Elusive Odes...

So, I've tried on two different occasions now to compose an apparently elusive "Ode to Iced Tea." Why? Just a crazy idea I thought would be funny, at least to me (Can we all agree that this is all that matters anyway? After all, this is my blog...).

Odes don't come easy.

At least ones that are trivial, as one about iced tea would surely be. Don't get me wrong; I love the stuff. In fact, I break out into a sweat every time I see that new "Ice Gold" McDonald's billboard in town with a giant styrofoam cup supposedly housing that intoxicating elixir called "sweet tea" (some of you reading this may be able to hear my obnoxious rendering of that phrase). Back to my point...

Trivial things are, well...trivial. Dictionary.com defines trivial "as of very little importance or value; insignificant." So, I'm coming to grips with the insignificance of iced tea. Pray for me!

After reading that definition, I started looking for more trivial things that take up space in my life. While delivering this past Sunday's message, I confessed before my church things that have been (or have potential to be) idols in my life. Idols meaning things that keep me from God. Idols are trivial, are they not? Idols are things that are "of very little importance or value; insignificant" in the grand scheme of life.

The great lie of idols is that they seem vital, valuable, and utterly significant at the time. Otherwise, they would struggle to command our attention as they do.

• That new instrument is vital until it becomes the god I serve instead of a tool to worship the one, true God.
• That 12-win regular season for the Hokies is valuable until it fades into just another year.
• That ministry job is utterly significant until I realize I'm doing it for all the wrong reasons.

Idols seem to be something they are not--vital, valuable, and utterly significant. This is not say that everything trivial in the world is inherently evil or should be condemned, but at the very least, we should guard our hearts from the idolatry that can so easily slip into life virtually undetected. In other words, iced tea isn't evil (thank God!). But, as silly as it sounds, it has the potential to be if I put it between God and me. So it is with other, not-so-silly things in my life.

Even "good" things can be idols. Like technology, relevance, tradition, a denomination, or even your kids. But, in the grand scheme, when God is put first as He most certainly should be, these things become blessings and extensions of His goodness. Sometimes, we get it the other way around, that these things lead us to God's goodness. These are the hardest idols to avoid, and that probably explains why we pursue them so hard, because they seem noble at the time.

Idols lie.

My prayer today is straight out of God's Word.

Psalm 24:3-6 ~

3 Who may climb the mountain of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 Only those whose hands and hearts are pure,
who do not worship idols
and never tell lies.
5 They will receive the Lord’s blessing
and have a right relationship with God their savior.
6 Such people may seek you
and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob.

Personal Vision - Do I Have One?!

Our pastor has been on vacation the past week or so, so I've been filling in giving the messages. I preached last Sunday and will again this Sunday. We did four weeks of co-talks during July's Just the FAQs series where we answered tough questions submitted by attendees. So, that will make six out of the past seven weeks that I've been preparing messages.

Problem is, I don't feel particularly gifted to do them. It's definitely uncomfortable for me because I'm more of a writer than an orator. I like to chew on my thoughts before they have to leave my lips. I'm constantly trying to find the balance between finding my "main thing" and focusing on it with laser-beam precision and doing all the general things that are required of me right now. Sometimes, I even question what my "main thing" is...

The messages I've prepared the past two weeks have been about personal vision. They have been spawned largely from Craig Groeschel's book Chazown and his Life Development Plan message series. They have really challenged me to examine my own life, which was my prayer as I sought what God wanted me to teach on. I'm glad because I'm being forced to wrestle with my own personal vision God has for me.

For example, I'm a horrible steward of time. Yeah, I get a lot done, but it's usually under pressure and not all it could be. I'm good at a lot of things, but...

Good is the enemy of great. We often think "bad" is, but greatness is usually thwarted by our tendency to settle for average, mediocre, simply good. I'm realizing that many areas of my life are good, but not all that God intends them to be.

1. I'm a good follower of Christ, but not a great one.
2. I'm a good husband and father, but not a great one.
3. I'm a good pastor, but not a great one.
4. I'm a good money manager, but not a great one.
5. I'm in good shape, but not great shape.

What are you settling for good at in your life like me? Are you all God wants you to be? Are you willing to endure the pain and discomfort of striving for God's best for your life, that personal vision?

Father, I pray that you would continue breathing Your vision into my life. Help me be receptive to how You guide me. Empower me to make tough choices and trim the fat, lazy, empty things from my life. Help me to honor You as Your child, Your servant, a husband, a father, a minister, and a friend. Order my steps and call me to submission. For Your glory...Amen.