Devotions
Pastor R. Michael Sanders
Making Room for Something Different
“So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” 2 Corinthians 517 NRSV
February 13, 2020
Thirty plus years ago, I became pastor of a small, declining parish.
Slowly, with much effort and support, it began to come to life. The Sunday morning attendance grew. The youth group began to prosper and the choir expanded.
But not the traditional Sunday night service. After great effort covering over a year, the average Sunday night attendance rose from five to six people. No, not kidding!
It was time to let it go. As you might think, many of the people resisted. They said they hated to see the doors closed and the lights out on Sunday night.
All well and good except they weren’t coming.
So I finally put it to a vote one Sunday morning. “All who want Sunday night services to continue and will support it by being in attendance, raise your hands.”
Three hands went up. So I canceled Sunday night amidst the groans and complaints. Three months later, after the fires of murmuring and sometimes unhappy looks ran their course, we held a special praise service led by a musical family of former members on a Sunday night. It was very well attended.
Over the following months, I began a series of special studies once or twice a month. The attendance was far above what we had before.
After six months, our experiment of occasional special services of different types was working well.
Sometimes things have to go away to make room for something new and better to come. This is true in our churches, our careers and our personal lives. Painful, but true.
Prayer: Lord, it’s hard to let go of things, even when they no longer work. Open my heart to know when it is time to let go. And then guide me in the direction to receive your next gift.
© Copyright 2020 R. Michael Sanders
The Cost of the Best
"Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.'” Mathew 16:24RSV
February 11, 2020
I remember the first time my parents took us to pick wild blackberries. The first thing they did was to warn me to watch for snakes, spiders and the thorns. Oh joy! What fun this was going to be! In the end I saw only one large, nasty looking spider. I did not bother it and it didn’t bother me.
The thorns were there and unwelcome. But the pie the next day made them worthwhile.
Many years later, I was assigned a church and, to my surprise, there was a large blackberry bush in the back yard. It had no thorns, being what was called a tame blackberry. Sounded good until I had the first pie. Oh, it tasted like blackberries, but that taste was weak and not up to the strong flavor I had come to love. The thorns were the cost for the best taste.
How often have we found that the best things also cost us something? A friend we love and yet sometimes drive us crazy! A job that we valued, but it required the most effort from us.
Prayer, Lord, thank You for the things that are hard but worth the price.
© Copyright 2020 R Michael Sanders
Pastor R. Michael Sanders
Making Room for Something Different
“So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” 2 Corinthians 517 NRSV
February 13, 2020
Thirty plus years ago, I became pastor of a small, declining parish.
Slowly, with much effort and support, it began to come to life. The Sunday morning attendance grew. The youth group began to prosper and the choir expanded.
But not the traditional Sunday night service. After great effort covering over a year, the average Sunday night attendance rose from five to six people. No, not kidding!
It was time to let it go. As you might think, many of the people resisted. They said they hated to see the doors closed and the lights out on Sunday night.
All well and good except they weren’t coming.
So I finally put it to a vote one Sunday morning. “All who want Sunday night services to continue and will support it by being in attendance, raise your hands.”
Three hands went up. So I canceled Sunday night amidst the groans and complaints. Three months later, after the fires of murmuring and sometimes unhappy looks ran their course, we held a special praise service led by a musical family of former members on a Sunday night. It was very well attended.
Over the following months, I began a series of special studies once or twice a month. The attendance was far above what we had before.
After six months, our experiment of occasional special services of different types was working well.
Sometimes things have to go away to make room for something new and better to come. This is true in our churches, our careers and our personal lives. Painful, but true.
Prayer: Lord, it’s hard to let go of things, even when they no longer work. Open my heart to know when it is time to let go. And then guide me in the direction to receive your next gift.
© Copyright 2020 R. Michael Sanders
The Cost of the Best
"Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.'” Mathew 16:24RSV
February 11, 2020
I remember the first time my parents took us to pick wild blackberries. The first thing they did was to warn me to watch for snakes, spiders and the thorns. Oh joy! What fun this was going to be! In the end I saw only one large, nasty looking spider. I did not bother it and it didn’t bother me.
The thorns were there and unwelcome. But the pie the next day made them worthwhile.
Many years later, I was assigned a church and, to my surprise, there was a large blackberry bush in the back yard. It had no thorns, being what was called a tame blackberry. Sounded good until I had the first pie. Oh, it tasted like blackberries, but that taste was weak and not up to the strong flavor I had come to love. The thorns were the cost for the best taste.
How often have we found that the best things also cost us something? A friend we love and yet sometimes drive us crazy! A job that we valued, but it required the most effort from us.
Prayer, Lord, thank You for the things that are hard but worth the price.
© Copyright 2020 R Michael Sanders