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Almost HomeBy Dr. Jack CanadyRead Psalm 121:1-2Dear Leaders Chosen of God, Some twenty years after one of my best friends moved away I got a call from him. I have no idea how he found me but he did. At a crises in his life God had me knock on his door; we became good friends, close friends. That relationship became very important because he was a man headed for disaster. When he hit the very bottom; when men were coming after him to hurt him, he came knocking at my door. That was the night he fell on his knees to surrender himself and the mess he had made out of his life to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In regard to material possessions things got even worse for awhile. He had to sell his house to pay his debts. But, within days he was leading his friends to Jesus Christ. At that time he didn't know much except that Jesus had changed everything, so I would get calls in the middle of the night to help him when he got stuck. For awhile he even thought God was calling him into the ministry. You may have gotten the wrong idea when I said he moved away. He did not leave the area for quite awhile. He moved away from God; then the church where I was pastor. It was not long before he moved away from his wife and their three children. Finally he disappeared from the area, never to return. The man I talked to on the phone that day was in deep distress. He had been in a far country for a long time. Seconds into our conversation I could barely understand him. He was sobbing convulsively. His soul had dwelt too long among those who laughed at the God he had once loved and served. In his trouble he was crying out to God. I was his shepherd so I was the one he called. My heart wept with him as urged my wayward son of the faith to come home. In Psalm 121 the Jewish pilgrims were almost home. They had been away so long. As they looked at the hills ahead them, there it was - JERUSALEM! (2700 feet in elevation). They saw its towering walls, its houses and buildings; especially THE TEMPLE! It is at that moment the psalmist, who was with that crowd, cried out, "From where shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth," (121:1 & 2). His hope and the hope of those with him, was not in creation, (things, people). It was in the One who made and sustained it all. Like my son in the faith they had been away from God in the far country for a long time. Their journey home was fraught with dangers. But, while they slept in their tents on the way, the One who was their Keeper; the One who protected them from all evil and kept their SOULS, was wide awake. I may be writing to a rebel today. Most of those around you do not know it but your SOUL is in a far country. Your feet still walk into church but your heart is in deep distress. The people in this psalm were on their way to a happy ending. They were almost home. Sadly, though my dear friend wept uncontrollably when I invited him to come home, assuring him that the GOOD SHEPHERD was waiting with open arms, he never came home. If you are one of God's shepherds always be ready for that call. If you are a sheep who has gone astray, please come home. THE DOOR IS OPEN! In His love, Pastor Jack You can subscribe to Pastor Jack's e-mailings. Click here |
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