Rushing is not a good idea
You can't rush
What can I do? Most of us from time to time get frustrated with the pace of things. I did the other day when we had so much rain and a certain section of the lawn on Ridge Grove RD in the valley so to speak grew when I was away. It was so big I had to try anything to get the lawn mower over it. I tried to raise the wheels on the lawnmower and the levers were stuck. I tried going backwards for a while and that seemed to help, but the grass underneath was so deep , it was wet, and the lawnmower eventually got stuck. Re-starting it was a wait...It had to dry out. Well, I did this on Tuesday of last week, and then it rained again. Then I did it again on Friday afternoon, but it was still wet underneath. Eventually I will get the valley mowed (when it dries out in time), and we will look back to a somewhat normal.
Yes, there is a lot of things I would like to rush. I would like to fast forward sometimes and see what life will look like 20 years from now, and wonder if I am doing the right things now depending on how I look. I would like to rush people into coming into the church. What can make that happen? First of all , we have to learn, that rushing is a bad idea. It usually never works, and the lawnmower stops because the grass is wet. People are like that too. We have people we want to change . We want to rush them into good actions and behavior. But somehow that does not work.
I remember when as a young pastor, I was sometimes a fast talker in the pulpit. Sometimes people said, " We cannot make out what you were trying to say , it was so fast." Slowing down is a good idea. What does God say about all our rushing around? We hear it in the Service , " Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden , and I will give you rest."
One of the other Gospels appointed for this Sunday is John 12:44 and what follows. Before it, Jesus had done many miracles before them ( v. 37), " yet they believed not on him..." Even more disheartening is another vs which says , " Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue" vs. 43
What follows are some amazing positive life giving statements by Jesus. '' I am a light come into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." vs. 46 One of the worst things we could have in our houses is no light. Did that ever happen to you? We depend on electricity, but we should know where the candles and the flashlights are. I had to have my son-in-law find mine on my phone. It is nice to know I have it now, but I sure could not see the ap.
If people we know are not following the light we cannot force them into the light out of their blindness. That is not our job. We can smile, gently lead , and share our own lives and experiences, yes, even the Scriptures if they ask, but we cannot force light on them. But it is there for them to discover.
The next section surprised me because we are so quick to judge. Listen: " And if any man, hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world." Jesus said God judges but He is come to save. What an open invitation to those who think that God is so judging. " I have come to save the world." vs. 47
" He gave me commandment, what I should say....and I know that His commandment is life everlasting." vs 50
LIGHT, SAVE THE WORLD, AND LIFE EVERLASTING. These are the things that Jesus holds out to all people , whatever their history, or stubborness. Our job as Christians is to hold that light before our paths and have others follow. But we are not the light. Jesus said He was. We are not to get in the way. We are show forth a saving power that can change others into what God wants them to be and do. We have the gift of life everlasting, and it is a remarkable powerful message that is ours to not hold , but to share in our words, our attitudes, our love, our acceptance and feelings of others even though we may not agree with what they are saying or doing. We have a tremendous gift in our human lives that cannot be forced on others. It can be lit, shared and experienced in this life through our letting God change others, through our witness.
That is a great process which we are not the author of . God in His own time will make our paths plain that those around us will hear , and in His loving providence respond, change and believe.
Amen.
What can I do? Most of us from time to time get frustrated with the pace of things. I did the other day when we had so much rain and a certain section of the lawn on Ridge Grove RD in the valley so to speak grew when I was away. It was so big I had to try anything to get the lawn mower over it. I tried to raise the wheels on the lawnmower and the levers were stuck. I tried going backwards for a while and that seemed to help, but the grass underneath was so deep , it was wet, and the lawnmower eventually got stuck. Re-starting it was a wait...It had to dry out. Well, I did this on Tuesday of last week, and then it rained again. Then I did it again on Friday afternoon, but it was still wet underneath. Eventually I will get the valley mowed (when it dries out in time), and we will look back to a somewhat normal.
Yes, there is a lot of things I would like to rush. I would like to fast forward sometimes and see what life will look like 20 years from now, and wonder if I am doing the right things now depending on how I look. I would like to rush people into coming into the church. What can make that happen? First of all , we have to learn, that rushing is a bad idea. It usually never works, and the lawnmower stops because the grass is wet. People are like that too. We have people we want to change . We want to rush them into good actions and behavior. But somehow that does not work.
I remember when as a young pastor, I was sometimes a fast talker in the pulpit. Sometimes people said, " We cannot make out what you were trying to say , it was so fast." Slowing down is a good idea. What does God say about all our rushing around? We hear it in the Service , " Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden , and I will give you rest."
One of the other Gospels appointed for this Sunday is John 12:44 and what follows. Before it, Jesus had done many miracles before them ( v. 37), " yet they believed not on him..." Even more disheartening is another vs which says , " Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue" vs. 43
What follows are some amazing positive life giving statements by Jesus. '' I am a light come into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." vs. 46 One of the worst things we could have in our houses is no light. Did that ever happen to you? We depend on electricity, but we should know where the candles and the flashlights are. I had to have my son-in-law find mine on my phone. It is nice to know I have it now, but I sure could not see the ap.
If people we know are not following the light we cannot force them into the light out of their blindness. That is not our job. We can smile, gently lead , and share our own lives and experiences, yes, even the Scriptures if they ask, but we cannot force light on them. But it is there for them to discover.
The next section surprised me because we are so quick to judge. Listen: " And if any man, hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world." Jesus said God judges but He is come to save. What an open invitation to those who think that God is so judging. " I have come to save the world." vs. 47
" He gave me commandment, what I should say....and I know that His commandment is life everlasting." vs 50
LIGHT, SAVE THE WORLD, AND LIFE EVERLASTING. These are the things that Jesus holds out to all people , whatever their history, or stubborness. Our job as Christians is to hold that light before our paths and have others follow. But we are not the light. Jesus said He was. We are not to get in the way. We are show forth a saving power that can change others into what God wants them to be and do. We have the gift of life everlasting, and it is a remarkable powerful message that is ours to not hold , but to share in our words, our attitudes, our love, our acceptance and feelings of others even though we may not agree with what they are saying or doing. We have a tremendous gift in our human lives that cannot be forced on others. It can be lit, shared and experienced in this life through our letting God change others, through our witness.
That is a great process which we are not the author of . God in His own time will make our paths plain that those around us will hear , and in His loving providence respond, change and believe.
Amen.
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