Pastor's Pen November 2016

November 2016

(Note: Pastor's Pen is published on a monthly basis)

A New Journey Ahead

I have read that high in a fold of Jughandle Peak, a mountain in Idaho, lies a glacial lake. The hike to the lake goes up a very steep, exposed ridge through boulders and loose stones. It’s a very difficult ascent. At the beginning of the climb, however, there is a brook or a stream that seeps out of soft, mossy earth and flows through a lust meadow. It’s a quiet place to drink deeply, stop, rest, refresh yourself and prepare for the hard climb ahead. In John Bunyan’s classic allegory of the Christian life, “The Pilgrim’s Progress” Christian arrives at the foot of a steep ascent called the Hill Difficulty, at the bottom of which was a spring; Christian went to the spring and drank to refresh himself, and then began to ascend the hill that loomed ahead of him.

Life is similar in some ways, to climbing a mountain. We never really know before we begin the climb the condition of the trail or what we’re facing next. The possibility of danger can never be dismissed we must always be careful to stay on the path! Considering we have never traveled that way before decisions are often just based on our own limited experience and we must live with the consequences of our decisions. Circumstances such as ever changing weather, erosion along a pathway keep us alert as we have no control of the elements along the way. It would be easier if we could preview our lives and be alerted to prepare for some of the unexpected difficulties ahead. However, we lack that ability.

Wouldn’t it be great to have such a guide who actually knows what’s on the other side of our mountain of difficulty, or where lies the springs of refreshing for our spiritual thirst, or who would smooth out our rocky path just in time before we stumble and fall. We have such a Guide, the Holy Spirit; in John 16:13 Jesus said of the Holy Spirit...”He will guide you…” Isaiah 58:11, Psalms 110:7, Psalms 23, Psalms 37:23,24 and John 14:18 are a few Scriptures that will give encouragement for the unexpected events that will come our way in 2017. We need not be afraid of the upcoming New Year He foresees our difficult mountains, the unexpected rocky paths we will walk, but we need not fear He is ever with us offering spiritual insights and daily refreshing through His Word.

Love and prayers,

~ Pastor Roberts

Archive of previous "Pastor's Pen"