Hello,
Last week I was on vacation in San Antonio, Texas, thus the
reason for no Bungee Cord. But I am back…and so is the Bungee Cord.
So, why San Antonio?
Well, in 1987 I went to San Antonio for my first time with 40 high
school kids who went to attend the National Youth Gathering, a gathering of
20,000 kids (back then there were 2 gatherings of 20,000….so, we were there for
the first week). I remembered
saying to myself that San Antonio seemed to be a beautiful city. I said “seemed” because with 20,000
high school kids stirring around, it was hard to tell for sure. Anyway, I said to myself back then that
someday I should go to San Antonio with my wife and see if my appraisal was
correct. So, that is why my wife
and I decided to take a pre-Thanksgiving vacation there.
To my delight, my appraisal was more than right. The Riverwalk. The warmth. The history.
The relaxation. It was
wonderful.
As icing on the cake, my best friend from high school
happens to live in the San Antonio area, and our itineraries worked out for us
to spend Sunday together. We
worshipped together at the HUGE church that he and his wife go to. We ate lunch at a restaurant owned by
one of his friends. We went to
SeaWorld (free….because his daughter is a whale trainer). And then we finished the day off with
Supper. It was wonderful…wonderful
on several levels. It was
wonderful to have a native show us around. It was wonderful to get an inside look at Seaworld. But most wonderful was the chance to
catch up with one another.
And we had a lot of catching up to do. We hadn’t seen each other in 33
years. He and I grew up in the
same suburban Chicago church. We
both played baseball…he a catcher…me a pitcher. We spent endless hours practicing baseball with each other,
shooting pool in my basement, hanging out and goofing around. He went to Texas to go to college and
play baseball, I hung up my glove and stayed north. He got drafted by the Cincinnati Reds. I “got drafted” (actually we Lutherans
say “got called”) by God to go to seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. My wife and I went to see him when he
played for one of the Red’s farm teams in Connecticut….and we hadn’t seen each
other since. 33 years!
But when we got together, you would have never known
it. We seemed to pick up right
where we left off. Remembering the
same funny stories. Recalling the
time that I struck him out in an All Star game with a curve ball in the dirt
(you know I had to include that!).
Hearing about parents, and sharing some of the bumps that we have had
along the way. It as great! It was almost as if 33 years had been
erased from the tape of time.
That is the way it is with friends, at least the friends
that knew you and cared for you with a depth that was heart deep.
Let me remind you as you read this of one such friends of
yours, Jesus. In a way that only
the Divine One can claim, Jesus is a friend that knows you in a heart deep
way. And in a way that only the
Divine One can do, Jesus is a friend whose care for you is much deeper than
heartfelt. The cross is evidence
of both.
For some of you, Jesus has been a lifetime friend with whom
you have shared a lifetime neighborhood.
But others, it may have been years since you have had a rendez-vous with Jesus. Either way of this I am
certain, if you do reconnect with Jesus you will find that it will seem like no
time has passed. Whether it has been hours, or years. There is a distinct joy in being with one whose friendship
is uniquely deep…one who knows you like none other, and one who likewise cares
for you.
Let me pass on to you Jesus’ invite to reconnect with him
this Sunday. The good news is that
you don’t have to go all the way to San Antonio to do so….just find a church….and
Jesus will find you.
Have a great week.
God’s grace and peace,
Pastor Jerry Nuernberger
No comments:
Post a Comment