Convoy ops

This big news this week is that Cowell and I finally went on a convoy. We have been trying to get on one for awhile. Everyone wondered why we would want to go on one, but I had good reasons to go. Basically the guys who do the convoys are tough to visit because I never know where they are. Well this time they were stuck with me for a few hours. It was great to finally visit these guys.

They have several interesting rituals that border on superstition, but for the most part everyone had their job and they worked together to get it all accomplished. Every time before they leave the chute (that's our driveway), they say a prayer over the radio. This time out they let me say the prayer.

15-20 guys at a time. It looks like it will take some doing to get these guys covered. I don't put myself or my assistant in danger for no reason. I think it is important for me to be where these guys are in order to minister to them effectively.

This Sunday I preached from 1 Samuel to a sold out audience. Ok not sold out but the biggest attendance I have had so far, 7! I talked about Saul and a little about his career as King. He started out good, but he finished bad. He didn't have the moxy to trust God for the duration of his Kingship. I encouraged the guys to finish this deployment well. To go home with their heads held high proud of what they have done, rather than ashamed of themselves for losing their moral compass.

Circumstances should not change our morality. What was wrong before crisis, should still be wrong during and after a crisis. We saw a lot of this post 9/11 when everyone wanted a pound of flesh from anyone. Whenever we experience a crisis in our lives like Saul did in 1 Samuel 13, we need to dip into our moral compass and take a look at what we believed to be right pre crisis. Otherwise we may end up doing something that we are ashamed of in the end.

The other problem Saul experienced was his lack of repentance. We see later on in the chapter when Samuel catches Saul in the act, so to speak. And Saul plays it off like he did nothing wrong. His heart remains convinced he was justified by his circumstances. This tendency only gets worse as his kingship tour continues.

The last part of the chapter hints at another. "a man after God's own heart..." one we see toward the end of the book. The next king, King David is a man who is no stranger to sin. In fact on a compare this for that scale, David's sin seems worse. Difference is that David's heart remains open to correction from God. Whenever he sins, and when he does it is often a big one, he repents just as big. God honors his contrite heart. As such David is known as the greatest(short of Christ) king of Israel ever.

Check your heart, is it broken before God? Do you still hear the voice of the Spirit, telling you of God's trail? If you are secure in your own way, and you think that you no longer need God to direct your path, it may be time to turn around. Repent, it does your heart good.