Two Little Words I Never Heard

 Brenda and I were watching a movie. The theme of the movie was pretty intense. It was not so much as entertaining as it was informative and inspiring. In one surprise part of the movie a fatherless son discovers who is dad is. He already had a friendly relationship with this man and had known him for years. He was driving to meet his new found father for the first time as his father. Both father and son were embracing a new reality. 

Before he even knocked on the door his father saw him coming. The father threw the door opened and said two words I have never heard spoken to me. Those two little words, five letters in total, shot through me like a piercing knife opening a wound. All the father said was, "My son!"

No man has ever said those words to me. To this day I have no idea who my earthly father was. The man I was told was my father was murdered after a life of debauchery. Turns out he was not my father after all. That remains an unsolved mystery that I have buried and left behind. A man, whom I was told was my father, I cannot even recall what he looked like. I certainly have no memories of his love or wise counsel. I grew up fatherless like so many other people in society. It wounded me. It limited me. It impacts me to this day. 

When that father said, "My son," in the movie tears welled up. It sunk in that I had never heard those words spoken to me even once. A flood of memories resurfaced of little league try outs without my father there while all the other little boys had their fathers present rooting them to success. I never had a father to talk to during the tough times. To love me through failures and disappointments. No father ever told me he loved me. No father taught me to hunt, fish, work on things around the house, play ball or countless other things fathers teach their sons. 

It made me grow up angry. A fighter trying to prove that I belonged and could cut in on the athletic field. Truth is insecurity dominated me most of my formative years. Well into college and adulthood. I felt like I had to perform to prove I fit in. My self-worth was caught up in how successful I was in ministry. Therefore my mood rose and fall depending on the Sunday attendance. Needless to say there were some very low Monday mornings. 

Then God revealed something that changed my life. He is a Father to the fatherless. A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows is God in His holy habitation. [Ps 68:5]

God has been just as real a Father to me as any earthly father could have ever been. He has given me counsel in confusing times. He has comforted me in sorrows. He has encouraged me in failures. He has provided for my family in innumerable times of need. He has shown me favor and opened doors. He has chastised me when I rebelled. More than anything else He has loved me. I belong to Him. I am a part of His family. I have a seat at His table. I cannot put into words what that has meant to me. 

He calls me, "My son," through His Spirit. I am adopted and brought into His fold. He is a better Father to me than any earthly father could ever have been. He has taught and continues to teach me to be a father to my four sons. They are grown up now. I find they still need me. I still delight in being there for them. I still delight in telling them I love them. I need to break this off now. I want to communicate my love to my sons. I never want them to ever feel the way I did for a good portion of my life. My sons. 

A Fresh Gale Blowing

 When I arrived on the scene at Spring Creek enthusiasm coursed through my soul. I saw the challenges that were ahead. The attendance was woefully low. The morale of the people was not much higher, with the exception that they finally had a new pastor. The church had little vision beyond just trying to survive. There were no young families or children. Some of the facilities needed some tender loving care. I knew from the start only God could turn Spring Creek around. 

I recall sitting in this office on my first week in this new position pleading with God bring this church back to life. I pleaded for Him to move. For Him to add the missing pieces to this body of believers. It started very slowly. A few were saved. A few joined the church. Things starting picking up. Then March of 2020 everything came to a halt. We lost the few young families we had reached. Our children's ministry suffered the most. It still has not recovered to what it was before the pandemic. It was just like we started all over again. 

We tried many things and failed many times. Then in the fall of 2021 and into early 2022 God sent a fresh gale of His Spirit blowing over us. We baptized 6 people in the Brazos River one Sunday. This past week God added 12 new people as they joined our church family. Excitement is high. Doors are opening for ministry outside the walls of the church. The pews are filling a little more. 

 It is a far different atmosphere around here than it was two and a half years ago. People are excited. Many parts of the facilities have been updated. New classes have formed. We had over a dozen children sitting on the front steps of the stage for the children's sermon this past Sunday. People are discovering their giftedness and finding ways to put it into service. New visitors show up week after week. God is doing it all. Spring Creek is a far different church than it was not so long ago. We are still the same friendly and loving people. There are some new faces. There is vision now. There is enthusiasm. There are new ministries and new people to help shoulder the load. There is spiritual life. 

I'm humbled to be a part of it. I have served in places where no matter how much we prayed, what outreach ideas we tried, or how we implemented new programs to turn things around the morale the attendance sunk like ship with a gaping hole in it. I do not take for granted when God decides to blow a fresh gale of Spirit among us. He does the saving. He does the adding. He does the vision casting. He calls the workers. He inspires the worship. He sets people in the body as He desires. It all about Him. 

The best part is He is just getting started. He has shown me things through prayer about our future. A bright future. A kingdom of God focused future. A future of faith challenges and adventurous encounters with Him. A future of salvations and revival. A future that is beyond our imagination. 

For my part, I'm humbled and thankful God let me be a part of it. Humbled to shepherd these wonderful people. Awed at His moving among us. Grateful God brought us back home after decades away. Contented with what He is doing among us. No pastor was ever anymore in love with the flock entrusted to him than I am with the people of Spring Creek. It is a joy to serve here. To feed these people the word of God. To labor alongside them. 

Spring Creek, may we hoist the sails of our faith to catch the wind of His Spirit blowing. May we trust God to take us to places and use us in ways that some might say was impossible. Let us believe Him to work mighty miracles here that bring Him much glory. Most of all, may we do all this together, united, in one accord, and of the same mind. It has already been a fun ride and the best is yet to come.