Have you ever been to an event or organization that required you
to get a hand stamp? It acts like your ticket in. If there is ever
a question of whether you should be there or not, you can show your
hand stamp to verify that, indeed, you belong. Of course, that's
all that hand stamp does. It doesn't authenticate your reputation
or monitor your conduct. In fact, for the most part, the hand stamp
is forgotten - until it is needed to validate your attendance.
I wonder how often that happens with our faith experiences. When
necessary we can recall the events in our past where God was
clearly at work. These experiences, perhaps over time, become like
that hand stamp - our ticket in to our church, our ministry, our
walk with the Lord. I don't want in any way to discredit what God
has done in our lives in the past - in fact, God often says its
good to be reminded of what He has done. But often those reminders
are for the sake of seeing what He is doing today. What is He doing
today?