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SPEAKING IN THE LIGHT WITH PASTOR RUDY

In September of 1968, the television show “The Land of the Giants” made its debut on ABC Sunday nights. Even before I saw a single episode, I already had the official lunch box. Remember in grade school, picking out a lunch box that conveniently came with the matching thermos, was a major decision as the wrong choice could put you in cafeteria Siberia. I wish I still had some of those lunch boxes because they are worth a fortune on eBay! My Beatles lunch box alone could pay for my son Joel’s college education.

 “The Land of the Giants” was another program created by then science fiction wiz Irwin Allen. Allen also gave us “Lost In Space,” and “Voyage To The Bottom of the Sea,” to name a few. The premise of “Land of the Giants” took us 15 years into the then-future year of 1983.  The series tells the tale of the crew and passengers of a transport ship named “Spindrift.” Unfortunately, while on route from Los Angeles to London, something went very wrong. Somehow the air craft is dragged through a space warp where it is forced to crash land on a mysterious planet where everything is 12 times larger than on earth. Each week, we see the perilous adventures of the tiny 7 little people survive by obtaining food and avoiding capture by the giants or attacks from oversized animals, such as cats, dogs, ravens and my favorite, the gopher. They work hard to repair their spacecraft so they can attempt to return to Earth. They largely manage to succeed mostly because the giants are downright dumb. While they have a great advantage in size, they are inept when it comes to using their brains and brawn to send these little people to their tiny graves.

Maybe being so big isn’t that great after all. I can remember always being the tallest guy in my class. My size set me to acquire some pretty bad habits. While playing basketball in gym class, I never had to jump. I just would put up my long arms and take the ball away. There came a day though when my strategy of keeping my feet on the ground back fired! The littler players had to jump to make the grade and there came a day when those spunky guards would outjump me and outplay me. I will never forget when my Coach said to me, “Sheptock! You might be 6’4” but you operate like you are 5’8” because you don’t get any air under you!” Sometimes being bigger can actually lead to taking your size for granted. Sometimes being smarter can trigger you to believe you know it all. Sometimes having been blessed with so much here in America, we stop trusting God and exercising our faith in such a way that it actually grows!

As I observe our Country in the midst of embarking upon another month of pandemic, protests and politics; I don’t see enough humility. I do hear Christians calling for revival, but that kind of move of God only comes when the Lord’s people begin to confess their sins and admit that they haven’t been as faithful as they should be when it comes to following Jesus. I am wondering if Believers are more upset over the inconvenience that 2020 has been when just maybe they should be on their knees pursuing the Lord’s will and way like never before. God takes faith seriously. He is not a big fan of those who say the right things with their lips while their hearts are on another continent. If we want God to run things His way, then we must repent of begging for our own way.

Could it be that we have had it too easy as Christians in America? Are we ready to admit that we have depended more upon our reputation of being big rather than humbly surrendering our every minute to God so that our souls can grow too? How can we say that we would follow the Lord no matter where He takes us when we don’t even follow Him across the street? This is not a season to whine about the mistaken good old days. This is not a time to look for easier and more comfortable lodging. This is serious Bible boot camp where we can’t just talk the talk but we be willing to walk the walk, step by step in the footprints of our Savior. Is it time for the Church of Jesus to fulfill His promise that the gates of hell could not stand against it? How would we know if the Scriptures are true if we don’t allow God to prove it in each and every one of us? Could it be time for us to start jumping as we reach up to what God has for us? Could it be that the giants we face might be physically bigger but spiritually speaking come up way too small in all that leads to eternity?

God has already informed us that there are going to be some severe trials and tribulation to come before we get to go to paradise. There are no “Get Out Of Jail Free” cards! There are no free rides that allow you to “Pass Go and Collect $200.” However, there is a promise from our Creator that He will never leave us or forsake us as we shine our lights to alert those who think that life in the dark is normal and good. Our ultimate salvation is not in a vaccine. Our ticket to ride the train of freedom is not going to be found in defunding the police and destroying people and their property. Our hope and future is not tied to who the next President of these United States will be. Jesus taught us that God is much bigger than any earthly giants. God loves the world’s population even while He judges and we experience the real consequences from the poor choices His people have made. This is why this is no time to kick our hearts into neutral. It is time for Christians to practice what Jesus preached. It is time for us that have been called to wear God’s Name to get on our knees and trust Him! We need to worship Him loud and proud. We need to take our faith to the streets. We need to get up on our feet and not only reach up but jump up! Go after Jesus like the NBA does rebounds! And if we do, I believe that we will see God do a mighty work in our day!