Sunday Morning Serenity

Prepare yourself. I'm about to attempt a connection between Hank the Cat, George Beverly Shea, and Palm Sunday. Ready? Here we go:)

PART I: Let's start with Hank. A recent early morning storm sent him into a meowing frenzy. I assumed he wanted my protection from the thunder and the lightning, so I set about petting him and talking to him and assuring him that everything was going to be fine—trust me. For a little while, he calmed down—even napped a bit—but as the storm intensified, his trust in me went out the window, and the meowing resumed. Eventually, he led me into the kitchen, where it became clear that he wanted to go . . . outside? Surely not. I opened the kitchen door, and Hank shot into the carport, heading straight for a tiny opening that leads to his favorite hiding place in the crawl space under our house. What I had interpreted as "I'm scared and I don't know what to do—please protect me!" was actually "I don't think you get the gravity of the sitution, so I'm taking matters into my own paws." Instead of trusting the safe haven of a warm, dry house—and me—he went with a damp, musty crawl space of his own choosing. Effective, yes, but unnecessarily difficult and unpleasant.

PART II: On to the Gaithers. Dave and I were channel-surfing last night when we landed on the Gaither Tent Revival on PBS. Among all the great gospel singers onstage together were Bill and Gloria Gaither (I still have my first book of their music from the 70s); Cliff Barrows (bought a book of his music after I heard it sung by the Wilsonville Baptist Church youth choir, also in the 70s); and George Beverly Shea (he was a staple of the Billy Graham crusades, which we watched, well, religiously when I was growing up). George Beverly Shea was 102—and still singing—when Tent Revival was recorded. He's now 104. These singers have been in the ministry for decades, reaching millions of people through live performances, TV, radio, and now the internet. 

PART III: Jesus' own ministry didn't last for decades. It lasted three years. Not even thirteen or thirty—just three. No TV cameras to follow Him around and report back to CNN. No sermons delivered in stadiums and broadcast live via satellite. No Facebook or Twitter to spread the word. But in those three years, He inspired all those who followed Him then and all who follow now. All the Billy Graham crusades and the Gaither homecomings, every Palm Sunday service that will take place this morning, every believer's effort to lead a Christian life—it all comes back to what Jesus taught in those three short years.

THE ATTEMPT AT CONNECTION:  If there's anything I've learned from my (still incomplete but progressing) journey through the Bible, it's that humans, for centuries, have been saying "I trust you, God" when things are going well, and "Where are you, God?" when the road gets a little bumpy. I've been known to say I'll trust . . . but then take matters into my own hands and bolt out into the storm on my own without recognizing the dangers I'm getting into. Trust isn't easy. Belief in things unseen isn't easy. Jesus understood that. But there's no need to go out there all alone. The Gospel of John says that, right before Jesus was arrested, He said a prayer. Much of His prayer focused on the disciples—but He didn't pray for them alone:

My prayer is not for them  alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
John 17: 20-23 

[Palm image by Ian L @ freerangestock.com}

Comments

[Jackie Byers]

Thank you for taking the time this Palm Sunday morning to remind me that my safety is in HIM. There is an inspirational book inside of you! Let it out sister! Let it out! :-)

[Jenny Rowe]

Thanks, Val. I needed that.I know we all try to take matters into our own hands, when all we have to do is rely on God. He will show you what you need to do, if you just take time to listen and heed.

[Valerie]

Thanks so much, Jenny! Hope to see you soon. We need a shopping trip:)

[Valerie]

Jackie, I hope you're right! You made my day:)