I'm getting it...

I have this longing in my heart to be productive for the kingdom. I spent so many years behind church walls and still am fully involved in our little church plant. I don't want to leave the church, that's not what I'm saying. But I do want more.

I came into the Friday morning church in the park quite by accident. Jimmy called me one Friday morning a while back and told me that those who had signed up to serve the food that day would not be able to come after all. He asked me if I could come down and help.

Jimmy is my son. He is the Worship pastor at a Nazarene church plant here. It is a long story why me and my kids all go to different churches. I guess it could be a sad story but we are all serving God with a passion so ultimately it is a story of victory. I lead worship at a Foursquare church plant here. Leah serves with her husband at another Foursquare church clear to the north of us about 20 miles away. Bekah and her husband are co-pastors of another Foursquare church about 20 miles west of here. Jimmy lives here. He is my youngest. It is his church that does the Friday morning church in the park service.

When he called I of course went to help. That was about 5 months ago. I became a part of it that day. It is some kind of marvellous thing that is happening. Here we meet with people who have no home, no source of steady income, no anything. Some because of hard times. Some because they just stopped being able to cope emotionally. Others because of alcohol and drugs. Some have warrants out. Some love God. They all come of their own wills. It isn't just for the food. They come to hear how God used men and women just like them to change the world.

Pastor Dave shared Hebrews 11 with them this Friday. All the heroes of faith lie in that chapter. They did great things in God and their faith is bragged about on these pages. They cheer us on as we run this crazy race. But Pastor Dave began to unravel the horrible sins of them all: David murdered and committed adultery, Jacob deceived his own father. Sin after sin, I watched as their eyes were fastened on P. Dave as he shared. They could relate now. There was no noise as he told them what great things God could do with a group like the one we had this day. It wasn't about what they did, it is about what He can do with them if they would allow it.

Some days, in the heat and mugginess, I see that yearning in their faces. They're getting it. I'm getting it. We're all getting it. As far as God is concerned we all look exactly like those who were sitting at the tables Friday morning. We were all wretched, poor, blind, miserable, and naked. We are all absolutely the same.

I am restless to do more. There are others, not just the homeless ones, that are lost. I read that there are 9,703 lost souls dying every hour of every day. Slipping into eternity without Jesus. So, yes, I will lead God's people into His presence with worship, but I must live my Christianity outside the walls.

God help me to do His work, His way, when He says. God help us all!