March 2010 "Sketchings"

“KEEPING OUR EYES ON THE ROAD!”

I’ve been noticing that, as a congregation (and for me personally), there are several things in our life together that are “anxiety” producing. It seems, in my experience, when there are items and issues producing anxiety, the results are usually a series of distractions. Distractions take our eyes off the road. Distractions lead to a more “inward focus” and a good deal of “looking in the rear view mirror”.

Earlier this winter I said that Morning Star is a vital, spiritually growing mission center. We are busy laboring in the kingdom of God. God’s abundance is fueling our kingdom work. This is worthy of our thanks and praise. Furthermore, we are a community focused on what lies ahead. We are placing our trust in God to empower us to speak, believe and do more than we ever dreamed or imagined.

In order to be faithful in the kingdom work as a vital mission center we have to keep our eyes on the road or we run the risk of getting stuck in the ditch.

I’ve learned (and preached a couple of sermons on) the idea that my bicycle will go where I’m looking. If I’m looking at the pothole, I’ll end up there. If I’m focused on the rut can potentially topple me, I’ll soon be toppled. The same holds true for skiing and other physical activities. We tend to go where we look. Therefore, we want to look where we want to go.

This is not to say that we shouldn’t be up front and honest about the issues that produce anxiety. We need to engage our anxiety and determine what we can learn from it. We need to talk fears and anxiety and lift up our history, our “rear view mirror” look. We need to be accountable to our budget, our plans for our life together and our desire to be “debt free.” Along with these we recognize that during this “renewal leave” year we’re doing something we’ve never done before – taken two separate renewal journeys for the sake of a stronger ministry together. In addition, it is important for us to talk though possible changes in ELCA ministry guidelines.

At the same time, we can’t become fixated on these things and take our eyes off of the road. If we do, we run the risk of getting stuck in the ditch.

What is on the road in front of us is God’s mission in and to the world. What is ahead of us is vital and uplifting worship, the preaching of the Gospel of salvation, study of God’s word and our individual faithful responses to God’s grace in our own devotional and prayer lives, our witness and our generosity. What is ahead is the offering of the promises of God’s grace to our world and living out God’s power in our daily lives.

Like any road, what is ahead is at the same time exciting and risky, challenging and rewarding, unknown and known (by the one who walks with us). What is ahead is walking with our God, our God who leads us into the future, which means an empting our selves of our own anxieties, fears, desires and personal preferences. In wonderful grace, the reward of such vulnerability is participation in God’s creative work in the world. It is a sharing of the miracles of God, which not only touch the world, but also touch and change us.

Friends in Christ, we don’t know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future (as the old clique goes). Knowing that God is in the drivers seat, we can keep our eyes on the road and focus boldly on what lies ahead. We can continue to rest in God’s abundance in such a way as to get caught up in the miracles God is doing in our midst and respond with our own faithfulness in the mission and ministry on the road ahead.

We have ministry to do. We have a mission before us – “… to bring the light of Christ to all creation.” We are a vital and living part of God’s kingdom work.

So, let’s stay focused. Let’s stay on the road.

T. O. M.