From the Pastor’s Heart

The Rev. Michael D. Powell, a United Methodist pastor tells of an experience he had while serving his first church, which was located in the tiny logging town of New Meadows, in the mountains of Idaho.

The local airport was a dirt landing strip at one end of town where for years his church held their annual Easter Sunrise Service. It was also one of Powell’s favorite places to walk their dog, Jesse.

A little girl, who was mentally challenged lived in a house below the airport, and she used to see Powell walking the dog and run out to join him. She would walk all the way to the end and back with him, but she never said a word.

After preaching at the United Methodist Church in the mornings, Powell would go over to the Assembly of God church for the more informal services in the evening. One of the songs he learned there was the old gospel tune, ‘He’s the Lily of the Valley.’

So for a while, the song became a kind of mantra for him, and he would sing it on his dog walks:

‘I have found a friend in Jesus. He’s everything to me.
He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;
The Lily of the Valley, in Him alone I see
All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.
In sorrow He’s my comfort, in trouble He’s my stay;
He tells Every care on Him to roll.
He’s the Lily of the valley, the Bright and morning star.
He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.’

He used to belt that out when he was really happy. But one day he wasn’t all that happy. When the little girl came running up the hill to walk on the dirt runway with Powell and his dog, Powell said, “Hi.” The little girl never talked anyway, so he just kept walking along in his moody, self-absorbed way.

And then it happened. After walking along in silence for 20 minutes or so; suddenly he heard the little voice say: “Bright and Morning Star.” She wanted him to sing!

It was the only time in all the time he knew her he ever heard her speak, and he said it was like the voice of God piercing the cloud; offering him just a glimpse of glory.

Just when he needed it most, the Rev. Michael Powell received a word from God through a small mentally challenged child.

Have you ever received a word from God just when you needed it? As we enter the season of Lent and begin this forty day journey, I invite you to listen for the voice of God and hear just how much we each are loved as we once again experience the walk to the cross. The suffering Christ speaks volumes of God’s love for us.

I pray you will journey with me to Golgotha, the Place of the Skull, and hear loud and clear of God’s loving and saving act.

Blessings,

Pastor Russel