We made a quick trip to Fort Stockton for my brother’s birthday (which is my excuse for not responding to the multitude of comments you were kind enough to leave) and I think we set a new record for packing, if you think of it in terms of pounds packed per hour away from home. Without belaboring the point, I’ll just posit that had we packed in similar fashion for our trip to Tahoe, we would have required a C-40 transport plane to get our stuff to our destination.
We returned to Midland to the pleasant sight of almost an inch of rain in the backyard gauge; we’re under a severe thunderstorm watch as I type this, so perhaps we’ll get some more. Unfortunately, Fort Stockton got only a trace of precip.
As is our habit, we went to church this morning to sit with my parents and my wife’s dad. This is the church where we were married almost 33 years ago, and where I was baptized over four decades back. Lots of memories, in other words. Anyway, the preacher threw out a line that I can’t believe I’ve never heard in all these years of listening to sermons, but if I had, I somehow misplaced it. He said something along the lines of this: “the biggest obstacle to getting someone saved is getting them lost.”
What he meant was that until someone recognizes and admits he needs to be saved, he’ll never accept that free gift. And we’re so full of pride and so hard-hearted that we don’t want to admit that we’re sinners in need of a Savior.
Of course, we — meaning us human beans (as Pogo would put it) — can neither “get someone lost” or “get someone saved.” Only God can work this miracle. But for some strange reason, He’s decided that people are going to be His primary delivery method for the good news. This fact bears thinking about from time-to-time, as we consider whether or not we’re effective “carriers.”
Later, amigos…
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Head rattling or head banging?
Leave it to me to comment on the most inconsequential thing…the quiz.
As to what the pastor said, I totally agree. Salvation is not even about us, for none can come unless He calls us…He called me at age 38. (I was never even exposed to the scriptures, to salvation, to none can enter except through the Son.) I then spent the next little bit trying to catch up, learn all the scriptures, do everything right, etc. (the typical type A) I thought I was soooooooo far behind. But then I heard Him say…”You’re not behind, you’re not late…you’re right on time – and I called you for such a time as this.” And He began writing His word upon my heart. I entered into rest – and began to see.
It is so totally all about Him. And I remain grateful…and amazed.
Thanks for sharing the story, Eric. Reminders are good.
Oh, Janie…thank you for sharing that great testimony. That’s the best preaching there is!
And it will be rattling, with only a small amount of banging. Unless the banging is related to frustration, because I’m taking no prisoners with this one. 😉
That’s weird you mention it, because I was thinking about this some this weekend. I was raised in the church, and I’ve never not felt saved, outside of a few rebeillious teenage months. Those could count as ‘lost’ or they could count as ‘that fool’s right over there, but his flashlight bulb done burned out.’
Bottom line, I’m happy now that I had such a strong family around me. My mother’s faith, grace and serenity is still wondrous to me.
“are still wondrous”, I said.
we’re working on a new music quiz
……….The Beatles, Rubber Soul!!
So true! And as you said, we have no more power to lose someone than we do to save them, but helping someone see that they ARE lost is much easier than helping someone down the path to salvation when they don’t feel lost. And it’s a necessary first step. For me, the discovery that I was lost came through the example set by my college roommate. Her inner peace and contentedness contrasted greatly with my own inner turmoil and frustration that came with self-sufficiency (or lack thereof).
And Janie, that IS a great testimony! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
That’s a good one.
And true.
That’s how it happened for me. Raised by a Christian mother – church every Sunday, whether I liked it or not. Finished ‘confirmation’ class and went through all the motions. Stopped going to church when I moved out for college.
Almost 20 years to the day after finishing confirmation class – the date is written in the Bible I received that day – I finally accepted it all for real. Marriage, kids and a job – took a while for me to figure out I wansn’t running the show.
That’s my favorite thing about Christ right now. He lets you figure it out for yourself. There are no beatings, here, if you don’t get it. Nobody forces you into it. It’s really a choice. So it means something.
Scott, Gwynne, Brian…thanks for sharing your personal perspectives on this topic. We never know when our experiences might strike a chord with someone who’s searching for answers in the same way we once did.
I have to weigh in on something Scott wrote, talking about “feeling saved.” I know what you’re saying, although I always cringe a little whenever I hear someone use the words “feel” and “saved” in the same sentence. Our feelings or emotions are subject to a lot of external manipulation, but our salvation status isn’t. We’re either saved or we’re not, and I happen to believe that once we are, we’re there for the duration. This might be fodder for another post, someday.
Good point, Eric. I tend to cringe when I hear the word “feel” in a discussion about right and wrong. For the same reason (the subjectivity of our feelings to external manipulation), our feelings are not a good indicator of what is right and wrong. Not that feelings don’t matter, but I tend to edit the word out of conversation whenever I can.