In 1994, I attended Summit, the National Gathering for American Baptist Youth in Estes Park, CO. At that conference, I learned a song that was written by an American Baptist minister from Idaho called "I Will Follow." For 15 years that song has followed me around - coming into the back of my mind when I am going through difficulties or seemed to have lost my way. Here are the lyrics:
Sometimes I don’t know you.
Sometimes I don’t recognize your face.
Sometimes rough clouds appear,
and I cannot walk in faith.
But you are the One that I hear calling in my dreams:
"Come and Follow."
Will you lead me?
I want to believe....
...so take my hand.
Walk here by my side.
Sometimes I’m afraid,
But I will follow where you lead.
Through all my days and nights,
From darkness to the light,
I will follow where you lead.
Life is full of journeys.
Sometimes I feel lost and out of place.
Sometimes no path is clear,
and I have to walk by faith.
But you are the One I hear calling in my heart:
"Come and Follow."
Will you lead me?
I want to believe...
...so take my hand.
Walk here by my side.
Sometimes I’m afraid,
But I will follow where you lead.
Through all my days and nights,
From darkness to the light,
I will follow where you lead.
I have found this song to be an inspiration and an instrument of God to lift my head during the times where my journey is the toughest. In the book of Exodus, we read of the journey of the Hebrew people. At the beginning of the book, we find them under stiff hands of oppression. But then we continue reading as God prepares them for a journey, sets them on their way, invites them to remember his goodness, still is faithful while they wander, commands their trust and then brings them to freedom in the Promised Land. As the Lenten season approaches, I would like to invite you to join me and this congregation on a journey that will parallel the journey of the Hebrew people. Many of us carry burdens around with us on a daily basis - broken relationships, financial struggles, anxiety, depression, frustration, heartache, worry, etc. For many of us, these burdens paralyze our lives in one way or another. They keep us from living in the fullness of life that Jesus intends for us to live. Join us on a Lenten journey to leave these burdens behind. On Sunday, February 3rd, you will receive a Lenten journal entitled "Their Story, His Story, Our Story" during the worship service. Starting on Ash Wednesday, February 6th, there is a devotional every day that will help you to identify the burdens that you carry and then journey towards freedom from them. Every Sunday in the worship service, we will look at the journey to freedom of the Hebrew people connect it to the story of Jesus and our story as well. Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. For I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Join us as we journey together towards freedom in the power and name of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Tim,
Updated February 1, 2008
