Dear Reader,
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on all the transitions I’ve experienced in life. As a Methodist, new beginnings can be somewhat frequent. As I look back, there were times I loved the change, and there were times when I didn’t have a clue what God was doing. But, I can say they were all beautiful and a blessing in different ways.
I’ve done many things wrong, but the one thing I’ve done right is to try to see God in everything that happens. This story, which I heard not long ago, is a good example. When I heard it, it hit me like a ton of bricks.
A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer and he started his journey.
When he had gone about three blocks, he met an elderly man. The man was sitting in the park, just feeding some pigeons.
The boy sat down next to the man and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the man looked hungry, so he offered him a Twinkie.
The man gratefully accepted it and smiled at boy. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer.
Again, the man smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.
As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave. But before the boy had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the man, and gave him a hug. And the man gave the boy his biggest smile ever.
When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?
"He replied, ‘I had lunch with God’." Before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? God’s got the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen!"
Meanwhile, the elderly man, also radiant with joy, returned to the homeless shelter where he slept each night. The director of the shelter was stunned by the look of peace on the man’s face and asked, “Jack, what did you do today that made you so happy?"
The man, Jack, replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." And before the director could respond, Jack added," You know, God’s much younger than I expected."
As we find ourselves in the midst of this transition, as things start coming into place, isn’t it a good time to turn away from our wants and desires, and instead, trust in the Lord to renew our strength, even if its just with Twinkies and root beer?
The prophet Isaiah goes so far as to say this:
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is an everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary, and his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youth will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:28-31)
In the midst of transition, it is better to keep our eyes on God’s Kingdom rather than our own. Change feels different but God always has a plan and sits next to us. How about you? Where do you need to trust the process and see God? Believe me, He’s there.
James
Rev. James A. Williams
Senior Pastor
Grace Resurrection Methodist Church
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on all the transitions I’ve experienced in life. As a Methodist, new beginnings can be somewhat frequent. As I look back, there were times I loved the change, and there were times when I didn’t have a clue what God was doing. But, I can say they were all beautiful and a blessing in different ways.
I’ve done many things wrong, but the one thing I’ve done right is to try to see God in everything that happens. This story, which I heard not long ago, is a good example. When I heard it, it hit me like a ton of bricks.
A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer and he started his journey.
When he had gone about three blocks, he met an elderly man. The man was sitting in the park, just feeding some pigeons.
The boy sat down next to the man and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the man looked hungry, so he offered him a Twinkie.
The man gratefully accepted it and smiled at boy. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer.
Again, the man smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.
As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave. But before the boy had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the man, and gave him a hug. And the man gave the boy his biggest smile ever.
When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?
"He replied, ‘I had lunch with God’." Before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? God’s got the most beautiful smile I’ve ever seen!"
Meanwhile, the elderly man, also radiant with joy, returned to the homeless shelter where he slept each night. The director of the shelter was stunned by the look of peace on the man’s face and asked, “Jack, what did you do today that made you so happy?"
The man, Jack, replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." And before the director could respond, Jack added," You know, God’s much younger than I expected."
As we find ourselves in the midst of this transition, as things start coming into place, isn’t it a good time to turn away from our wants and desires, and instead, trust in the Lord to renew our strength, even if its just with Twinkies and root beer?
The prophet Isaiah goes so far as to say this:
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is an everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary, and his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youth will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:28-31)
In the midst of transition, it is better to keep our eyes on God’s Kingdom rather than our own. Change feels different but God always has a plan and sits next to us. How about you? Where do you need to trust the process and see God? Believe me, He’s there.
James
Rev. James A. Williams
Senior Pastor
Grace Resurrection Methodist Church
Posted in Rev. James Williams Weekly Blog
Recent
Archive
2025
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Categories
Tags
no tags