Midweek Moment

1990

This past weekend I was given a very special honor. Some of you may remember a few months back how I was surprised by my two best friends when they showed up for worship with us. I had no idea they were coming or even entertaining the idea of coming to Druid Hills; much less both at the same time. These two men are very special to me. You see we all met in the sixth grade at Lopez Elementary in Seffner, Florida. We had each joined the orchestra and there began our friendship, Mike and Jonathan playing the violin and I playing the double bass. We became fast friends and through high school we did everything together. We not only played in the orchestra together, we ran track together, we ran cross country together, we even went on triple dates together (maybe that is why none of us married our high school sweethearts!). We spent time hanging out at each others houses and our parents even worked together raising this motley crew. We each had multiple mothers and fathers, and several adopted siblings. We were affectionately dubbed “The Three Amigos”. We were inseparable!

But then time happened. Jonathan moved away first, to Sarasota. Mike and I visited once, trying to stay in touch. Then Mike was next, enlisting in the Army and very quickly being stationed to Germany. Time happened. Life happened. We lost touch. We lost each other.

However, about a year ago, we reconnected. Unfortunately, it was the death of Mike's dad that allowed Mike and I to reconnect with each other. Shortly thereafter, we both found Jonathan on Facebook, in Jacksonville of all places. We began emailing, texting, and calling each other. However, every time we planned to get together, life would happen again and the plans would fall through. Until that Sunday. Until Jonathan and Mike got together, committed to meet each other in Ocala, halfway between Jacksonville and Seffner, and reunite “The Three Amigos”. We went to Five Guys for lunch that day, and it was like we were back in high school all over again. We began to tell the same jokes, our conversations were easy and flowing, the memories came flooding back with uncanny vividness. It was awesome!

2011

Well this past weekend I was given a special honor. I was asked to perform the marriage of Jonathan to his fiance, Tanya. Together again, Daryl the pastor, Jonathan the groom, and Mike the best man. To be able to reconnect with these two dear friends, for all of us to take part in a very important event in the life of Jonathan, and for all of us to be able to spend that dedicated time together, there are no words to describe how wonderful, uplifting, and necessary it was...for all of us.

This weekend got me thinking about our relationship with Jesus Christ. How often do we find Jesus, latch on to the transformation that happens the first time we fall in love with him, but then get sidetracked when life happens? We fall away, often times unintentionally, but we still fall away. Then months, years, decades, pass and nothing. No contact, no conversations, no nothing. But the Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 8:35, 37-39, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The love of God through Jesus Christ is eternal. So this Advent season, I encourage all of us to renew our relationship with Jesus. As we prepare ourselves for the birth of Christ, let us all remember that the relationship we have with Jesus, is forever. Just because life may take us away, Jesus is always waiting. Do not let “life” take you away anymore. Find Jesus, turn back to Jesus, and those conversations will flow again, that power of his love will encompass you again. It will be like he was always there...because he was.

Have a GREAT week and I will see you Sunday!