When I went to go on my canoe trip across the state (I basically paddled from Helen to Rome, when I was in the 8th Grade), they showed us an American Red Cross film entitled, “What’s Around the Bend?” In it, it reenacted a drowning of a canoer on the river. And the theme was, you never knew what was around the bend of the river, and you always had to be paying attention. It might be a major rapid, it may be a strainer (a tree that has fallen into the river), it may be a flock of ducks – that’s part of the excitement of paddling.
I feel like I’ve been around a lot of bends since March of 2020. The reality is, we’re still coming around a bend, and we have no idea what the new normal for our church is. But then again we do. We know the relationship with Jesus Christ and with other believers that can best be experienced in the Church, in its small groups, in its intentional discipleship. We have to be paying attention and being intentional to continue the ministries of the Church that change lives.
I’m so thankful for the technology we have that has allowed us to share our Sunday School classes, Bible studies, and worship over the internet. But the reality is there is something incredibly valuable in interpersonal human interaction. And I can’t help but wonder how many people will opt for comfort and ease over coming to church around the bend? Three weeks makes a habit, what does a year and a half make?
What habits have we taught our children and young people about Sunday School and church? What habits have we fallen into over the last 81 Sundays? Bad things can happen when we aren’t paying attention. Are you paying attention? I hope so. Somebody’s eternal life may just hang in the balance!
In Christ,
Chip
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