“AND I RUN TO YOU”! There’s a new song out right now that has hit the charts in a big way, and all I knew about it was that I heard it played over and over during the course of my shifts at work … day after day. Actually, it was one of those that kind of popped out at me, in the midst of all those you hear time and time again. Most often, when you are focusing on something else, the music and lyrics just kind of get lost in the background. So to say that the music and words caught my attention means that something about it stood out above the rest of the songs. Well, at least for me. I think it was the words, “and I run to you” – not that it was written about God, but every time I’d hear those words, something inside me would be stirred. All I could think of was running to Jesus! Then one evening during one of those rare opportunities to flip through a few TV channels, we came across an outdoor concert and there was a group singing this same song! Seeing them, put voices and personalities to that song, and the very next time I heard it at work, it brought new meaning to it! I couldn’t help but think about how like us and God that is. All of our lives many of us have heard about God, heard about how He is there for us, and even heard about how He is coming back for us – soon. And after awhile, it’s like we don’t really hear it anymore. It gets lost in the noise of life. It gets shut out. Muffled. We might think, “Hey, that’s not me. I always try to live in an awareness of God and His presence in my life.” But if we were all to be honest, the urgency of God’s voice prompting us to point people to Him so they’ll be ready too, has gotten dimmed. Do we really live life with Eternity in sight … or do we just live with our work places in sight? Do we live life running to Jesus and pursuing the lost with His message of hope … or do we just run after the elusive things and pursue our own interests? Are we even just … waiting? Are we waiting with expectation and excitement? Are we waiting … knowing He could come yet today? Or tomorrow? If we really knew how soon He was coming, wouldn’t that change the way we spend our time and effort and money? These past few days as God has put this message on my heart, my mind has gone back to a story about our youngest son when he was just a toddler and we were attending the national church conference in Wheaton, Illinois. Let me share what I penned back then (on July 19, 1989). “I had taken Dusty (our three and a half year old) to the location of the children’s session so I could join the adults at the Chapel for the worship hour and business session. When I left him, he was rather tearful, having just awakened; and besides that, he did not know a single little person in that room. When I returned three hours later to pick him up, my heart was so touched. Seeing each other across the room, I exclaimed, “Dusty!” and he shouted out, “Mommy!” and ran quickly to my outstretched arms. His swift strides began with a smile – but by the time he reached me and I swept him up in my arms, he burst into sad sobs and cried with emotion, “Mommy, I waited so long for you to come!” (end of quote) I have a feeling that those three hours seemed like an eternity to such a little boy, and I’ve asked myself what must have been going through his mind. But he waited, and waited, and waited. He waited bravely – he wasn’t crying when I arrived. He had held on, because he knew his mommy. He knew that she would come. I’m sure he had thought I would come much quicker than I did. Yet he didn’t give up! He just kept expecting me to walk through that door … and finally that moment came … and I DID! And just as surely as I walked through that door to get our little boy, so Jesus will come for His children someday – a day known only to the Father. We need to be ready! We need to help others get ready! When we “see” Jesus now, do we run to His outstretched arms? I think I understand Dusty’s tears of joy. When the time comes for me to be swept up into the arms of God, I’m sure I will cry with emotion, “Oh Jesus, I’ve waited so long for you to come!” But until then, may His Spirit of renewal and revival cause us to return to our first love, seeking HIM first of all. May the sparks of emotion and depths of love well up in our soul as once again we sit at the feet of Jesus, having fallen in love with Him all over again. Lord, give us hungering spirits that need to be filled, quench our thirst, and after we have been broken, pour us out so that we may be filled with YOU! Lord, help us “run to You” so that we can “run with Your message of salvation to a world who is destitute without You”. May we be used like never before, dear people! We challenge you to make yourselves available for His Kingdom work – and be amazed at how He will use you!
IN A NUTSHELL . . .
IN A NUTSHELL . . .
- GOD BLESSES US each week in new and fresh ways as His Spirit comes afresh into our midst to minister to each of us personally, and to us corporately as a church family! Pastor Doug preached from Galatians 5 on being set free in Christ, and having freedom from the bondages that we often find ourselves placed into.
- WELCOME BACK to Judy who was able to join us again for worship and fellowship! May God bless you, Judy!
- SPECIAL BELATED BIRTHDAY WISHES (April 12th) to Noah on his 2nd birthday! We miss you since you moved away!!!
- LOOKING AHEAD . . .
- THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 25TH:
- 10:00 A.M. – WORSHIP & PRAISE – with Pastor Doug continuing in the New Testament, this time from Luke chapter 11, on “Asking and Seeking God With All Our Hearts”. Who can you invite to bring along with you to God’s House this Lord’s Day? They’ll be so glad you asked!
- 11:15 A.M. – SUNDAY SCHOOL – with a class just for you that will connect your heart to God’s Word!
- 6:00-7:30 P.M. – YOUTH: RE: FUEL session at Clinton Falls … Justin is back! Don’t miss what is planned for YOU and your friends!
- MAY 1ST, Saturday, at 2:30 P.M. – MOTHER/DAUGHTER TEA with a “Butterfly Transformation” theme planned by Hazel - to be held at Senior Place. Truly a delightful time that you will want to share with every mom, daughter, sister, and friend that you know! Get your reservations in right away and we’ll see YOU there!
- SUNDAY, MAY 2ND: WORSHIP AND COMMUNION, and the honoring of our high school graduate, Chaya!
- SPECIAL FUND – if you feel led to help out with the extra expenses for the projector that we purchased with the generous donation given towards this ministry tool for worship, please note “special fund” on your check!
- CONTINUE PLANNING for RELAY FOR LIFE and WOMEN OF FAITH, coming later this year! More to come!
- HYMN SING – coming in the month of May, with a time of fellowship and refreshments, will be scheduled on a Sunday afternoon! Plan to come and sing your heart out!
- PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES . . .
- GOD NEVER SLEEPS! Aren’t you glad He’s always awake and watching over us? Whatever is heavy on our hearts, He knows about and is actively engaged in working it out for His glory! Every need that touches our church family in some way, we are trusting for our God to do His personal work in each of our circumstances! Continue to pray for God to open doors for full-time support for Pastor and Debbie in ministry and for a facility that will help Elevation North offer all of the ministries we desire to share with our community!
- THIS WEEK . . . Remember, “He loves each one of us, as if there were only one of us.” ~ Augustine
Serving Christ Joyfully . . .
Pastor Doug and Debbie
