James 5:13 Is
any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy?
Let him sing songs of praise.
Yesterday morning, I was supposed to
attend our quarterly Presbytery meeting which was being held at our beautiful
John Knox Center. It’s always a delightful place to visit because of the
wonderful scenery which surrounds the campground. However, God had other plans.
As I was driving down the
Interstate, I saw two people walking along the shoulder. Both of them were
wilting under the tremendous heat of the sun. I thought that one of them was a
woman and she seemed to be carrying all of her belongings in a rag bundle.
After passing them, because I was in a hurry to get to Presbytery, I couldn't
get the image out of my mind.
I took the next exit and doubled
back. By this time, they had stopped walking and were sitting on the metal
railing in the shade. I eventually came around their way again and stopped the
car on the shoulder beside them. They were relieved that someone had actually
stopped.
They hadn't eaten anything hot in
two days. They were both unwashed, sunburned, and suffering from exhaustion.
They had been on the road for four days and still had another six days journey
ahead of them. They were heading to Arkansas but hoped to reach Nashville that
day, whereas I was heading to the camp just a couple of miles up the road. As
my exit came up, I decided to take them to get them breakfast and then drive
them to Nashville.
After they had eaten, I told them to
go to sleep in the back of the car if they needed it. Within minutes, they were
sleeping like babies. Nashville was almost a three hour drive and they slept
all of the way until we reached the outskirts of the city. We stopped for
coffee and lunch. I then took them to one of the biggest churches in the city,
which has a large benevolence ministry. I knew that they would be well looked
after. Today, they may be on a Greyhound bus traveling home. It my fervent hope
and prayer that they get home quickly and safely to be with their families.
As I drove back to Knoxville, I
wondered if it had been a wasted day. I could have spent it at the Center
enjoying the scenery and getting involved with a few theological tussles that
us ministers like to provoke and participate in. And then I remembered the
smiles on their faces when I stopped the car, as well as the laughter that we
shared over lunch.
The
day was not wasted; it was totally blessed.
Questions for personal reflection
What are my
plans for today? Am I willing to let God’s plans change those of my own?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us in Church World
to become part of the Real World. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John
Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If
you would like to comment or ask a question about today’s message, please send
him an email to traqair@aol.com.
Today’s
image is one of John’s latest drawings called “Emmaus Window.” If you would
like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7193/13905769187_8b7a246e57_b.jpg
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