"you should have asked ME"

Today is Sunday. Normally at this time I am reviewing my message that I will teach in a few hours and spending time getting my heart and mind aligned with God. But today that is not happening. Why? Because Tropical Storm Fay decided to spend a week vacationing in Florida. After criss-crossing over the rest of Florida, all eyes were fixed her next target (us). The local and national forecasts were predicting endless rain, the emergency operations centers were doing their thing, and so i knew i must make some storm-related decisions as well.

Local pastors called me to find out if FHBC was having services. I told them I would let them know after I got some more information.

I consulted:

• some of FHBC folks to get their take
• the local emergency operations center
• 5 weather websites
• 2 weather TV stations
• the example of other churches in the area

And so, after much consultation and research, I made the decision. For the safety of our senior adults, because of the potentionally unsafe conditions of our Transportation Ministry, and because the Sheriff is asking everyone to stay off of the road, I cancelled services.

To comfort my decision i recalled the verse in Proverbs, "wisdom is found in many advisors."

Well, Fay came right here and went right by. No real rain. No real wind. As I laid in bed last night, and again this morning, I felt like calling the newspaper to tell them that the Doe-Doe bird was no longer extinct. And then, i heard God laying 5 resounding words on my heart, "you should have asked ME." I began to think back through my decision making process. I thought about the ministry leaders, I thoughts about the websites, I thought about the local leaders, I thought about the TV meteorologists, and then I experienced a holy collision - I did not consult with God- I did not pray.

I am now trying to answer some questions that make my heart feel like a punching bag. Do I value the combined advice of man more than wisdom of soverign God? Do I turn to technology first and the God that created today last? Do i believe that prayer is a last resort or a first line of defense?

I've been told that you really believe only what you do; therefore, I need to spend much time rearranging my belief system. Would God have directed me differently? Maybe... Maybe not...

Regardless of His answer, I still wish different words could have come - "thanks for asking"; instead of, "you should have asked ME."