Recently, I had the opportunity to go to church again. It was the first time in 5 months I had to see the people I used to see every Sunday. Now it was outside and it was not a full church service as I thought it was going to be. It was more of a informational meeting than a service. However, beggars cant be choosers. It was a meeting to let everyone know that the pastor we had for the last 4 years was going to be moving on to another church.

Many people, including myself were upset. I and others were upset at the fact that the existence and growth of the church seems to be a very low priority to the presbytery of Chicago. Another congregant made the point that local Bible churches are growing by leaps and bounds yet we are struggling every Sunday to have a quarter of the sanctuary filled.

I decided to stand up and voice my complaints as well. However, I was also inclined to say something about change. Us human beings don’t like a lot of change. This is truer and truer the older we get. Yet, out lives are full of it.

When the Lord told the Egyptian Hebrews to strike out for the promised land, it did not take them very long to start saying, “Uh, lets go back to Egypt where things did not require so much faith” or “I dont want to use faith, I want to know for certain where my next meal is coming from!” They did not need faith just for food but the Hebrews needed it to cross the Red Sea, to be safe from enemies, and to believe that there would be an end to their wandering in the desert. However, the Lord wanted them to stretch and grow their faith. Their reluctance to stretch their faith caused them to wander for 40 years in the Sini when its only 380 miles to Israel. That is like an day trip by bus.

I am not saying that its the Lord’s intention to lead my church to a land of milk and honey. I don’t know where trusting the Lord in that situation will lead us. However, I do know that we all face situations in life where we dont want to grow, to stretch, and to change. In those situations, we can either choose faith or fear, to be a victim or a victor, to trust God or to make ourselves gods. I honestly want to be a believer and in those situations, (which as long as I am on Earth will come) to make it across the shortest way possible, His way.

Psalm 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not yourself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass.

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