Dear Friends in Christ,

 

I ran across this little story in my studies recently.  A man took on a project of hard labor installing stone steps in his back yard.  The individual stones were very heavy, weighing between 100 and 200 pounds.  It took all of the man’s strength and some specialized tools in order to maneuver the stones into place.  His five-year old daughter begged to help.  The man knew that having her help in any way would slow the process and might even be dangerous.  So, he suggested that the little girl just sing, to encourage him in his work.  But she said no.  She wanted to help.  And so, the man, carefully, when it would not endanger her, let her place her hands on the rocks and push as he moved them, putting them into place.

 

The man admitted that having her there to assist actually made the task more complicated.  He could have built the steps in less time without her “help.”  At the end of the day, as they gathered around the dinner table, his little daughter burst with pride as she announced, “Me and Dad made steps.”  And he was the first to agree.  He not only had new steps, but a daughter bursting with pride and a sense of accomplishment. 

 

The partnership between father and daughter is not different than the partnership we have with our heavenly Father.  We have the assurance that the Holy Spirit is the power with whom we are partnering.  And the promise is that, “He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”  We may not know God’s will on a given issue, but the Holy Spirit within us surely does.  And so, our prayers, whether self-centered or immature, have a built-in corrective. 

 

As a congregation, let us rely upon the Holy Spirit to guide our steps as we follow Christ.  He knows the way.

 

                                           Better Disciples, More Disciples,

 

                                            Yours in Christ’s love,