Lent XXXX...Palm Sunday

When Dietrich Bonhoeffer made the decision to leave the safety of America during World War II in order to return to his homeland of Germany, he chose a course of action which meant giving up control of his own life.  In this country he was safe.  In Germany he would be in great danger.  He returned home, was imprisoned, and executed in the last days of the war.  When Burleigh Law, a Methodist missionary to what was then known as the Congo, flew his plane over a missionary family and saw them in the hands of bloodthirsty rebels, he chose a course of action which meant giving up control of his own life.  Instead of flying to safety, he chose to land hoping to help those in trouble. When his plane touched the ground, he was shot and died.  When Jesus made the decision to walk into Jerusalem on that day known as Palm Sunday, he chose a course of action which meant giving up control of his own life.  Instead of going where He would be safe, He walked into the stronghold of those who opposed Him and a few days later He was put on a cross to die.

 

The common denominator in these stories is obedience.  Obedience to God does not take us down a path where there is no risk or danger.  Instead it always takes us down a road of choosing whether or not to give up control of our life for the purposes of God.  This is the time of the year when pastoral appointments are announced in our Annual Conference for the upcoming Conference year which begins in June.   Some will be feeling happy, feeling blessed, and some will be angry, feeling put down again.  Over the years of being appointed to different ministry settings, I confess to both feelings.  What I confess to often forgetting, and, perhaps, some others have as well, is the ordination moment.  In that moment there is the commitment to go where sent and to serve regardless of where put.  It is a moment of obedience talk.  It is a moment of choosing to give up control of one's own life.

Looking back I realize what I could not understand when the Bishop's hands were placed on my head.  It is easy to talk it, but hard to walk it.  It is easy to talk about giving up control, but hard to live it.  Jesus did it when He walked into Jerusalem.  After almost a lifetime I am still working on it.