Simple, godly distractions

there have been a few times in my life when i knew exactly where i was going. timing may be not yet revealed, but the direction is rock solid and sure. we are at this place. we know where we are headed.

sometimes, no matter how sure we are, opportunities arise that seem to rattle that focus. they come from weird places, they can come from left field. they can even come from godly places.

i got a call this week from my uncle. he is an old school baptist pastor. he has been serving the local church for 25 years or so. been at his current church for 15 years. my mom goes to this church, she teaches Sunday school. he has worked hard there. faithfully proclaiming the word, teaching, nurturing, encouraging.

he is retiring.

so i got the first call. he told me what was up and asked if i wanted to become the next pastor of this church. honored and flattered that he would asked, my mind races. genuine desire to pastor has always been on the back burner. student ministry is awesome, but i am close to moving on.

then i prayed. "this is not what i have for you." early in the morning, before the birds sing, before the sun rises, before the days activities take over our thought, these words came into my spirit.

of course i knew this. I knew it before he finished the conversation.

but it seemed so easy. the whole deal would have been so easy...to be distracted for my next deal.

so i called my mom first...she understood...sad but understood. then to uncle. he understood. my direction is in another place.

my life has been turned upside down lately. God has emptied me of my wants and filled me with vision, purpose and direction. nothing about where we are headed is easy. the journey will require great discipline, faithfulness and hard work. but it is what He has for me.

i find it interesting how easily we are distracted. not just by flashy things that call us from faithfulness, but things that we would seem to believe that come fro God himself.

the majority of believers seek what is easy. because of that desire, we are where we are. bouncing from ideal to emotion with no true sense of purpose and direction.

the task is great. the burden of his trust in me is a bit frightful. why he has chosen me for such a task is beyond me. there is nothing special nor is there any great giftedness in me. but he has. and i cling to that with great joy and anticipation and longing. knowing that what ever happens, i shall walk with him. and if nothing else happens from here on out...i still get to walk with him. side by side. alert and ready.

one more step.