The Morning Message from Rev. Evelyn McLachlan
Sunday July 2nd, 2023
Genesis 12:1-9

Remember the saying “today is the first day of the rest of your life”. It was popular it the late 1970’s. That’s when you let go of something that has been the main focus of your life. So, I want to say to all of you … today is the first Sunday in the rest of your ministry. I realize that you are grieving who you had as your minister, your guide, the one who prayed for you, the one who presided at your wedding or a family member’s funeral, or a child’s baptism. You are grieving what you had and what could have been. Rev. Paul was an amazing pastor. He brought you through wilderness, shared hope with you, loved you unconditionally, guided you through Covid and prayed for you.

He has gone on a different journey now. He is discovering a different life that God has called him to. It is difficult to walk into the church and not be greeted by him. But you know, God has not left you bereft. God has called you to embrace a new journey. It’s going to be different. It will be difficult. It may end up looking totally different from anything you might have imagined or even prayed for. But you know what, you are going to be all right. You have a strong faith community. You know how to pray. You know how to sing praises and laments. You know how to care for each other. You are going to be all right.

In the scripture reading God calls Abram, at the age of 75, to pack it up, grab the family and a few belongings and head on out to a land that is new. We don’t know if Abram argued with God … but I like it here; I know the land; I’ve got good friends; I’ve never done this before. All we know is that Abram hears a call, listens to what God is telling him … you are going to be a blessing. All the families of the earth shall be blessed. How could he turn that down.

We also don’t know exactly what he, Sarai, and Lot put in their suitcases, in the wagons, on the oxen. We just know that they gathered everything up and headed on out. It had to have been scary. He was leaving everything he knew. Think about your own life. When have you had to leave everything you knew? As a child, did you move because of your parents’ jobs? I did, the summer I turned 13 we moved from the thriving metropolis of Timmins to a very tiny community of about 450 … which included the birds, the trees, the blades of grass. There were four streets and three avenues. It was devastating for me. It was good for my Dad but not so good for me. Except as I look back, it really wasn’t that bad. I discovered gifts and talents, fell into a relationship with Jesus that changed my life.

The journey was a good thing, as I went through it. There have been a lot more journeys … university, working, seminary, five pastorates, getting married at the ripe old age of 52, discovering the wonderful journey of retirement.

I slowly learned that taking a whole lot of luggage filled with “what might have beens” was never a useful thing. Like Abram, I began listening to what God was calling me to be about. What is in your luggage? What are you carrying from Paul’s ministry into this new ministry? Carry the lessons, carry the prayers but leave the “what ifs”, leave the “if only”, leave “we’ll never find another Paul.” When you hang on to those items, the journey becomes dark and long.

I find it interesting that when Abram realized that he didn’t really know very much about where he was headed and just what all this journey and final destination would end up being he discovered that God knew. And so Abram said, all right, this is all yours. And what happens … God blesses him. Says that your offspring will receive this land of Canaan. Remember Abram didn’t have any offspring at that point … wouldn’t happen for at least another 24 years!

He gave God control, knowing that change was afoot. What happens to us when give God control, when we stop micro-managing our journey? What happens when we listen? We are blessed. And in those blessings, amazing things happen, especially when they are not quite what we were anticipating and really hoping for! When we are blessed, we actually open up opportunities for others to be blessed … not by us, but by God. I have often said to others, be a blessing and this week, I’ve realized that it isn’t about us being a blessing, it’s about allowing God to use us because, face it, God is counting on each one of us. It’s in that moment that we realize what blessing truly is.

Abram and Sarai are not perfect … far from it … and what does God do … God blesses them over and over. Don’t hang on to the blessing, let it into the relationships you have, let the blessings flow through your actions, let the blessings be heard in your prayers. When you allow God to be the one in control, we become astounded at what happens.

But remember, the blessings don’t just happen all at once … they happen throughout our lives, throughout our ministries. This week, as I reread the scripture passage for the umpteenth time, all of a sudden, the last line actually smacked me in the face … “And Abram journeyed on by stages toward the Negeb.” He didn’t get there in the first hour, the first day, the first week, maybe not even the first year. He got there in stages. You’ve heard the old question … how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!

How do you find a minister? One day at a time. In stages. God has someone in store for you, but that individual may not be ready for the move just yet. So, you prepare. You get your congregational profile ready. You work on your faith statement. You pray. You let the search team know they are not alone. You pray for them. You encourage them. You have patience. You bless them!

The journey has begun, and you’ve been on it since Rev. Paul announced his retirement. In the blurb that went out I asked how might Norval United change as you step into this new journey because of the blessings you have received? Hold that question close to you. Ponder it. Talk about it with others. Pray about it. You are not on this journey alone, as we sang … God is travelling with you. Hope your bags are packed, ‘cause you are already on your journey! Thanks be to God. And all God’s children said … Amen!