Today I celebrate my 8th Anniversary as Pastor at First Baptist Church, and I couldn’t count myself more blessed. Much has changed since I first came to First Baptist at 27-years-old, and God has been faithful throughout.
During my time here, the Lord has led our congregation through many victories and many trials, all while keeping us unified and growing together in our faith. What more could we ask for? We have lost wonderful people that I have loved very dearly (I’m preaching the funeral of a dear friend and mentor today). We have endured the crisis of COVID-19. We have had dear brothers and sisters, faithful to serve, be called away. We have experienced heart-wrenching tragedies.
But we have also seen God give us great triumphs! We have seen many come to faith, being baptized and growing to serve the Lord faithfully. We have seen, after the barren lands of COVID, God give great increase to our church – bringing many new, wonderful people into our church family. We have seen faithful brothers and sisters called to our church to serve (this Sunday we vote on a dear friend of mine who I consider the greatest worship leader of our time!). We have seen gospel seeds planted and watered, seeds for which we excitedly await the growth only God can give. We have seen the sanctification of God’s people (for He is faithful to sanctify us), and a growing burden for lost people. We have seen spiritual and doctrinal refinement in these confusing times. And we have grown to love one another more deeply and more faithfully. I am so very blessed to shepherd this church family!
And so today I merely offer a word of praise and thanksgiving to God! Life is short, and I often foolishly fail to stop and reflect on the goodness and faithfulness of God over time. Psalm 39:4–7 says,
4 “Lord, make me to know my end
And what is the extent of my days;
Let me know how transient I am.
5 “Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths,
And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight;
Surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Selah.
6 “Surely every man walks about as a phantom;
Surely they make an uproar for nothing;
He amasses riches and does not know who will gather them.7 “And now, Lord, for what do I wait?
NASB 1995
My hope is in You.
They say ‘time flies when you’re having fun.’ I’ve had a lot of fun over the past eight years. But there’s another old saying that perhaps is more accurate: ‘the days are long, but the years are short.’ I’ve had a lot of long, long days, but it feels like we were just called here. Where does the time go? Today I’m stopping, for just a brief moment, to thank God for His faithfulness in my life, and for His faithfulness over these past eight years. A lot has changed. A lot has changed in me. But God is perfect and faithful; and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Amen.
Chase Thompson 