Today my family is scheduled to have our picture made for our "new" church directory. I'm sure most of you know what that is, but just in case you don't, it is a photo book of all the families that are members of our church. This is the third directory that we have done in my 11 years as serving as a pastor in this wonderful congregation.
The other night I poked my head into the room where they are taking the pictures and made a joke about the family that was sitting there getting their photo taken. Then I stopped and looked in on a family that had already gotten theirs done and were reviewing the photo. I made some silly joke about him breaking the camera. We shared a couple of laughs and then I left.
As I was leaving my mind starting to think about how both of these families have been a part of my life for over a decade. A lot of life happens in that span of time. When we moved here our son had just turned one, and now he is twelve and in the youth group. Yes, a lot of life happens in a decade.
This little picture book will prove that. I always love looking to see how time has changed us. Some people will look a lot older, because they are! There might be more gray hair and bald heads than in the last book. Some now have a spouse, or maybe a new spouse. Some families will be larger because of children that have been born, and some will be smaller as some kids have grown up and marched out into the world. Some kids that were young when I arrived have graduated college, gotten a job, and have a family of their own. Some are living in different parts of the world. Some are serving the Lord in this congregation, and I have had a front row seat to watch how Jesus has been working in the lives of these families.
Some faces will be missing because in the few years since the last book they have walked through the valley of the shadow of death. As a pastor, we know that disease and death are roads that we travel with our flock. I have stood by many a hospital bed and discussed the comforting grace of Jesus with many a friend who was headed home. There will be a few more widows in this directory than the last one.
Some faces will be missing because in God's sovereign plan He has moved a family to another town or another state. They were only passing though this place for a little while, and I praise God that our lives intersected and that I was able to serve their family, even if for a short time. Some will be missing because they have been called to serve as either pastors or missionaries. What a great joy to this pastor's heart to not see their faces, if you know what I mean. But other faces will be missing because they just simply left to attend another church in town. Their picture will show up in another pictorial directory of another church down the road. It happens. But the beautiful thing is to see the new faces, the ones who didn't live here 5 years ago whom God has brought to this little town and into the life of this little church.
There will also be the faces of new believers and new staff members since the last picture book. God is faithful to His church to provide resources, leadership, people, ministry and mission.
So, when I get my book I'm going to look through it slowly, looking at each family and thanking God for His grace to allow me to be a part of this. There has been a lot of tears along the way. Divorce, disease, death. Rebellion, addiction, and tragedy. But there has also been a lot of joy. Lots of laughter. Way too much food. Mission trips, baptisms, baby dedications, celebration of graduates, people called out to serve, times of prayer and communions, camps, Bible studies, mission conferences and a ton of other things that have knit this little band of people together. What a gift to walk together with a desire to glorify the Lord by making disciples who advance the gospel.
There really is a great testimony of grace in this little picture book.
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