This past fall at my church, many of the men started gathering bright and early on Thursday mornings for Men's Fraternity, as we are beginning our journey with the Quest For Authentic Manhood materials. This morning we met again and set about "Saddling Up" for the 2nd half of that course. Since my day on Thursday's begins with a focus on manhood & men's ministry, that is why I have chosen that as the Thursday topic theme for this blog.
What struck me most about this morning's meeting was (a) all of my small group made it back after the long break since we last had met and (b) the notion that modern men often live without vision, simply reacting day-to-day rather than shaping their own lives (which was much of the focus of today's message as presented on DVD by Robert Lewis)
As far as the small group being back, it just supported the notion that we are not in this alone and though faith can and should be a personal journey, it should never be a private one. God has truly blessed our small group and blessed me personally through that group. Proverbs 27:17 (NIV) states "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another"
I sat there this morning as Robert Lewis laid down the law to us about our manhood plans and the need for vision and thought about just how reactionary I was. My vision was limited to the immediate. I react in the moment. How can I possibly get to where I am going when I limit my self to seeing only the next step. How do I know if that step is in the right direction? Vision and a plan are necessary. It is funny that just two days ago I started this blog with that very thing in mind. If I just started the blog and hoped to return to it each day and write an entry, it would have died quickly, like so many others I've started and so many others I've seen. One or two excited early entries and then nothing. So when I started this time I knew I had to lay out a plan. I knew if I didn't have a well thought out and organized plan, I wouldn't be successful this time around either. Of course it is way to early to tell if this plan will work, but having a set goal, a clear vision of what lies in the distance and not just under my next footstep is a positive influence, a guiding force if you will. And even if I veer off the path, or lose focus at somepoint, I'll always have the plan to get me back on course. Still, I shall not forget the wisdom of Proverbs 16:9 (NIV) which states: "in his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps."
My goal then is to live as a visionary man, no longer as a reactionary one
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