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I thought my travelling days were done…


A piece linked to the Old Testament lectionary reading for today, but written 22 years ago for an event at Methodist Conference and delivered at that point by my predecessor in my current role, Rev David Kerr. He had recently retired as Superintendent at the time, and as I deliver this today it will be doubly poignant. First with David's recent passing, and second because I do so a few days after I have delivered my last report to the Board of BCM as Superintendent. I genuinely thought that this post would be my last station, but it was not to be...

I thought my travelling days were done… I’d had enough upheaval in my life… moving with my family from the centre of civilization to what I saw then as the sticks… Syria… Haran… But still it was a city… and I was a city boy… who grew into a city man… and was settling down to spend the rest of my days there… Surrounded by familiar faces… familiar places… familiar gods… Gods cast in gold and silver or carved from stone and wood, all around the city in shrines and temples… and miniature ones in our own house watching over us day and night with their cold eyes.

And under their gaze I had prospered. I had  everything I could possibly need in this world… Or nearly everything… My wife Sarai and I had no sons… not even a daughter,  to pass on my wealth to, but we were happy…

Then everything changed… When God spoke… Not one of our tame household gods… Idols without voices… Gods that we had made… But this was the voice of the God who had made us…

At first everyone thought I was mad… At first I thought I was mad… It was bad enough to think I was hearing the voice of God… but the things this God was saying were worse… That he would make my family into a great nation… Me, an old man with no sons to carry on my family name! That I should leave my father’s house and go who knows where! Crazy!

Crazy… but I obeyed… I left the familiar behind and went where God led… I abandoned the city to live in a tent… I gave up the known for the unknowable. Some of my family came with me… Others waved me goodbye with a shake of the head, before turning to their gods to offer prayers for my safe return. But God went with me and I never did return…                                     

It hasn’t been an easy journey. I didn’t always go the right way; I didn’t always obey. I made mistakes. I have paid for those mistakes… and others continue to pay for those mistakes… but it was no mistake to have trusted in the word of God…

From that day, everything has changed… my name… my wife’s name… my hopes and dreams… The only thing that hasn’t changed is the trustworthiness of God… All he promised has come true… And he has promised there is more to come… If only I will travel on with him…

Selah

 


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