This sign welcomed me home after I was out of state all week. The welcome inside the house was better – hugs and kisses from Robyn and the kids. I like travelling but I love coming home.
What a week! I left the house last Sunday night at 10:30 p.m. for a committee meeting in Philadelphia, and then flew from there to Portland on Wednesday for a presbytery meeting. Today the jet brought me back to Alaska. I spent at least 18 hours on an airplane this week – that is a lot of pretzels!
At my meeting in Philadelphia (for foreign missions), we met several missionaries on furlough and interviewed some future missionaries. I am humbled by them – their devotion, their sacrifices, and their zeal to proclaim the gospel to the lost and perishing. I return convicted – I need more of that missionary spirit in my own ministry here in Wasilla.
I enjoyed the fellowship of brothers and sisters in Christ at both meetings: former professors, former pastors and mentoring pastors, classmates, church friends, and others. The meetings are like little reunions which make the travel worth it. Another blessing is meeting new people (it just wouldn’t be the same if these meetings were done by video or conference call). I wish all our church members could come along for the fellowship; they would be reminded that we are not all alone up here in the far north, but are united with other churches who share the same hopes and burdens.
Of course brothers in Christ don’t always agree on everything, so there were times of working through differences and engaging difficult matters. May God be pleased to give us grace, wisdom, and a spirit of unity as we seek to be faithful as a church in advancing the cause of Christ.
Now the traveling is over for a time. Tonight my family is near, I sit at my familiar desk, I get to sleep on my own bed – “home sweet home.” How much sweeter will the heavenly homecoming be when Jesus welcomes us into his glory forever!
Scott's Thoughts 