I’m back!!!!! What an absolutely crazy three weeks it’s been!!!! I know several of you have been wondering where the blog has been. No excuses, but simply put, it has been quite a challenge to keep my head above water. There has been something going on almost every day for the past three weeks. Some good, some bad, most unexpected. Have you ever had your days completely planned out to where you knew exactly what you were going to accomplish on that particular day only to get thrown a major curveball that manages to radically shift the trajectory of the remainder of not only your day but your week as well? Well that is exactly what I feel like right now, but that’s life, so I digress….
I will tell you that among the craziness and hectic nature of the past few weeks, I have also felt an undeniable sense of energy and excitement. You have likely felt it as well. Our attendance in worship services on Sunday mornings and evenings as well as on Wednesday evenings have been up significantly since the beginning of the summer, new people are desiring membership in our fellowship, and most importantly, people are coming to faith in Jesus Christ and seeking to make that decision public through baptism. In short, we are growing! There is no question that it’s an exciting time to be a part of what the Lord is doing here at University Baptist Church!
However, in the midst of all of the excitement, let me issue a word of caution. Let’s not get caught up in all of the emotions and excitement and good feelings. It’s kind of like a surfer who senses that “the big one” is coming. He knows that this is the wave that he has been waiting for, so he makes sure to get his posture ready so that he is ready to ride the wave as opposed to wiping out. It is a similar concept regarding our church. We need to make sure that our posture is ready. The apostle Paul makes it very clear what we need to be doing in his letter to the church in Ephesus:
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being likeminded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.
-Ephesians 2:1-5 (NIV)
Paul is simply saying that if we really have a sense of joy and excitement, then let’s see it through to completion by not getting caught up in it but rather continuing to moving forward as one body. One mind, one heart, one purpose, united in love. We need all the pistons firing together, and we do that by not focusing on ourselves but by continuing to focus on the mission. It would be very easy to get caught up in all of the excitement that is happening right now, and I am not saying not to enjoy it. I am simply saying that as a church body, we are not going to let it overwhelm us. We will not look to the right or to the left. Instead, we are going to continue to look to the Lord for guidance direction, and wisdom. Let us never for one minute think that everything that is happening is a result of something that we have done. Nothing could be further from the truth. Everything that is happening is a result of God’s people being of one accord and submitting to His direction. Well, as the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. We are going to continue to stay grounded and humble, because if we don’t, we will surely wipeout.
So, here’s the thing. We’re going to ride this wave with everything we’ve got. But we’re going to make sure that our posture is right so that we glorify the Lord in the midst of the excitement. So, jump on board, stay humble, and ride the wave that is the incredible work of God in the life of University Baptist Church. I for one can’t wait to see what He does next!!!
Until Next Week,
Pastor JP
