When Will We Know

I am tempted to start out writing about how busy I’ve been or how heavy the travel has been – how ‘bout all the camp meetings and preparation.  Everybody is busy.  The truth is, I got out of the habit of posting on the blog once a week.  My goal at the beginning of the summer was to increase the writing and decrease other things.  So, knowing that we are all busy and nobody enjoys excuses allow me to say, I’m back and I have lots of ideas planted in my BLOG file. 

Here’s what I am thinking today.  I am thinking about the Parable of the Sower in Mark 4.  He spreads the seed on many types of soil.  When does he know if it will matter?

I have invested in hundreds of lives.  I have preached to thousands of individuals.  I have prayed with countless people.  When do I know if it mattered? Sometimes you know right away, but most of the time... not so much.

I heard my friend Gerald Rudd preach last night.  He shared that he was presented the gospel three direct (in your face) times before he finally got it. 

Mark 4 reminds me of being on vacation with my family when the girls were young.  The question every dad loves, “are we there yet?”   I would respond with something like, “does it look like we are there yet?” Erica, my oldest that loved to have the last word would say, “I don't know we are in the back seat and can't see?”

Here’s the truth.  You may never know if your preaching is falling on fertile soil.  You may never know if your hours of exegesis, late night prayers and the power of the Holy Spirit will turn the soil into producing fully devoted followers of Christ. 

I guess the more important question is this, “are you okay not knowing? Are you at peace knowing that the calling is to be fishers of men.”

I think the reason I love ministry so much are relationships not results.  I love results but it's the relationships that keep me going.  It was never about a knew program or 6 principles to church health, it was the joy of doing life with the people of God. 

When I hear great stories of radical conversion or awesome stories about God moving in a church, notice that you hear the beginning (how bad it was) and you hear the present (how God is blessing).  You never hear about the waiting period.

In the meantime’s, are not recorded in scripture.  Those times where we know we are not where we were but we are not where we are suppose to be…

Jesus’ silent years – 12 to 30 years of age.  What happened?

Paul – saved on the Damascus road and the put in silence.  What happened?

I need Jesus in the meantime’s.  When the disciples were in the storm in Mark 6 the Bible says in verse 48, they were straining because the wind was against them.  They were in the middle of the lake, it appears that they had been at it all night.  That’s in the meantime! And Jesus appears in verse 50, “take courage! It is I.  Don’t be afraid.”

What a welcome voice for those of us in the meantime.  My prayer for every person that reads this is that you hear the welcome voice of Jesus today, “take courage, it is I.  Don’t be afraid.”