I had lunch with a friend...

 Actually two different friends on two different days and a breakfast with a different set of friends. Never mind, I was telling of a moment I had while out with the dog (Ann) early one morning in the dark. My friend said you need to write a book titled The Dog and Me or is it I (never mind). I have thought about a book titled Things I Learned While Driving the School Bus maybe even Wisdom Heard on the Bus. It is funny how themes erupt as my other friend has said repeatedly we should write a book together. No title for that one but possibly What I Wish Someone had Told me Sooner. All of these ideas are just random thoughts to expose the ahha moments of life.

An ahha is a realization for the first time or for the umpteenth time of a truth. The ahha is the moment of illumination; the light bulb goes on, the second of clarity of a concept or idea in a word understanding at least for that moment. That is ah ahha. It might be a brand new connection of truths from other areas or a reconnection from the past. In my Life Group I asked, “What was the last ahha you experienced?” The sound of silence was deafening. It took some time for us to get our minds around this idea of an ahha.

For me recently two thoughts have captured my attention. The first is unique to a leader in a church;

Worship is not to make me feel better but for me to feel better about Jesus.

My role as the Lead Pastor/Teacher is to communicate Jesus in such a way as to transcend the feelings of self about self in those who hear me so that self feelings become secondary to the Savior. To point people beyond themselves and their situation to the source of hope, help and healing, in such a way that they leave with hope regardless of themselves. In reality without Jesus all are hopeless. More on this will be coming I am sure.

The second thought was a connection of ideas in a way new to me. Jesus taught the unforgivable sin is to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. Recently I have come to understand that as attributing to another what God has done. To deny the Holy Spirit and his work is unforgivable because frankly you fail to recognize you need forgiveness. In a conversation on another subject we spoke of Jesus words

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matthew 7:21-23 NIV 1984  

It would appear that they were right with God by their accomplishments.  My ahha was connecting their claim of a right relationship with Jesus based on what they did. They claimed the glory that was rightfully God’s. They claimed righteousness apart from a relationship with Jesus the only way. I have some more understanding.

The silence of my Life Group was an indicator that maybe we don’t look for or consider the possibility of ahha’s on a daily basis. It was not long after that one spoke of their ahha and then we all were amazed as two deer walked by and stopped to drink from the pond while a few feet away a fox sat under a cedar tree where the rabbit had just hopped by. All the while the sun was setting with the golden yellows and oranges of a spring evening filling the sky. An unexpected Ahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa at just the right moment could only be God planned and executed!   

What will be your next ahha? God has one planned!

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev