Basics Training

My son is learning the basics of baseball. Hitting, throwing, and how to shape the bill of his new little league hat. Of course Michael wants to go beyond the basics. He thinks he's ready to learn how to leap up on the center field fence to make the miracle catch that robs a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth of the World Series. THAT's what he really wants to work on.

And so... after a few jumps, leaps, and an imaginative radio broadcast highlighting his ESPN top-1o catch of the day... we go back to simple throwing, hitting, and catching the ball smack dab in the pocket of his glove. Michael's best time, for now, is spent with the basics.

Yesterday morning I cleaned the kitchen after my wife headed off for her first day of work.

I hugged my fifteen-year-old for making straight A's on her first semester report card.

I came home to have lunch with my wife.

We had our family Bible time after supper. It was a great discussion of Passover, the first Communion, trouble surrounding Jesus final hours, and the role of serving. My kids get it.
I love that. I love how they pray.

Just basics.

I want to do incredible world-noticing minstry. I want to accomplish much so that Christian broadcasters and retailers expound on the awesome-ness that IS my life. But maybe God just wants the basics. Love. Prayer. Relationships. Bible. Basics. Maybe my best time is spent on the basics. Maybe God's greatness is best seen in Kingdom basics that enabled HIM to be glorified --- like with the first century church in Acts.

Lord, help me to work on the basics. Help me to be a leader who leads from the foundational basics of prayer, study, worship --- time spent with You before anything else. Help me to have a basic-but-powerful walk with you that empowers me to lead through difficulties instead of scrambling because the basics are last resorts when the inevitable hits.

Just the basics. Just the basics. I need to stay in basic training.