Soon and Very Soon

Tuesday, June 18, 2007



They're everywhere -- boxes upon boxes upon boxes - filled with most of our earthly possessions. In a few days (6 to be exact) the moving van will arrive to load these things on board and carry us to our new home in Erie. We're in the final "throws" of packing - throw it in a box and tape it shut! We're living an "in-between" kind of life these days - in between here and there!



It's beginning to feel a bit strange to say that I'm the pastor of New Virginia UMC in Hermitage, because I'm feeling more and more like the pastor of Christ UMC in Erie. It's an in-between time - in between here and there.



It's strange to go to cupboards and drawers and closets for something only to remember that I've packed what I'm looking for. I'll need to make do or do without - at least for a little while. It's an in-between time -- in between here and there.



But in between here and there is what life is like for us Christ-followers. We live in this world, but not of it -- our home is here on earth and yet we have a home there in heaven -- we live a new, abundant, resurrected life in Christ here, but only in part, the fullness of life yet awaits us. We live in between here and there.



In between here (earth) and there (heaven), we're to be faithful to what God calls us to do - to live a life that exhibits all the marks of a true follower of Christ (Colossians 3, Ephesians 4, Romans 12 - to name a few). One of my favorite authors, Richard Foster, has said it well -- "The point of the Christian life is not to simply get us into heaven, but to get heaven into us!" (Streams of Living Water)



So, for now we're being faithful to what God calls us to do, pack up our lives and make our home in our new mission field - Erie, Pennsylvania, with Christ Church as our home base. Soon and very soon we will be there - in Erie, and for now, we're living in between here and there - trusting God the whole way!