Running With Perseverance

Running With Perseverance

Hebrews 11:29-12:2

I debated about using a video to begin my sermon. Would the technology work? Would there be someone who could work the technology? Would the video distract from the central message of the sermon? My intention is to talk a little, today, about spirituality, how we are each on a path that is unique to us. Sometimes the paths may look similar to another, but we are all unique and our spiritual paths are unique. And, as the Hebrews passage encourages us, we are to follow our path, run the race, with perseverance. So, if we can pause for just a moment, I would like to share with you a video, a song, a glimpse at one type of spirituality.

http://www.untilallarefed.net/

Bryan McFarland is a Presbyterian musician in North Carolina. He is creating a new cd in a rather creative way. He is not turning to big money producers. He is using the web to get pledges. Once the pledges meet the level that is needed, the pledges become donations and he goes into production. The other side of this story is that proceeds of this album are being being donated to the Presbyterian Hunger Program. I would guess that for Bryan spirituality is closely tied to his music and his concern for folks in need, but his spirituality is also connected to his work in the Presbyterian Church. Bryan has an amazing talent. In fact I would say he has a variety of gifts. Most of us don’t see ourselves as nearly so gifted, or for that matter, we don’t see ourselves as very spiritual. I would like to tell you about four people who did not see themselves as very spiritual.

Let’s begin with Ted. Ted was all in his head. [Please forgive that pun.] He is good at studying and researching. When he leads a Sunday school class, you can be sure it will be well thought out. Ted is comfortable talking about theology and Bible and where he sees that the church is heading. He comes to worship regularly, and when he enjoys worship the most it is when the preacher offers him something thoughtful, or something that makes him think. But he sees others, like Debra, who are so enthusiastic and energized with their faith. He knows he will never measure up.

So we come to Debra. Debra is all about “What is good for the heart is good for the soul.” She particularly loves worship, especially when it moves her. She likes to move with the music and she loves it when the preacher touches her emotions. Debra is thoughtful enough and she reads her Bible regularly, but it is when worship engages her heart that she feels like she has really been to church. When she leaves the church feeling God’s overwhelming love, she takes that love with her to her volunteer work with children at the local school, and to the office where co-workers can be difficult. Debra sees that her spirituality doesn’t measure up to her friend, Henry. Henry seems to have a deep and amazing connection with God.

Henry is more introspective in his spirituality. He is drawn to take time in quietude, regular times of prayer, even time for extended meditation. Sitting in silence allows Henry to open himself to the presence of God, the mystery of God, to feel a special connection with the Divine. This is where he is energized and motivated, like taking a cell phone and plugging it in to recharge the battery. What Henry enjoys most about worship are times like communion, when there is more silence and an awareness of the mystery of God. Henry feels lacking in his spirituality as he considers the dynamic work of Doris, a real worker in the faith.

Doris isn’t much for formal worship, and she certainly isn’t much for sitting in silence like Henry. In fact, the thought of sitting quietly for so long would drive her crazy. Doris is too busy for that. She has a knack for keeping an eye on her neighbors, especially a couple elderly folks whose health is not so good. Saturday’s you will usually find her serving up lunch at the soup kitchen. Tuesdays she is at the clothes closet or sorting food in the Praise Pantry, at the community center. If you ask Doris about prayer she is likely to tell you, “I pray with my hands. When I am sorting or serving or helping a neighbor, I am lifting them before God.” Doris might show up for worship in order to be with her family, but mostly for Doris, worship is in her service. But Doris also knows that there is so much that she doesn’t know. She envies Ted for his knowledge and understanding of the faith.

I wonder if you would identify with one or another of these four friends: Ted with his head spirituality, Debra with her heart spirituality, or Henry who delves into the mystery of God, or perhaps Doris who puts faith into action. These four types of spirituality are not an exhaustive list. They highlight the diversity and variety of spirituality that we can all recognize. We each have a different path. Sometimes we think that there is something wrong with us because our spirituality does not match with someone else, someone that we may admire. Truthfully, we are not all called to be thoughtful, or heartfelt or mystics or the movers and shakers. How boring our world would be if we were all the same.

