Thursday, May 17, 2007

Bahamian Reflections

Hey, all. Forgive me, I know that it has been too long since I've written anything. I have been so busy that I haven't got the time to blog much.

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since my trip to Freeport, Bahamas. In fact, that picture at the top of the page is one I took on the beach at Port Lucaya, right behind the Shearton resort. We had some time to hang out and swim, shop and sightsee on that Saturday at Caribfest. But, it wasn't all fun and games.

I have had some time to process the experience. This wasn't just another getaway. We went there to do ministry to youth that really need it. But, as I have so found to be true with ministry in general, I walked away from that weekend feeling like the one who was ministered too. Not just by the people who put the program together, but by the folks we were there for. And ultimately, by the Lord Himself.

I'd like to say that I was on top of my game all weekend. I wasn't. The day before the boat set sail, we had to drive to Ft. Lauderdale, where the port is. That is at least a 3-hour drive. I still had to work that day, so I was up at my usual 5 AM. We got to the church we camped at Thursday night around 11:30, and went to see Spiderman 3 (great movie!). Didn't end till 2:30, and we had to leave at 5 AM Friday. So, I stayed up with several others and played "horse" basketball in the church's youth area. So, by the time the Friday opening service was winding down, it was nearly 11 PM. I had been awake for 42 hours! So, as the man of God was preaching his heart out, I was nodding. We sent an early bus with me on it back to our hotel and I finally got some sleep. So, Friday was pretty much shot for me.

Saturday night's service, I was still tired, but God moved, and we ministered to the youth in Freeport. Then we all hung out in the pool and hot tub, and sat around with an acoustic guitar singing worship songs into the wee hours of the morning.

Sunday morning service is where I believe God really touched me. The pastor of the church that we held the event at was speaking with the congregation when he called on a sister to sing impromptu. What followed was absolutely heavenly. I saw in the people there on that island such a pure worship that I almost felt unworthy to even sit in the same sanctuary. As she sang and worshiped, the beauty of that worship in that building rubbed off on me, and I began to worship with them. Tears began to flow, and I could not stop them. Part in love and reverence for a God who loved me enough to die for me, part in repentance for shallow worship bogged down with the cares of this life.

One thing I believe that God showed me that morning was that I really was bogged down and focused more on this life and my own issues than on a Savior who gave his all for me. Worries will hinder our worship. They can hold us back from serving God with our whole heart. Just look at what the Lord told us in Matthew 6:26-30:

"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?...But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!"

Worry can kill our faith in God. That is where much of the church in America is. We worry about our children, our possessions, our money, and our health. We worry about countless other things. Yet, as Jesus himself said, our worry can't help us out any.

I have decided to not let my worship get hindered by my problems. God is much bigger than my troubles, anyway. He is able to take care of me.

This really was a life-changing trip for me.

God bless!

1 comment:

Neil said...

Good word!