Sorry For The Inconvenience

"Finally Brothers and Sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as you, in fact, are doing), you should do so more and more." (1 Thessalonians 4:1)

I admit I'm a creature of habit.  I like it that way.  I begin every morning, at least Monday through Friday, the same way. I get up, take the dog out, get breakfast, and read the newspaper while I'm also watching "Mike and Mike" on one of the 47 ESPN channels I have.  Yes, my friends, if you are called to the United Methodist Ministry such an exciting life could be yours as well.

I like to watch Mike and Mike for several reasons. They are hardly ever on together so you can make a game out of trying to guess who will be on instead. ESPN's programming will often bump it around, so you have to go looking for it. It's not always on the same channel. My favorite is when they decide to bump it the second hour. I don't always notice right away and it takes me a while to realize the two chaps talking European football are Hans and Gerber, not Mike and Mike.

But the main reason I like it is that they always have lively debate and several guests who make some pretty thoughtful commentary.  One of the big topics this morning was what happened in Orlando yesterday during the broadcast of the Jacksonville Jaguar's game.  During the game, the Orlando station scrolled across the bottom of the screen that they were contractually obligated to show this game. "We apologize," they scrolled,  "for any inconvenience."

Orlando is a big secondary market for Jacksonville and so they have to show the away games.  Apparently there was a huge backlash of folks in Orlando not wanting to see their "local" and awful team play when they could have been watching Eli and Payton have at it in a storied sibling rivalry.

We apologize for any inconvenience. It sounds like an old Johnny Carson routine. The Jaguars are so bad....How bad are they?  The performance of the team is so bad, even their local fans would rather see something else.  They are so bad the local TV station actually apologizes for them.  The team is not pleasing anyone.

We apologize for the inconvenience.  I wonder how many times on a daily basis that line could scroll across my life.  Look again at our Scripture at the top of the blog.  Paul reminds the church in Thessaloniki that their primary duty in life is to live and please God.  He commends the church for doing so but reminds them they are not done. You should do more and more.  Paul urges them to live a life of passion and joy burning up for God desiring to please Him with every breath in their bodies, every prayer of their hearts, every action of their hands.

I read that as a part of my devotion this morning. That's my other routine. It was jarring to put this up against the segment on ESPN. Is my life pleasing to God. Or have I lived my life in such a way that really as God watches me it ought to show "pardon for the inconvenience.  I know you would rather be watching the life of Max Lucado right now. But we are contractually obligated to show you this life."

Two things strike me. God is never inconvenienced by us. Oh, I've no doubt that I have disappointed him and at times have not pleased Him. But He never wishes He were watching somewhere else.  God loves us. By His amazing and astounding grace He stays faithful to us, urging us on instead of looking for a more "popular" team. Try as we might, we cannot exhaust His grace or His faithfulness.

Secondly,  He doesn't ask me to be Max Lucado, or Bill  Hybels or anyone else.  He simply asks me to be the person He formed me to be and live out that life with an increasing joy and heart for Him. It makes me think of another athlete, Eric Liddell, who's story is told in the movie Chariots Of Fire. He said "I know God made me for China, someday. But he also made me fast. I feel his pleasure when I run." 

God is never inconvenienced by us. He is always interested in our lives. And he finds His greatest pleasure in us when we live the life he made us to live. So run your race and feel God's pleasure.

In Christ,

Rev. Dr. Brian Jones <><