Do we get it?

Do we get it? Do we really get it?

There are many things we question, aren’t there? Some simple things like – why does it rain every time I get my truck washed? Or, why must someone always wake me up early on the only day I have to sleep in? As we age, some of us start pondering deeper questions like, why was I created? What is my purpose? Is this as good as it gets? This year I will turn 55 years old. It’s true what they say, with age comes perspective and some clarity. However, age also brings on additional questions and potentially a fear that I may be running out of time.

Several years ago, a few friends and I attended a men’s conference. While together we started discussing deep questions about our faith. I remember one of us asking the other, “do we really get it?” The question was centered on the cross. This was a turning point for me. It was one of those moments where I knew that the answer to this question would cause me to have to do something. It was one of those times when knowledge causes the need for action. Do you know what I mean? When we gain knowledge and then must ask ourselves, now that I know that, what am I going to do about it? That moment caused me to consider, do I really get it?

My faith story is one of going to church in high school because of a certain girl. How many times have we heard this story… While regularly attending church on Sundays with this girl, I agreed to go to a Winter church camp/retreat in Big Bear (I grew up in Southern California). While at that retreat one night, in a candlelit room during the communion service followed by the song How Great Thou Art, I made a conscious decision to say a prayer and accept the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Okay, so I was sixteen years old and wasn’t completely clear on what this meant or what was going on. But, as the gospel was shared, it made sense to me. There is a God, I knew I wasn’t Him, and if He has provided a plan for me to get to heaven and a way that He will help me through this life, I wanted that!

This, my accepting Jesus, happened in the Winter of 1979, thirty-nine (39) years ago and my faith journey has involved a few key moments. Like most high school guys, after I graduated (and that girl wasn’t a part of my life any longer) church was not a priority. However, when I got married in 1985 (to a different and much better girl) and we had our first son, in November of 1986 I was led to pack up my little family and get back to church. But, that didn’t work out very well because that church wouldn’t allow our newborn into the main auditorium and as new parents, we were not about to release him to strangers, so we went back home and wouldn’t return to a church until 1988.

After moving for my job into a small apartment between Los Angeles and San Diego, closer to my San Diego sales territory, my wife would make a new friend and they would begin walking together while pushing strollers and talking about being new Moms. This new friend was super sweet, very kind, soft-spoken and would share her faith in Jesus Christ with my wife. My wife tells the story of how nice she was and how she did not push her faith on her but sincerely shared the peace and confidence she found in Jesus. Later we would discover that her husband was also a great guy and was dedicated to ministry work.

Although this friend did not directly lead my wife in prayer to accept Jesus, she had a great impact on her. My wife’s sister did also. After moving away from each other she (her sister) would eventually come to a relationship with Jesus during a very difficult marriage and would frequently share her faith with my wife via telephone. Between the friend and her sister, one day while home alone and watching the Trinity Broadcasting Network, my wife would pray a prayer to accept Jesus as her personal Savior and would call me to share the news. I immediately realized we needed to find a church, and in the coming weeks, we would begin attending a small non-denominational church who met in the local elementary school. Since then, 1988, we have been in church most Sundays. That’s thirty (30) years!

In 1992, now with two little boys, ages 4 and 1, we would leave Southern California and move to the Atlanta, Georgia area. Prior to the move, our faith (church attendance) was consistent and centered around a great little church with great people and good friendships. We attended every Sunday, dedicated our sons there, played on the softball teams, my wife sang in the choir, we were doing church and loving it. But, what would we do when we moved? How in the world would we replace this church experience? I was so concerned that we might pick the wrong church I actually met with our Preacher before leaving and asked how to shop for a new church. He gave me a list of questions to ask the prospective church and preacher. I remember thinking, what if I wasn’t smart enough to protect my family from wrong teaching? What if we got sucked into a group of people that negatively affected my family. The pressure was real!!

Our first Sunday in Georgia, March 8th, 1992, we packed up the boys and visited a “Christian” Church (we found it driving by, and “Christian” seemed safe) and we have been there ever since. That’s twenty-six years (26)! Today our boys are ages 31 and 27 and literally grew up running through the halls of this place. My wife has been singing, leading Women’s ministries, and cleaning the church for 25 years, I ran audio and video for 20 years, have served as men’s ministry leader, deacon, and elder. This church has been our Home for all this time. But, still, did I get it?

Backing up a bit. In the Summer of 1995, another moment in my journey. We vacationed with friends and attended the North American Christian Convention in Orlando, Florida. While there I attended a workshop entitled “Calling Men Back to God – at Home, Work, and in their Communities”. This workshop was led by Dr. David Roadcup. He was introducing Promise Keepers. This was a ministry to men created by Bill McCartney, Head Football Coach at the University of Colorado. Coach McCartney and a few close friends felt God calling them to fill stadiums with men for the purpose of worship and calling men back to God. I was INSPIRED! This moved me! It was like I was the only one in the room that day and wanted to be a part of this! For the next fifteen years, I would be involved in Promise Keepers by leading men at church toward this movement. We (men) would attend many Promise Keepers events in Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, and even Washington DC. For years, we would have Saturday morning and weekly meetings at church to call men back to God, study, pray and even recommit our lives to Jesus. Great stuff!

