“I’m waiting on something to happen most any minute now.” My dad loved to say this after we had sat in the boat for nearly two hours waiting on a fish to bite. “Yeah, right,” I thought. He expected something big to happen. I just made excuses. My dad had a different vantage point. He had years of experience of the thrill of pulling in a big one after hours of waiting. He knew that those who got away were still lurking in the waters below. And he had a few largemouth bass on the wall to prove it.
ClampI wonder sometimes if we have lost our expectation that God is going to do something big. In our churches, the invitation hymn is simply a cue to get our stuff together so that we can beat the crowd out of the door. We’ve become used to our baptism pools remaining empty. We have conversations with our neighbors about the weather and there is no anticipation that God may use us to speak truth into their lives.
We trade expectation for excuses: My neighbor wouldn’t listen to me if I started a conversation about Jesus. If we could just get another pastor, we’d be set. If we could have a choir that sings on key, we could reach people. If our children’s ministry was organized, we could attract younger families.
Maybe the problem isn’t your programs. Maybe the problem is you. Maybe you’ve lost the expectation that God will show up and use you to change someone’s life. Maybe you don’t anticipate that God may be up to something when your neighbor confides in you about a problem they’re having in their life. Maybe a true revival needs to begin in your life, not some worship service. Maybe you’ve traded in expectation for excuses.
Who do you anticipate joining the church Sunday because of you? Do you expect that God would show up in a powerful way in your next conversation with someone who is far from God? Do you anticipate God changing the hearts of those in hurting neighborhoods because you are willing to go to them and help?
I believe God is up to something among Baptists. There is a renewed sense of unity and focus on the lost. I’m expecting this year’s annual meeting to have a fresh spirit like we’ve never experienced before. I’m anticipating that God is about to awaken the sleeping giant of the church in one of the most critical times in the life of our country. Will you be a part of the movement?
We can make excuses or we can make history.
– Clamp is evangelism group director for the South Carolina Baptist Convention. Follow Lee on twitter @leeclamp or on his blog at www.leeclamp.com.