Unleashed: As You Go – Pray

“Amazement seized all of them, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen strange things today.” Luke 5:26

“Of all the roads you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” Growing up in rural Oklahoma, my childhood home sat on a dirt road. The great thing about living on a dirt road, you could see the cloud of dust rising behind the vehicle long before they got to the house. I had a sense of excitement and expectation as the car pulled closer. Who could be coming? Would they simply pass by the house or were they coming to visit us?

Growing up in poverty, I had only dreams of the adventures that existed beyond the dirt road. I read almost every book in the church library and would imagine myself in the stories of the people and distant places as they would come alive on the pages of those books. Unbelievably, that small Oklahoma dirt road would someday lead me to a dirt road in Africa. Connie and I found ourselves in our first house in Bophuthatswana facing a dirt road. Similar to the Oklahoma dirt road, long before we knew who was coming, their approach was heralded by a cloud of dust. Whether arriving by donkey cart, on foot or in a car, we would welcome our dusty guests.

Our dirt roads have been paths of adventure that have allowed us to see some strange things. However, at the end, they always brought us to a place where we could glorify God and be filled with awe. We travelled roads that led to small church buildings in the middle of nowhere, yet where the gospel was preached, the people prayed and they gathered to worship God. There were dirt roads that led to medical clinics providing care for physical needs as well as encouraging the soul. The beauty of God’s creation lay at the end of many dirt roads; majestic mountain ranges, breathtaking canyons, thundering waterfalls and beautiful, simple villages.

Luke captures a “dirt road” experience in chapter 5. Faith fueled four men to pick up their friend’s mat and carry him along a dusty Judean village road looking for a Savior. He was a paralyzed man being carried with hope in his heart, perhaps for a chance to walk. Did Jesus see the “cloud of dust” from the four men coming? The men found a room filled with religious curiosity seekers which kept them out. Yet, dirt road walking leaves you ready for the unexpected. They managed the narrow stairs with their friend’s limp body. One by one, they removed tiles, leaves and dug a hole to lower their friend.

Would Jesus rebuke their intrusion? What would people think of their disrupting the master teacher? The crowd knew what to do, throw him out – not Jesus. He welcomed him, blessed him and sent him home walking.

Little did I know where I would travel on that small dirt road in Oklahoma. It has been an adventure that is still going on. It has been a privilege to be able to serve on staff at FBCPTC. Thank you for allowing me to serve you these last four years. I am grateful for the sweet sprit that welcomed us, encouraged us and has blessed us through these years of ministry on staff. I look forward to continuing to be with you in fellowship on my walk and to continuing writing this prayer blog.

As you travel the roads ahead of you, may this portion of prayer by Benedict of Norcia encourage you:

LORD, be with us to guide us,

within us to strengthen us,

without us to protect us,

above us to raise us,

beneath us to uphold us,

before us to lead us,

behind us to guard us,

ever about us,

this day and evermore;

this day and evermore.

 

Amen.

 

God is great,

Pastor Lynn