"The Film Room"
Dear friends,
Today another chapter is closing. The first month of the year is coming to an end. One twelfth of your story for 2018 will be in the heavenly records when the clock strikes midnight. The mere mention of this should cause you and me to pause and reflect.
However, I can hear some of you saying, “I’m at work right now. I’m reading this letter quickly. I don’t have time to give adequate thought to this.” Others are saying, “I have things that I have to get done for my family today. To really think about what I did during those first thirty-one days is going to require some real focus.”
Well, you’re exactly right. In fact, you’ve already taken the first step – a step that most people are not taking: you’ve stopped what you were doing long enough to realize that you need to take some time to really think about what you’ve done with each of your January days.
However, you do know that this is not something that you will do alone. It is not simply a matter of private reflection. It is something that you will do with your Savior, Who loves you and is “for you.”
You and your Best Friend, your Brother, your Coach will walk into the film room together, and you’ll kick on the projector, and together you’ll watch. It’ll be quiet in that room. However, along the way, the two of you will do some talking. But you – well, you will be doing most of the listening. And you wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world.
Some of the corrections will sting. (I can hear an old high school coach saying, “Boys, the film don’t lie.”) But there’ll also be words of encouragement. And coming from Him, those words will mean a whole lot to you.
Now you of course have been called to live out your own unique story, but there are certain themes that are to be very prominent in the life of every Christ-follower. Jesus said that every one of His sheep (His true followers) would give loving attention “to the least of these, My brethren.” He said that those who are His sheep would feed and clothe and visit and do other acts of kindness to those who were in the greatest need of help. He also said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” He said, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses . . . .” He said, “Pray without ceasing.” He modeled the life of prayer for us: “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.” He “would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.”
Our Lord Jesus said, “Every man when he has been fully taught will be like his teacher.” And what was our Teacher like when He walked among us? Spiritually, emotionally, and physically, our Coach was a hands-on helper of men, women, and children.
So tonight or tomorrow morning (or possibly both), go into the film room and look at your January with Him. He’ll show you what you need to do in February. And He’ll give you all the help you need to do it!
Help the poor! Proclaim the Gospel! And pray, pray, pray!
In the love of our Savior,
Rod (for Bec and me)
