Pastor's Blog...
Nine-year-old
Jeremy’s mother asked the boy what he had learned in
Sunday School. “Well,
Mom, our teacher told us how God sent Moses behind enemy
lines on a rescue mission to lead the Israelites out of
Egypt. When
he got to the Red Sea, he and his engineers built a
pontoon bridge and all the people walked across safely.
Then he used his walkie-talkie to radio broadcast
headquarters and call in an air strike.
They sent in bombers to blow up the bridge, and
all the Israelites were saved.”
The
mother stared at him, “Now, Jeremy, is that really
what your teacher taught you?”
“Well,
no, Mom, but if I told it the way the teacher did,
you’d never believe it.”
This is a
joke obviously, but it made me wonder, do we really
believe? We
all come to church on Sunday and enjoy the
fellowship. We
like being in “God’s space” and taking a
moment out of our busy week to commune with
God—through our singing, praying, sermons, and
giving. But
when we walk away, do we really believe in the
changing power of God?
Do we feel God’s presence, not just in
church, but everywhere?
I have
been thinking a lot lately on bungee jumping.
Several years ago, I went white water rafting
in West Virginia with friends of mine.
Along the way down the New River, we entered
a calm part of the river that led under a tall
bridge. As
I looked up, there were people jumping off the
bridge and being caught by the bungee cord.
They would just jump, holding their arms out
like wings, and feel the gush of air around them.
The would then be caught by the cord, and fly
up and down for a couple seconds.
When they stopped, they were pulled back up
by others who were on top of the bridge.
I sat there for a long time watching them.
Not because I wanted to do it!
I am too much of a chicken.
At best, I would probably lose my lunch.
I was just amazed at the utter trust they had
in that cord to keep them from falling to their
deaths. The
excitement of being so free, allowing your body to
just move into the air, led to an utter trust in the
cord.
I want us
to be that free in God.
Think of the image of jumping out, no idea
what is going on, what you are doing.
Just jumping, letting God do the work for
you. So
many times, we are too sensible.
We don’t go out on a limb, trying to do the
work of God, letting it just happen.
Think of ways in church we can bungee jump.
How do we do the work of God without fear?
Just jump,
in faith and believe.
Yours in Christ, Pastor Tracy