I have reworked two presentations made at the 150th anniversary of our beginning and will be using excerpts from them today. I feel that they are just as relevant now as they were then.
My first memory of grace came at the family table. We said grace before and after each meal. I must admit that the grace after the meal was almost always recited much faster by the 4 year-old Lynn than the grace recited before we ate. This type of grace is inviting God to be a presence with us before and after mealtime, for us to pay our respects for the food and the cooking that we were provided, and to be recognizing the Lord who made it possible. Saying “Come, join us in our bounty” and “Thank you for the goodness you give us”.
This reminds me of a story I heard some time ago. An atheist was taking a walk in a forest, admiring all that the “accident of evolution” had created. “What majestic trees! What magnificent animals and birds!” he thought to himself as he walked alongside a small river. He heard a rustling in the bushes on the far bank of the water and he turned around to see a lion. He turned himself and started running away as fast as he could. He paused to see if the beast was following, and it was, even gaining on him. He turned to continue running away and tripped, falling to the ground. In an instant, the lion was upon him, and the man cried out “OH, my God!”.
Time stopped. The lion froze in his tracks. The forest was silent; even the water had stopped moving. A bright light shone upon the man and a voice was heard to say “You deny my existence all these years, teach others that I do not exist, and now you expect me to help you out of your predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?”
The man answered “I suppose it would be hypocritical of me to ask to be a Christian after all these years. Instead, would you spare my life, and make the lion a Christian instead?’
“Very well” the voice answered and the bright light disappeared.
The light returned to normal and the forest came back to life with sound. The lion sat on his haunches and put his paws together, and said “Come Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let these thy gifts to us be blessed.”
That little commentary has several points of interest to have conversations over, but that’s for another time.
The grace and blessings that have been received by members of Immanuel have endured for 175 years. It is an inheritance that just never stops, even when it seems like we are not making any headway in our daily lives. Sometimes, what we are asking for is not exactly what we get, but God has the plan for us, and he works through us. That’s what matters.
Thank you for listening and God Bless you all.