Clarity

Wow.

Well, I sure didn't see that coming. So, the Chaplain onboard left yesterday to go to a conference. And, Friday night she asked if I'd be willing to give the sermon today in addition to playing the music.

I had a remarkably tough time coming up with an answer for her. Prepping each week for the music alone, in addition to my "actual job", is hard. Then, given a day's notice, to come up with a sermon, was daunting to say the least.

But, as the bulletin reads, I said yes. I said yes to everything. I felt like a circuit rider preacher today. I played the music (alternated between guitar and piano for each song) and gave the sermon. In addition to sweat, I'll tell you what this experience gave me: clarity.

It was one of the most blatant examples in my life where I was presented with a clear choice of 1) God or 2) other things. Hesitantly, I chose God.

Going back in my mind to Sunday School when I was 5, choosing God should be easy. It's always the correct answer, right? You can say "God" for almost any question in Sunday School and be right 90% of the time. For me, choosing God late Friday night was hard. Every day I feel like I am juggling 18 balls. And saying yes to this felt like adding 6 more balls.

But, I had a good friend throw a mantra back at me that I hold pretty dear in my life, "If not me, then who?" A phrase that holds a special place for me from the life and death of 1st Lt. Travis Manion. So, I did. And I'll tell you what; I enjoyed the process. I enjoyed the Service. I got clarity and satisfaction through the process of putting God and service to others ahead of my own priorities.

I don't think I'll be giving the sermon every Sunday, but today it felt right. I hope that those Sailors who were there were able to be with God and gain their own clarity.

I will say, I think I'm probably the only one who preached today with a dozen tattoos and closed out the day with a near-beer and a cigar on the fantail of a warship. I guess God can use anyone.

- Matt