Did you ever stop and think about how many things we measure on any given day? We measure calories, our weight, sugar and spice, the distance we drive, the time we spend, the weight we lift, the pills we take, the dollars we charge, the minutes and data we use, and the sleep we get. You name it, we almost always measure it.
How do we measure Up, though?
By “Up’” I mean the things of God. God himself is beyond measure. If we could measure him, he wouldn’t be God. Ponder that one for a bit if you are theologically inclined. Measuring material things is no sweat. Measuring spiritual things has always been elusive. How do you measure love extended? Forgiveness granted? Grace offered? What is the value of a changed heart? A transformed mind? An eternity gained? An eternity lost?
The purpose of Preston Trail has always been a spiritual one—to give our lives to help people find and follow Jesus Christ. As people learn to be with Jesus and to become like him, things begin to happen. Changes, imperceptible to the human eye, begin to take place in hearts and minds. Sometimes before we even realize it, we see things differently, we long for new things and we let go of old things. Sooner or later, though, these invisible machinations of the soul give birth to visible acts of the hands and feet—children are protected, marriages are reconciled, families are restored, the poor are dignified, baptisms are celebrated, resources are released. Ah, much better, these are things that we can measure!
So, we do. Full disclosure–we try to measure Up at Preston Trail. But, we aren’t doing it to keep score and compare ourselves to the church around the block. We don’t keep track of things because of the things in and of themselves. We measure all sorts of things because of what they reflect, what they reveal about what God is Up to inside of us and through us. With that in mind, I want to share with you some measurements we have taken recently:
- Our church family gave over $45,000 to our Compassion Offering in the month of December. That is outstanding! Because God’s Spirit is infecting us with his generosity the under-resourced in our community, an orphanage in Mexico, and 1,000 churches in Uganda are going to be impacted this year!
- In the past two months our church family has given so enthusiastically that we now can pay off the debt on our new property on Independence Parkway and can begin our relocation efforts in earnest owning the land free and clear!
When the floodgates of blessings like these open up we can say, “Only God!” Only God, at work in the quiet and invisible places in our hearts, can generate this kind of sacrifice and devotion to his purposes!
With this good news in mind, I want to let you know about an exciting opportunity:
Save the Date! Put Sneak Peak! on your calendar for Sunday, February 12 from 5:30-7:00. Come hear and see HH Architects reveal the Master Plan and Phase 1 Plans for our relocation. Be among the first to see the amazing vision that will enable us to fulfill our mission in ways we have yet to dream or imagine! Childcare will be provided. For childcare reservations go to www.prestontrail.org/rsvp.
I look forward to seeing you this weekend as I continue the series I QUIT! This week I’ll be challenging us to quit being childish and grow up! Being an adult is scary at times, but when you realize what God has in store for you it’s more than worth it!
Gratefully!
Jim
