Humans, Longing and the God who Fills!

"For He satisifies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things.” Psalm 107:9

The human heart beats to a rhythm known as “longing.” It is this rhythm that so much of our society has learned to captitalize on and, in turn, make a profit from. The consumeristic urge at Christmas is simply another expression of “longing” and an example of our society's ability to leverage that longing into a sale.


It seems that every year our Christmas season gets longer and our Thanksgiving joy gets shorter. In fact this year it was not too deep into November when I began to notice Christmas decorations adorning the hallways of our supermarkets. Last week I even noticed a lawn already decorated with the fullest of Christmas joy - two weeks BEFORE Thanksgiving. Now I love to decorate our lawn and Melissa loves to decorate our home, but two weeks before Thanksgiving is a little much. Some might argue that its okay to get into the Christmas spirit a bit early. In fact, such a course might even help us extend that good old Christmas cheer a few more weeks this time around.


However, I have a hunch (though I could be wrong) that such a pursuit of Christmas cheer might actually be another expression of the longing we sense in our hearts that we all too often seek to fill with resources that leave us wanting yet again. After all, it was not all that long ago that we celebrated last Christmas. The longing was satiated, if ever so briefly, and then we got back to the real world and had the thrill of paying those credit card bills that purchased our satisfaction. Of course, this just lead us to another longing … one to be able to pay the bills and perhaps even a sense of regret over resources misspent on a longing unfulfilled.


There are, however, times when we do leave the table satsified. I suspect that for many of us this will be the case come next Thursday. We will not only leave the table satisfied, but we may even have enough left over to satisfy ourselves again later that night and even on into the next day. I, for one, look forward to that opportunity! I love the gathering of family I haven't seen in years and the opportunity to laugh, pray, converse and just be with them for a short period of time. Yes, in that moment - in those moments - there is a sense of satisfication. There is a sense of contentment. That is a what I call a right way to fill up. That type of filling comes from the depth of our human relationships. It comes from the love we share, the hope we have, and the joy we take in being with one another.


Yet there remains a problem even with this type of filling up. The problem is that we will hunger yet again. You see, you and I were made to hunger. You and I were made to desire and to long for things in this life. What we were not made to do or what we were not made for is the rat race of satisfication that our temporary world over-sells and under-delivers day in and day out. We were not made to jump on the hamster wheel and run longer in our pursuit of satisfaction. No, our longing was made so that we might find ultimate relief and hope from the hand of God and Him alone!


As we move into another holiday season, as we embark upon another Thanksgiving and celebrate another Christmas, let's not forget that the attempts to fill ourselves with temporary resources will prove to be just that - temporary. Let's not forget that there is a resource Whose well never runs dry and Whose ears never grows deaf! There an endless resource and, as the Psalmist reminds us, He truly and finally fills the longing of the human soul and satisfies the hunger within! 
Celebrate Thanksgiving this week by longing for God and His resource in the midst of a land full of false hopes and temporary remedies!


See you Saturday night for our Community Thanksgiving Dinner at Wekiva High School. Bring a friend, neighbor, and/or family member, and let's kick off this season by longing for God together!


Grace and Peace!
Biz

Resignation, Resentment and the Radical Love of . . . Man's best friend

Okay, it's probably not the best of titles. In fact, since I am your pastor you probably expected the words following “Radical Love of” to be something like “the Lord,” “Jesus,” or “Christ.” This is something that we all know and believe - His love is radical and life-changing. But this week I have been impressed by the love my little (somewhat dumb) dog has shown me - without fail. Yes, dogs are faithful to a fault. He doesn't care what type of decisions I am making nor whom they affect. He doesn't care that he will be crated for a little trip and have to figure out a new yard, neighborhood, home etc. Nope, when I come home (everytime!) he does the same thing - he wags his tail in excitement and jumps all over me trying to lick me (my wife calls them kisses – yuck!) with mad affection. And, boy, have I needed that this week. That silly little dog has no idea how amazing it is when he jumps up on my lap and says, without sound, “Big person who feeds me and gives me drink, I love you.”

This past Sunday, most of you know by now, I publically communicated to this great church that we love deeply, that I have resigned as the Senior Pastor in order to pursue a calling in the Vero/Sebastian area of Indian River County that I believe, with passion, that the Lord has placed upon my life. This calling necessitates radical commitment and transition not only for me and my family, but the congregation at large. I know this is so and because of that truth, the decision came only after months of laborious prayers and calling out to Christ. It was evident, and still is, that to fail to pursue this would constitute disobedience on my part - a reality I would not wish upon my own life or that of the congregation of WCC.

