The Bungee Cord

Hello,

When I was a pastor in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, I and three other pastors went to visit our Lutheran brothers and sisters in Cameroon. It was a life changing experience. The purpose of our visit was simply to spend time with them and learn from them. So, for three weeks we wound our way across Cameroon and discovered the wonder of the grace that was showered upon us.

We were led by the Lutheran Bishop of Cameroon, and driven around by his driver, Philip, as I recall. Sometimes we were joined by other Cameroonian pastors, making our travelling group to be as much as ten people. We travelled in a SUV. Three in the front, three in the back and four in the rear section sitting on benches that faced each other. (The Bishop was always in the back or rear sections, because, as he told us, it would be disgraceful of him to make his guests ride in less prominent seats.). Often times roads were washed out, bridges impassible, stopped by military demanding “tolls”, and although we were warned of the possibility of bandits, thankfully that never occurred. Due to all these things, arrival time at our destinations in the bush were always unknown, but in every town that we visited, a delegation of people would take their stand at the edge of town and wait for us to come. And when we arrived, they would let the rest of the village know, and the villagers would line the road singing us in.

I learned a lot from my brothers and sisters in Christ in Cameroon, and one of the most important things I learned was a lesson about time. They were not ruled by time; they made time fit their lives. Being gracious in their welcome was far more important than time. Gathering together in worship that would last hours, was far more important than time. Dancing around a fire into the night was far more important than time. Mourning the death of a loved one together, which often was a week, was more important than time. They had a saying, “You Americans have all the watches. We have all the time.”

Given their understanding of time, their appreciation of our visit…that we would come and spend time with them…was overwhelming. They lavished us with food far better than they ate. Sometimes they gave up their homes for us to stay in. One time I was housed with a family that gave me the main bedroom to sleep in while the parents slept on the floor in another room. The time that we spent with them was like a pearl of great value, so valuable that they would treasure it forever. These people who had very little, were rich in time, and they lavishly shared their time with us.

I left Cameroon with a deep appreciation of the people whose lives were far different than mine, and a deeper appreciation of the gift of time. I left with new amazement that the one who has all the time in the universe, decided to spend time with us, the people of this small blue planet. In Jesus, God lavished upon us a gift for all of us to treasure every day of our lives, God’s time. This gift reveals just how important we are to God. So important are we to God that God would take the time to walk where we walk, feel the things we feel, and share the joys and sorrows or our lives. It is a gift beyond amazing.

But there is a yet more amazing gift, and that is the one who holds all time in his hands and God has deigned to not let time rule your life or mine, but rather God has taken his reign over time and has taken you and me into his embrace forever! Even when time, either our earthly time or even time itself, comes to an end, God will not let time take us from him. As Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe[a] in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14)

Tweaking the saying that I learned from my Cameroonian friends, “God has all the time in the universe, and God has decided to spend that time with you!”

Have a great week.

God’s grace and peace, (ggap)

Pastor Jerry Nuernberger

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