| Welcome to the First Baptist Church of Norwich 239 West Main Street Norwich, Connecticut Phone: 860-889-0369 |
Cal's Pastoral Epistles
Making Gods Day
September 20, 2005
Dear friends,
Our house came alive over the weekend. There was a chorus of
laughter as stories were being shared. There was the sound of music
emerging from around the piano. Shouts and cheers came from our
back room as a group of teens matched the jostling of the Patriots
and Panthers they were watching on television. On Sunday afternoon
we had fourteen college students crashing at our place. They chowed
down on burgers and chips, and washed it all away with Coke. There
was so much energy and enthusiasm in the air that it made my head
spin. At one point I paused to take it all in and simply smiled. It was
good.
The kids were members of "Turning Point," a small gospel choir
from Eastern University in St. David's', Pennsylvania. They traveled
north to share their music with us on Sunday morning and to offer a
concert on Sunday afternoon. Our house became the oasis between
performances and the kids seemed to relish the chance to kick their
shoes off and be themselves.
As I was flipping burgers on the grill and listening to the sounds of
youthful exuberance coming from the house, I began to realize how
much I missed my oldest daughter. She is off in college now. When
she was home, she had a habit of inviting all of her friends in to
watch a movie, play around on the piano or just sit around laughing
and telling stories. Maybe time is catching up with me and I am
becoming a sentimental fool, but I miss those times.
In some strange unexplainable way, I felt closer to Becky as we
opened our home to the kids. By giving ourselves to these teenagers,
it was almost as if we were doing it for her. It reminded me of the
passage in Matthew where Jesus says, "I was hungry and you gave
me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a
stranger and you welcomed me... When you did it to the least of
these, you did it to me."
A lot of people read that passage and come away with the thought
that we are called to reach out and help our neighbors. We know
intuitively, that when we reach out and help others, we are doing
God's work. When we donate bottled water and blankets for the
hurricane victims, we are doing the Lord's work. When we
volunteer at the soup kitchen or are hammering nails on a Habitat
house, we are doing God's work. A closer examination of that
passage reveals something even more profound. Jesus suggests that
whenever we extend ourselves through acts of hospitality, we should
see it as serving him personally. Every act of generosity, every act of
kindness, every act of selflessness is an opportunity to serve him.
I get it now. This weekend I did for those kids what I would have
done for my daughter and I was blessed as much as they were. The
truth is that Jesus calls us to do the same with everyone we meet
along life's journey. Imagine what the world would look like if we
treated everyone as though they were Jesus incognito. The world
would be a better place. Shall we take up the Lord's challenge? Let's
go out and be a blessing to somebody this week and make God’s day.
Believe me, it will also put a smile on your face.
God Bless. See You In Church. Cal
September 20, 2005
Dear friends,
Our house came alive over the weekend. There was a chorus of
laughter as stories were being shared. There was the sound of music
emerging from around the piano. Shouts and cheers came from our
back room as a group of teens matched the jostling of the Patriots
and Panthers they were watching on television. On Sunday afternoon
we had fourteen college students crashing at our place. They chowed
down on burgers and chips, and washed it all away with Coke. There
was so much energy and enthusiasm in the air that it made my head
spin. At one point I paused to take it all in and simply smiled. It was
good.
The kids were members of "Turning Point," a small gospel choir
from Eastern University in St. David's', Pennsylvania. They traveled
north to share their music with us on Sunday morning and to offer a
concert on Sunday afternoon. Our house became the oasis between
performances and the kids seemed to relish the chance to kick their
shoes off and be themselves.
As I was flipping burgers on the grill and listening to the sounds of
youthful exuberance coming from the house, I began to realize how
much I missed my oldest daughter. She is off in college now. When
she was home, she had a habit of inviting all of her friends in to
watch a movie, play around on the piano or just sit around laughing
and telling stories. Maybe time is catching up with me and I am
becoming a sentimental fool, but I miss those times.
In some strange unexplainable way, I felt closer to Becky as we
opened our home to the kids. By giving ourselves to these teenagers,
it was almost as if we were doing it for her. It reminded me of the
passage in Matthew where Jesus says, "I was hungry and you gave
me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a
stranger and you welcomed me... When you did it to the least of
these, you did it to me."
A lot of people read that passage and come away with the thought
that we are called to reach out and help our neighbors. We know
intuitively, that when we reach out and help others, we are doing
God's work. When we donate bottled water and blankets for the
hurricane victims, we are doing the Lord's work. When we
volunteer at the soup kitchen or are hammering nails on a Habitat
house, we are doing God's work. A closer examination of that
passage reveals something even more profound. Jesus suggests that
whenever we extend ourselves through acts of hospitality, we should
see it as serving him personally. Every act of generosity, every act of
kindness, every act of selflessness is an opportunity to serve him.
I get it now. This weekend I did for those kids what I would have
done for my daughter and I was blessed as much as they were. The
truth is that Jesus calls us to do the same with everyone we meet
along life's journey. Imagine what the world would look like if we
treated everyone as though they were Jesus incognito. The world
would be a better place. Shall we take up the Lord's challenge? Let's
go out and be a blessing to somebody this week and make God’s day.
Believe me, it will also put a smile on your face.
God Bless. See You In Church. Cal
Pastor Cal Lord writes these weekly epistles to
help us see God in every day things.
help us see God in every day things.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |