Roughing it smoothly

There are times in my life when I go off to be alone. I have a Jeep, and I like to take it out into the wild parts of Southern California by myself sometimes and scout out trails I have found in books and maps. See abandoned mines and ghost towns and such, and sit on top of mountain peaks and look out as the Eagles (or California Condors) fly by with a puzzled look on their faces.

I have a boat, and I enjoy getting it out on the water by myself. Many is the time that I have been out on the lake with not a soul around for a mile or so, drifting down some backwater canyon, spotting wildlife, watching fish feeding at the surface all around me, baking in the SoCal sun, or hiding in the shade of a tall rock wall as I drift or idle along.

But, be aware that MY version of getting 'out there' doesn't mean I leave the comforts of home behind. I spent a week in Yosemite with my daughter a couple of years ago - she hiked the backside of Half Dome while I went shopping in the Village - and I had to borrow a camp trailer from some friends so I had a real bed and a shower with me. I love to get 'out there' but I do want my technology along for the ride, thank-you very much.

And that Jeep of mine? Has power windows, AC, relining bucket seats, cloth interior, cruise control, automatic transmission, and my iPod cranks through the stereo. The boat is pretty much equipped in similar fashion as far as a boat can be: reclining seats, a shade top, an ice chest or two, and an iPod-ready stereo as well. Even has a place to charge my iPhone, and/or my laptop. The dog even has a favorite spot to nap. Yeah, let's be clear that I never said anything about 'roughing it.'

When I was a Youth Pastor a half a lifetime ago, I would be delighted to see the young people bring friends to church. But there were times when I noticed that the reason they were bringing these people was because they wanted to create a little bit of their normal (non-Christian) environment around them like a bubble, to insulate them from any chance of actually coming into contact with God. Yes, they were in church making Mom and Dad stay off their back, but they had brought their own comfort zone right along with them.

I'm sure we don't do that, do we? I mean, we would never choose a church based on the rockin' band, or choose a pastor based on how many times we laugh during a sermon, would we? No. We aren't like those kids back in my youth group, we would never tell God, "I'll give you my life, as long as I can bring my lifestyle along with me."

2 Timothy 4:3 Could NOT possibly be aimed at me - at us - could it? It says, "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear."

Well, as a church we are about to embark on choosing a new Pastor. I hope and pray that we hear from God, and select one who can challenge us, rock us out of complacency, shatter apathy, and generally cause us to grow as our outgoing pastor has done. It doesn't always make for a comfortable experience, but I think we might want to thank God for that, and not try so hard to bring our comfort zone with us.