Exceptional Moments and Our Standard

"Never live for those exceptional moments--they are surprises. God will give us His touches of inspiration only when He sees that we are not in danger of being led away by them. We must never consider our moments of inspiration as the standard way of life--our work is our standard." (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest.)
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The invitation was handed to me. I was invited to an "All-Star Party." A boy's invitation to a 14-year old birthday party. And I was invited. The irony of the whole situation was that the party was for a boy who had been expelled from the seventh grade three months earlier for selling drugs. A grown up crime done by someone who is still a boy.

This boy sent his party invitation through his sister to his favorite substitute teacher--me. This was his party with his friends and he wanted his substitute teacher from the school he had been expelled from to be there. Does this make sense?

Of course I went and found myself to be the only white person there. His friends--my students--were shocked to see me there. I was a bit nervous not knowing where to sit, if I should sit, if I should "hang" with the students or be with is family or be off by myself. But Randy waited on me and honored me like I was the queen of the party. Does this make sense? Certainly God was at work amidst all the go-go music and hopeless hearts at that party.
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I was honored to be invited to speak at a youth camp in West Virginia. There is not much happening on a large scale in youth ministry in West Virginia but in Romney there is this funeral director and his wife who in their spare time had a Bible study and other events for the youth of that area. And their vision is growing. Every summer they puts together a very full and quality camp for the youth.

This summer I was invited to be one of the speakers. What an honor. I shared the teaching with Dr. Don Bartlette, one of Focus on the Family's most popular speakers, and Bob Regan of Regeneration Ministries. Wow! What a line up and I was a part of it. And I was a part of a genuine move of God among some great teens.
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For the rest of the summer, I spent every possible day I could with "Randy" and some of his friends. We would just "hang" at his house, talking with his mom, sister and brother. Friends from the "hood" would stop by. And what was meant to be a short visit would end up being a four or five hour visit. I knew I had a bazillion things to do back in the office and that pressured me in the back of my mind. But I couldn't leave. This "wasted" time was important--and Randy had my car keys.

One time I actually was able to leave only if I would take Randy and his friend to a funeral with me. Does this make sense?
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I spoke at a youth meeting for a small town church. 108 youth showed up. Of that 108 there were 18 visitors! I preached a normal message on not being ashamed of the gospel which among that crowded room of 108 was received with fire. The youth pastor was pumped and rechallenged the group to have 150 in attendance the next week.

Among that group was the newly crowned homecoming king. During the pep rally two days later he gave an unashamed testimony to that cheering crowd. Plus at the end of each lunch shift, the Christian students meet for five minutes of prayer.

This moment just doesn't end there. The next week this youth ministry had 208 youth show up! 208! It was impossible to count visitors and 48 teens indicated they wanted to make a decision to follow Christ.
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While driving to a pastoral association luncheon, I saw two girls from the school I "pastor" at walking along a busy main road. I thought they were skipping so I took an immediate U-turn to confront them.

It turned out they were out of school on a pass from the school nurse. They were walking to the health clinic (with the school's permission) to have pregnancy tests! These girls are 14-years old!

Well I was late for the pastoral meeting as I talked to the girls and prayed with the girls and showed them the forgiveness God has for them.
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"Never live for those exceptional moments--they are surprises. God will give us His touches of inspiration only when He sees that we are not in danger of being led away by them. We must never consider our moments of inspiration as the standard way of life--our work is our standard." (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest.)

After such great preaching experiences, I could fill my calendar with more preaching experiences. Obviously that is where great, powerful stuff is happening. But I would miss the "hang time" and miss the u-turns. That is where the day-to-day work is.

We need to find and identify where that day-to-day work is. Is it the long hours to close the business deal or our children at home? Is it our Sunday School class or the hours on the phone listening to a broken heart?

Those exceptional moments are surprises and keep us going through the day-to-day work.

Peter, James and John were treated to an exceptional moment. Jesus wanted some alone time and they were picked to go with Him. They were chosen over all the others.

Just as those thoughts of being chosen were filling their minds, "There in front of the disciples, Jesus was completely changed. His face was shining like the sun, and His clothes became white as light. All at once Moses and Elijah were there talking with Jesus." Matthew 17:2-3.

Weird. Freaky. Definitely exceptional. I can not even imagine what my response would be.

But Peter wanted to make that exceptional moment the standard. "So Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here! Let us make three shelters, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.'" Matthew 17:4. "Let's just stay here. I have some questions for Moses."

Peter didn't get it. They had to come back down the mountain and do the day-to-day stuff. That is the work. That is the standard.

Those rare inspirational moments are great but they are rare. If they were my standard, I would become frustrated at what would seem like a failure if every moment wasn't exceptional. I would become shallow with my attempts to be what is really touches of inspiration. I would think that this should happen every time.

We are blessed to have exceptional moments. It is one of the benefits of the Christian life. But let's not build tents so we stay there.

I have a phone call to take, a meeting to be late for and to find some wasted time for some boys who sit on the corner.