None Other Hope

Dave McCarty has been a wonderful mentor and friend to me.  He has helped me through some rough patches in my life and always pointed me to Jesus.  His ministry is to mentor missionaries and pastors.  His latest post to his list was particularly helpful to me and I thought I would share it here.  If you would like to get on his list and receive his updates, you can do so here: gospelfriendships.icontact.com

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I sit behind the steering wheel, like God Himself, assuming I know the way, know good turns from bad. Is it any wonder that life is so hard for me? Boy this driving job seemed like a fairly easy one, but now I’m feeling pressure: like someone completely out of his element. Sometimes fearful, sometimes frustrated, and sometimes discouraged. ShepherdJesus is sitting in the back seat telling me it certainly doesn’t have to be this way. I can crawl over the seat and sit in the back anytime I want. ShepherdJesus is more than ready to switch with me and take the wheel.

But can I relax and enjoy the ride from the back seat? Do I trust Him to make the right turns? Am I sure He knows the right route to get me the happiness/LIFE I’m wanting? Whoa, why is He turning down this street? This doesn’t seem right to me at all. What is He doing? Is He worthy of my trust, or is He in fact the nincompoop, ne’r-do-well that I am beginning to suspect? Uh-oh, another turn up a street that seems equally bad. I think I’d better jump back into the front seat and take control of this car. I’m just sure I know a better way. This is out of the way, we’re taking some roads that could be very dangerous/hazardous…especially to my comfort, reputation, self-esteem.

“Okay, ShepherdJesus, that’s it; get out from behind the wheel; I’m taking over. I may not have the self-confidence I’d like in all areas of my life, but I doggone sure know good turns from bad turns, good roads from bad ones, and this is not a good route You’ve taken me on. Stop the car: either I want the wheel, or I want out.”

–ShepherdDave, needing prayer to embrace being childlike, dependent, riding-in-the-back-seat DumbSheepDave, so the pre-believers around him will be wowed by the difference his Shepherd makes in his life, and want Him too (please pray now)

I just read “A God-Sized Vision” by Collin Hansen and John Woodbridge. …a great read! Basically it outlines a history of genuine revival in the last several centuries.

I remember that as a missionary kid in Chile we received a visit from the veteran missionary to Korea, Dr. T. Stanley Soltau. I remember my parents commenting that his advice to the mission was that they fervently pray for revival.

…Fast forward many years to my time in Louisiana. Every weekend I gigged with my trumpet in New Orleans in a variety of settings. But one constant was the reading I did during breaks. The one book that impacted the most and was used by God to call me to seminary was “Dynamics of Spiritual Life” by Richard Lovelace. Again, it was about revival and renewal. Essentially, he talks about primary and false elements of renewal with an analysis of Jonathan Edwards thought. In many ways it blew my mind or at least it knocked me completely out of my own little comfortable box that had God all figured out.

So that brings me to today. What has God laid on my heart for Shannon Forest? I have this deep sense that we need to pray for revival and renewal. And if “A God-Sized Vision” is right, this won’t be just at Shannon, it will be city-wide or state-wide or even country wide. But I long to get swept up in understanding more deeply just how sinful I really am so that the grace of Christ would flood through my whole being. And I’m convinced that this will bring such heart peace that loving my neighbor – even that nasty one – will be such a pleasure that the name of Christ will be exalted.

So…will you pray with me for revival?

It’s at Christmas time that I often become nostalgic.  My guess is that I’m not alone.  I think of Christmases past; family, traditions, places, food, etc.  We have lived in so many places and each place has had a different feel at Christmas time.  Many of my childhood years were spent in Chile (and also the last 6 of my adult life).  Of course, they celebrate Christmas in the summer time; the beginning of their summer vacation.  The days are long, the weather is warm.  I can always remember sweating a lot during the Christmas eve service because there were always many people in attendance and no air conditioning.  I definitely missed the cold of Christmas.  Of course, when we lived in Gunnison, CO, we got more than our fill of cold at Christmas.  A highlight for me in Gunnison, was the winter festival held at the beginning of December where all the stores downtown were open until late  and you could wander up and down the one main street.  It was usually twenty below zero in the evening (very cold by any definition).  But a good cup of hot chocolate at one of the local stores would fix that right up.

Of course, the biggest memories for me are of family Christmases.  And since my dad is gone, I often think back to him.  He always preached on Christmas Eve at the church service and then we would go home and open gifts (a remnant from our days in Chile where they open gifts on Christmas Eve).  This was good for a bunch of teenagers who wanted to sleep in on Christmas day.  I miss those seemingly care free days and I miss my dad.

