand before Him.  I’m already wondering what I can do differently next year.

I think the worst thing that I did this year is attempt to force open doors that just weren’t open to me.  I thought I knew how to lead a church.  The more I do it, the more I realize that I don’t have a clue.  At the same time, the more I make mistakes, the more I feel God take the reins.  It’s like I’m literally in one of those paper mazes.  I go the direction I think we need to go and then run into a wall.  God then steps in, retraces my steps, and is gracious enough to tell me which direction to choose.  Of course, then I start taking more turns that look right to me only to find another wall.  I’m so thankful that God doesn’t get tired of rinsing and repeating.  

On the other end of that, I thought long and hard about closing doors that are open to me.  At first, I thought it was fun to make super religious people angry.  By that, I mean people who attend church regularly, but who haven’t an ounce of love for their lost neighbors in the community.  They are very content to walk by on the other side of the road and leave a beaten man who has just been robbed to his own fate.  But somewhere along the way, I started caring about the religious people.  I realized that they are just as lost as the blatant sinner who reveals it publicly on social media.  For the first time, I started listening to them and allowing their words in my heart.  For the first time in a very long time, I swung towards wanting to separate myself from the people in the bars, taverns, and taprooms where I play music.  The only reason I could come up with was, “a lot of people will think better of me if I stop.” 

Thank God He stepped in because I had hit another wall on the paper maze.  I had fully decided to play out the rest of my current music schedule and never play again. This was not because God asked me to, but some lame attempt to gain the favorable opinion of men.  One evening, after playing a long set, I went out and talked to people like I usually do.  Then it happened, someone asked me about my little church and wanted the information about the services.  They said they planned on coming.  I left with God all over me saying, “I have you here for a reason.”  

I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling that time is short now.  None of us knows how much time we have left on this earth.  None of us knows how much more time we have to witness to people and bring them into the kingdom of Heaven.  If you know any lost person . . . you’ve got to find a way to tell them about Jesus!  You can’t keep putting it off.  And here’s another important news flash, many of the people you think are good to go, are not good to go.  A lot of people think they are followers of Jesus, yet Matthew 7:21-23 awaits them.  You’ve got to find a way to tell them as well.  

Wouldn’t you want someone to tell you?

Oh, my Jesus and my Lord, I call upon You today to send revival to Your people!  I see the great separation taking place!  A person is either for You or against You.   They either love You or they don’t.  Use us, Your people, this day to point others to You.  Give us wisdom and discernment, but most of all give us the power of the Holy Spirit.  Time is so short, Lord.  Give us a sense of urgency.  Help us to humble ourselves, pray, seek Your face, and turn from our wicked ways . . . for we want to see You heal our land.  Amen!