Get Ready

Second Sunday after the Epiphany
1 Samuel 3:1-20


• "Lord willing and the creek don’t rise," I will retire in 25-30 years. I don’t know what church I’ll be in, don’t know where in country I’ll live. I'll be closer to goal of 50^th wedding anniversary, and I trust serving God in some capacity. Specifics, I don’t know.

Repeat after me: In the face of the unknown, trust in God.

• Reading a book about the 21^st century (George Friedman's The Next 100 Years), and it points out how pretty much you can count on things being completely different even over a 20 year time span. 1900 Europe had ruled the world for 400 years but in two 20 year periods fractured and baby nation USA rocketed to unprecedented global power....

Though no specific predictions some general things predictable
and the more you plan for possible futures the better off you’ll be,
and one thing’s for sure: things aren’t going to stay the same.

• I wonder, what will CUMC look like in 20 years? Hymnals, multimedia, #of services, #of pastors, #of buildings… what will CUMC look like in 20 years, and how will we prepare for and weather change?

Repeat after me:  Get ready: God may speak in unanticipated ways.

(also trust in God)

• Samuel story: God speaks through an unanticipated prophet.

- S’s mom barren, she prayed for a son to dedicate to God, God heard & they both delivered.
- S is serving under priest Eli, but doesn’t know the Lord (apparently Eli hasn’t been much of a teacher), and we’re told The word of the Lord was rare, and visions not widely known. (…)
- But God makes a way, God does not abandon his people. (repeat) God speaks to S.

 (Eli, btw, shows some maturity in directing boy to respond to the Lord,

and when he hears of deserved punishment, does not whine but accepts & praises).


• Repeated: trust in God, God may speak in unanticipated ways, God does not abandon…

• Related to today's message... some things from the Bishop's midwinter retreat.

- There was a drama, a woman dreams diversity in heaven (it isn’t just people like us)

- There was a video of a woman priest wheelchairbound with cerebral palsy, and her theology of incarnation

- There was the testimony of a Korean pastor sent to anglo church (one parishioner cried twice: when he was appointed there, and then when he was appointed somewhere else)


How would any of these pastors be received?

• Next week I'll talk about evaluating change (hint: REST), but leave you with this:

          God will speak to people who will listen to God and honor God

          & God will be found, even in the midst of change. God is reliable.

• Hymn 534 Leaning on the Everlasting Arms