Dear Young Adults and Parents of Young Adults,
Wow! This has been a very busy and exciting month. As many of you know, last month we had a new addition to our family. On April 16th, Heather and I traveled to Ethiopia to pick up our son, Malachi. On May 9th we celebrated his birthday (1 year). Thank you for all of your prayers and support during this amazing journey in our lives. We praise the Lord for both of our children and know that every perfect gift comes from the Father above.
This year has also been exciting for Samuel as he has almost completed his first year of T-ball. It has been a great joy to attend his games and watch him and these precious children play ball. It also reminds me of the many wonderful years I had playing ball. Boy, you would have thought I was in the big leagues the way I acted. As I have watched this T-ball season unfold, there have been many exciting memories that we will cherish for a lifetime. However, I observed something that I did while playing T-ball, but from a Christian perspective it has never resonated until now. Follow my observation if you will.
Samuel’s ballgames normally take place on Saturday morning. Prior to his ballgame he puts on his ball equipment (socks, ball pants, belt, ball shirt, cleats, ball hat, and glove). Once he is dressed, it’s time to go play ball! When the game is over and we come home, he undresses from his ball uniform, puts his glove and cleats away and changes into his regular clothes. Mom then washes his nasty, sweaty ball clothes and puts them away, back into their respective places, (their compartments) where they remain until it is game time again.
Sometimes practice is on Tuesday, so we grab the glove and cleats and head to practice. Upon arrival at home, the glove and cleats go back into their perspective places (compartments). The week goes by until Saturday rolls around and its once again game time! The process repeats itself.
How on earth does this have anything to do with Christianity? A tremendous amount! Following the observation below. I have replaced ballgame with church. For I, insert your name.
Church normally take place on Sunday morning. Prior to church I grab my equipment (sword, Bible). Once I am dressed and equipped, it’s time to go to church! When church is over, I come home, remove my equipment (neatly place my Bible on the shelf in its compartment) where it sits until it is time to go to church again. Church is also on Wednesday and sometimes when I go, I grab my equipment (sword, Bible) and head that way. Upon arrival at home, my equipment (sword, Bible) goes back into its perspective place (compartment). The week goes by until Sunday rolls around and its once again time for church. The process repeats itself.
This amounts to nothing more than us compartmentalizing our Christianity (personal relationship with Jesus Christ). This is not what the Lord wants from either of us. Some may read this and get offended. If so, that’s alright, because the gospel is offensive. However, if you read this with an open and honest heart, like me, you will have to confess that you have either done the same thing in the past or you are doing it now. For too many years, I wasted my life when I could have been serving the Lord. I thought church was nothing more than once a week, one hour a week. Once I had given my time, church was simply another thing I checked off my To-Do list. Friends, if the Lord is using this message to speak to you today, I urge you to stop compartmentalizing your Christianity. Christianity is not something we do on Sunday or Wednesday. Our Christianity is who we are and what we do twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. God does not just want our one hour a week. He wants our entire lives. Think about all the wonderful things God has done for you. He has given you everything (His Son, Jesus Christ). What are you doing for Him? The Apostle Paul explains in I Corinthians 6:19-20 “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” There is still plenty of work to be done. If each church member would use the gifts and the talents God has given them for His service, we would see many great and might things accomplished for the Kingdom of God. Remember, your Christianity is not something you compartmentalize; it should be what drives you. Remove your Christianity from its compartment today, never to put it there again. Then use the gifts and talents God has given you for His glory. I urge you, get plugged in to His work today!
In Christ,
Pastor Brad
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