Life At the Foot Of the Cross

Life has a way of creeping up on you, bringing surprises that you never expected. For pastors, special times in the life of church are busy. Easter is one of those times of the year when you want to make sure that everything you do produces the opportunity for people to encounter Christ as we remember His sacrifice for us on the cross and celebrate His resurrection. Many times the busyness gets in the way of our personal opportunties to experience our own encounter with Jesus. This year is no exception...it's busy. Two days ago, our oldest son called from Springfield, MO to tell us that his basement was totally flooded. After we hung up, the "dad" in me wanted to drop everything and go down to help. Yesterday, after talking a couple of times, he told me that his insurance policy didn't cover the kind of flooding that had occured. Now I was really torn. After several calls, trying to dispense fatherly advice, a lot of 1 and 2 sentence prayers for help and wisdom, it looks like things are going to be okay. There is a lot of work ahead, but it appears that there may be many helpers as well.

Today is the day before Good Friday, and I'm trying to find the time to be quiet and experience an encounter with Christ in this most wonderful season of the church. Once again I'm reminded how vunerable we are, how helpless, and totally dependent on God. This week we've had rehearsals, planning sessions, technical preparation and a host of other details. Then, there is the normal part of helping to run a church and nuture a church family. Add to that being a frustrated dad trying to figure out how to help my kids 215 miles away in the biggest crisis of their young lives. The best thing I can do, right now, for everyone's sake, particularly mine, is to rest at the foot of the cross. I need to thank God that I don't have to do it all, or be all. I just need to recognize what Christ has done for me, and to accept His sacrifice, once again, for my sin and separation from Him. There will be plenty of work ahead...but it will all get done, in His time, because of my time at the foot of the cross.