St. Louis Cardinal legend Curt Flood, upon noting my severe lack of baseball talent, gave me the above advice.
This coming July 15, Lord willing, I'll be celebrating 35 years with my Sunday job at Memorial Drive. That seems impossible, unreal, exciting, thrilling, stirring, and unbelievable! How could a man so completely inept get to be at such a fabulous church....for so long?
I am not the boy with the fish and loaves. Rather, I feel like I am the sack lunch. I am so inadequate and nothing; yet, He lets me feed thousands. Every time I unlock my office doors of a morning, I believe I know how lottery winners feel.
I love my Sunday job!
My first Sunday job lasted one year. My second, two. I developed a philosophy with this last Sunday job without quite understanding why. Here it is:
If things are going badly, that is no time to leave a congregation. If things are going well, that is another reason not to leave a congregation. Conclusion; there is no good time to leave.
I have stayed at Memorial all these years because that philosophy came into play; oh so many times. It surely has been a trail of tears; some of pain and others of joy....all of them meaningful.
God has taught me much. By His grace I learned the dark and discouraging days were every bit as alive in kingdom nature as were the celebratory ones. He wastes not one crumb of life.
Some switch Sunday jobs more often. Such isn't wrong. Others change jobs altogether. For me, though, mine is new every day. I still learn during the rough stuff. Gratitude fills my heart.
How in God's system did He ever let me have a shot at this work? I'll never understand His mystery....but I will continue to be crazy about my Sunday job!
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