Have you ever said “no” to God?  Maybe even a polite kind of “no”?  I know I certainly have.

• As a teenager, I said “no” to pursuing higher education.
• As a young college student I said “no” to any thought of a life/career of serving in the local church.
• As a young seminarian I said “no” to the idea of being part of church-planting.
• As a young pastor I said “no” to considering the role of lead pastor.

Every year at this time I reflect back on what’s happened since October 15, 1989.  That was the day that Seneca Creek Community Church held her first worship gathering in the old Loew’s Theater in Germantown (now the site of a DSW).  And I think of what would have happened if God had taken my “no” and just let me have my way.

I would have missed out on a lifetime of adventure, growth, learning, and changing people’s lives and eternities.   I would have missed out on incredible friendships.  I would have missed out on seeing the faithfulness of God played out in front my eyes.  I would have missed out on a helping build a church that is breaking molds and breaking strongholds.  I shudder to think of what my life would look like by now.

And I think back on 26 years of watching God work thru me, and in me, DESPITE my initial protests.  It’s as though God was inviting me to choose “door number three,” and I was not interested, even though I had NO IDEA what was behind that door.

If I may ask, what door is God inviting you to open?  How long will say “no”?  How long will you miss out on what’s hiding behind the proverbial “door number three”?

My best advice is this: say “yes” to God.  The sooner the better.  Because whatever God has behind that door, it’s very good.  As the song says, “He’s a good, good Father…that’s who he is.”

-Pastor Mark