Marble Collegiate Church

Happy Independence Day (or 4th of July weekend or holiday, depending on what your plans are)!

The old word is “conversion.” It was an important word in the development of America. The camp meeting movement and the pioneer evangelist were parts of the westward growth of our country. Christian preachers would adopt huge areas of uncharted land to serve. They would travel on horseback from farm to farm, sleeping under the stars or occasionally in barns, equipped with a blanket, a water bottle, and a Bible. When they came upon homesteaders they would stay a day or two, reading stories from their sacred Book and converting people to the Faith. Then they would be off in search of the next farm, maybe a mile or five or twenty through forests and rivers or over mountains. Always, though, they would promise to be back in a few months to read more stories, to baptize babies, to marry young couples, or to bury the dead. They were known as “circuit riders” and helped carry Christianity west as America grew. Their passion was simply to see people accept the Christian Faith (to become “converts”) and then to live after the principles of Jesus.

I sit at my desk, shocked and saddened by news of what happened last night at Emmanuel Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC. It is yet another instance of that which is beyond comprehension – human violence in a house of peace.

I respect Rick Warren, so I have no desire to be critical of his suggestion that “You only get out of Worship what you put into it.” He encourages people to spend Saturday in prayer about Sunday morning. He asks them to lay all criticism of the preacher and the choir and the other church members at the door when they arrive. He advises that all worshipers bring pen and paper to take notes during the sermon. And, he continues, they should then have Sunday lunch with other people from church and discuss what they got out of the service. Great advice! Love it! Thank you, Rick! However....

Spit And Dirt... That's all Jesus had at His disposal in a key moment recorded in the gospel of John. A man who was blind begged for healing. Jesus did not have an ophthalmology clinic nearby. He wasn’t close to a surgery center or an eyeglasses store. There was no access to Walgreens or Duane Reades to have a prescription filled. A man was blind and called out to Jesus for healing, and all Jesus had was spit and dirt. So He used what He had and made a salve which He applied to the eyes of the sightless man. And soon the man’s eyes were opened, and he could see.

“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy....” I love that song from Porgie and Bess. Having grown up as an R&B fan, my favorite version of it was by the late Billy Stewart. I wonder how many of you remember him. He had a great voice, made superb records, and died much too young. Anyway, though I love the song, I don’t put much stock in the lyrics. Whatever the season, summertime or anything else, the livin’ is rarely easy.