When Julie & I drove into town last night after a week away, we placed by the church on our way home. Lo, and behold it was still standing! How can this be? Is is possible that the church can survive without my presence? Now there's a blow to the old ego, but a good one.
I think it's important that we're all reminded from time to time that we're not irreplaceable. Oh sure, if we die or move away we will be missed, but life goes on. It has for thousands of years before the doctor ever spanked my bare behind and I let out my first cry and it will for thousands more after I've breathed my last. (Of course, that's assuming that Jesus Christ hasn't returned, which could happen at anytime.)
Millions of people have walked this earth. Most valued their lives. They loved and laughed, struggled and worried, lived and died and were forgotten. I know the same thing describes my life.
While I'm here, I will do the best I can, hoping to make this community and the world a little better place because of my existence and my faith in Christ. But someday, one way or another, I will leave this place never to return. When that happens, the bishop will appoint someone new and the church will go on.
It's a humbling thought, which is okay. After all, the Bible says, "God sustains the humble" (Psalm 147:6). It makes me glad that I'm not irreplaceable.
This posting meant a lot to me today as I think about my soon departure. At the end of the month I will be leaving. And the people were here before I got here and they will be just fine after I'm long gone. Most will miss me for we've grown to love each other dearly. And a few will be happy to see me go. I don't mind having people happy to see me go if I've made them mad by doing the will of God. I just hate the thought that some people might be happy to see me go at different places because I messed up in some way. I guess I need to humble myself and remind myself each day that I'm not perfect and that there will be those turn on me because I followed God's will, but that there will also be those from time to time I angered out of my own imperfectness.
In any case, all things start new with new possibilities when we move on to that next appointment.
Posted by: Greg Hazelrig | June 02, 2006 at 08:17 AM
Greg,
You know what they say, every preacher makes everyone in the congregation happy at one time. Half are happy when he arrives and half are happy when he leaves.
It's a reality of our profession that we are going to make some people unhappy with us. Personally, I haven't learned how to be "all things to all people." One of the blessings of our system is that those who don't connect with God through me, may through the pastor who follows me.
Posted by: John B | June 02, 2006 at 09:18 AM