What God Will Ask

"Georgia Men's Advance" is an annual event at Rock Eagle 4-H Camp near Eatonton, GA. It is sponsored by the "Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship International" a group launched during the Charismatic Renewal of the 1970's and early 1980's.

Mark Rutland, now the president of Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has been the keynote speaker at every Georgia Men's Advance in it's 30 year history. I do not know of another person I had rather hear speak. He is my all-time favorite preacher.

During the 1990's I attended three of those conferences.

In each one the experiences were memorable and life-changing.

The last one attended was in January of 1998. Instead of teaming up with a large group that year, I roomed with two close friends: one was a buddy of mine and the other was an older man who was something of a mentor for us.

The older guy was very successful in many ways, highly intelligent, he exhibited strong leadership qualities and he and his wife had been instrumental in counseling and working with R. and I through some of the struggles of our marriage.

We three guys spent a lot of down time together that weekend, just talking.

Then our mentor said something that has stayed with me from that day til this.

He said, "When I get to heaven, I believe God is going to ask me one question - 'What did you do with the wife and children I gave you?'"

Now I don't think he had Bible for that, but it rung true with me. In fact I have referred back to that challenge often since. As we give an account of the deeds done in this body - why wouldn't God ask us about how we influenced those closest to us?

R. and I had no children at that time, but Ab would be born about one year from that date. The statement set up a determination in me to first be the husband and father that God had called me to be. He may or may not call me to go to some foreign land with His gospel - but it is a given that I am called to influence those of my own household for Him.

As I write about this influential moment I am saddened because some years later, that mentor walked away from his own marriage and it dealt a sharp blow to both my buddy and me.

Nevertheless the words he spoke that day were truth and they still drive my actions today