“Don’t Check Out!” Halfway through the conference I left the meeting to take a walk. As I passed through the lobby of the hotel, I was started to hear my name spoken by the telephone operator at the switchboard behind the registration counter “I was checked out.” I went over to her to tell her that, indeed, I had not checked out and that I had two more days reserved with the hotel. “There must be some mistake,” the befuddled woman said. “According to our records, you’ve already checked out.” There was a mix-up with both registration and housekeeping. The error was corrected and I went on to my walk. As I strolled along a mountain path, it suddenly hit me. The telephone operator’s statement was more prophetic than she had realized. I had checked out! Not from the hotel, but from the conference. I knew that a breakthrough to real communication would require the pain of encounter and possible conflict. The thing I realized on my walk that afternoon is that we all live on the edge of equivocation and need courage. Yes! We all needed courage, I needed a fresh infusion to confront the core of the need of my new friends at the conference and they needed to go back to their churches to lead a profound renaissance. In a way we all had checked out! When I got in touch with my feelings, I realized that there was a next step in my pilgrimage that I needed and had been reluctant to take. The sure sign that we are in an authentic relationship with Christ is that there is a bold stride we need to take in being faithful and obedient. He is constantly pressing us on to new adventure where only His courage can sustain us. The more honest I became about where I needed courage, the more sensitive and empathetic I became during the rest of that conference. The Lord helped me open up with the people about my own fears and need for courage. I checked back in. You guessed it- there was a vital breakthrough and by the end of the time together the Lord blessed us all with a flesh touch of His power. Are you ever tempted to check out from life’s battles and tensions? Or we check out on different people on demanding situations. We are still with them but have checked out mentally, emotionally or spiritually. The temptation to give up while we still in the battle is constantly before us. We sometimes get bogged down in the daily routine of living and forget the essential task of our life. We are part of new breed of humanity. The church is to be a new kind of society of love and forgiveness. Our task is nothing less than the changing and transformation of the world, beginning with ourselves, our families and our sphere of influence. In Christ we are given our image of true living. We are to know the same power and peace manifested in His life. What He has done and Who He is inspire us to get on with the painting today with the Master’s touch close at hand. Don’t check out! Pray and take courage.
Posted on: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 02:58:03 +0000
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