Hello,
This is the first winter that we have lived in our house on top of the
ridge, and this winter has confirmed the wisdom of two of the purchases we made
as we moved in: a tractor, and a four wheel drive pick-up. In the past several weeks we have had
our fair share of snow up here, snow that doesn’t accumulate in Greensburg
where it is warmer because of its lower elevation. Four inches, six inches, three inches, and even now we are
getting another 8-10 inches of snow.
The snow comes in waves, but unlike the snow in South Dakota where we
used to live, it doesn’t pile up as warmer weather also comes in spurts to melt
it away.
Even though we know that the melting is coming, we still find ourselves
needing to plow our lane every time it snows. We have a nearly half mile lane that winds its way up our
hill whose incline is too steep for a car to traverse without being
plowed. Thus the need for our
tractor for which we have a plowing blade. A wise investment.
In
addition to the utility uses of our four wheel drive pickup, our Ford Ranger
has also proved its worth in this winter’s snows. On those days when I have left for work and the ground was
clear only to find it downy white in the afternoon when I returned home, simply
by switching it into four wheel drive my pick up gets me up the hill as if it
was going down hill instead of up.
Snow be not proud….I have a four wheel drive pick up!
The other day, however, I discovered that my pick up has come in winter
handy in a way that I had not anticipated. As I was brushing the several inches of snow off the front
windshield, my eye caught movement near the front driver’s side tire. As I looked down I saw the source of
that movement: a field mouse that had dropped out from the engine and was scurrying
its way through the snow and through my feet. I didn’t screech or yell, but I have to admit I jumped a bit
by the surprise of a mouse darting through my feet. Apparently when I last parked my truck, the warmth of the
engine was just what this little field mouse needed to survive another bitter,
cold night. In terms of proving
itself a worthy purchase, that mouse would have more than agreed with me on its
winter value; a life saver.
I don’t know that the Bible ever likens the Church to a Red Ford Ranger
pickup, but it seems to me that the image is a good one. Sometimes life can bring wave upon wave
of snow, dropping a couple of inches here and a foot there, and what we need is
something with sure footing to get us up a hill….and the church is that….when
you take your seat in one of the pews, you can feel the traction of the Lord
who trudged up Calvary’s hill grab the ground underneath you. And then there are those times when
you’re lost in a storm, a storm whose fury is out to get you, and what you need
is a place of warm shelter….and the church is that…when you nestle into your
seat the warmth of God’s forgiveness, the blanket of the people’s compassion,
the shelter from the oppressive, attacking winds provides just what you need to
save your life and strengthen you to face the world again.
To what can the kingdom of God be compared? How about a Red Ford Ranger Pickup.
It’s snowing again!
Have a great week.
God’s grace and peace,
Pastor Jerry Nuernberger
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