PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

January 15, 2023

RESET

Last year Life Plex got a new generation of Techno Gym equipment.  Sometimes when I am trying to use my key in one of the new bike machines, it will not work.  From experience I have learned that the only way to correct the problem is to turn the machine off and then turn it back on so it can reset.   Another option is go to another bike. When I was telling one of my therapists about the problem, she noted that very often the first thing a tech person does when they are working on a device is to turn it off.

When LifePlex first got the new machines, often I would spend several minutes trying to tweak a bike’s control panel to get it to take my key.  When all else failed, I would try to program the machine manually.  Sometimes this even did not work.  Finally, there was nothing else that could be done than to unplug the machine and plug it back in.  Fortunately, I did discover an “on/off” switch which made the resetting of the machine easier.

At the heart of Jesus’ earthly ministry was a call to repentance.  “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news. (Mark 1:14-15).’”  The Greek word which is translated “repent,” means to change direction.  Jesus is calling people not to tweak their lives but to reset them completely.

In the 1970’s I was a dean for senior high institute for the Calumet District of the North Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church.  Every year our district shared a week with two other districts.  The leadership team was the deans and assistant deans for each district.  Each year there was a large group of youth who attended from a black United Methodist Church in Gary.

One of the ongoing concerns of the leadership team was a chasm that existed between the black youth and other campers.  To help bridge the chasm a black pastor was chosen to be the assistant dean from the Calumet District.  One Sunday I worshiped with the black congregation.  I found it be an uplifting and joyous experience.  Finally, a young, dynamic, black pastor was chosen to be the keynote speaker for the week.

Rather than things getting better with having a black keynoter, they seemed to be worse.  A meeting was called of the leadership team and the keynoter Tuesday evening to address the situation.  The decision was made to scrap the program for Wednesday and have an assembly.  As the keynoter called the group to order one could sense the movement of the Holy Spirit.  People came forward to share personal testimonies.  An especially moving sharing was done by the wife of the pastor of the black United Methodist Church.  As the gathering came to a close there was a sense of repentance, reconciliation, and joy that extended far beyond the chasm between the black youth and the other campers.  Tweaking the well-established program had not worked.  Only a major reset did.

As all of us make our journey through life during our days under the sun we make adjustments to address issues as they come along.  For the most part these tweaks serve us well.  However, there are times when only a major reset will do.