In June, I began my final sermon in Grandville with the story of my parents, Kate and Carter, and how they worked for many years at the youth center in my hometown, Fair Lawn, New Jersey. They were very good at “adopting” young people who were at-risk or just didn’t have many friends. I talked about how I was aware of it as a young person and how I have tried in some ways to imitate them in ministry – trying to reach out to people who are hurting and marginalized. For me, it was just a way of honoring my parents and explaining a little bit of what I try to do. But God has this way of doing things…
The worship services are recorded and I sent the CD of that service to a church with which I had been in contact in New Jersey about their pastor position. When I arrived late July for the interview, I met the members of the search committee. One of the women introduced herself and then explained that her daughter was one of the young people that my parents had “adopted” all those years ago. Stunned, I went over her words in my mind and realized what she was saying. She had heard the sermon on that CD and must have remembered my parents’ names! The next day, “the” daughter came to see me preach and she shared how she knew and loved my parents and fondly remembered my brother and me as children. It was “a moment” on many levels.
I couldn’t make this stuff up! And the reason for that is that only God could arrange something as beautiful as this. That this member of the search committee would listen to that CD. That I would mention my parents by name in the message. That I would be applying to this church. So many “planets” had to line-up for this.
“God knew what he was doing from the beginning…” says The Message in Romans 8:28. And I am here to testify to that very faithfully and enthusiastically. I know it doesn’t look like it a lot of the time. But God does know what He is doing – all the time – and it is for the good. Sometimes it takes years. Sometimes it takes going through a lot of things that don’t make sense. And, He is the only one who can take awful circumstances and convert them into many and incredible blessings.
Almost five years ago exactly, we came out to Michigan believing we were sent there by God. It was daring and risky. There was loss and there were many blessings. Some of it made sense and some of it didn’t. But after a while one of my prayers was to go home at some point. In my mind, I meant somewhere in the Northeast corridor would have been fine. I once asked the question, “Is God that good?” Well, He is! Because from our prayer, we now are blessed with the opportunity to go all the way home – literally a quick ten minutes from the place I lived for 23 years. A place that at this stage of my life, I cherish. A place where we are known and loved for who we are.
And get this, toward the end of seminary (some eight years ago) I briefly thought about the idea of somehow being at a church that was in the Bergen County area so that I could lead and love a congregation and with them have the opportunity to also reach, draw in and care for family and friends I grew up with as well as others in the area. I never thought it could actually happen. But I guess God heard that thought and prayer too! He is listening…
Thomas Wolfe coined the famous phrase “You can never go home.” And he is right to a certain extent. I don’t expect things or people to be like they were in the 70s and 80s. But it doesn’t have to be to go “home.” For me, home today is a God-choreographed dance of reconciliation, peace, all things new, too good to be true, found, dreams, love, beginnings and ends – a dance that has the potential to defy time, the past and distance. The Bible and our lives have many stories of wonderful homecomings and reunions – the prodigal son, Joseph’s reunion with his brothers, Jesus in the garden with Mary after he was resurrected. It’s a major theme. From the beginning in the Garden of Eden to the Kingdom of God coming down from Heaven at the end – history will end with the grandest homecoming and reunion of all – God and His people.
You know, before celebrating the sacrament of The Lord’s Supper, we talk about communion as a foretaste of Heaven – a united banquet of peace and remembrance blessed by the presence of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and beloved brothers and sisters.
This homecoming feels a little like that, a foretaste of what is to come – a familiar city with loved ones and new friends eagerly awaiting this blessed gathering by God’s hand and on His timing. And as with the experience of partaking in the sacrament, I am in awe and thankful and humbled and overflowing with love for my Lord.
W.H. Auden wrote, “He is the Truth. Seek Him in the Kingdom of Anxiety; You will come to a great city that has expected your return for years.”
Amen.
Rev. Christopher B. Wolf
Isaiah 42:7
“It is a matter of sharing and bearing the pain and puzzlement of the world so that the crucified love of God in Christ may be brought to bear healingly upon the world at exactly that point.” N.T. Wright
Living Water 