Apr
21
2020
The Drive By
Posted in Discipleship 2 Comments
The email came at the beginning of the week.
A surprise was planned.
The surprise was simply meant to encourage.
It was a wonderful idea.
The pastor of our church has been faithfully using social media during the virus crisis.
Services are streamed each Sunday morning.
Prayer times are available each day around lunchtime.
Bible study is every Wednesday night.
Children’s ministry and youth group are all done through Zoom.
The pastor is using everything at his disposal to help everyone stay connected.
However, last week, he shared something from his heart.
His post was honest and vulnerable.
The pastor was sharing honest feelings he had written in a journal entry.
The shepherd was missing his flock.
No one is here! He wrote, pondering the empty church and empty parking lot.
How long will this go on, Lord? A question many of us are asking.
I read the post, which was filled with his honest feelings.
I could relate.
Nothing is as it should be.
We, who are made for community, must remain socially distant.
However, we are resourceful people.
There are creative ways to experience community.
One such creative way happened this past Sunday.
Directions were shared with everyone, except the pastor.
In coordination with the police, everyone was invited to participate in a drive by.
We were directed to drive into the parking lot one way and exit another.
The pastor would be escorted outside without knowing the reason.
We would all drive by the front doors, where the pastor would be waiting.
I arrived and saw all the cars.
Everyone was friendly and seemed so glad to be together, yet socially distant.
Horns were honking.
Signs were placed in the windows of cars with messages to the beloved pastor.
Some people had even bought the pastor donuts.
The box was handed to him on a long stick, so there was no physical contact.
The cars filed in and out in an orderly way.
The lament of, there is no one here, was proven untrue, if only for a little while.
How long, Lord? Is still unanswered.
That is a question many of us are asking.
That same question was asked over and over in the Psalms.
How long?
How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me. (Psalm 13:1-6)
Any parent, taking a long car ride with a child can relate.
How much longer, Mommy?
Are we there, yet?
Those honest questions can be exasperating to any parent trying hard to be patient.
However, God allows us to ask Him such questions.
God does not get exasperated with our questions.
God is never impatient when His child comes to Him.
God listens, yet He does not always give us an answer, or so it seems.
A Frederick Buechner quote comes to mind.
God himself does not give answers. He gives himself.
God knows that we may not be able to handle the answer with our finite minds.
God is doing many things at one time, while we are focused on just one part.
We are in good company when we ask, How long?
We are in good company when we lament.
Lamenting is not a problem, especially when we take our lament to God.
Knowing that we are heard makes all the difference.
A drive by in the church parking lot lifted the spirits of the pastor.
The one who desires to shepherd his flock struggles that he is shepherding from afar.
The pastor saw his people; the people saw their pastor.
God saw it all and was pleased.
There is no one here, will one day be a memory.
How long, Lord? Will one day be answered.
In the meantime, we wait.
In the meantime, we trust the One who gives us Himself.
I SO appreciate your postings! Thank you for sharing what’s on your heart. What church do you attend?
Thank you so much, Lynne. I am delighted that you are blessed.
Gina