July 13, 2011

7-13-11 Wednesday, 5:50 am Springfield, 72 cool degrees.

It is so good to be home. During the last two days I rode the Kawasaki 700 miles through Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and Illinois. I camped in the woods and endured the persistent heat. I have wanted to take such a trip for a long time, and Monday and Tuesday were available. I am still feeling the fatigue of the heat and the irritating chigger and tick bites. And, as always with a camping trip, I am ready to focus on the work that lies ahead. As I awoke in my tent yesterday morning, my challenges included cooking breakfast over a fire, dealing with a wasp nest while breaking down camp, and getting the motorcycle turned around in the woods. All were accomplished successfully.

I am ready to get back to the work of pastoring. We will have a staff meeting this morning, and worship planning this afternoon, followed by an executive leadership team meeting. Tonight I have dinner and a meeting of the Ozark Flying club. Tomorrow I have time to work on sermon prep, and a pastor’s golf tournament on Friday.

II Thes 2:13-16
… stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. (KJV, verse 15) The TNIV: …hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

I am working on a sermon for Sunday which will launch a new series focusing on “Our Christian Family Tree.” It will involve considering the Roman Catholic church, the Lutheran church, the Presbyterian Church, and the Pentecostal/Charismatic church. It will also involve the study and application of the Wesleyan “quadrilateral” of scripture, tradition, reason and experience.

It is good for me to ponder the teachings and traditions that I should “hold fast.” It is such a temptation for humans to write their own, start something new and independent. Jesus supported the heart of the traditions passed down from Moses, but resisted the human additions and applications that subverted the intention (such as honoring father and mother, see Matthew 15:1-9). My main challenge for this Sunday, and for each part of this series will be to focus on the essentials, to make clear applications, and to guard against wondering all over the map. None of these four parts naturally lends itself to brevity.

Guide me oh, thou great Jehovah, as I am a pilgrim through this barren land. May my steps, my thoughts, my actions be ordered by your will and your word during each hour, each minute of this day.