Pass it on

“Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;” (Deuteronomy 4:9)

Hello, my friend…

I know it has been a few days since I have been on here and for that I apologize. Sometimes life gets in the way. It has been an interesting week for me and I would like to share some things I have learned this week.

I had the honor of going to our nation’s capital this week on the Honor Flight. For anyone who has ever been to Washington, D.C., you will know that to really take it in it would take several days (at least). We were flown out there and hit the military memorial sights all in one day. To say the least, it was a whirlwind experience – one I would like to relive again and again. Looking back, however, I have learned some things.

It is called the Honor Flight program – meant to show honor to those who have served in our military services. I can only speak for myself, but I will tell you I received little honor from this trip. Instead, I was honored to stand before monuments that remembered (and in some cases, celebrated) those who went before me. Standing before the Vietnam Memorial and reading some of the names of those who gave their lives during that turbulent time, I felt humbled. It was mind-numbing (to say the least) to try to comprehend so many who gave their lives that I might live free today. The Korean War memorial gave more of a visual remembrance as it depicted soldiers in full combat gear in formation as they crossed enemy territory. Again, the list of their names was astounding and served as yet another reminder of those who defended my freedom. The World War 2 memorial gave yet another sensation as I stood in that ampitheater. It is located within the grounds of Arlington Cemetery where several hundred thousand of our nation’s men and women are buried. The feeling of peace and an overwhelming sense of quiet and dignity was heavy in the air as I stood there trying to imagine… With each memorial site I was reminded, once again, of the rich heritage I cherish and a sense of brotherhood with those who lie silent under the ground awaiting their final roll call. Although it was an agressively tiring day, I came home with a new sense of pride in my country but a heavy mantle of duty to carry on what they fought for.

In our text today, God gave Moses the directive to teach the people to pass on their heritage. Yes, of course, their spiritual heritage. But just as importantly, they were to teach their children and their grandchildren their national heritage – their roots. No matter how you choose to look at it, our lives are lived out first in our spiritual selves, then in our daily lives. Our beliefs dictate our actions, our practices reflect our belief and trust in God. As Christians, there should be no Christian life separated from our daily life. All should be one – integrated and consistent. For so many years I lived my life much like a Christian Schizophrenic. God was “way up there” and I was “way down here.” As I matured in Christ I came to discover that He is with me everywhere, all the time.

Having walked with God now all these years, I have garnered a rather impressive collection of experiences with Him. I wish I could tell you they were all sunshine and roses, but to do that would be to lie. He has a way of dealing with me (again, I can only speak of my own experiences here) that can sometimes be – shall I say – harsh. I don’t seem to be an easy learner. Sometimes He has to slap me down pretty hard for me to stop and listen. But through it all, I have learned to trust His ways and to love the way He loves me. I am probably not alone in that.

God looks – not just at me and this time, but – long-term. He doesn’t just look at my immediate circumstances and situations. He looks ahead and sees how many other people I influence with my life. He is trying to show me Himself so I can point others to Him. Amazing! I don’t seem to be able to see beyond the next few days, but He is looking ahead in generations. That’s my God.

That’s why it is so important, my friend, for you and me to learn well and learn early. The sooner we pass the test of today, the sooner we can progress and learn things that are beyond most peoples’ comprehension. I can speak of supernatural healing because I have received it – many times. I can speak of God’s unfailing love because I have felt it when I was most unworthy of it. I can speak of His protecting power because He and I have been in some pretty nasty situations – places and experiences I would never have survived (and I’m not being melodramatic when I say this) without Him. I can speak of His forgiveness because, like Paul, I was among the greatest sinners. Yet He heard my cry when I repented and begged for His forgiveness. I could go on and on, but you get my point.

Our testimony is important for us and to us. When we have a bad day, we are able to go back and remember (like David) the goodness of God. Suddenly, our bad day doesn’t seem so bad because we recognize that He is with us – even in the bad times. More importantly, however, it is for us to pass on. We are responsible for training up the next generation and the next by telling them of God’s intervention in our lives. But just like the memorials in Washington, we tell of those who have gone before us. Those who laid down their lives for the furtherance of the gospel. Those who served in foreign lands as missionaries. Those who ministered within the inner cities of our great nations, who risked their lives to spread the love of God. We need to be sharing the word with those we talk to. Not in some prepared speech or memorized script, but in a sincere, honest way. We had a saying in sales that went something like this: “Features tell, but stories sell.” When we “witness” to somebody, so many times it feels creepy – like we are trying to high-pressure sell someone on the “features” of God. Nobody likes to be sold. But when we tell our story (our testimony), that moves on the hearts of those God has placed before us. The Holy Spirit will tell us how to speak, when to speak, and what to say.

And much like my recent trip, we will suddenly remember – it’s not about us. It’s about our God and His love for those around us. I am just a messenger who has been called to carry on the mission. And so are you, my friend. Go forth in the power of the Almighty and share what He has done for you.

Be blessed.