One at a Time

When I started blogging back in 2008, I had no idea where the whole thing would go.  I figured a few now and again just to offer some word about my spiritual journey to those who sat in the pews and listened to me preach Sunday after Sunday.  I never really thought about writing almost 800 blog posts over the years that followed.  Some of those years only a few were written and some years a few more.  One came after the one before it and so it has gone these years.  Like everything else in life, the emphasis of the posting has changed from reflections of personal moments to sharing reflections on scripture. 

 

It reminds me a lot of the preaching journey I undertook back in 1966 when I heard what was then spoken of as "a call to preach."  Preaching was only part of what that call was about, but preaching was always an integral part of what I did in response to that call.  While I did at one time keep track of sermons preached, the importance of keeping track of the number of them faded over the years.  Still, I know preaching on an average of twice a Sunday for some 40+  years adds up to quite a sum.  If I had known how many sermons I would be writing and preaching at the beginning, I would have thought it to be beyond the range of possibilities.  But, one at a time is what life is often all about.

 

It is that way for most of us in our journey of faith.  It is a one day at a time kind of thing.  It is going from one moment of living out our faith to the one which follows.  When we look back we are likely to see ourselves doing some things we would have thought impossible back in the beginning.  Who among us saw ourselves going to people in trouble and offering help?  Who among us saw ourselves going to speak comfort when no comfort was going to be found?  Back in the beginning who among us saw the sacrifices we have made in order to follow Christ?  How have we done all we have done?  Surely,  it is because of God's grace.  But, it is also because we have done what we have done one at a time.  As the Word says, "...let us not grow weary in doing what is right..."  (Galatians 6:9)