Present

And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”     Exodus 33:14 ESV

One word.

Right at the start of the year, I noticed that a lot of people were talking about "One Word" as an alternative to the traditional concept of a New Year's resolution.  It was a compelling idea.  My Bible app even offered a three day devotional/Bible reading plan on the topic.  I went through the whole process, but I didn't get "a word."  I got lots of words - things that I'd like to see change, areas where I'd like to see God move, improvements I could make in my own life.  But I couldn't narrow it down.

So I scrapped that idea and just moved on into 2016, plowing through my usual New Year's routines.  I started working out more and trying to eat a little better... (This is not a "resolution" but it is a tradition.  Since I eat pretty poorly [or very well, depending on your perspective] from Thanksgiving through Christmas, by the time New Year's rolls around I either need a new wardrobe or I need to give a little more focus to my health!)  Usually I begin a new Bible reading plan at the first of the year, but as I was already in the middle of a fairly intensive personal Bible study, I elected not to add an additional reading plan on top of that right now.

But I didn't have "a word."  I had some ideas of what I wanted it to be...
"Provision" sounded good to me, because it seems like that's what I'm always asking God for.
"Abundance," because provision is "just enough" and I'm tired of struggling to get by.
"Free" came to mind, or, more specifically, "debt-free," as I really want to get out from under the burden of debt.
Rest. Trust.  Create.  Faith.  Write.  Go.  Health.  Home.  All good options, good goals, and all a part of my thoughts on 2016.

Interestingly, now that we are nearly a month into the new year, I have a word.  I don't think it's some magical "The Word" to take me through the year, but it is a word that seems to really get at the heart of what I really need in my life.  It didn't come with fanfare, but it came to my mind and brought with it a bit of clarity.

And the word is...

PRESENT

It's a word with a lot of definitions and a lot of potential applications.  And it's a word I struggle with.

I have a ridiculous memory.  What I mean is not that I have a really good memory.  I forget the important stuff.  But every detail of my mistakes and all the dumb things I've said and done... that's what I remember.  Ridiculous things - silly mistakes, words mispronounced, social awkwardness that probably didn't bother anyone but me.  But I can't seem to forget those things from the past.  And I often let those memories dictate what I do in the present.

I'm also a dreamer.  I have grand and glorious ideas of "someday..." and "one of these days..."  I've been told that I overthink things, and this is true, I'm sure.  I consider all the "what ifs" and "maybes" and empathize from every direction on every topic in every situation.  The result of that is that I often don't accomplish as much as I would like in the here and now. I am coming to realize that planning is only as good as the action it produces.  The dreamer in me often looks at what I'm doing as temporary... just until the next thing comes along, or until a better opportunity presents itself.  I use the future to console myself when things are not going as I would like for them to.  I'd tell you that it's how I keep hope alive, but really it's just how I keep from committing to the present.

When Jesus taught the disciples to pray, He spoke to them about "daily bread."  Confession: I don't really like daily bread.  I want tomorrow's bread today.  As a matter of fact, I'd like bread for the whole week, month, and year.  Then (I tell myself) I could rest in the present.  And this simple bit of faithlessness illustrates why I struggle with words like provision, abundance, free, and rest.  If I can only make peace with the present, the "rest" will come.  

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.     Matthew 6:34 ESV

That's the present, in a nutshell.  

We live in an age when the future looks a little uncertain... Scary, even.  If we expend our energy in worries over tomorrow, we will miss the blessings of today.

So that's the word for today: PRESENT.

I can't really say that's the word for 2016, though, can I, since that would mean making assumptions about the future?  But it's the word today.  It's "daily bread."

Present.

...Just a thought...

Impact

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,  I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’  Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?  And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?  And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’  And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’     Matthew 25:34-40

I have often heard wonderful stories from pastors and evangelists of the wonderful opportunities God gives them to witness on airplanes.  My son cannot fly anywhere without making a new friend or finding an individual with a unique line of work or ministry connection to impact his mission work.  I, however, introvert that I am, get on a plane, put in my earbuds, and hope nobody speaks to me!

I flew up to spend the day with my mama a couple of weeks ago, and on my return flight, I followed my normal routine: I put in my earbuds, situated my travel pillow, and put on a sermon podcast, hoping that I would fall asleep on it, as the weather wasn't great and I am not a fan of turbulence.  I zoned out, but did not really go to sleep, as I listened to my old pastor sharing a bit of what God was doing in the church I used to attend.  And I was struck by the impact of that church.

In 1986 as a college freshman, I had begun attending Midway Road Baptist Church in Dallas.  It was a wonderful, growing little church, on the opposite side of town from my college, but I loved it there, and so I made the trek anytime I could get a ride.  In February of 1987, I had a brief "spiritual crisis" of sorts, which led me to question whether I'd ever truly been saved, and I got serious with God, fully surrendering my life to Him.  I moved from a burdensome false Christianity of trying to prove my worthiness to God, to acknowledging my utter UNworthiness and came to trust that what Christ had done on the cross was sufficient even for me.  Free from the burdens of my self-imposed legalism, I was able to begin serving with joy every chance I got.

Fast forward a few years... My old church has changed its name and has moved twice and is apparently preparing to build a new facility in yet another location.  But my pastor is still there.  And all these years later, having visited a multitude of churches and heard some of the "great" preachers, I still find myself seeking out Bro. Glenn's sermons...

And so, as I sat on the plane bumping its way through the clouds toward home, listening to a Brookhaven Church podcast, one word came to mind: IMPACT.  This church where I have not been a member since 1989 continues to impact my life today.  But not only that, the impact of this church around the world...  well, the thought is mind-boggling!   Because of the way Christ impacted my life at that little church all those years ago, I have spent a great deal of time since in full-time ministry.  I have had the privilege of traveling all over this country sharing the Gospel with all kinds of people...  I have traveled to Brazil and shared God's Word there... Countless people touched by the ministry of a Texas church I attended years ago!  But not only those people that I've met and talked to, but also those that my children have ministered to!  My son has only visited my old church maybe twice in his life, but when I see the fruit of Nate's ministry in Brazil, I see the fruit of the ministry of Brookhaven Church.  And I think of the folks we've had the opportunity to minister to through the years, and those that have gone on to serve in other ministries... the young men Nate is discipling... the kids Millie has ministered to at camp... and the impact is enormous!

I'm reminded of one of my favorite Christmas movies, "It's a Wonderful Life," and of George Bailey's crisis of faith, if you will, when he questions whether his life has any meaning.  I can relate to George on a lot of levels...  My life, like his, hasn't gone exactly as I planned.  It often seems that just when it looks like things might finally be looking up, something happens and down we go again.  Like Mr. Bailey, I think that perhaps my dreams are finally coming true, and it turns out that someone else's dreams are coming true instead.  But like George, we fail to realize how many lives we touch just in the process of living.  It's not that we necessarily have done some huge thing, but sometimes something as simple as a kind word at the right moment, or a couple of dollars to someone in need - these little gestures had a greater impact than we ever could have known.

And so that is my encouragement to you today - consider your impact on the world around you, and remember those whose lives have impacted yours.  This is how we build the Kingdom of God - not by preaching to multitudes, but by gently touching those around us.

...Just a thought...