Back to the Future

Back to the Future has been one of my favorite movies since I first saw it. (If you are reading this there is a good chance you know about this movie) It introduces us to Marty McFly, a 16 year old high school student and Doc Brown a hair brain scientist with a stroke of genius who invents a time machine using plutonium stolen from terriorists. On the night of the first test the terriorist show up and Marty McFly jumps in the time machine and is taken back to 1955. (As a child I couldn't figure out the title because in my mind he didn't go to the 'future' he went to the 'past.' I didn't realize the focus was about him trying to get back to 1985.) Once 1955 we begin to see the events that had to come together for Marty to be born...His Dad had to fall out of a tree to get hit by a car so Marty's Mom could fall in love with his Dad...they had to go to the Fish Under the Sea Dance together so they kiss for the first time...once this happened Marty was able to go Back to the Future with the help of a lighting strike and Doc Brown...

There comes a time in our life we need to go back. Wednesday morning God took me there. I don't know about y'all but I do my best thinking in the shower. It is the one place I can go, turn the fan on, turn the water on and not hear anything going on anywhere in the house (For those at Providence, many of my sermon outlines are developed in the shower). Wednesday my thoughts were different...I was taken back to the Lakeview Lodge as a 19 year old kneeled at his chair realizing his Christianity was not about heritage... I was taken back to the third floor of Childs Hall on the campus of Southern Wesleyan as sophmore was on his knees praying about a major, ultimately attempting to bargain with God. I was taken back to sitting in the office of Dr. Hayduk putting a schedule together realizing there was a lot of elective time needing to be filled, so for some reason it was filled by religion courses. I was taken back the library on the same campus as I looked at a catalogue for a seminary I had really never heard of in Wake Forest NC...I was taken back to a visit made to this campus and ultimately receiving an acceptance letter...I was taken back to a wedding ceremony at Covington Memorial Wesleyan Church where a 21 and 22 year old thought they had life figured out...six months later this same couple packed up a U-haul moving into their 700 sq. foot mansion to begin 5 year journey of growing up.

I was taken back to that Seminary as a 23 year had his on  'Wrestle-Mania' with God. God kept saying 'I want you as THE pastor.' the 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 year kept saying, 'What about a chaplian in a Christian school...What about being a teacher...What about being an assitant pastor.' God kept saying, 'local church ministry is where I want you.' Finally on the phone a question was asked, 'Would you be okay with being a solo pastor?' There was a sigh and finally a 'Yes.' God got the 3 count.

I say all this because it is amazing how God preapres us with small steps. We may not realize it at the time but it is these small steps God uses to make us into who He wants us to be. Sometimes while taking the step we can't figure out how this fits but when we go back it becomes so clear. As I was standing there I kept I realized these steps involved people...I think of Matt and Kris LeRoy that night at camp. I think of Dr. Black when I think about SWU. I think of my Uncle Greg and Aunt Karen who helped us through a lot of junk during seminary. I also think of Greg and Erica Bowman, Dr. Beck, Dr. Stuart, Schodt and Sons Auto Sales, Millbrook Exchange Park, Northview Community Church which includes Derrick and Paula Lemons, Darrell and Cindy Burrows and all the members...the list could go on and on...without these people and these places I would not be the person I am.

So when life seems meaningless or confusing be encouraged the place you are is God's way of developing you into the person He wants you to become...You are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand (Is. 64:8)