"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation. The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains."
Habakkuk 3:16-19
This afternoon I drove Tennyson's car north in search of a tank full of gas. Gasoline is getting hard to come by down here in Atlanta and elsewhere across the South for various reasons. However, I had no idea how far reaching the gas shortage was becoming until I tried to find it off of I-75. There wasn't any in Cartersville, Carbondale or Adairsville. By the time I reached Calhoun my gas light was on and I was getting very close to empty. I waited in line a the only station in Calhoun that had gas, but just as I drove up to the pump the station announced that there was no more gas. So I got back on the interstate and drove to Resaca. All the while praying, "Lord, I'm on fumes and I know I can't make it to Dalton. Please let there be gas in Resaca!" I exited and there were short lines beginning to form so I got in and, praise God, I was able to fill up Tennyson's van with gas.
I drove home at 60MPH on the interstate so as to conserve as much as possible. It worked. I arrived home from Resaca with the gas gauge still reading "Full". As I write this blog post it is Saturday Night and we are not sure about what tomorrow brings at church.
The last couple of Sundays attendance has been low, we believe, due in great part to gas rationing. We had to cancel evening youth group last week due to parents who needed gas for their commute and it looks as if we will have to do so this weekend. I just received an e-mail from a parent who told me that they most likely would not be at church due to the fact they were on empty.
This is certainly doing damage to the great kickoff we had and the mounting enthusiasm which which September had begun. The last time we had youth group there were about 27 people at our house. So it is cutting into the youth group momentum as well.
Yet all I could think about today was the verse above from Habakkuk. It is easy to say that when we are in want that we trust God will bring us through, but when we are in want where will our faith be?
As banks fail and gas is in short supply as things go crazy around us, it is good for me to remember Habakkuk's statement of faith. "The Sovereign LORD is my strength! ...and [will] bring me safely over the mountains." We are trusting God to do exactly that. Hasn't He done so much already? We are living in a borrowed house and we sold our house in Chattanooga! What a blessing God has given us. We look back at God's past blessings and look forward to His future blessings realizing that He takes care of His people.
Surely he will bring us over the mountains.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Habakkuk's Confession of Faith: When You're Out of Gas
Monday, September 8, 2008
Success!
This past Sunday, Septemeber 7th, we began the new ministry year at Christ Community Church. For the first time, we began a comprehensive Sunday School Program (called the Connecting & Equipping Time). On Saturday Night, the 6th, we had what is called the Vision Banquet where we look forward with anticipation to the new ministries that are beginning. It is a time where Pastor Glass can share where the Lord seems to be leading both he and the elders. It was greatly attended and I even had to call upon people from my former churches to help out in the nursery. Caitlin Fosgate (formerly at CPC) and Joyce Abraham (at Hope PCA) answered that call and helped out. A special thanks to them!
Sunday Morning the "baby" (as Tennyson calls it) was born. There is always that concern that things won't go well or that they will somehow fall apart. You never know just how people will respond to rolling out of bed to bring their children to a 9AM program. Yet by all accounts things seemed to be a success!
For the first time children in 2nd to 5th grade stayed in the service. At first parents didn't know how well this would work, but the children seemed to rise to the occassion. There are actually reports that they listened to the sermon and remembered some of stories Pastor Glass told. I believe this worked so well, because Pastor Glass has the ability to preach messages that are "accessible" to most people, even young children.
One of the important things that happened from those children remaining in service was having a very full worship room. When the children k-5th used to leave the service in the middle, it left an empty feeling to the room. Having a full worship center provided a certain "energy" to the service.
Another positive result of the new program is that word had gotten out and quite a few new families visited. I heard that we tied a record for attendance on Sunday Morning and we are already beginning to think of how to make more space available for seating.
We had many good comments about the new 9AM program for the children. It is a highly interactive time of singing, games and learning that the kids seemed to genuinely enjoy. I received good reports from the new Middle School and High School classes as well.
At 11AM the 3's and 4's joined the K and 1st for a time of children's worship called "Praise City". In that time we have started learning common hymns and praise songs and even have introduced the children to an order of worship.
It isn't perfect. Things need a lot of tweaking and fine tuning, but for a first Sunday, things seemed to go well. Continue to pray for the new program and the children involved in it that there would be changes in the heart that comes by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.