On priorities..

Last Wednesday night it was bad.  Streets were icy, driveways were clogged, moving about was at a premium.  We had a handful of courageous folk here. Some called, were brokenhearted they could not get here by any means.  Such is most understandable.  We blame them not.

We left West End at 8:45 p.m., drove to the Vandy gym and saw the last 12 minutes of Vanderbilt's victory over Kentucky.  Parking was as hard as ever.  The gym was filled with the same 15,000 screaming fans that came to every game.  I kept thinking "How'd they get here???"

I know not, just guess they wanted to.  I suppose through ice and snow they made a way and surely couldn't let a ticket go to waste at so important a game.  Suppose all fan's streets were scraped while all prayer meeting folks were left with ice?  Is it safer to go to a gym than it is a church building in the wintertime?  Was it all students?  If so, where were ours?  Was it all the chains and snowmobile crowd?

It's hard to say 'why' but it's a fact worth mulling: we usually do what we want to do.

Vandy didn't loose 1% of their crowd due to ice, but we lost 60%.  Do heartier folk go to the round ball bouncings than go to church services?  Do you suppose some Christians felt any Wednesday or Sunday night duty to pleasure takes precedence over worship?

I just wish I knew...but I'm afraid I do.

- Jim Bill McInteer

I know this really convicted me to remember what is more important.  We have to remember that it's not always easy to get out of bed on Sunday morning, or to get dressed and ready for church on Wednesday night after a long, hard day at work.  But our relationship with Him must come first in our lives, and our devotion to Him is our ultimate satisfaction and joy.  Our constant battle with SELF always gets in the way, and Satan will use that to his advantage every time.  Remember this is God's way to sharpen our faith, and build our dependence upon Him to overcome.

"Oppose the devil and he will flee from you."

- James 4:7