January 11th, 2023

by | Jan 11, 2023 | PS from PS | 0 comments

ps from ps
How refreshing.  A “ps from ps” without a weather update in it.  

Those weather updates, worship cancelations and schedule changes were tough on our plans and disrupted our idea of how things were going to roll out.  Ask anyone sitting in an airport today.

But not all interruptions are bad.  Sometimes they invite us to come and see something else.  Something better.  Something transformational.

John the baptizer (Official First Pointer toward Jesus) was standing with a couple of his disciples and Jesus walked by them.  I’m picturing the three of them at Spot Coffee on Main St in Snyder sipping a nice house blend with the whole day of fishing planned out.  They were just caffeinating up before they went to mend their nets and get going.  

Then Jesus walks by.  The one they’ve heard of.  The One that was promised.  John points.  Jesus invites.  They follow.  And the rest is history.  

Maybe that’s how your faith journey started?  Someone pointed out Jesus, you heard him invite you to follow, you did and the rest is history.  But many times it’s not that simple.  Sometimes (like in my case) the invitation was answered with: “Well, I’m sorta busy” or “It’s not the right time” or “I’ve got super important other things right now.”  Sometimes I had so much other noise going on that I couldn’t hear the invite in the first place.  Sometimes I followed for a minute but my Spiritual A.D.D. got me distracted by a squirrel running by.  Sometimes I just didn’t get what he was offering.  

Sometimes it’s not as simple as: point, invite, follow, history.

So sometimes we need to restart our journey.  Have you done that lately?  In a culture that invites us to “redo, recalibrate and redirect” in our New Year’s Resolutions, have you given yourself that opportunity in your faith journey?

Because the invitation is STILL there.  Wherever you are drinking your coffee this morning, Jesus is walking by.

This weekend at both campuses of St. Paul’s, new missionaries will be renewing their faith and affirming their baptisms.  Dozens of people that were a part of Amherst Lutheran Church will be joining St. Paul’s to follow and create the next history.  Several families that have come from other “coffee shops” will restart their journey at St. Paul’s as they follow and create history with Jesus.  And one young man will finally have an opportunity to confirm his faith and celebrate his Confirmation after several years of Covid/church transitions keeping him from it.   Someone, maybe some baptizer, maybe someone sipping coffee, has pointed them all toward Jesus.  Jesus has invited them.  They will follow him in a new way again.  And God will create a new history.

Sometimes it’s not as simple as: point, invite, follow, history.  But the one piece of that formula that does not change is the invitation from God.  Again and again and again.  May we each hear it today.  May we begin the following again.  And with the grace filled future God is calling us into, may the rest be history.

Lord, thanks for the invitation coming again to me.  I will follow you!  Amen


Be well, safe, and blessed,
ps