Remember That Time...

What an amazing response I have had to yesterday's service. There was such a cool spirit in the building in both services. Things went so very smoothly. The music was awesome. The teaching was pretty good too. But the highlight of the service was Communion.

I loved the song Kenny and the band did. It was a very appropriate backdrop for what we were doing. What an amazing way to remember what God did for us through the sacrifice of His Son. There truly has never been a greater love.

I spoke with several people as they left yesterday, and even had several text and email messages, from people who were struggling with things in their life. Each time, I was able, because of God's work in my life, to help them remember how God has worked in their life in the past. Those memories brought a smile to their face and gave them the motivation they needed to move on to what He has next for them.

So What?

My prayer was yesterday and still is today, that each of us will take time to remember the great things God has done for us. His mercy, grace, and love is more than sufficient for all we need and all we will face this week. Rest in it. Count on it. Thank Him for it. Remember it. Share it.

I Was Not Invovled

Not me. I did not have anything to do with it. I was not even there when it happened. I saw it. Drove by it twice (not like gawking, it just took a long time to get it cleaned up and by the time I came back from what I was doing it was still there). I'm talking about the tanker truck that flipped over on the exit by the church building Sunday morning.

I started off the message Sunday morning by highlighting some truck spill accidents (courtesy of truckspills.com. Yep. It's a real web site.). It has great pictures of truck accidents involving spills. Some of them are stinkin funny and some are just stinkin gross. But I digress...

The message basically was about what we do next after our life has become a mess. We looked at the story in John 20 where Jesus appeared to Peter and some other disciples while they were fishing. This was after Jesus had died and came back to life and after Peter had denied Him. Peter had to be feeling awful and like he had really made a mess of his life. We went on to discuss some steps we should and should not take when life is a mess. It was pretty good if I do say so.

So I leave church Sunday and there is this tanker on its side on the exit ramp by our building. I have to say I laughed to myself. Hoping that no one was injured, of course, I had to appreciate the God's invovlement in my life.

Wait a minute, Doug! Are you saying God made that truck crash?

No. Not necessarily. But I do think God orchestrates things in this world in order to help us get the message because we are often so stinkin hard headed (or at least I am).

What's the point? I think God was reminding me of what the message was Sunday morning. The message I had just delivered to others yet He intended for me to hear also. I beleive every message God gives me to deliver is directed at me, too. And Sunday He was just giving me a friendly reminder.

The reminder: Don't let the mess keep you from what's next.

So What? Keep your eyes, ears, and heart open to what He is trying to tell you. There are reminders everywhere of what He wants to share with you. He wants to show you His love, grace, glory, and plan for your life. I just hope it doesn't take a truck wreck for Him to get your attention!

To hear this past Sunday's message from the series "NEXT: Life After Easter," go to the Midtowne Church web site media page.