Journey to Jerusalem: Share the Uncomplicated

The Journey to Jerusalem is one of questions. I am learning that often on the path of life it may well be that the answers are not as important as the questions. Indeed Jesus often responds to questions with another question.

I love this prayer website: http://pray-as-you-go.org/

One of the prayer times from last week keeps coming back to me. More specifically one of the questions:

Are there uncomplicated ways in which you can share your sense of God with others?

Lord Jesus,
my faith is so nuanced.
It really cannot be reduced
to a sound bite for the media,
nor the 140 characters of a tweet.

Indeed, Lord,
when I used all my words
to express my sense of God,
they fall far short.

Perhaps the best I can do
is to surrender my words
to an awe-filled silence.


And yet, I must say something.
How, in an uncomplicated way,
can I express my sense of God?

Lord,
my faith ancestors found stories to be best --
66 books of the Bible worth of stories.

My story?
I am a well loved younger son, the baby.
Raised in a loving congregation.
While not a preacher's son,
my family was often
among the first to arrive and last to leave church.
Living 4+ hours away from relatives,
the congregation became like my family.
They demonstrated God's love to me --
a growing son, loved and welcomed,
challenged and encouraged by the congregation.
They taught me:
to love God and God's people of all kinds,
to search the scriptures and listen for God's voice,
to pray and not stop praying,
to serve with joy,
to follow wherever God leads.

I heard God's voice calling me
through that congregation and others
to give back by loving and welcoming,
challenging and encouraging,
other sons and daughters,
the children of God of all ages,
and doing that as pastor.

Lord,
that's my story.
It's your story too --
you at work for me,
you at work in spite of me,
and most amazingly
you at work through me.

Thank you for weaving your story
through my story.
Emboldening me to share that story.
Amen.


I wonder:

• What's your story?
• In what ways is God's story woven through your story?
• What are some people in your circle of influence who need to hear your story?
• When will you tell them?

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At Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church, we are committing to journey the 6,150 miles from Elizabethtown, NC to Jerusalem, Israel in our walking, running, swimming, cycling, etc.

Track your miles, share them here, and join us on the Journey to Jerusalem.

We will post those miles online and on our banners in the sanctuary and in our fellowship building. Together we will make our journey to Jerusalem!