God’s Appointment Book!
The Lord's followers who had been scattered went from place to place, telling the good news.

Acts 8:4

When I was a boy my parents had a rather strange tradition. Frequently, when it was time for our summer vacation, we would get up early on the appointed morning and literally decided which way to go as we pulled out of our driveway. All I knew for sure is that we would be gone for a week. On our vacations we made no reservations at motels. We had no tickets for special sight-seeing tours. We had no schedule to meet along the way. We were in my mind a lot like the early pioneers who headed west and took each day as it came. We made no plans for the day. In a clock oriented, organized world that tradition does seem strange today, but frankly, I still have wonderful memories of the adventure.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, I have learned from “organized religion” that everything must be planned. I need to do an assessment of my spiritual gifts and make intelligent choices about how and where I will exercise them. I must have a plan about where and how I will tell other people about Jesus. Frankly, having a plan for my spiritual life makes it much easier to relax. When I come home from work I don’t do my work anymore that day. For the hours that I am at the office, I work and when I come home I stop. It is simple and I know when the phone rings it is not someone wanting me to help them with what I do at work.

If I plan my spiritual life the same, then I can come home, take the phone off the hook, kick back and not have to worry about ministering to anyone.

I once applied for a job in which I would have been “on call” 24-7. I pondered the pressure of that kind of a position. I did not get the job and frankly, I haven’t felt bad about it. Even fire-fighters are on 24 and off 48 hours. The pressure of being on call 24-7 would be really great.

As a follower of Jesus, however that is exactly what He expects. I cannot say to Jesus, “Lord today I am going to take the day off. Don’t bother me with anything spiritual, and certainly don’t bother me with any ministry.”

So the disciples were scattered shortly after it all began. And as they went they told the good news!

As a follower of Jesus I can capture again the adventure I had as a child when we would go on vacation. “Lord, which way should I go today? What stops do you want me to make along the way?”

When I follow Jesus, He keeps the map and the appointment book. My job is to keep step with Him!