Finding the Way Home
The eNewsletter Archive

Below is the archived version of Marshall Hayden's eNewesletter "Finding the way Home." If you would like to be added to to mailing list, please send a blank email to evangelism-subscribe@worthingtoncc.org.

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March 2008

What's It Going to Take?

Today in our Saturday morning men's Bible study we were talking about being slow learners. The twelve apostles have been our examples. And we have rather regularly clicked our tongues and somberly shaken our heads at them. How could they have walked and talked with Jesus for so long, watched the miracles, listened to the piercing stories, and sensed the genuineness of His faithfulness to the Father, and still been so dense? They still wondered "who was the greatest" among them. When he said that he was going to "prepare a place" they didn't seem to have any idea what he was talking about. They didn't understand his servant spirit, and the way he absorbed abuse; and when it looked as though he was defeated, they scattered.

Then we realized that so many of us in the church of Jesus Christ, with more time-honored evidence available than they had, haven't been any better at understanding, courage, and commitment than they were.

On a regular basis we need refreshment, renewal, re-starting.

Easter Sunday, the resurrection day celebration, comes now in less than a week. And one of the things that some of us are prone to do is to make uncomplimentary little comments about CE Christians, folks that the church sees on Christmas Eve and Easter Sunday. But I rejoice! The world is doing its best to contaminate us with its perspective that everything is temporary, that nobody is in charge, that you need to "grab all of the gusto that you can get," and that there are no enduring standards. But just about everyone has a sense that "this just isn't right." Many don't think about that very often. But a few times every year they come to church, listening, wondering, with a hunch that "this is the place where I'm hearing the truth." And every year some who have listened to the God-sounds that are around them every day, turn toward the truth after one more Easter encounter; and everything changes. I love meeting the individual or family that comes occasionally.

And, as we suggested at the start, very few of us are quick-learners and unfailingly steady disciples. A lot of us need the weekly reminder that Sunday gives. And a lot of us need the encouraging reminder that we get in a Wednesday evening fellowship. Our spirits need to be re-inflated rather regularly. Regular personal devotions help us stay on track. Brothers and sisters in Christ, who are quick with encouraging words and careful about discouraging words, help us make godly choices and be more ready to serve. "Sunday School" has been laughingly referred to as the only school from which we never graduate. But there is a pretty good reason for that. Even after well over sixty years of that kind of thing there is a lot more that I don't know than that I do know. And there is a good deal more that I know than I "do."

Sometimes it takes an Easter Sunday. Sometimes it takes this one Bible lesson, or this week's message, or this morning's kind word, or a friend's question. Just one more time! Jesus said that we are to be ready to forgive 77 times, in other words "keep doing it." One of these days forgiveness just might "take." And one of these days, when I sit down to hear a word from God or stand up to sing a phrase of praise, it just might "take."