|
wings
Don't stop at the Half Way House
The keeper of a Half Way House near Oberammergau in the Bavarian Alps told this story:
"My Half Way House is not a happy place, and my job is not a happy job. A great crowd of people will enthusiastically start to climb the mountain. It is a mountain which is made to order for amateurs and tenderfeet. Most of their enthusiasm has vanished by the time they reach my Half Way House. There is a broad expanse of windows on one side that looks out across the world below, and the climbers all rush to it with expressions of delight and rave about the beauty of the view. But when they look the other way, up toward the top of the mountain, all of their zeal and zest vanish. They look at the big fireplace with its roaring fire and comfortable chairs and at the refreshment counter with hot coffee and sandwiches and decide they have climbed far enough. About half of them never go any farther. They tell the guide that they are tired, that their feet are wet, and that the snow is too deep. So the guide goes on with a part of his crowd, and the others stay at the Half Way House. They are a restless group, but they try to be [happy]. They are half repentant; they are half remorseful. Every once in a while, as if drawn by a magnet, they will go to the big window and watch the crowd climbing to the top. By and by everything will grow very quiet, and then one of them will exclaim, 'They are at the top.' Then gloom settles over the whole group. When the climbers return, radiant, laughing, and rosycheeked, those who stayed at the Half Way House are miserable." There are many people who live at the Half Way House. They made plans and started out well but never finished carrying out their plans. They set goals but didn't reach their goals. They made great promises but never fulfilled them. They are not bad people; they are just people who discovered a way to be content with a half-completed job. These people begin with much promise but along the way become discouraged. Some find that the destination is inspiring but the journey is too long or calls for a greater commitment than they are willing to make.
Many people love the Gospel message and its wonderful promises but soon forget that we are called to maturity and not simply to a new birth. If we are to go on to maturity, we must commit ourselves to not stopping at the Half Way House but going on to the top. It is a gut-wrenching experience to go the top. Along the way we must deny ourselves a convenience or more if we are to go to the top. We will discover that new learning must take place if we are to make it to the top. It may mean that we'll have to leave some very dear friends along the trail if we are to journey to the top.
I am reminded of Jesus' last intimate conversation with his disciples as recorded by John in chapters 14- 17. In John 15:1-2, Jesus says to the disciples, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit."
In other words, Jesus is telling us that God is not satisfied with receiving the fruit we yielded last season, but he wants more from us. God would not prune us for more if we couldn't bear more fruit. Yet, if we stop at the Half Way House, the Bavarian keeper says we will be miserable. Even the place designed for rest will become a place of unrest.
May your climb be one that takes you to the top.
From "Baskets of Silver," by C. Roy Angell
top
|
|
Bishop James Swanson
Resident Bishop
Cover Stories:
The relief rush is on
INSIDE
Secret visitor
Lost boys
Fan ministry
National & World News
Back to The Call Home Page
|
