Never Say Never

Isn't that the old saying we all have heard?

That applies real well to we ministers because we are on call 24/7 not by man but by God.

Recently, I flew out to Phoenix to preach a Veteran's Day weekend for my sister's church and on the strength of that made to remember my call to duty abroad that started in Dec. 2007 with the Iraq War.

I was minding my own business trying to be a good pastor to my church God had sent me to when one Sunday morning as church was being dismissed one of the ladies walked up to me and dropped a bomb shell.

This would have been in the late 80's or early 90's, don't remember the exact time but just remember what the sister said, "Pastor, God is sending you to serve Him on foreign soil."

I was standing looking toward the back wall of the sanctuary that was lined with many Partners in Missions (PIM) plaques of the many missionaries we sponsored monthly and was assuming God was going to use me in going various times to visit and minister to some of them.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Fast forward to the summer of 2007 and my longtime friend Bro. W.L. Tullos ups and calls me out of the clear blue saying, "Bro. Dykes, I want you to come join me over here in Iraq encouraging the troops."

After I got my breath back, I told him I was not ready to be a martyr!"

He laughed but went on to tell me how much it meant to him being their pastor and how rewarding it was and I stood there and let him talk me into it.

Dec. 2007 the plane I was on touched down in Baghdad Iraq thus beginning my ministry on foreign soil as the lady prophesied that Sunday morning.

From 2007 until now, I have had a burden placed on me for the military in war zone conditions with 6 full years boots on the ground with them in 3 tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

That burden is still with me and I suppose will never leave until my breath does.

Actually, it is twofold and coupled with law enforcement as I try to represent our Highway Patrol as one of their few chaplains when not abroad.

See, as ministers, you don't get to call the shots.

Your Commander in Chief does.

Ask Jonah, ask Apostle Paul or any of the other men who were sent into harm's way to fulfill the call of duty.

We don't get to pick and choose, He does.

It may not be to our liking but there is a reason why He does what He does.

Like a giant chess board and game God moves all of us around where He so chooses, we needs go.

My family can't figure me out and often question why I do what I wind up doing but all I can say is never say never.

John the Baptist could have preached on any subject that day when King Herod and his mistress Herodias showed up but his selection of the evils of adultery cost him his head.

Nobody said the ministry would be easy and it's not.

If you are looking for a career that pays good with benefits, don't sign up for the ministry.

If you are a stay in one place kind of person, avoid being a man of the cloth.

Looking back growing up in a preacher's home and daddy dragging us all around creation and me attending 5 different schools, I now know why.

You go where you are sent.

No questions asked.

Lot of times it's a walk of faith and not by sight experience.

I've never gone hungry, but it has not always been a 5-course meal.

Sometimes it has been MRE's (military ready to eat packaged meals).

Right now I am awaiting marching orders from the Command Center.

Where my feet will land is anyone's guess.

 With two job offers I am praying over, one is in Jordan and the other in Djibouti North Africa and yet another US military base.

I just learned a long time ago to never say never.

But rather, "Lord, your will be done."

God bless you and God bless America.