LIVING ON THE EDGE

One of my pet peeves is “Armchair QB’s”. You know, the guys that sit in their lazyboy recliners every Saturday and Sunday suckin’ on a long neck, gut flopped over the belt, yellin’ at the wife and kids to shut up so he can coach his Dallas Cowboys or UT Longhorns to another victory. The guy has never even played the game and if he had tried when in High school they would have cut his butt because he couldn’t hack it.  So, now he sits and criticizes every call the coach makes and every move of the QB.

I have to admit, I have done my fair share of “arm chair quarter-backing” in my life but now that sport has lost its luster with me.  It is one thing to cheer your team on to victory but it is another thing to just sit, whine and criticize.

This phenom is not only found in athletics, this “arm chair quarter-backing” is now in full gear in the local church. Every pastor now how his or her own full time AQB. These people are on the team to make sure the pastor and staff calls every play right, runs the play without any fumbles, interceptions or mistakes.  And if they do, call the penalty. They are the first to throw the flag on Sunday, place it in the offering plate then follow that up with a time out on Monday morning to review the play.  After further review and a wasted time out and long irritating discussion, the call on the field stands. But they had their say.

Don’t get me wrong. I have no problem with people who have a legit concern and want to voice it, but there is a way to do it and a way not to do it. AQBing is not the way to do it.  Our society has taught us to be critical of everything and everyone and who cares if it hurt somebody as long as I got it off my chest and threw up all over him or her?

As a pastor, I for one welcome constructive advise and help. On the other hand I do not respond well to AQB’s.  They are irritating and serve no purpose in the body of Christ.

Pastors and leaders need support and prayer more than criticism. They need to be understood and loved more than second-guessed.  After all we are people called by God to lead His people, all of them-including the AQB’s. Cut us some slack. Pray for your pastor, support him, love him and encourage him.  I believe you will find this much more rewarding and God honoring than being an “ARMCHAIR QB”.

This morning while getting out of bed, I looked outside and sure enough the sun did come up. I was not so sure last night because I had my eyes focused on the wrong ONE. Admittedly I felt a little like Peter in the New Testament when Jesus asked him to get out of the boat and walk on the water to the shore to meet with Jesus. There was a storm brewing and the waves began to crash in on Pete so he took his eyes off of Jesus and put them on the waves and he sank. Jesus being the merciful God that he is, reached in and pulled Pete out just in time. I saw a storm brewing and I took my eyes off THE ONE. After the election last night, I went to bed hoping to wake up and realize it was all a bad dream. That didn’t happen-I wake up to reality.  The reality that GOD IS GOD AND I’M NOT. DUH!

Over the past few days I have been camping out in Numbers in the O.T. and finding some really cool stuff.

In chapter 11, Moses was leading the kids around in the dessert and they are whining and complaining big time about not having meat to eat. (Read the story-it’s funny and sad) They have had plenty to eat and God had supplied all their needs without interruption but it wasn’t enough. They were not satisfied. They wanted more. They wanted meat. Give me meat. More meat. I’m selfish and I want MY meat. “Me me me me me…” (Sounds like they were warming up to sing).

So Moses was telling God about this and asked Him to handle it. “After all God, you made these people not me so you take care of them”.  So God did. He gave them enough meat to last them for months, so much meat that each person had 60 bushels full. God gave them what they asked for, knowing it was not the best thing for them.

The bible says in Numbers 11 that “the anger of the LORD burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had CRAVED OTHER FOOD”.

What God has been dealing with me about over the past several months is a simple question that He has asked me several times now- “Am I Not enough for you?” My answer is always been-yes Lord, you are. But what I have realized recently is my life must match my words. I no longer can just say God is enough. I must live my life in a way that shouts He is enough.

In my humble opinion, I believe God has given America what we have been craving for a long time-OTHER FOOD.  We have become a people of whiners and complainers who care only about our own selfish desires and who take no responsibility for our actions. We blame everybody else for the mess we have made and look for THE ONE who says he can get us out of the mess if just put our trust in him.

People. There is only one person I know who can get us out of this mess and heal the hurts of this great nation. He is not a Republican or a Democrat or an Independent. He is GOD ALMIGHTY, the one true God who we have turned our backs on and have been systematically eliminating from our culture.  He is THE ONE who stands ready to hear our prayer and heal our land if we as a nation will humble ourselves and turn back to God and put our faith, hope and trust in Jesus Christ.

God gave the Kids of Israel what they wanted and they ultimately repented. We now have what we have wanted. I hope we, as a nation will do what they did-repent and turn to God.

What a week it has been and it is only Tuesday and this is a historic Tuesday because America will either have their first Black president or their first female vice-president. Wow. This is exciting times for America.

Tomorrow, I will be back on line giving my impressions of this historic day to those who care to read them. I do have some impressions already but I will wait and dump the whole load tomorrow.

Until tomorrow I will be watching and praying for the voters, the candidates and for America. You do the same.