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Separation Anxiety. Desperate to be reunited. (Part 3)

The level of anxiousness we have in our relationship with God directly determines how desperate we are!

The shear amount of resources and training Search and Rescue Teams use is inspiring. These guys spend hours training and tons of resources to be ready when called on. When something important is missing, we’ll spend a ton of time, effort and resources to insure their return. And rightfully so! We should do everything in our power to reunite those who are lost. When searching, they are relentless. They will use every available resource to insure the lost are found. They can get pretty anxious in the search… and it motivates them to keep going.

In your relationship with God, how anxious are you to be with God? Is the separation of your sin bothering you? Making you anxious? I believe this anxiety we feel in our relationship with God is healthy. It’s the motivator we need to find the one thing that can satisfy this longing deep within.

Separation Anxiety. Desperate to be reunited. (Part 2)

The separation is killing me!! I have young kids and it wasn’t too long ago I remember dropping them off at the nursery. If you have young kids you know what I’m talking about. As we walk down the hall toward the nursery our kids get quieter and quieter. They sense the separation coming. You arrive at the door. Bend down to drop them off… and this is what you see…

The moment of separation from mom and dad can be so stressful. The very thought that mom and dad would leave me in the hands of a “stranger.” It almost feels like we are torturing our kids. But, the big question is… Do you feel like this when sin separates you from God?

Broken Bottles. Serving our students the best way we know how.

Reading John 12 this morning. Mary broke out her best perfume and used it to wash Jesus’ feet. Everyone in the room was struggling to figure out why she would waste such a precious commodity on the feet of Jesus. Really, feet are nasty! Especially for those walking around with sandals every day. Mary spared no expense and didn’t think twice to give away her best to Jesus.

I’m reminded in this story of the youth pastor. Really?! Youth pastors get a bad rap sometimes for just “winging it” and not doing the work of ministry with excellence. We need to use our best gifts to serve those we have been called to serve. We don’t need to bring our second best effort… bring our best effort. All these years and many times I catch myself only bringing what is necessary to just get by. But, the moments when I and my team do our work with excellence, our very best, I believe God is very pleased.

Excellence is not just spending more money or finding the newest technology to make our ministries better but rather, its taking the best of what we have been given and making the most of it. Don’t plan last minute. Don’t wing it. Take time to think. At all cost, do it with excellence. Bring your best to the feet of Jesus. Your students will respond, the parents in your ministry give trust and your volunteers will sing your praises.

Our ministries need to make room for the work of the Holy Spirit. When we work hard, plan, think and give our best, I believe God honors it with His presence. There is nothing I enjoy more in ministry than to see a student respond to the presence of God in the moment, knowing that I gave my very best to plan and prepare. That’s a collision I want to be a part of.

Bring your best to the feet of Jesus. Serve your students with excellence.