June 28, 2020 We need each other

June 28, 2020

( It is Shirley's birthday today )

Good morning,

It is the Sabbath. A time to rest. Find God in the hymns, the sky, the flowers, anywhere and everywhere. Rest , rest your soul, rest your being.

Thank you for your prayers yesterday as I rode for MennoHomes. I had not ridden that far this year. I rode from our place in Elmira to Millbank and back. It was along the Kissing Bridge Trail. It was an overcast, and slightly misty day. Perfect weather for riding. I began at 6:30 and finished around 11. That is quite slow riding. I did a facetime call with our kids in Linwood for 15 minutes. I was approaching Wallenstein, and was going down the hill, and then turning on to Highway 85 just for a kilometer or so, and I hit the WALL.  My shoulders, knees and thighs began to hurt and burn, and then I felt I could not go on. I have heard that marathon runners hit the WALL at about mile 20 of a 26 mile race. I felt completely exhausted.

Do I go on ? Do I walk my bike the rest of the way ? Do I telephone Shirley to come and get me ? I was going so slow, but then I sped up a bit, and then my strength left me again. But, I continued on, and made it home riding my bike. To ask for help would not have been a bad thing. I could have phoned Shirley.

When we hit a spiritual wall or an emotional wall, we should reach out to each other . That is a sign of strength, that we cannot make it alone. We need each other. We need the church . We need God, the Ground of our Being. Even Jesus our Lord needed help. After returning to heaven, he left the community to lead the movement. The church could not be the church without the church.

Prayer  ( with regards to Psalm 90 )

Relent, Lord! How long will it be? Not long we hope !

    Have compassion on your servants.

 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, this morning June 28 would be good !

    that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. We will sing from the depths of our stomachs !

 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,

    for as many years as we have seen trouble.

We wait for you on this the Sabbath day, to smile on all of us with your everlasting love. AMEN

Fred

Tread on bold new paths !

Fireflies flash the direction

Hope springs eternal           Monica Pieper Landoni 2020

Fred Redekop

Pastor

Poole Mennonite Church