about this weekend…
Fitting the laid back days of summer leading up to Father’s Day, I was throwing a baseball at my son. Don’t worry. Michael caught the sphere with his leather glove and threw it back. This was classic, old school “playing catch” with my boy. We were playing in our fussed-over, chemically induced front yard. Neighbors would drive by with a cautionary speed, and wave hearty congratulations to my obvious fatherdom. Awesome. It was life in the burbs as meant to be lived. The wonder, smells, sounds, and glory of it all began to sink into my soul like a cheesy, slow motion scene from an epic sports movie. I like sports movies… especially being in one!
Why are we so blessed? Perhaps to varying degrees, we who call Georgia our home should have a long list dripping with gratitude. Have you written yours out lately? When have you written your thank you notes to God in an intentional act of appreciation? I did my list this morning. Seems the good stuff far outweighs the garbage that so often weighs me down.
Why? Why is this the case for 99.89327% of us? Why have you blessed us, Lord?
Is our prosperity the point? Are the burbs my ultimate end, and God is the means? Some think so, and this has become their religion. Does the movement of Jesus in my life ultimately culminate in a game of catch in the burbs with nice grass? That seems small. Are the blessings the good news, or is there a bigger gospel?
Jesus as my personal savior must be more than just… personal.
What if my finely manicured yard points to my Hindu neighbor’s yard that isn’t? What if the food I eat today, pointed to those without? Do my blessings become the means for seeing and meeting need? The Bible’s grand story of redemption and restoration is mine, but also carries a responsibility of sharing. Will I? Will we?
Would God ever send us to unlikely places like Zarephath in order to see and connect with desperate, hungry, and willing people? Can I say, “No way” if He does? A personal gospel of mere someday-up-there salvation stays home in the burbs and plays catch. An epic gospel of all things being restored can’t help but be shared… often in unlikely places with incredibly wide-eyed image bearers of God who need some great news.
Let’s talk on Sunday. We’ll be looking at Elijah’s big story in I Kings 17:8-16. It’ll be a great Father’s Day around CCC. I’m looking forward to our gathering this weekend.
Blessings,
Upcoming Events
Cumberland 101 tonight!
June 15, 6:30 – 9:00pm | June 16, 9:00 – noon
Find out our purpose and process of how we LOVE, FEED, CONNECT & MOTIVATE
Kudzu Groups | Sign up in the lobby this Sunday, it’s not too late!
5 week affinity based small groups meeting from June 11 to July 22
VBX Kids Camp 2012
Monday, July 16 – Thursday, July 19 | 5:45 – 8:30pm (dinner included)
Click here to sign up!
Just Like Elijah Sermon Series
Next Week: “If you swim in the Y, you forget the Who”
Weekly Giving (6/10/2012)
$21,640.24
Weekly Need
$23,000.00
Attendance (6/10/2012)
735
