One Pastor's Perspective

Two-thousand Twelve … Or, is it Twenty-twelve??  Either way, we are well into a new year and with that comes winter. And with that, a post-holiday season of death.  Not something we like to think about, but this year it is DEMANDING our attention.

Some of my friends at different funeral homes confirm it:  This is one of their busiest times of the year.  I guess when you think about it, some who are close to dying make it a goal to celebrate another Christmas.  So it makes sense that late December and January would be a time for such things.

In the past two weeks, we’ve had our share at Ebenezer.  And then some.  Many families have been touched by death.  Yesterday, I was put on notice for two more that are very close.  For me, all of this is another reminder that life is precious.  And death knows no prejudice.

Praying today for some people I love who are hurting.

Do you ever feel like life is running so fast that you MIGHT meet yourself coming through the front door??  That’s where I am right now.  Mostly good stuff happening, but life is running at a break-neck pace right now.

Unfortunately, part of what is happening right now is the post-Christmas period.  This year, we’re seeing a lot of death.  I’ve asked some of my funeral director friends before, and they confirm it:  More people die after Christmas than any other time of the year.  And we are seeing it at Ebenezer.  And there are still a couple of families who are close right now, too.

I’m praying that God will help me lead in a worthy manner today.  Praying that same prayer for you, too.

Whenever I write this blog, it is coming straight out of my mind onto the screen.  There is no calculation.  No strategy.  It really is a log of my thoughts.  (Yes, that can be dangerous)  And sometimes I leave things undone.

Several weeks ago I posted this blog entry:

https://davidrwike.com/2011/11/07/a-message-from-god/

In this entry, I quoted this idea:

“Much of how friendly ANY church is lies in WHAT YOU TAKE INTO THE DOOR.  In other words, how friendly are you???  How open are you to meeting new people?  Telling them YOUR name???  At the very least, we all have a responsibility to bring our best to worship.”  This quote was in the context of some folks that I care deeply about who had a really rough experience at EBC.  I would never want anyone to mistake what I wrote here, so let me elaborate on it!

EVERYTIME WE (Ebenezer) ENTER THE DOOR OF OUR CHURCH WE MUST BRING OUR BEST OR WE FAIL GOD.  PERIOD.  Most times when folks wash out of a congregation, there are multiple failures of THE ENTIRE CHURCH BRINGING THEIR BEST.

The entire moral of this is:  IF WE (YOU AND ME) FAIL TO BRING OUR BEST TO WORSHIP AND TO EVERYTHING WE DO AS A CHURCH, WE FAIL GOD AND WEAKEN HIS KINGDOM.  And people get hurt.

We ALL must bring our best.

We had a baptism service at Ebenezer yesterday.  The happenings at our baptisms themselves could compose a book.  At every wedding I let the bride and groom know that something little WILL go wrong, and that’s okay!  That really is true about baptisms, too!!

Yesterday during Sunday School, I went to retrieve my waders and white robe from the baptistry.  When I opened the door into the little hallway, I heard it:  SILENCE.  I then knew something was really wrong, since there is usually a slight hum from the circulation pump.  Our baptistry is equipped with an in-line water heater that does a good job of keeping the water at the set temperature.  Sometimes the temp is set a little too high … then I feel like a lobster by the end of the service.  Sometimes a little too low, then it doesn’t really bother me but the candidates all turn blue.

And then there was yesterday.  Not only was the pump off … and the water heater off … There was NO WATER in the baptistry!!  Our ancestors would’ve said “So what!!  Go down to the lovely waters of Jeffries Creek!!!!”  Uh … no.  It’s so murky and dark down there the GATORS won’t even go in.

Ed and I decided to sprint to the finish.  Ed turned it all on and I prayed … HARD … that it would fill up.  After 30 minutes, it was up about 18 inches.  I was estimating that it might get up to three feet before time to baptize, due to the fact that the area gets wider as it goes up.  And I prayed.  I asked God, “Please increase that water pressure!!!”  Geometrically, there seemed to be no way it could fill up before we would need it (estimating based on the first 30 minutes of filling).

Right before I got up to preach, I heard someone turn the water down.  I almost went back there to tell whomever did that to leave it running, but questioned “what difference would that really make?”  I figured it was what it was, so I got up and preached.  And hustled back to change.  When I finally got to the baptistry, I asked “How full did it get??”  Billy Rolfe answered “It’s full!!”

I had warned the candidates in advance that it would be cold.  And that we might have to really work with  the small amount of water we would have.  And God did TWO things with it:  HE FILLED IT UP … and HE MADE IT TOLERABLE (or, maybe I went numb).   He answered my prayer and then some!!!

And we baptized nine people into our family yesterday.  My first baptism since the great accident of 2011.  With the state of my arms, I wondered if I’d ever be able to baptize again.  God does it again!!

And I’ve never been so thankful for a pool full of cold water!