"Its Friday But Sunday's comin'"

It is said that some southern preacher somewhere once had a sermon by the title "Its Friday But Sunday's Comin'." This phrase was repeated over and over as he made his points. In my recollection of hearing that story the concept was that we may be experiencing troubled times but just endure for we'll soon find rest. I think the concept also was that Sunday is a day to be looked forward to and anticipated with hope and assurance of good times to come.

Sunday for me has always been a day to look forward to. Beginning with my childhood and continuing on to the present day I have always gone to church on Sunday. Of course I would suppose that there were times, particularly in my youth, that I didn't care to go to church too much, but did just because that's what we did. And of course during my ministry years that's when I had a major responsibility to fulfill. As I recall I only missed a couple of Sundays for illness in about 40 years of ministry.

Our church experience here in Hesston has been different from anywhere else we have gone. We knew only a few people out of the 400+ who attend. And I was just another retired minister among many others who sat in the pews every Sunday. Nothing was expected of me, and probably only a couple of people would know if we were there or not.

Church for me may not be like it used to be, but I still like to go to church on Sunday. I have missed services more in the last couple of years than I think I did in the first 75 years of my life. There's not much to be seen on TV when one is at home on Sunday morning. I watch one church service while they do music, etc., but do not enjoy the messages most of the time. I watch another church service that is quite good most of the time, and the messages are usually uplifting and helpful. But none of that is like going to church and being with the church family. I know a lot of the people now and am able to converse with many more than earlier. I enjoy the sermons and have long since learned to listen for God's message to me rather than criticing them. And we have good music and worship times.

I'm anticipating our services at church tomorrow. I know that we will be worshipping around the theme of Ascension Day. I have looked at a bulletin and see songs and a sermon title around that theme. I'm anticipating that. I think we do ourselves a great injustice in not making more of Ascension Day. For me that was the great coronation day for Jesus when He ascended to the right hand of the Father and began the process of putting all His enemies under His feet, as it says in Ephesians.

So today its Saturday, but Sundays comin'. Until then I remain

Pilgrim on the way