The One About Remembering To Keep the Main Thing as The Main Thing
This letter is one of the weekly pastoral letters that I write to the congregation that I serve. They are simple pastoral observations on life in a shared context and how we can pay attention to God and His work together. You can find a collection of these letters here.
Dear Congregation
We are back to our weekly pastoral letter. I hope and pray that your Summer has been good and that you are managing to endure these (hopefully final) dog days in some suitably air conditioned environment.
The Lester family had a good season which saw the kids busy with camps of all sorts. I traveled to Colorado twice to speak at some camps myself but was home in Texas for the rest of the season. It is good to change pace, but I also find that it is good to get back into a familiar routine, which we have now done with Daniel and Katie back in school (7th and 3rd) and Fall hopefully on the way.
Sometimes I can forget to keep the main thing as the main thing. I can get distracted in obscurities, abstractions, details, and diversions which can take my eyes off of the most basic truths of life which would serve to anchor me in the midst of those interruptions if I simply paid more attention to them. This is true in my spiritual life as it is in all the areas of my thought. I can get so stuck in complex doctrines (which I love wrestling through) that I can occasionally forget to remember the basic realities of God.
This came to the fore the other evening in the most embarrassing of ways. Sue and I were preparing to go to sleep and I started to pray, but as I was about to open my mouth to offer up my regular list of things that I would like the Lord to work on while I sleep, I was struck by the most overwhelming and simple remembrance.
We are talking to God!
To … God!
The Maker of the universe is listening to us right now, and has inclined His ear to our pitiable requests. That is astonishing to consider.
As embarrassingly simple as this remembrance is, it actually changed the way I prayed when I took the time to remember it, and it made me realize - to my shame - that I obviously haven’t taken time to remember it on thousands of other occasions when I have talked to God without pausing to realize the enormity of that. When I don’t remember the basics of our beliefs then I am capable of performing even the most spiritual of actions in a Spirit-less manner.
Hebrews 11:6 is helpful in this for forgetful fools like me.
Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. -- Hebrews 11:6 (CSB)
That feels like a really low bar of faith. The writer essentially says, “hey … please remember that God exists, even (and especially) when you are trying to draw near to Him. Don’t forget the reality of His existence!”
This is so helpful as a reminder for us as we go about our lives. A remembrance of the existence of God right sizes any of the earthly obstacles, or victories, we may face.
In the oncology waiting room - remember that God exists.
On another lonely night - remember that God exists.
With mounting unpaid bills - remember that God exists.
In the ruins of a broken relationship - remember that God exists.
At the graveside of a beloved - remember that God exists.
With the future of your children - remember that God exists.
When you don’t believe you are loveable - remember that God exists.
My beloved friends, remember and believe that God exists and try to remember to allow that reality to interrupt your view of absolutely everything else.
You are beloved. Press on.
The music this week is from Josh Garrels, and it is wonderful.
Josh Garrels - Bread & Wine (Live on Mayne Island)
See you Sunday.
Ross
