Fri 27 Oct 2006
We Keep Going and Going and Going and Going…..
Posted by tom cottar under theology
New Year's Retreat is coming up…our theme: [hard]core. It's gonna be awesome. 
Then, in February, it's Dnow weekend with Pat Cammarata (www.thereismore.net) and Justin Cofield Band (www.justincofieldband.com).
In March, we hit some crazy Spring Break action, then a big area-wide service project called Project Serve in April.
May is an Alice Cooper soundtrack, full of graduation/baccalaureate/school's-out-for-summer frenzy.
June is Beach Break (high school camp).
July is VBS and Camp 7.8 (middle school camp)
August begins with band/football practices, some back-to-school stuff, and ….school.
By September, we're into the fall groove, but October brings Halloween, Fall Festivals, and the kick-off of, yes, running season. (completely new to me).
Then, there's the holiday frenzy of November and December…nuff said.
Then it's New Year's Retreat all over again.
My point? We've bought into the routine that we just go from event to event, trying to keep our spiritual batteries charged. If we can just keep 'the world' from draining us dry, and stay plugged in to the activites that 'charge' us…we'll make it just fine. The problem is that batteries will ALWAYS run out. Even the rechargable NiMH battery in my iPod had to be replaced this week.
What a stack of dopes we are.
Instead of seeing ourselves as needing to recharge…why not envision our spiritual life as an engine? Maybe we need to realize we need to focus on keeping the gas tank full instead of just trying to 'make it' from event to event to keep our batteries charged. Maybe we need to constantly stop and top off the tank so we can keep going…and going…and going. Why are we so dry and thirsty when, in John 4, Jesus said we would never thirst? Maybe because we're not regularly drinking from the well of Living Water.
To be honest, I've got so much to do today, I don't have time to be writing this. I've got errands to run, chapel to do for the football team, a stage to set up for Sunday morning, a lunch appointment, and a desk that looks like remnants of a post-Katrina Superdome. And the fuel light on my truck beeped at me the whole way to the church this morning. Did I stop? Nope. I don't have time.
If you see me on the side of the road…it's my own fault.
7 Responses to “ We Keep Going and Going and Going and Going….. ”
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October 27th, 2006 at 10:26 am
Very interesting picture you chose for the tank . . .
Hydrogen Fuel only.
Reminds me of how much we ‘refuel’ with things that are so bad in the long run for our ‘engines’. So many times we attempt to quench our spirits with the kind of feel-good spirituality that is great on the surface, but lacks any real substance - and ultimately, leaves you more empty than before.
October 27th, 2006 at 11:57 am
A comment I heard Dallas Willard make in his Kingdom talks came to my mind as I was reading your engine analogy. “A Christian burns grace like a jet engine burns fuel on takeoff.” Grace to you, brother…
October 27th, 2006 at 1:42 pm
Don’t Worry, Be Happy!
October 27th, 2006 at 2:55 pm
Mike,
I’m glad you pointed that out…good thought. I’m surely as guilty as the next guy as doing that very thing. My poor fuel of choice is ‘busyness’… I think it was Dave Busby that I remember saying ‘if satan can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy.’
October 27th, 2006 at 2:58 pm
Doug,
Thanks for stopping buy (having to cross the Red River and all!). Nice thought from Willard–and I think he’s right. IMO, some of our more conservative brethren forget that little truth now and then.
Perhaps one of the reasons I love Willard so much.
(maybe we should do a Willard discussion around here in the near future…be gathering up your fav Willard thoughts…maybe a little NT Wright as well..)
October 27th, 2006 at 3:01 pm
And to my Bobby McFerrin-loving JK,
I’ve come to realize that ministry, and perhaps the pace of life in general, is *supposed* to kill you. That way, we rely on God, not Tom.
so,yeah. I remember Jesus saying something about flowers and Solomon’s robe and getting over ourselves…[my paraphrase, not his]
October 27th, 2006 at 11:20 pm
t. c.
When priority 1 & 2 & 3 are replaced by anything 4 and below, something is wrong.
Why are we busy if we are doing our jobs? Are we to train and allow members to use their spiritual gifts? If we train and administer, our work load should be cut down to levels where we are doing Acts 6:4: What we as ministers are called to do.
The one reality in church work is this: You will only serve a local church for a few years, what you sacrifice to make them happy; you will regret for the rest of your life, especially in old age.
I love you. Go have a great day!