Pastor Mike’s Garage October 14th, 2021

*Pastor Mike’s Garage, Oct 14/21*

So, I’m not sure if it’s the time of year, as in shorter days, colder
weather, or if it’s the fact that my cranium is getting up in years but I
will admit I’ve been in a bit of a fog as of late. It just seems like I am
lacking a clear sense of direction, motivation, and am feeling a decreased
energy level. To top this all off we find ourselves in a very interesting
time in history. There are so many widely varied, strongly held thoughts
and opinions on what is going on around us. Whether it be on Covid, climate
change, our economic future as a world, racism, politics, religion, the
future, and the list goes on. To be honest I feel bombarded and it’s
getting hard to know what or who to believe anymore!

I was contemplating this as I was up north on a moose hunt the last
couple days. One has a lot of time to think when out in the bush all day
with very little distraction. Where do I fit as a pastor? As a member of
our local society? As a husband, son, and father? As I was sitting out in a
field at daybreak yesterday, getting hypothermia and possibly contracting
pneumonia, thoughts of all of this started flooding in. I felt my anxiety
levels begin to rise so I started to contemplate on some of the bible
verses I have committed to memory over the years. Now I don’t pretend to
have vast amounts of scripture memorized but a couple verses came readily
to mind that I probably memorized in Sunday school several decades ago.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding,
in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” “Thy word
have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you.” “Therefore, be
anxious for nothing, but with prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving
make your requests known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

As I contemplated those verses a peace came over me. Where are we to
take our direction and find our peace in life? As I sat there quite
literally freezing, I thought about what kind of legacy am I leaving for
Ben. Where will he take his direction and find his peace in life in the
future? Right there and then I determined to start reading the bible with
him every day. As I was driving home last night, I had Christian radio on
and Grace to You with John MacArthur was on. Now I will admit to you I’m
not a big fan of him. He just seems a little too arrogant in his own
thoughts and opinions and is a little too vocal in his disregarding of the
thoughts and opinions of others for my liking. I find it ironic that his
program is called Grace to You when he shows very little grace to those who
hold opinions that differ to his in any way. But last night he was talking
about striving to live a righteous life and the benefits thereof. Now he
wasn’t saying we need to live a sinless life, that’s impossible! But he was
saying that we, in our present-day society, have lost the desire to live a
righteous life and thus we have opened the door into our lives for all kind
of pitfalls. As I thought about my own life, I would say that this is quite
possibly true!

What am I saying? To quote a chorus we used to sing in Sunday school when I
was a kid, “Read your bible, pray every day, and you’ll grow, grow, grow!”
Life doesn’t need to be as complicated as we tend to make it! Stay humble
and kind, don’t think(or pretend) you know it all, as much as possible live
in peace with all men, try and do what’s right, be a person of integrity!
Remember this world is not our home, this life is not all there is, we need
to focus on the vertical, not the horizontal!

Pastor Mike