Today's Blessings - Yesterdays Promises
I talked to my grandson, Patrick, last night. Finishing up his junior year at Bethel College this week, he is into planning a great missions opportunity with our church in Japan this Summer. He is in conversation with Glenn Watts who serves the Church there as a teacher/missionary. If all goes as planned, Patrick will spend four weeks or so in Japan filling in for Glenn while he comes to the States to attend PAS. He plans to be there also for the International Young Adult Conference being sponsored by Japan Presbytery. I am excited for him as this great opportunity opens up. As I think of this current blessing, I cannot help but think of a long ago promise, made in faith.
I was Glenn's pastor at the time of his birth. His parents, Bill and Pat Watts had been friends since our college days at Bethel. When they moved to Louisville they joined Hillview Church and became very active and committed members. There is a tremendous personal story concerning the anticipated birth of their first child and her death only days following her birth. This was followed by a seasonof darkness and threatened loss of faith by Pat, who was looked upon by our Church as one with amazing faith. As a young (and somewhat hurt and frightened ) pastor, I spent hours with her trying to convince her that God would make this up to her. It was a hard sell since she had been told years before that she would not be able to bear children and her first baby had been considered by us all as a miracle. But, in faith and fear, I promised her, God will make this up to you. Then, Glenn came along. And shortly after his sister, Lisa (also a remarkable girl of faith) came along. In ways more wonderful than we could anticipate, God's promised faithfulness became reality.
Now Glenn, who has served in missions all during his teenage and adult life, has served our church first in Hong Kong and now in Japan, is finishing his preparation for ordination to the full work of the Gospel Ministry and is blessing my Grandson with an unbelivable opportunity as he prepares for his senior year in college and preparation for the ministry.
To me, this is only symbolic of how the past promises in times of struggle are connected to current blessings of God's faithfulness.
posted by Bert Owen @ 11:52 AM
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