In our more that 27 years of marriage, we have developed some great traditions with our family.  We usually go home after the Christmas Eve service at church and have a full blown dinner – in good Chilean style.  In Chile this was usually a cookout.  And since I love to grill, I don’t care how cold it is – that’s what a warm coat is for.  But we have always maintained the American tradition of opening gifts on Christmas morning.  The kids may not get up before 6am.  At 6, they can look in their stockings.  But if they wake me up before 8, they’re in deep weeds! : )  Then we open our gifts and enjoy a great family time together.

I know there are many that struggle at Christmas time.  My mom’s brother, Earl Gray, died a week ago.  Christmas will be difficult this year for my three cousins and my aunt.  Uncle Earl was a special man.  One of those “under the radar” kind of guys but very faithful to Jesus all of his life and very faithful to Aunt Jane and to his kids.  I loved him dearly and know he will be sorely missed.

As I get older, I realize that my Christmases are numbered.  I think of the reunion that my dad and Uncle Earl had in heaven – must have been very sweet indeed.  My heart has been drawn much deeper into thinking about heaven.  Last night in our leadership class at church we talked about heaven quite a bit and we truly became nostalgic for a place we’ve never been.  And that’s the truth of it.  It’s in our DNA.  We long for and remember a place we’ve never been because we were created for joy, we long for joy and some day, for those who know Christ, we will be caught up in inexpressible joy because we will see Jesus for who he is – our Savior from sin, our Scapegoat, our Sacrificed Lamb, our Redeemer but also our Resurrected Lord and our Mediator before a Holy God.

This will be our first Christmas without all of our family.  Robbie and Nati are coming to visit but not until January.  We will miss him on Christmas morning as he usually is the life of the party.  But I know they’re where God wants them.  That’s the thing about the kingdom of God, we’re not home yet and there’s work to do.  It’s OK to reminisce, to be nostalgic because it draws our hearts home but then it’s time to get about the business of the kingdom.  There will always be struggles in this life but one day we will enjoy an eternal Christmas.

You never know what an empty nest feels like until you begin to go through it.  We haven’t reached the empty nest yet, but we’re very close to being half way there.  Just a little over a year ago, we had 8 around our table.  Last night there were only 5 and we began to reminisce about 8 – with great sadness.  Robbie is married and living in Chile.  Sam and Kim are at Covenant College.  The dynamic of our home has changed dramatically.  With Robbie so far away, it feels like there’s been a death.

With such a big family, we had people going in every direction. But every Saturday, like clockwork, we ate lunch together – usually at about 3:00 pm.  We usually cooked out and sat around the table laughing and talking. I have such great memories of that time.

But oh how time flies – way too quickly.  I’m already 50 and it feels like yesterday that I was 18.  Life is full of goodbyes that are unpleasant.  How do we cope with this?  Ecclesiastes says: 7 Since no man knows the future, who can tell him what is to come? 8 No man has power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the day of his death. (Eccl. 8:7-8 NIV)

I am confident that one day I will wake up on an eternal shore where I will never have to say goodbye again.  My dad is there and so is my little girl Kristen as well as my grandparents and a whole host of other loved ones.  I can’t wait to see them.

But more importantly, Jesus my savior is there.  No longer will I have to see him imperfectly or love him imperfectly.  I, with my own eyes, will see the wounds in his hands, feet and side.  I will hear his voice clearly and will know, beyond the shadow of a doubt of his love.  I will worship him unhindered.  And there, by his side, I will wait for my other loved ones to join us.

Can there be any better hope!?

I am a blessed man. Two months ago we traveled to Santiago, Chile where I was able to perfom my son’s wedding. He married a beautiful girl in every way – Natalia Figueroa. I’m really happy for him. We were all there – Anne and all my children. Plus, my two brothers, wives, my mother, my in-laws and my two nieces. We had a great time. I have been so blessed – a beautiful wife, 6 beautiful children, a great job where I get to preach the gospel every week, wonderful extended family – a truly blessed man!

That’s the up side. Of course, the down side is that Robbie and Nati are staying in Chile. Robbie came to the States with me in January and stayed a month before going back to Chile. But we knew we would see each other in July for the wedding. Well, that came and went and our farewell was quite sad. I told Robbie that he was called to Chile and we were called to Greenville, SC and that there would be plenty of time to sit around the kitchen table in heaven to chew the fat. Given what’s coming, we should pursue our callings with reckless abandon. So I’m happy sad – but at the end of the day, I’m a blessed man. There is no greater joy than to know that your children walk with the Lord!