A Weekend Away . . .

Last night my family left the friendly confines of the ATL in search of some rest and relaxation at the lake in Milledgeville. My wife's grandparents own a lake house and we were invited to accompany them on this Labor Day weekend. Our son, Grady, will be playing ninjas, Power Rangers, Star Wars, super heroes, etc., with his cousins for the entirety of the trip. Getting him to stop long enough to eat is quite a challenge. My wife will absorb another book or two as she relaxes and takes care of our seven month old daughter. And I . . . well I'm trying to keep up with all of the scores from the first full weekend of college football and rooting on our Braves tonight as they try to rebound from an embarrassing game last night.

Also, for the first time this year I will be away from the church where I am privileged to pastor, New Hope Christian Church in Lawrenceville. My wife and I will be driving back into Atlanta tomorrow morning for her to work at her home church, Peachtree Christian Church in Atlanta. We will return to the lake to continue or time away. i am praying for those precious folks at New Hope and I know that Ray Austin will bring a solid word from the Lord for them.

Tomorrow morning I will have the privilege of being "ONLY" a worshipper, instead of serving as a leader. And if I'm totally honest it feels weird to just worship. And yet as I read my Bible that is what I find God has created us for, to praise and enjoy Him for all eternity. Now there's a lot packed into the word praise and its not just singing and making melody in our hearts to God. No, there's a task to which God has called us and we are to do that whether we are up front near the altar or in the back nearer the foyer. Our lives are to emanate Christ's light to a dark world. Little pieces of that darkness find their way into churches each and every time we meet together. Disciples are to share what they have received as part of a praise-filled life.

So tomorrow when I walk into the Peachtree Christian Church I am truly still "on the clock" and I pray that I will be ready when I have the opportunity to praise God with someone in need of a little bit o' light. :)