During these years, life still happened. In 2009 my business went under and I was unemployed for the first time our marriage, for eight months. Each day I got up, struggled to trust that God would take care of us, and He did. I could fill up another BLOG (and maybe I should) with how God cared for us through His church and people. We went broke and lost our home. But, He was still by our side. During this same time, my wife was personally caring for her aging parents and in 2010 and then in 2012 she lost her mom and then her dad. As you can imagine this was a difficult time for both of us. But for my wife, as close together as these losses (business, income, security, retirement, home, her mom, and dad) came, it was more difficult to know just how to manage her emotions so we did something we never thought we’d do. We accepted a visit from the hospice grief counselor. He was a Christian and gave us great advice. He told her to take her time to grieve the loss of her parents and while doing so journal, pray and draw close to God. It was during this time that we both again “got it”. She began getting up every morning to spend time with God and as she journaled her thoughts and feelings, poured out her heart in prayer, and listened to what God had for her, she most definitely “got it”. She came to appreciate just how real our Heavenly Father can be and felt His presence. Six years later she is still doing the same thing every day because she “gets it!”

So, back to our question. Do we really get it? Get what? The cross, Jesus, GRACE, forgiveness, faith, this whole God thing? Do we really understand what happened at the cross? When we hear the Bible stories and how Jesus died on the cross, do we understand what it means? Do we understand what it means “for” me? The gospel (good news) is a story about this Jesus and the cross and His dying on that cross to forgive me of all my past, current, and future sins – which is supposed to allow me to live a full life (John 10:10) while I’m here and go to heaven when I die and spend eternity with God. Really? Is that really what it means?

Recently, I heard about a seventy-year-old man who when he was asked are you sure you are going to heaven, answered, “I hope so”. This man spent his whole life in church. He was raised in Christianity and spent every Sunday attending and serving the church. He raised his children and led his wife in the church and the Bible. He served as an elder. Why in the world would he say, I hope so? Is he not sure? Are we not sure? Do we really get it? In the Bible, in the book of John, chapter 3, verse 16 is the most famous Bible verse in the world. It says, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Again, in the same book of the Bible, John, chapter 10, verse 10 it says, the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. Of course, neither of these verses matter if we haven’t come to believe in God and the Bible. But, IF you have, then what? Do we get it? Do we really get it? If we do claim to be a Christian and are in church and doing church, why are we not living this “full life” and living like we “will not perish”?

I want to testify. I now GET IT! That’s right, I get it. Okay, wait a minute! Don’t jump to the “Oh, you think you have it all figured out” or “you think…” or “you…” whatever…. Hang on. What I am saying is, I finally get it. I have grown to understand that I am loved, forgiven, and saved. Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished.” Please don’t misunderstand me. When I was unemployed, broke, and we lost our home, I was never lower. But, I still knew those things were not from God and most definitely He was walking through it with us. In these later years, I have finally come to understand and ACCEPT His GIFT. My preacher recently preached, “Grace is something we receive, NOT achieve!” We should RELAX and accept this AWESOME GIFT. Thank you, Preacher!

PLEASE, think about this. Consider the questions, “Am I going to heaven when I die?” and Do I get it, do I really understand what happened on the cross and how it should affect my life?” What if I (we) did? What would life become if we finally accepted this amazing GIFT of the cross? Could we become warriors instead of worriers? Could we rest in the future? He’s got it (the future) and us! It is finished! He has conquered our enemy, all of our enemies. He loves us and is walking with us every moment of every day. If we believe in Him we are secure!! AND, He says we can have a FULL life here. We don’t have to wait to get to heaven. It’s available now.

I am NOT saying that our cares will go away or even that life will be easy, or even easier. I’ve already shared our woes and there will be more. I am saying that we can see life differently. We can breathe easier knowing that our future is determined and we are not alone in these present times. Jesus went to the cross, God gave up His One-and-Only, for you and me. Our sins are forgiven! Should we not fall on our faces with gratitude and begin living life? Should we not make every effort to STOP sinning? Should we not be full of gratefulness? Imagine getting out of bed each day knowing (not hoping) that when you die you ARE going to heaven. Facing each day with the confidence that God loves you, unlike anyone you’ll ever know here. When your world crumbles and your closest friends or family are not there for you, He is! And, He will never leave you or forsake you. The Bible is full of His promises and He says, “I tell you the truth” over and over. Trust Him! Did you know, the Bible tells us “Do Not Fear” 365 times? One time for every day of the year! Coincidence? No, it is God speaking to us through His Word, the Bible. Consider reading it routinely and see what else you might learn. Pray, asking God to help you in your doubt and even disbelief. Connect with a good church and attend and learn regularly. Make friends with other Christians who need you as much as you need them.

I pray this BLOG has caused you to think about your life, life here and your eternity. The next time you see the cross or hear the gospel, or think about going to church, or open your Bible, I pray you Get it!

REALLY GET IT!