"Compared To You...

Compared To You…
Brian F. Reid
July 22, 2007

Psalm 37:3, 4, 5, 23 & 24
“Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you, your heart’s desire. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him, and He will help you.

The steps of the godly, are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them, by the hand.”

Occasionally, I get asked about my spiritual walk.

They asked; “How are you doing?’ or they asked; “How do you do it?”

I think people ask, because they feel that a pastor or minister, should have it all together, know where they’re going, and, should sail through life, like a breeze.

But, I also think that they ask, these answers, as they are searching for, guidance and direction; in their own spiritual walk. What they are really saying is; “I’m not doing so good, and I need some help.”


In February 1999, I was baptized at Kentville Baptist Church; with Peggy and Tanya being baptized the two pervious months. It was a special time in my life, and my walk with Christ. There was such a great feeling of excitement and happiness. People were hugging me, and smiling, and laughing. The air was filled a joyous presence.

“Thus, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven, over one (especially) wicked person who repents - that is – changes his mind, hates his errors and misdeeds, and determines to enter upon a better course of life – than, over 99 righteous persons, who have no need of repentance.”

My (blood) family, my church family, and my brothers and sisters in Christ, all congratulated me. They encouraged me, and were proud of what I had done and accomplished.

It was such a time, of celebration!

That was then, and this is now.

So, the question remains; “Brian, how are you doing?”

Well, I sailed along, from 1999 to 2003, when I was asked, if I wanted to attend a men’s Cursilo Weekend Retreat. I knew nothing of, or about this word; Cursilo. A few people from Kentville Church had gone and said they had come home changed people. Well, that right there, would scare anyone – change.

I didn’t want to be changed; change is hard, it requires us to look at ourselves, and make some tough decisions about the way we are, and the way we live. I didn’t want to change, I didn’t know how to change, and I didn’t know what I would change into.

I kept hearing this voice, deep inside me, saying; “Get me ‘outa here!”

But, to tell you the truth, the Mountain Top Experience, I had had back in 1999, was fading fast, and I desperately needed to be re-energized. My spiritual walk was not like it once was. Church was OK, but at times, had been reduced to a social event, and my faith was failing.

As they told me more about this ‘Cursilo’ weekend, I started to get cautiously, enthused, carefully interested, mildly excited, and, somewhat, eager to know more. So, I decided to go.

In May, 2003, on a Thursday evening, I walked into a strange church, into the midst of some strange people, about to do something that seem so very strange, to me. In that room were __ men, and most looked as scared as I was, and all had that same ‘deer in the headlight’ look.

We were sequestered, secluded, and concealed in that church, from Thursday evening to Sunday night; with no contact with the outside world. All of us candidates, were very scared. That was Thursday night, but as the weekend wore on, things would get better.
By Sunday evening, we were a cohesive group, a band of brothers, and we seemed to have grown, so very close, in such a short time. During that weekend, we shared many things with each other; we broke bread together, laughed, sung, and cried together.

But, during all this, and, at our very, very, lowest; and most embarrassing moments, we were never judged or condemned; just because our spiritual walk was less than perfect.

We realized that we simply were not the “macho-men,” that we though we were. And, even though we found out, that were not that strong, we found someone, we could call upon in our times of absolute weakness.

“We were afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not discouraged; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…”

That weekend had brought me, the closest, I had ever been, to God’s unconditional, absolute, and everlasting love.
(x2)

The leaders of the weekend, showed, through their actions, compassion and caring, that God loved us - period!

God loved us, plain and simple, no strings attached, and no ‘if’, ‘ands’ or ‘buts’! God loved us!

I left that weekend with a renewed sense, of my spiritual walk. I came to realize that everyone’s walk is different, and there will be times that it is so hard, and other times, so exciting and fulfilling. I came to realize, a non-judgmental attitude among these Christians. We came together, and helped each other, all struggling and hurting in some way.

At the close of the weekend, every candidate was presented with a cross, with the inscription; “Christ is counting on you.”

Christ is counting on you! Christ is counting on you to walk your walk with purpose. He wants you to be an example to others. He wants you to help those who stumble, without judgement. He wants you to walk along side of those who seem to wander. He wants you to lift up those who are down-trotted, afflicted, discouraged, persecuted, and forsaken.

He wants you to know, that at times you will lose faith, lose hope, and lose your way. But, He also wants you to know, He is always there for you; And, Christ is counting on you, to call to Him, in those times of trouble.

In 2003, after my Cursilo weekend, I wrote this story; “My Spiritual Journey”





And…like this cross says;

Christ is counting on you! Christ is counting on you to walk your walk, with purpose. He wants you to be an example to others. He wants you to help those who stumble, without judgement. He wants you to walk along side of those who seem to wander. He wants you to lift up those who are down-trotted, afflicted, discouraged, persecuted, and forsaken.

He wants you to know, that at times you will lose faith, lose hope, and lose your way. But, He also wants you to know, He is always there for you;

And, Christ is counting on you, to call to Him, in those times of trouble.

Let us pray;