If you look back on your life… do you have moments that seem to define who you are today? I would imagine that age might play a role in how many defining moments one might have in life; it might be tough to have a half-dozen of those if you are 12… but perhaps not if you are 74. So, this past week I have found myself pondering defining moments in my life — at least the good ones. I suppose it’s possible to have bad moments define you — and we all have experienced tragedy — yet, I choose to reflect on the good ones.
How about the moment my freshman year in college when I finally worked up the nerve to call a beautiful, young co-ed and ask her out on a date? I really hadn’t dated much at all in high school — hence the fear — and this girl… well, she was actually way out of my league, yet somehow I had enough courage to ask her out. Her name was Lauri and she said yes… and then promptly stood me up. (You will have to ask her for the details of the confusion that led to that event). Yet, perhaps because she felt guilty for standing me up, she said, “Yes” to a Homecoming date the following week — we’ve been together ever since. I often ponder… what if I had never had the courage to ask Lauri out… man, my life would sure be different, and I would have missed out on a wonderful blessing.
The moments when I first held my newborn children were certainly defining moments in my life because from those two moments forward my life would never be the same. I must admit that I wasn’t prepared for the attachment my children would make on my heart. Over the years there have been so many moments of proud acknowledgement that these people are part of me. I often ponder… what if one of my kids hadn’t been born? I would have missed out on many wonderful blessings, for sure. Yeah, defining moments.
As a teenager I sat in the crowd at a youth conference where the speaker challenged his listeners to stop play-acting at being a Christian, and to instead, surrender every area of our life to Christ. He described that experience as a heart declaration that cried out, “Whatever you ask me to become, Jesus… Whatever you ask me to do, Jesus… whatever you ask me to give up, Jesus… Wherever you ask me to go, Jesus… the answer is a resounding “YES!” When the call was given to go forward and cement that decision in prayer my feet barely hit the ground as I literally ran down the bleachers. I often ponder… What would my life be like today if I had ignored the Holy Spirit’s tug on my heart that night? I would have missed out on so many wonderful blessings.
Defining moments. What are yours? This week Pastor Austin has some of our high school students at the LIFE Conference in Indianapolis. Wow… the same conference that I attended where I was sitting in those bleachers in 1983… and I have been praying for defining moments for them. Moments where Jesus would be so real… where community would be so strong… where the ministry of the Holy Spirit would be so invigorating that those students would be changed forever. Where, perhaps, when they are 60 years old… they might look back on LIFE 2025 and be able to declare —“I am so grateful for the work God did in my life that week.” And perhaps one day they will ponder… “What would my life be like today, if I hadn’t experienced God in the way that I did at that youth conference? I would have missed out on some wonderful blessings.”
Would you pray that with me?
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