Sunday Reflections
God be praised for a phenomenal and extraordinary day in the house of the Lord this past Sunday! It completely goes without saying – God is faithful to keep His Word; and He is committed to carrying out His ultimate plan in the lives of His children.
I continued looking in the Book of Joshua.
Here is my outline:
Title: Crossing the Current of Life’s Challenges
I. Look back to God’s provision, Vss. 1-4
II. Give attention to God’s position, Vss. 3-4
III. Consider your call to consecration, Vs. 5
IV. Stand firm with faithful conviction, Vss. 7-8
V. Trust in God’s instruction, Vss. 5, 14-17
Preaching through the first few chapters of Joshua have been both challenging and enjoyable. Admittedly, I flustered through a portion of Joshua 3 on this past week. There is a portion of the story of Joshua that is a little fuzzy to me; and this is the account of them preparing to cross the Jordan. Nonetheless, God brought me through.
In overall church life, this has proven to be a tough month. We are facing the challenge of how to best utilize our church building. To be sure, the building where we worship each week is old. In fact, it is very old. And the more activities we have at our church, no matter what we’ve done to enhance sanctuary space, the building starts “showing her age!” There are just so many changes taking place in our congregation; and this is just another added to the list. We are sort of at a crossroads…which way do we go in terms of our building – try to restore or build? For many reasons, I don’t see undertaking a building project in 2016. For more reasons, I don’t see continuing to invest in space that, no matter how much we attempt to make it work, it is just not functional. This is a tough reality, for many reasons. I am prayerfully trying to discern God’s will in this; and look forward to seeing God show His hand and reveal His desire for our church in this.
In other news…the NFC Conference (Team Irvin) won the pro-bowl! January has just been an amazing month!!! I cannot complain about anything. Things are forming in the area of my organization, church life is exceptional, another open door in chaplaincy, the boys are doing well in school and I continue to have the most amazing wife. I was talking to a friend recently (last week); and he and I were discussing how many events in our lives were not as we had planned them out. This conversation arose as we discussed a book I am writing on how life can turn some peculiar corners; and how God uses our disappointments and setbacks to reveal His ultimate, preferred will for our lives. It is true – I never, in all of my life, would have concocted most aspects of my existence on the screen of my life. I would have gone to a different college, married a different person, pastored a different church, lived in a different house, drove a different car, etc. I can reflect upon all of the ways I thought my life was taking on a different direction.
But here is what is so critical – God’s love for us is willing to be criticized in order to accomplish His purpose in our lives; and move us from what is good to what is best for us!
Never, in all of my life, would I have come up with where I am now. But never, in all of my life, would I have thought I would be as blessed as I am today. Literally…I see what God was up to all along. Did I make some wrong turns along the way? Of course…or I wouldn’t be human. But I have literally seen God allowing me to graduate from the best schools (better than the ones I wanted to attend), marry the best woman (she was tailor-made for me!), father the 3 best sons (even though I wanted FIVE!…not anymore), and Pastor a church that has grown and stretched me in ways I didn’t think possible! Boy…what a journey. If someone were to come to me and say, “Let’s go back and give you all of the stuff, choices, people and places you once desire.” I would, without hesitation, say “You’re crazy!” I guess the saints of old put it like this: “I wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now.” Now does this imply that anything I wanted was not good? No way… I’d like to think I’ve always wanted the BEST! Morehouse and Princeton Seminary are AMAZING schools. The church I thought I’d pastor the rest of my life was one of the best! Dallas (the place I wanted to live) is an amazing city! The person I thought I’d be with the rest of my life has become an amazing wife to someone else; and they have amazing children. All of those things just weren’t God’s best for ME!
All in all, I continue to look forward to see what God is up to; and what God is up to in my marriage, our sons, this ministry God has entrusted unto me; and for the congregation of Mt. Salem. What a journey. I pray that God continues to guard my life, health, mind, wife and family for His glory and our good. The best is yet to come!
Kraig Lowell Pullam 