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So something interesting happens tomorrow. I will no longer be able to legally drive our family boat. We''re very grateful to have the boat and have had lots of good times on it with family and friends, but tomorrow that stops.
It's not that I have unpaid tickets or suddenly forgot how to drive, it's that tomorrow in Ontario, all boaters must have a license to drive a boat.
I heard about this four years ago. I thought – 2009 is so far away – I know I'll have lots of opportunity to take the test before then. And each year I said "this is the year I'l get my license." Earlier this year, I bought the boater exam kit and paid to take the test. A few months ago I printed the online study guide and carried it with me for a month in my backpack. I planned to study. I picked August as a drop dead date to write the test. But I didn't do it. I just never took the test. And tomorrow, I will no longer be able to drive my boat.
Yesterday I had the chance to listen again to Andy Stanley's message "Road Trip" that wrapped up in Orillia and Muskoka. What a great talk. Andy said the work place is the environment where most of us have the best chance to share our faith with other people who don't yet believe.
Which means today there'll be an opportunity for most of us to allow God to use us in some small or big way to impact people's lives. If we actually follow through. If we actually do share the hope that's inside us. And I know many of us think "one day, I'm sure I'll have a chance to make a difference in someone's life." But so far, we haven't.
Today you have that opportunity. Today I have that opportunity.
At Connexus, the way we plan to grow the church is not through some huge, random advertising campaign. The way we hope lives change is when people tell other people about our faith and invite them into one of our environments.
One day, we won't. My time will be up. Yours will be up. And I imagine I'll look back and wonder "Wow, when I was in that moment, why didn't I say something?" More people are curious about God and interested in the purpose of life than most of us realize.
Chances are you have someone at work that you know would have a much richer life if they knew the love of their Heavenly Father. Chances are people will turn to you for advice or talk about a situation in their lives that could be so much better if Christ was involved. Why not talk to people this morning about the church you went to yesterday?
Today we have an opportunity. One day, we won't, and I imagine most of us will look back and wish we had done more.
To dove tail the two series we're in right now, some of you may need a whole new Fresh Start in this area. Ask God, He'll give it to you.
My boat's in my driveway this morning. That's kind of the wrong location for a boat. It will stay there until I finally get my license.
Today, you and I are on location. Let's ask God to help us get a fresh start in that location and share the hope that comes from a relationship with our Heavenly Father with others.
– Carey