You know, leadership is tough and lonely at times. It is so because the decisions a leader makes impact so many others and have far-reaching ramifications. The only way a leader - or better, a servant of the Lord - can make such decisions is to know that at the end of the day his or her decisions are held accountable at the highest level with the greatest ramifications. There have been a host of reactions to my resignation (I had a host myself when Christ began to reveal His will), all of which are to be expected and are okay! As a pastor, as your pastor, one of my responsiblities in this transition is to shepherd you (along with your elders) through these reactions to the Cross of Christ and His purpose for Westside Community Church (which by the way does not change one bit with my departure).

The reactions, as I noted earlier, have been manifold. Yes, there are resentments concerning my resignation. There is also deep loss, sadness, and a sense of “what is next?”, which always bring with it an air of anxiety. But there is also excitement and encouragement. There also vision and hope. There is also trust and obedience and belief in a Sovereign Lord who picks and chooses His ambassadors and moves them at His will, and, then, amazingly, provides even better than before for that area and those people who remain committed and dedicated to the call of Christ in the life of the local ministry and congregation.

To be honest with you, I am thankful for the anger and thankful for the pain, as much as I am thankful for the excitement and the encouragment. I am thankful because (in my mind) it indicates the depth of love that you and I have for one another and the recognition of the amazing and wonderful season of minsitry our Lord has allowed us to conduct together over these past 6 1/2 years! It illustrates the truth that we have walked very difficult roads and that you have seen my life and my family in ways no other people have seen us - especially as you walked so closely with us through the battle of cancer my dear wife faced just three short years ago. It is also illustrative of the fact that you, this great church, have grown to love and appreciate the ministry God has given to me in your midst and that I, your pastor, have grown to love you and take joy in the growth God has provided in and through the lives and ministry of Westside Community Church.

My prayer is, in the midst of emotion and wondering, that we will, as we have always done, bring everything (emotion, wondering, questioning, excitement, all of it) to the Cross of Christ and to trust Him once again to do for us that which we are unable to do for ourselves. God has something for all of us in this time of trial, confusion, transition, trust, and obedience. You see, as you well know, this is really not about me. Nor is it about you. It is about disciples bringing glory and honor to our Lord in and through all things, times, situations, and circumstances - especially the tough ones.

Over the next few weeks you will hear more from my heart in regard to this new calling and vision. The Lord has given me several sermons and thoughts that I believe, in His time, will begin to reveal and unwrap not only the next step I am taking, but also the next steps Christ is calling Westside to take. As we gather together, I want to ask that you continue to seek the Lord and find strength in His Word. There is much more to be done and much more ministry to be accomplished in and through this great church. Also, I am still going to challenge and enourage you to get behind this plant effort and see it as part of the Lord's fulfillment of His vision for this congregation!

You know, I am thankful for my dog. He is really awesome. I am more thankful for you and the love and patience you have shown me and this ministry over these past years. I am even more thankful for my dear bride and children, who have always been a constant source of support, love, and encouragment in minsitry. Yet I am most thankful for our Lord and Savior and the gracious calling He invites His people to step into and then provides as we do!

Grace and Peace for today and Beyond!

Biz

P.S. The elders will keep you apprised regularly of the transition plans, timetable, search team direction, etc. as we move forward together! Call out to the Lord and ask that we hear Him and see Him during all this and ask for His guidance as He leads us to His next Pastor for this great church!

Be and Become A People of Prayer!

In the latter chapters of the Gospel of Luke Jesus begins to teach His followers concerning that day that would come in the future - that day when He would wrap up all things and call all people unto Himself. Interstingly enough, in telling them of that day’s coming He doesn't tell them all the tools and methods they need in order to be ready for it. Nor does He give them a checklist of items they need to purchase in preparation. Rather, He tells them (and us) to become and be a people of prayer!

I love the way He words His call to prayer, "But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36). Can you imagine what might have been going through their minds at the time? He had just told them of a future that was certain to come, but did not give the specifics of that future. He had just told them of many amazing, trying, and difficult days to come. Yet in order to prepare for those times He says be and become a people of prayer!

In today's world, we are inclined to give each other “seven steps to handle” or “five ways to happiness”, etc. etc. Jesus didn’t do that. No, He reminds me and you that the key to our lives as His disciples is to keep watch in prayer! This begs the question, How do we handle uncertain times and to whom do we turn in those moments? Do we lose our focus and try to manage everything through control and manipulation? Do we avoid what is coming and pretend that it does not exist? Do we talk about it with all our friends and try to find a world's way answer to the dilemma?

While we may always and often do some or all of those things, as disciples of Christ our method, our hope, is to take the burden, the unknown, tomorrow to Him in prayer! We are called to “keep watch” and “stay alert” to the fact that, come what may, nothing changes the truth that Christ is King and He is still working in and through our lives and that He is one day going to return. At that time, in that moment, we will stand before Him and the question will be, have we been faithful? You want to know the answer to that? Then evaluate your prayer life and your dependence upon Him!

It is time, Westside, to Be and Become a People of Prayer!

Grace and Peace!

Biz