On the Way to Sunday .... Finding Hope amid Despair

 

Jesus told this story: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He came looking for some fruit on the tree, but he found none. So the man said to his gardener, ‘I have been looking for fruit on this tree for three years, but I never find any. Cut it down. Why should it waste the ground?’ But the servant answered, ‘Master, let the tree have one more year to produce fruit. Let me dig up the dirt around it and put on some fertilizer. If the tree produces fruit next year, good. But if not, you can cut it down.’”  Luke 13:6-9 New Century Version

Spring is finally here and hope springs forth ... The Cubs and the Twins will win the pennant! ...
The garden will produce more produce than weeds ...  The summer will be productive ... Winter weight gained will be shed ... The list goes on ...

The servant in the story Jesus told had hope for something more. He had hope even when others had given in to despair.  Many of our United Methodist Churches are in that position - moving from hope to despair.  The once full pews are now empty.  The rich ministries are in the past.

Perhaps we need to be reminded that Spring is here. Too often we see the emptiness of a church and believe that it means the church is dying.  A church that is getting smaller is ineffective and not of value. 

I like walking through empty churches.  Truth is an empty church can be a place of comfort.  An empty church speaks of possibilities.  Anything is still possible.  Who knows what might happen in this place come Sunday?


Instead of speaking with despair, maybe it is time for some words of hope - thoughts of hope. Perhaps it is time to sow some new seed, stir up the dirt, and work the soil.  Who knows this year might be the year ...If not, we can always start over next Spring.  

I understand that Spring comes every year and with it hope.

What are your hopes for your life this Spring?
What are your hopes for your church this Spring?

I'll see you Sunday ... in the meantime, I think I'll take another stroll through the empty sanctuary ...