strength & peace

Psalm 29:11 The Lord gives His people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.

I've never been 58 before, so I'm not sure what it's supposed to be like.

In the past few years, I've noticed that I don't have quite the same amount of energy I used to have. Lynn tells me this is normal with the aging body, so I'm not alarmed about it. It's just another reminder that I'm not 22 anymore - & haven't been for 36 years! ;-)

One of the temptations of someone my age is to give in to that slackening energy. As I start into whatever it is that our downtown presence is gonna be, if I look at the reality of what God's getting me into, I get a little tired. You see, I've been "the man" before - like for almost 30 years as a Methodist music minister - yeah, "large & in charge". I know how much energy it's gonna take. It would be so easy to slack off.

But that doesn't seem to be in God's plan quite yet. While most of our friends are fixing to retire, buying condos, & playing with their grandchildren, Lynn & I are off on another adventure called downtown Macon.

God's impressed me in the last couple of weeks that I'm still just a servant in this downtown Macon matter. He's the One that's "large & in charge" so all I have to do is listen out for instructions, & then do as I'm told.

He's also reminded me Who's the Power Giver, the Sustainer of all things. If He's calling me to something, then it would follow that He's gonna give me the strength to do it.

I'm also functioning in a world that's pace is moving more & more rapidly. Just keeping up with change & new information is a bit daunting. If I keep my connection with Him strong, it centers me in the eye of the storm of our culture & our world.

Even though it has not been my experience growing up, it seems that it's much like what I've seen & heard described as the experience of children sitting with their fathers in inclement or dangerous situations. As long as they we simply in the presence of their dads, these children were ok with their surroundings. That's pretty much the way it is with me & God these days - it's gotta be - life's too fractured & too hectic without Someone to hold on to, Whose very essence is peace, & love.

I don't know if some of you are tired or frazzled. Spending time with God each morning keeps me from fraying around the edges, & gives me "strength for today, & bright hope for tomorrow." Open up your lives to that Strength, & Bright Hope. His sustaining & sustenance are all any of us ever need.

I love you.