7/10/97 Blurry Vision
(If it is welcome and a blessing, send it on to others,Lee)
Yesterday was a blur. My return from a day away. I just read a letter from a person indicating how his life was a blur. How is children were grown up and where was the time.
I spent yesterday morning, planning, only to have everything needing to be taken care, not appearing on the list. Does anyone ever find time? Here I am at a place in my life where things being slowed up would be welcome, and yet I feel caught in the jet stream of life. I have so many who have encouraged me to delegate, and I have made supreme efforts at that and yet there is more. My best efforts at priortizing leave me with a list of "need to, maybe, if I get time" items.
So what is the main priority? Everyone in this audience said Jesus I am sure. Yet, if you are like me, the time sheet shows I spent more time with chores. This is not what I want. (Even if I had spent more time eating ice cream!) I want to spend that wonderful time with the Father, sitting at His feet. I read with great conviction about being in His rest.
My schedule is tiny compared to other pastors. And it seems like there is still not enough time. And then I ask myself, what are the results. I met with two other pastors yesterday, and we agreed that the urgency level has stepped up. People who had low commitments are beginning to shoot for the moon. They are moving into place. We are seeing people who have struggled with their Christianity moving into place. We are seeing excitment levels grow. God is raising the level of the water in Springfield. And from what I hear from around the world, there are places where He is doing similar works. Many who have stood on the shore of His Spirit are being forced to jump in. Those who have stood ankle deep see it swirling higher. The world is getting nervous at what is happening.
I said above the main priority is Jesus. He is the reason that things are beginning to move. I recognize my present inability at being able to adapt to His changes. But I see His hand in a lot of what is going. The prayer and fasting in churches is hitting new levels. The enemy has to raise up a standard. We are seeing the results of the prayer that is going up over our area. We are seeing the maturing of lives in our towns.
So I am busy. Like Jesus, I will seek those times of rest on the mountain, communing with the Father. Pressing on towards the mark, removing all the hindering weights that would slow me. We only have one life. As an elderly Christian said to me, "you only get one crack at the cherry, so take a big one." I expect I will be busy about the Father's work. And if it is His work, there is always time to sit in His arms. Many of us operate at Martha mentality, when He is looking for the Mary in us. Martha's busyness when the Jesus was in the room, was a problem.
I had meditated on the letter from a friend about his children and how they were all grown up. I have 3 teens. Yes, they are growing up. And some might say they are occasionally a typical pastor's kid. My friends (and my children!) would tell you that I am harder on them than others. I see that. I also see that God has given me 3 teens who despite their occasional rebellious moments are good kids. Last night two of them were out on the streets of a neighboring town for one of our fellow churches handing out tracts. They wanted to go. I have put into them the best that I know how. We don't do many things simply because of circumstances. That's okay. My idea of Christ's working in their life is probably different than theirs.
The jetstream of life. You can either be sucked up in it, or you can become like the eagle, locking your wings in the storm, and allowing the currents to carry you. I am busy. There is a season to hay, to reap. Many moves of God have been missed because people have done their homework and when it came time to reap, stepped back.
God's Spirit is moving in our area. The lines are being drawn. It is all that we have been prepared for. We are preparing for lives to be saved. Our people are getting prebattle jitters. I am busy. And one day I will be with the Father. So if that time is 1 day a way or a 100 years (and God knows), he has called me. Today, I have people who have offered to help clear away the extraneous parts of my desk and its paperwork. I hope to write you on August 17th (the possible end of the tent) and tell you that thousands received the Lord in Springfield and the surrounding areas.
I am learning about priorities (and also that I am not good at establishing them-its a lot like a junk drawer, if I knew how to get rid of stuff, I wouldn't have one. Better I ask someone who isn't wondering about every scrap of paper on my desk to help!!!)slowly, but surely. I had a vision of an ant yesterday, and so did another person in our church. What I know about them is they are industrious. So I recognize there is a season for what is happening. I also know that ants will carry a piece of food or a wounded ant, great distances to their home. I see the Gospel as food, so perhaps we are carriers of the Gospel great distances. To help wounded Christians.
If my priorities are God's priorities I will always have time and be on time. I took a play day on Tuesday. It was good. (I didn't even feel guilty!) But now I am settling into the groove for the next few weeks. Next week we reach into the community for Vacation Bible School, after that we are stretching a net for men, and then the first week of August we go into tent mode. Vermont farmers (Springfield is in Vermont!) know that summer is short (sometimes one day!!!-just kidding.) and the season to reap is quick. Many times we begin to see snow in September (ski season ended on some mountains in June!). It is okay that we get busy, because we know it is for a season.
Today, inspect your priorities. Are they God's? And if they are relax in the knowledge that what He has begun, He is faithful to complete.
Selah.
Shalom.
We pray for you, each and every day. If this is an encouragement to you. Please tell us, and please email it to someone else. If you have a prayer request, please mail it to us. We want to stand with you, battling spiritual wickedness, seeing people made free. We want to serve our brother and sister.
In the Service of Christ for His Glory,
Lee Johndrow
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154 Paddock Road
Springfield, Vermont 05156
For those who support us in prayer and deed we appreciate it.
Thank you,
Lee & Tina Johndrow
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