May is here! Now is the month we enjoy all the flowers that the April showers have produced. So it happens in our lives. When we are going through storms of which we in St. Louis know all too well; in fact, as I write this newsletter, I am waiting for the roofers to come and put a new roof on our home, among other things. But that is the thing about storms, they don’t stay forever- they do pass. And when they do it’s time to celebrate even more than what we did during the storm, for now the rainbow comes out and the sun shines to let us know it is going to be alright.
The other day I was waiting at the airport to pick up a friend of mine who was planning to speak at our church. Waiting at the airport is one of my favorite things to do. I love watching the people heading to their gates to leave on their adventures. I noticed that everyone was carrying a bag or now a days, rolling it behind them as they maneuvered down the airport corridors to their gates. Most of them no doubt had also checked their bigger, much heavier bag to their destination. It’s what we do. No need to carry such a big suitcase around and besides it’s too big to fit in the overhead compartment on the plane. Just check it and forget it. That is when it came to me, we as Christians also have something we carry with us through life. It is of course our cross. The cross is not something we check to heaven, our destination. But rather it is our burden to bear here and now as we travel and move day to day to our ultimate home which is heaven. As everyone at the airport had different carry-on suitcases they were taking with them to their gates, so it is with our crosses – no two are alike. We all have our cross to bear. Unlike the carry-on suite cases I saw at the airport, our cross doesn’t come with wheels, we must carry it. But we do have a Savior that will help us do so and when it comes too heavy for us alone to carry, he will come along side and even carry us when necessary! What a Savior! Take heart and know that in heaven we will no longer be carrying our cross for we will have reached our destination, our home. So until then, I will take up my cross and follow him. Come join me! The journey is filled with joy and the company is priceless!
Now unto Him be glory in the church.