FAITH CONNECTION – FARMERSVILLE UMC
Ministry Updates for Tuesday, September 22nd, 2020
… the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Reflection – The Hard Road
Many years back I heard an Olympic gold medalist being interviewed. (My apologies, but I do not remember his name.) The interviewer asked the man what he was thinking about when he was on the top step of the medal stand. The man answered without hesitation, ‘I was thinking about all the times I wanted to quit.’
If you have been an athlete or a sports fan for long, you know some of the things he was talking about. There are injuries. There are times when progress is slow. There are harsh critics who want to tear down and even close family members who doubt. There are long practices, and tryouts and self-doubt.
These are some of the obstacles which comprise the hard road Jesus is speaking of.
As a pastor, and as a human being, it is hard to watch people quit what matters. You have seen it too. People quit friendships, marriages, or the church. They quit God, their parents, their siblings, or their children. In rare cases, they quit life through suicide.
This scripture teaches me that Jesus does not promise an easy life. But he does promise a life of purpose, of meaning, and of abundance. Purpose, meaning, and abundance are not served on a silver platter. They require an effort and a dedication to pushing through the hurdles.
Jesus says there is an easy way, which ends up in destruction, and there is a hard way, which ends up in life. By ‘life’ he means a good life filled with good relationships, excitement, peace, and joy. When you have this type of life, you do not want to quit. And you want others to join you.
Is there a hard road you are avoiding? Be encouraged and go forth in faith. There is abundant life and joy on that road. And God will be with you.
Prayer:
God of love and life, for the challenges of this life, we give you thanks. Help us Lord, make the right choices and then persevere in them. Let us not see obstacles as deterrents, but rather as opportunities to be made more alive. Help us value our relationships, our callings and our God in all we do. Lead us to full and eternal life. We pray this in the name of the one who took the hard road to Calvary out of his love for us. Amen.
Custodian Needed
We are in need of a part-time custodian to keep the church clean and safe. If you are interested, please contact the church office (937-696-2502) or contact Jen Emmer-Lovell.