Wherever He Leads I'll Go

 We sing that old hymn from time to time Wherever He leads I'll go. It is not wherever I lead, or I wish, or I plan. It is wherever He leads. Make no mistake about it. He is always leading. We never know when God will show up and invite us to an assignment of His choosing. Wherever He leads. 

As an eighteen year old student, I never dreamed that would mean God inviting and calling me to preach. I recently relived that calling in an interview with my mentor. It seemed just like yesterday. Truth is it was 39 years ago. I have followed that calling on my life for nearly four decades. I do not know where He will lead from day to day. Over the past near 40 years I started as a junior high boys Sunday school teacher. I became a youth ministry intern. I served two churches as a youth minister. I have served as a pastor and church planter for three decades. I also spent some time as a full time traveling preacher. Along the way I followed Jesus' calling to write. Wherever He led I sought to go. 

I just know I am committed to go. Wherever He leads. It does not matter where or doing what. Sometimes that means to the prayer closet in the wee hours of the night. Sometimes that means to a hospital for a visit. I have spent whole nights in the hospital ministering to people who were sick or in tragic accidents. Sometimes going means out of town for a preaching invitation. At times, it has meant leaving the country. On several occasions it has meant moving to different towns for a different field of service. 

In recent days, it has meant serving my wife as she recovers from surgery. It meant changing ice in her ice machine first thing today. It meant cooking breakfast, making her coffee, and making sure she had water on her table. It also meant helping her in and out of the shower. It meant driving her to Dallas for a post operation doctor visit. She is progressing nicely. She is my first ministry. 

Now, He is leading me to write. Some want to qualify where they will follow Jesus. According to I Cor 6:19-20, we are not our own. He owns us. He can help Himself to our lives anytime He wants. We are always to be on standby waiting for our next marching orders. Yesterday, it meant sharing my testimony on video. 

One of the verses in that old hymn is though none go with me I still will follow. Not all church people are dedicated to going where He leads. They prefer to drop anchor in a pew and become rooted in comfortable apathy. Sometimes He leads down some rough patches. The sacrifice and suffering are great. The reward for following is greater. 

Sunday morning it meant listening to many heavy laden people. From the time I walked in my office just before 8:00 a.m. until well after the service ended, I talked to many people who needed a listening ear. Sometimes the Lord leads us to people who are broken, hurting, confused, and needing some spiritual guidance. 

The world behind me and the cross before me. Some people in the world would consider Brenda and I rich. We are not poor. We certainly do not live in the lap of luxury. Every member of my family drives a car with 150,000 miles on it. Two drive ones with over 200,000 miles on them. Our oldest vehicle is 20 years old. Our newest is 9. We do not own our home. We live in a house the church provides. We are not well set up for retirement. Retirement does not seem to be an option at this point. I must preach until the end. Serving God has never been about money. We have gone wherever He called us no matter what the salary. Twice in the last decade we served churches that could only afford $500 a week. One of those churches we drove seven hours one way each weekend to minister for months. Somehow God provided and we made it. Twice in our ministry when we owned our own home God has called individuals to make our house payments for us without our asking. We have lived with abundance and we have learned to suffer need. God has been true and faithful in both instances. We are learning to be content in all circumstances. It has never or will ever be about the money. 

I am not saying that we do not need money to survive like everyone else. I am saying that when churches could not afford to provide adequately for us, God made up the difference in other ways. Marvelous and astounding ways. We are a faith family and we are committed to taking faith steps when called to do so. We do not have to have our own home or the latest and greatest. We have the Lord. We have one another. We have His promises and His faithfulness in keeping those promises. That is enough. Even when we are required to bear our cross for a while. We must mind a little suffering. It will all be worth it in the end. Until then, no turning back. No turning back. Wherever and whenever He leads we will joyfully go.