Welcome To The Vandalia Church of God!

Happy September and welcome to the beginning of fall on the 23rd! I realize the fall season is less exciting for some folks as it means a return to the “routine” that takes place much of the year. On most Sunday mornings, I greet the congregation with “It’s always a good day when God’s people are gathered in His name.” I truly believe that statement and reminds me that there is no hum-drum part of life and that there is joy always, even in the routine.

This month we begin a series of messages from the Word of God on keeping our eyes on the prize. For many, that phrase rings familiar from the civil rights movement (as well as the incredible Juan Williams PBS series, which helped educate a generation of young people on the long struggle for justice and equality. Oh, if they’d only show it again in schools…). The phrase “eyes on the prize” has even deeper meaning and import for Christians. Let’s face it: We’re struggling. We seek importance in all the wrong ways. Our church governing bodies and spokespeople align themselves with the popular and the loudly rhetorical rather than the truth of Scripture. Our worshippers are convinced that the most effective form of arithmetic is multiplication by subtraction. We place personality above integrity in too many of our church and community settings.

Well, let me get off my soapbox and get down to business. I’ve been thrilled to talk this month about heart motivation and keeping God in the forefront of our personal life, church life, and community outreach. Sunday the 10th, we’re talking about Matthew 8:18-22. That’s a difficult passage, because it sounds to the reader as if Jesus is dismissing the lawyer (scribe) and the would-be disciple who approach him about following His ministry. Rather than dismissing the two interested men, Jesus is discerning where their hearts are at in relation to Him. He knows the scribe is going to have a very hard time giving up the comfort of his home and his money-making practice. Similarly, the disciple may be wanting to go home to not only bury his father (a truly loving gesture), but to wait on his inheritance. In both cases, the heart is divided and the Kingdom of Heaven is not being looked at because their eyes are wandering. If I call to my dog and he’s across the room, he’ll generally pick up his ball and start towards me. The prize for him is pets and rubs (and possibly some popcorn). He lives for those things, but on the way across the room, he’ll veer off and find something to poke at. Then he’ll stop to roll on his back. Eventually, he finds his way to me. I would never compare any person to my dog, but the heart motivation cycle is the same. Our Sunday school group is studying judges and we see the terrible motivation cycle. Call on God. Repent. Worship, Stray and abandon God. Become enslaved in misery. Call on God. Repent. We do the same when the prize of eternity with God is so tantalizingly close and we only have to keep our focus on God. Every breath. Every prayer. Every moment.

I have been praying lately about how the Vandalia Church of God can best keep our eyes on focused on God as we face illness, age, and the changes we all face in body and mind. Two things have come to mind. The first is the simpler task. I’m initiating (with Sister Lori’s help) a facebook page dedicated to Vandalia Church of God people being able to share their prayer requests. The second will take some prayer, faith and doing on everyone at Vandalia’s part. I am going to initiate one night per month as a service of prayer and healing. My hope is to bring in those folks from the area whom God has blessed with the gift of healing, but also ask that our folks prayerfully and with God’s Holy Spirit indwelling among us, lay hands in healing prayer on one another, especially those who are afflicted with illness. This will most likely be a Thursday night monthly event, but stay tuned.

Yours in Christ, Pastor A.