The Storm Can't Stop the Deliveries

Monday, July 8, 2013

Download MP3 (right click to save)

I've watched mail service change a lot during my lifetime. For example, the cost of sending a letter has gone up, and up, and up. I think it's probably quadrupled or quintupled or even more in my lifetime. And in case my kids are listening, I do not mean beginning with the Pony Express. There are new services that are added, like overnight delivery that they didn't used to have. One thing has not changed while everything has. Those mail carriers still do their best to keep their commitment not to be stopped by sleet, or snow, or dark of night. That's the old saying, "Nothing keeps us from our appointed rounds". And that's been true. I can't remember a day other than holidays that the mail didn't make it, no matter what the conditions were. I'm impressed with that kind of commitment.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Storm Can't Stop the Deliveries."

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 2 Timothy 4:1. Here's what it says, "In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom, I give you this charge." Okay, you can tell Paul's pretty serious here. I mean, he's bringing all this heavy weight stuff to bear on what he's going to say. This is in front of God. This is in front of Christ. This is in view of the fact He's coming back. This is about His whole kingdom. Whatever he's going to say, it's going to be important huh?

We go to verse 2, "Preach the Word. Be prepared in season and out of season." Paul musters all of this sobering, heavy artillery to drive home this message, "Keep presenting God's Word no matter what kind of season it is." Another translation puts it this way, "Be diligent when it is convenient and when it is inconvenient."

Here's the principle: Your ministry is too important to be at the mercy of your moods. You have a forever mission of representing Jesus Christ; serving Him in whatever setting He has assigned you. In fact, you can assume that your situation wherever you are is your assignment. So, be consistent. Always deliver like the mailman does. The storm doesn't stop the carrier of the United States mail. He doesn't look out the window and say, "Oh, looks bad today. Pretty rough weather. I think I'll deliver some other day."

No, he comes through. Too many Christians base their work, base their witness on how their emotional weather is today. But the Bible says we've got to consistently represent Christ in season, out of season, in convenience, and out of convenience.

I shouldn't deny my feelings, but I shouldn't base my spiritual consistency, my spiritual performance on what kind of mood I'm in right now. Honestly pour out your deepest feelings, your darkest feelings to a Christ who won't be surprised by them, but who can really minister to them. Then go after that day as your assignment from God, and go after it with all your heart. Show the difference that Christ makes when life turns dark.

See, it really doesn't matter what you believe; kind of everything works when your life if going well. The test of any belief is going to be what happens when things are really going down hill; what happens on the dark days. You need in your darkest of days; that's when you have the best opportunity to show the light of Christ and the difference He makes in those kind of days. You can't go off duty then. You've got to demonstrate consistency when the moods are down and when the darkness is there.

Every day, by my words, by my life, by my attitude I am delivering the message of Christ. I cannot let the darkness stop me. Ministry can't be at the mercy of my moods, and the storm must not stop the deliveries.