In Hebrews we are encouraged with the affirmation that we have a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. We have the biblical giants of the faith highlighted in this short passage, and we could add to that such figures as the apostles Paul and Peter and the women like Lydia the business woman or Dorcas the servant of those who were in need, especially the widows. I reviewed the lives of a number of historical figures of the church over the centuries with the idea of including some of their stories, and found that I could not do justice to their stories in such a short period of time. The cloud of witnesses is filled with giants of the faith who constantly surround us.

When I have done new officer training, over the years, I would typically ask the new elders and deacons to share a part of their spiritual journey, particularly: who are the key people and events in life that have shaped who you are becoming? In all my years I don’t think a single one of them referred to those we would consider the giants of spirituality. They talked about regular ever day people like you and me.

People like Hal Hansen. Mr. Hansen was an older man when I was young person helping with the yard work at the church. One day Mr. Hansen recruited me and a friend to help him with some plumbing problems, and particularly with an irrigation system at the church. Strangely, I don’t remember Mr. Hansen in church on Sundays very much, but I do remember him around the church, in his bib-overalls and with his tool box. He was a patient teacher, especially when I tightened a fitting a little too much and we got sprayed with water from the broken connection. He didn’t get rattled, but he knew what to do. Mr. Hansen didn’t talk a lot about God, but his life spoke volumes to this young person.

Then there are people like Ed Montgomery, my pastor as I was growing up. Reverend Ed made you think when he preached. For years I carried copies of his sermons with me and would read over them for new insights and inspiration. When I was considering going into ministry I sat down with Rev. Ed and asked him about my high school electives. Should I take the course, The Bible as Literature? He said, “You’ll get enough Bible later on. The best class you can take now is typing. If you learn how to type correctly and well that is a skill that will serve you the rest of your life.” Thoughtful and pragmatic.

Nancy O’Brien was the mother of a high school friend. I got to know her as her son struggled through living and dieing with bone cancer. I never saw the raw pain she must have felt with the death of her son. What I saw was something I could only describe as grace. She challenged me, once, to face my own grief. Later, after I returned to Orange Park, when ever she was serving as an elder and it would become her time to coordinate the servers for communion she would give me a call. She would assign me to join the elders in passing trays in the pews. I believe that was her way of keeping me connected with the church where I grew up. It also reminded me of the role of the servant in ministry.

Who are the folks that have touched your life, your faith? Who makes up the cloud of witnesses that surround your life? My guess is that they are regular, every day people. Some may reflect a head spirituality, others a heart spirituality, others may be more in touch with the mystery of God, or be one of those folks who are the doers, who pray with their hands whether serving a meal or fixing a pipe. We all have a variety of folks who have touched us, who continue to be with us.

Ok, so here is the other side. YOU are part of a great cloud of witnesses. Other folks are learning and growing in their faith. Some are young, others are not so young. And they may see you in ways that you don’t realize. I don’t believe that Hal Hansen or Ed Montgomery or Nancy O’Brien ever gave much thought to how they were shaping me and my faith. They were simply following the path that was laid before them. They were seeking to persevere the best they knew how, and I believe, each in their own way, they were trying their best to keep an eye on Jesus as the “pioneer and perfector of our faith.” Don’t worry that your path may not look like someone else’s. You are not given their path to follow. Follow your path. Be true to who you are. Draw strength and inspiration from the cloud of witnesses that surrounds you. And keep your eye on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of our faith.

Bryan McFarland reminds us of the need to persevere as he sings about hunger and serving those in need. The chorus of his song goes like this.

Until all are fed we cry out.

Until all on earth have bread

Like the one who loves us

each and everyone

We serve until all are fed.