A growing sense of urgency, not anxious emergency
But an emerging scene immersing teens in enough uncertainty
That leaves them afloat. Tossed on waves too large for their boat
And another coat of paint won’t fix the problem.
It starts from bottom up, cups no longer overflowing and hardly being asked to fill
Families and homes satisfied to swallow the blue pill
Ignoring the truth of God’s Word, and the absurd thing is,
The church helped them to swallow. Following the pace of anxiety
Propriety seemed to demand more things to do. Programs too amazing
To ever fail. But we missed the nail, set down our hammers and called duct tape a miracle.
It’s important here to pause, because the cause of our response must bear critique,
We must not just speak of successful stories, and glories of those easy to market
We must not bark at those on whom we cast the blame, or feel the shame
And respond from sense of guilt, the tilted scales of justice should not thrust us
Into pointing fingers at steeples or front porches
We light torches not to march, but to shed light on LOVE
Above all other motivations it arises, prizes the things that matter more than shattered expectations
And nations are transformed in its wake. So here we take a step back into the flow.
As a father, I want my children to know the Love who took on Flesh
As a pastor, I want our church to know the same. The Name above all names,
Not as fact discovered in a program, but as a person discovered along the way.
Less of a game to play or model of behavior, and more someone inviting to His Table
As often as I’m able – in remembrance of Him, and that’s how it begins,
In sacramental living, giving Jesus time – and Lordship where we are. Together.
Not just on Sunday morning, but a word of warning:
If you talk about these things when you walk along the road – it may change the way you walk.
We discover that’s exactly what God meant, why Moses spent his life walking,
Not just talking about where God would lead them,
even if he didn’t get to see them entering promised land, he gave them commands to shape
the way they did. From kids to older generations, words to help shape a nation,
As they walked with God as if they couldn’t walk alone.
Our homes could be transformed by this.
The Holiness of God – His ark filling presence
Worshiped not just from a pew, but on the couch and at the dining table.
Families enabled and equipped, not just to slip into routines, but scenes of real lives transformed
Set free from the norms, and Jesus filling what He’s given, families living out the great commission
Not just wishing the kids would come to service, but stepping through the nervous excusing,
And introducing moments of discipleship, a boat worthy of the seas
Seizing every opportunity to Love, and offer our lives toward His revealing
Joined hands, praying, “Jesus how can we be used together?”
This scene we imagine on behalf of others – fathers and mothers, begins within our own.
We who serve homes and church, to recognize it’s not “them” versus “us”,
Looking closer at His Word, we see the PLUS.
As one is strengthened, so the other…and we discover generations passing on
A Truth not learned as part of a lesson, but a blessing that transforms
Jesus Christ – the peace within the storms.
© 2018 by Chadwick (Wick) Anderson
Pastorwick@Hotmail.com
