Missing Wake Forest
(warning to reader-sometimes blogs are far too narcissistic and egocentric, where the blogger simply opines about himself or herself as if anyone really cares. If you are annoyed by such dribble, feel free to skip the below as I have succumbed to the temptation myself!)
Today is June 19, a day before my son’s birthday (20 on 20), and the day Hannah and I return home to be with my wife and son and our home. I love to travel. Yesterday was awesome as I spoke to a big crop of students at Student Leadership University in Orlando (a GREAT ministry by Jay Strack, Brent Crowe, Chuck Allen and others), and last night to my wonderful friends at Madison Street Baptist Church in Starke.
After a few days of wonderful vacation in Myrtle Beach with my family, it is off to the races again:this past weekend a rally with Finding Madison and Sunday speaking at a young church plant near Raleigh, then the events above in Florida; Saturday off to Alabama with the fam and the band to do a camp; the week after to Ridgecrest for a camp; the week after one day only flying to Orlando, speaking, then flying home; then that Friday off with Hannah for about 3 weeks in Thailand.
I am home almost none this summer. But I am away from my family not a single night. Every trip some or all are with me. I currently enjoy a good season of life.It is also just a little tiring. I confess sometimes I want to simply take about 3 months and go far, far away and do nothing. I do take time off, and I do love vacation, etc. But life is pretty hectic. The emails, the appointments, the messages on facebook, I love them, but sometimes my mind and body start to go TILT.
Sometimes I like that Southwest Airlines commercial: “want to get away?”But the truth is I love what I do. My family does. We have as much fun traveling as we do sitting at home. Last night I talked to Michelle via video chat thanks to the wonder of Macbooks. That is nice, but not as nice as being home. I am not the greatest conversationalist and am a terrible listener, but I do like being around my house.
I love our home, and our neighborhood, and our pets. Even the cats. I love our town, our community, the seminary, all around. I love North Carolina, such a beautiful state. So sometimes, as I said, I just want to sit around and do nothing. But I know if I did in a couple of days I would be stir crazy.Just when I felt like I wanted a nice long break, my brother and former student and current hero J.D. Greear had to go and mess me up. He put a quote from William Carey on his blog that I will now share with you:”A Christian minister is a person who is ‘not his own’ (1Cor. 6:19); he is the servant of God, and therefore ought to be wholly devoted to him. By entering on that sacred office he solemnly undertakes to be always engaged as much as possible in the Lord’s work, and not to choose his own pleasure or employment, or pursue the ministry as something that is to subserve his own ends or interest, or as a kind of sideline. He engages to go where God pleases, and to do or endure what he sees fit to command or call him to in the exercise of his function. He virtually bids farewell to friends, pleasures, and comforts, and stands in readiness to endure the greatest sufferings in the work of the Lord, his Master. It is inconsistent for ministers to please themselves with thoughts of numerous congregations, cordial friends, a civilized country, legal protection, affluence, splendor, or even an income that is sufficient. The slights and hatred of men, and even pretended friends, gloomy prisons, and tortures, the society of barbarians of uncouth speech, miserable accommodations in wretched wildernesses, hunger and thirst, nakedness, weariness, and diligence, hard work, and but little worldly encouragement, should rather be the objects of their expectation…. I question whether all are justified in staying here, while so many are perishing without means of grace in other lands…. On the contrary the commission is a sufficient call to them to venture all, and, like the primitive Christians, go everywhere preaching the gospel.”Wow. Talk about perspective. I do not face persecution or other kinds of hardships like Carey did and others do. But I do get worn out sometimes. Sometimes I sit at home and my mind seems miles away. I am not seeking to be rude to those I so love. But there burns within me a yearning to make an impact, to see God move. And sometimes I am not so good at turning that yearning off. I spoke last night on I Corinthians 6:18-20. There Paul reminds us WE ARE NOT OUR OWN. We must talk less of our plans and more of God’s.Every year I teach a course on the great awakenings. When I go over the lives of the Baxters and Edwards, the Whitefields and Wesleys, the Spurgeons and Speners, I am reminded again that people used by God never saw ministry as a 40 hour a week job. It was the blood that flowed through their veins.So I will seek to be a better husband and father, never putting ministry ahead of my family. But at the same time, I am thankful for the yearning he has put in my heart, a yearning that often takes me from my home I so love and the town where we have planted our lives, to live for the glory of God and the sake of the gospel.
June 24th, 2008 at 9:10 am
Dr. Reid,
Thank you for the insightful post. God does have His ways of strengthening and encouragingly us. From a former college student of yours (one of the old men in your class fall 2007) who needed to hear its God’s agenda and not my own.
I hope to start seminary this fall and I look forward to taking class with you
(not the test but the class:-)
By the way my wife and oldest daughter (15) both just returned from their first mission trip to Mexico. It has to be one of the best things to happen in their lives. My daughter now is considering being a missionary. WOW!
After my first mission trip to Nigeria I have encouraged our church to be more active in missions. Our youth pastor, Nathan Redinger, took me up on the challenge and carried 4 from our church to World Changers in Mexico. As you know God has forever impressed upon them the need for the gospel to be shared and given them all a great heart for missions.
I think SEBTS should consider making it a requirement to go on at least one mission trip to graduate. Its that important!
I didn’t mean to ramble on you I just mainly wanted to thank you for the post and to let you know God brings to my mind often the evangelism class I took with you and He burdens my heart for lost people everywhere.
God Bless you and your family
Keep on fighting the good fight!!!!
Larry Whichard
June 24th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Sorry, fall class 2006. Old age you know:-)
June 26th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Thanks for the response Larry! My family and I just got in from driving all night after a youth camp in Alabama. Many saved, great time. But I am whipped!
We do want to make it a requirement that all our students go on a mission trip. We need a really rich person to give us an endowment for the many students who are truly financially strapped and need the help. But the good news is until then we have such momentum for these trips that the vast majority of our students have been or will go overseas short term before they graduate. I am grateful!