Earlier this month a friend of mine stood in the front of Newton Chapel at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia and made a life-long vow to love the man God had chosen for her. It was a sacred moment for those two that will mark them the rest of their lives. And, it was a reminder of one of my sacred moments in that same chapel twenty-nine years earlier.
The spring of 1989 was my final semester at Mercer University and I was struggling. I was struggling to complete the course work required to graduate with my class and I was struggling to finding direction for my future. Though I was a believer in Jesus I was not walking in obedience with Him. I was stuck. I was confused. I was alone. Then, if I remember correctly, some friends invited me to attend chapel with them on a Thursday night. They had invited me several other times but I had never showed up. There were more important things to do, like scrounging enough quarters together to order a small cheese pizza from Dominoes. But this night was different. I walked in late and silently slid into one of those wooden pews, feeling lost, worried, and anxious. I don't remember who spoke that night, but I do remember the Voice of God speaking to me. And I do remember the passage of Scripture from which he taught--Matthew 6:19-34. "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." God had spoken...to me! By his grace he had spoken to me and calmed my heart. For me, it was a sacred moment, and the pew in Newton Chapel became a sacred place. As I sat in a different pew in that same chapel a few weeks ago I was reminded of how God has fulfilled his word spoken to me in that place. Twenty-nine years later he continues to remind me of the secret to contentment: Stop worrying and seek Him first!
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The Silver Comet Trail is 61.5 miles abandoned railway bed that is now a paved paradise for bicyclists and runners, which starts outside Atlanta and ends near the Georgia/Alabama state line. Fortunately, for my family, the trail cuts right through the heart of Rockmart, Georgia near the United Methodist Church that still rings its bells on the hour and each Christmas display a beautifully crafted nativity. So since the temperatures this week were near 60 and we needed to get out of the house, we took the bikes out for a ride to visit the manger scene.
As we stood on the street admiring the handiwork and sharing the story of the baby Savior with our boys, I noticed this historic marker on the corner of the building and my mind began to wonder about the life of Rev. B.M. Lipham. Now, I don't know anything about this man, but it seems as though he knew a bit about spiritual leadership. Who was Rev. Lipham? Pastor, Architect, and Builder. Wait! What? Can you imagine the stories he could share about this experience? Here's a bit of what I imagine must have been true about this man. Notice that the church seems to have recognized him first and foremost as their pastor. How did he love and lead this people to the point where they saw the need to construct a house of worhip for the community? Were there those who opposed him or tried to sabotage his ministry? Did he have any idea that people would still worship Jesus in that place 102 years later? But not only did he lead them as their pastor and convince them to build, he actually designed the structure. I wonder if he and his wife sat at their table with a hurricane lamp lighting the paper as he took his ruler and pencil and drew out the details? I wonder if he had to convince the city council to approve his design? I wonder how many crumpled up pieces of paper were tossed in frustration before the final plans were approved. And once that was settled, there was still the question of who would do the actual construction? The answer: Of course he would! He knew how to dig foundations. He understood framing and masonry. He had the necessary skills to guide the hands of the unskilled laborers who worked alongside him. Who else was more qualified? Who else was more vested than he? And so the work was finished in 1914 and the cornerstone was set in place: "Rev. B.M. Lipham--Pastor, Architect, Builder." Now that's impressive! But could it be that the words chosen to describe his work carry an even more substantial double meaning? What if Pastor B.M. Lipham was as much a spiritual architect who knew how to design ministry and build people as he was a construction specialist who knew how to build facilities? I don't know Rev. Lipham, but I know that though his church most certainly admired his architectural acumen and his construction skill, they knew him most lovingly as their pastor and his name and legacy are etched in stone of the United Methodist Church in Rockmart. |
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