There was a time when I wrote a lot of worship songs. We would sing them here at Elim Grace and at different times I would go out with a team and sing them other places. After one of those occasions, someone came up to me and said, “I don’t think God gave those songs to you to be hidden in a corner.” I understood the implication to be my songs were meant for a wider audience, to go beyond this little corner of Oswego even out into the world.
Some 10 plus years later, I think that’s exactly why God gave me those songs: to be sung just in this little corner of the earth.
There was also a time when I felt destined to be a “famous” pastor, recognized, invited to preach around the world. Today I believe I’m not going to change the world. Of course I want to see the world changed with the gospel of Jesus, but I’m not going to do it. Meaning, I won’t go down in church history. The world isn’t going to know my name. The world isn’t going to hear my sermons. And I don’t feel the less bit without purpose or meaning in my life.
But I do believe God has called me here, to Elim Grace, and to Oswego, New York. He’s called me to pastor here. To preach here. To serve here. To “fall to the ground and die” here. And I’m content with that. Not resigned to that, as if God could do more with my life, but created for that. Destined for that, if you will. So I’m full, content, joyful, satisfied deep in my heart.
Significance, security, fame, fortune, influence, attention, praise — these are all things we believe as Americans we’re owed. It’s our natural right! And this belief seeps into our Christianity, our understanding of ourselves as disciples in relation to Jesus, His salvation, His calling, His purposes for us. But our true and lasting significance and security in life come ultimately neither from the world nor the church, fame nor glory, human approval nor attention, influence nor power, wealth nor health. They come from Jesus and only Jesus. For all things exist from, through, and for Him.
Dear Elim Grace, nothing in creation nor under the Creator is meant to be our center, our source. At the end of human history there will be only one face all will see and praise: Jesus Christ. And at the beginning of the new creation there will be only one lamp and light: The Lamb of God. Jesus Christ will be the center of the world, His people, and our lives. His glory and the knowledge of Him will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.
What will be is what is and what always has been: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We exist for Him and Him alone. All things — life, calling, music, songs, sermons, books, gifts, skills, ministry, work, family, friends — are from Him and for Him. When the light of this truth shines into our lives, we awake from the dull sleep of living for ourselves. We become unself-centered, “doing great things for God,” and become Christ-centered, “doing things for a great God”.
We finally see and say, “surely the Lord is in this place”. This place. This hidden, small corner of the earth. And that’s enough. He’s enough.