Joyce and I continue to be very grateful for your prayers and encouragement. As you know we spent this last weekend in Tyler, TX, where I taught a combined adult class and preached at the West Erwin church. Thanks to Ambrose Clincy, Goyo Nieto and Tom Vance for taking care of my responsibilities this last Lord’s Day.
I’ve thought about some lines from some of our favorite hymns that you might be thinking of after hearing of our decision and our upcoming move. Here are a few that may have crossed your mind…
“This world is not my home, I’m just a-passing through…”
“I’ve a home prepared where the saints abide, just over in the glory-land…”
“Nearer, still nearer…”
“Precious memories, how they linger…”
“Let me live close to thee…”
“O Happy Day…”
“Hallelujah, praise Jehovah…”
Okay, well maybe not those last two. I hope…
The truth is, this world is not our home, and we do have a permanent home prepared elsewhere.
Perhaps nothing brings that to mind more effectively than the challenges and transitions in life.
When we first moved here in 2005 Aleda Rickelton gave us several little things to put around the house, all of which said, “Bloom where you’re planted.” It was a wonderful and loving way of encouraging us that we were where God wanted us to be, even though it was far away our family, from what had always been “home.”
We seek to obey the Lord and serve others here in this life according to His plan and His will. What a blessing that we get to share that cause and that ministry with a loving church family composed of others who share that same commitment!
This Sunday will be the last of three sermons that see the Bible with the theme, “Someone.” The first two emphasized the theme of the Old Testament—“Someone is coming;” and the Gospels—“Someone is here.”
This week we look forward affirming with great faith and anticipation, “Someone is coming back!” That Someone of course is Jesus, and when He comes back we will be taken to that permanent home.
“Beyond this land of parting, losing and leaving…Lies the summer land of bliss.”