Jesus Meets Us Right Where We Are - By Bishop G

Dear Friends,

“And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.  Immediately they left their nets and followed him.”  Matthew 4:19-21.

Dear Friends,

            I was amazed to learn that, traditionally, Rabbis did not choose their pupils. Instead, pupils pursued the best Rabbi, hoping he would think they were worthy of study with him. Only the smartest, best, most dedicated could convince a famous Rabbi to let them follow him.  Jesus chooses his pupils one by one, and if he discovers them while they’re fishing with the family business, that most likely means they’ve already failed to find a Rabbi. They were the least qualified, least capable, most ordinary leftovers.  I’ve always loved that. Jesus first announces the good news and then calls and recruits the ones no one else would choose to follow. He thinks we can do it, even when we think we can’t. That’s always been a sign to me of how much God loves us.

            I believe God calls each of us to our true purpose, or telos. Namely to be his children and live our lives repenting, namely turning away from the things that God hates and turning toward the things that God loves. But most of us don’t just throw down our nets and leave everything.  We get up every day and try to follow Jesus from right where we live and work. Someone told me long ago, “If you can, do what you want to do every day, but remember whose you are.” Scripture tells us that while they leave their nets, James, John, Andrew, and Peter will fish again. But their identity will never be the same. 

            Scripture is filled with stories in which Jesus meets us right where we are and loves us toward a better place.  That is the good news.  This is the time of the year when we see lots of children flock to our Vacation Bible Schools.  When I served All Saints in Homewood, Vacation Bible School was the Homewood mothers’ best friend.  When the children in our VBS finished their four days with us, they’d just go across the street to Trinity Methodist or Dawson Baptist VBS and try another flavor of summer learning.  Before the month of June was over, these children were steeped in Bible stories and fun, intensive learning about Jesus. 

            Last week I visited Bethany’s Kids at Camp McDowell, which offered just this kind of fun experience along with all the wonder of Camp McDowell.  The young Campers at Bethany’s Kids are all special in some extraordinary way, made so by some unexpected physical or mental limitation.  What I saw was a staff of devoted teenage volunteer “buddies” assigned to each young camper, dedicated to helping the special ones find their own brand of Camp experience.  I was awed by the volunteers’ commitment and faithfulness.  One young, appreciative Camper raised his hand at supper and requested that the whole dining hall sing “Happy Birthday” to his buddy youth volunteer.  We did so, of course! Then we learned that this Camper had asked to sing “Happy Birthday” every night at supper the entire week, reminding me that love comes in many forms.  Sometimes the love of Christ is singing “Happy Birthday” over and over.  It is another way Jesus loves us and draws us into a deeper connection with God.  We are richly blessed and urgently called to share our faith and our good news.

            As I write this to you today, I thank God for your ministry.  Over the years we’ve worked to help each other through sickness, COVID, gun violence, theological differences, hardship, political division, even wars and rumors of wars, I am grateful we’ve prayed for healing and hope, trusting Jesus through our challenges.  I am grateful we’ve consistently sought to love each other above everything else.  We’ve struggled to hold up the “good news” that Jesus has done for us what we can’t do for ourselves. 

            Jesus is our hope, our light, and our salvation.  We’re blessed with gifts and talents meant to be used in serving each other and the world.  Please join me in giving thanks for all God has done with us and for all God will do with our common life together.  I am incredibly grateful and blessed to be your Bishop and to serve with you every day.  Through each of you, God is bringing justice, healing, and life.  God is making us into fishers of people, even as God saves us.  And I hope I see you at church soon.