Ordained

Praise
by Judy Rogers
1991-ANew Year-A fresh time for change
What follows in summary form is the story of "The
Time of My Life", a musical written by Becky
Morecraft and Judy Rogers four yearS ago. The play
was beautifully performed by 75 students ofChalcedon
Christian School with songs taken from Why Can't I
See God and Walkin' Wise.
Andy Anderson was a boy who desperately needed a
major change, but had grown quite indifferent to all the
good Christian teaching of his childhood. His parents
thought everything was fine until a typical Wednesday
night rolled around and Andy, insensitive to the usual
prayer meeting schedule, casually asked his dad to
borrow the car. "Don't you know what night this is?"
his dad asked. "Yeah, whined Andy, it's church night,
but me and the guys have other plans." "Son, I know
whatitis to be young and-" "Forget it, Dad! I'mnot
into this church thing like you and Mom! I'myoung-
I wanna have fun!", and he sulked out of the room
slamming the door emphatically behind him.
Mr. &Mrs. Anderson stared at each other in disbelief.-
what had happened to their little boy who used to sing
"Jesus Loves Me" and who had prayed for the world to
be saved?"
Andy wa1kedoutside and began his pity party. "Nobody
understands!" he mumbled. Soon a strange little
character comes streaking up on roller skates. "I'm
Father Time", he said cheerfully. "And I've come to
show you where you've been so you can know where
you're going!" So Father Time took Andy back to the
beginning of time and showed him how God made all
things perfectly and how man got away from God
He showecj him Davig (!'s (!, f1!itl1ful
shepherd boy, Josiah the young king, and Jesus' death
on the cross for him. Andy began to understand the
great sacrifice of Jesus for the first time. Then they
traveled on to the days of the Scottish martyrs and he
saw one of his own ancestors, as a young boy his age,
being put to death for the sake of Jesus. Andy is now
deeply moved and he asked Father Time why this had
to happen. "Because Andy the blood of the martyrs is
the seed of the church." Next Andy saw Martin Luther
nail his 95 theses on the Wittenburg chapel door and he
remembered studying about it in history class. "What
an example, he thought, "one man not afraid to stand
alone!"
Suddenly Andy is transported to the year 1952. The
young man in this particular scenario is wearing Levi's
and a leather jacket pulled up around his neck and as
he threw his greased hair back Andy gasped, "It's my
Dad! I;' He sees his young Dad being tempted to follow
a sleazy looking young girl into an X-rated joint and he
shouts urgently, ''No Dad! Don'tgoin! Please, Dad!"
He sees this young man struggling with the evil powers
ofsin and Satan but at last, as though he hears Andys'
cries, he walks quickly away-never to return!
"0, Father Time, you've showed me so much! Things
I knew inmy head but didn't have rooted in my heart.
I see now that my Dad was young and he does
understand! I wanna go home. 0, thank you! Thank
you, Father Time!"
Andy returns home (only half an hour of earth time has
passed) and tells breathlessly to his wide-eyed parents
what has happened. They're grateful to God that the
prodigal has come home!
Do you have children like Andy? Maybe you're there
yourself-spiritually weak, self-centered, overcome
with temptation? There is hope for change-a time to
"begin again". By the power of God's Spirit you can
see your new years "resolutions" to be stronger for
Tbe Counsel of Cbalcedon January 1991 Page 23
Christ and His Kingdom come true, if you
persevere in prayer daily and put to death
deeds of the flesh. You can start in 1991 to have
the "time of your life!!"
as recorded on Walkin Wise" is Andy's
Song:
I
Time-from the beginning,
The Tiille of My Life
, . ' 1
' Fining the moments and-days >,h
I have It lifetime before me '"
And I win take the time thattemains
And I will praise the God of alI ages >
For giving the meaning to life
And by God's grace-
My moment in history
Will help to build the Kingdom of Christ!
And I'm having the time of my life
Making the most of every moment
knowing the future lies before me
Living today to bring God glory
and I'm having the time of my life
Knowing my times are in his hands
And with the saints who've gone before me-
on His Word I stand! >
For from Him, and through Him,
And to Him are All things
To Him be the glory
forever and ever, Amen! Q
The Counsel of Cbalcedon January 1991 Page 24
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