July Message From Pastor

 “JESUS SAYS TO HIM, "ARISE, TAKE UP YOUR MAT, AND WALK." JOHN 5:8 

My sermons on the last Sundays in June focus on faith, belief, determination, and liberation from the mindset of impossibility. A spiritually paralyzed mindset and voices that strive to wither our hopes make us weak in the face of our situations and limit God's ability. Faith requires attempting the impossible. 

It is July! And in the story of America's freedom, the revolutionaries dared to do the impossible. It may have seemed insane for them to take on England and the Queen for their independence and freedom. Despite being outnumbered, lacking training and resources, and having an unorganized chain of governance, they prevailed. Their mystery lay in their commitment, trust, and strength in their faith, as they believed they were fighting for their rights and the cause of justice.

Considering this history, I want to share with you a story. It was May 1992, in Gambella, Ethiopia. May and June are the months when food becomes scarce in our villages. This is because the harvest in February does not last and provides enough supplies for the community for five months. During this time, the villagers survive on hunting, fishing, and collecting edible fruits and roots from the wild. This specific season was worse than previous years due to the war and regime change in Ethiopia in May 1991, which brought devastating effects and displacements. Our villages in the southwestern part of the region were destroyed, and we were all displaced by the Nuers from the border and those who were previously part of the SPLA/M (Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement). Concerned for our safety, my mother encouraged me to leave the area and go live with her sister in the northern part of the region, where she originally came from.

On one occasion, two men decided to go hunt for wild honey. This part of the region is known for honey hunting, and their method of hunting was different from what our area is used to. These two gentlemen invited me to go hunt with them. After a few hours in the bush, the men spotted elephant trails. They instructed me to wait while they pursued the herds. As I waited, thoughts started racing in my head: If I hide in a hole, could the elephants trample me if they run in my direction? If they knock me down, should I climb a tree? If I run away, will I get lost? Could these elders fail to locate me? I was nervous, anxious, helpless, distressed, and trapped.

Then I heard a gunshot, and the elephants wailed as they fled. After a dreadful silence, I heard shouting, the sound the natives usually make when looking for someone lost in the forest. I knew I was lost, but I had climbed and hid in a big bushy tree. That was my safe place. I was convinced that I wouldn't fall to my death, and at least the leaves and branches would guard me if the elephants knocked me out of the tree.

Soon after we left the area, we found some wild honey in a hole in a big tree. But we failed to harvest it because bees kept chasing us away from the hive. We had to wait for the cover of darkness to harvest the honey. It was too late in the evening when we finished collecting the honey, so we decided to spend the night in the bush. We were thirsty, hungry, and exhausted. We were lost! 

At daybreak, we attempted to leave, but we did not know the direction to the village. And we were afraid we would encounter a lion, having heard one roaring nearby before daybreak and came across the carcass of its prey. Then, we boldly decided to get up and start moving in any direction, hoping to find a path that might lead us to a village, even if it was not our own. By taking the leap, we fortunately found the path leading to our village.

In the story in the Book of John, Jesus met different people at the pool, people with different chronic conditions. They were all waiting for a cure and restoration. One of the men had been paralyzed for 38 years, and his hope for gaining strength had vanished. He said, "I don't have anybody to put me in the pool. By the time I get there, somebody else is already in." Even when Jesus presented him with an opportunity, the man shifted the blame onto others. He needed someone to struggle and race for first place for him. Knowing that the man failed to acknowledge his moment, Jesus told him to get up, take his bedroll with him, and start walking. Thus began his healing process.

When was a time you felt nervous, anxious, helpless, confused, or trapped in a situation like mine in the savanna? You are not alone. Everyone has their trials and moments of hopelessness. But it takes a leap of faith to step forward. The Lord presents us with opportunities and encourages us to seize the moment. Like the paralyzed man, we sometimes think that others are better than we are or that a neighboring church is more successful. Even if this may be true, remember that each challenge comes with an opportunity.

May we remember the words of Jesus and just "Get up, pick up your mat, and keep moving." As a faith community, we are encouraged not to be chained by our circumstances or financial problems, but rather to use the opportunities presented to us. We are encouraged to recognize and utilize what we already have in our hands as we continue in ministry. What is your "bedroll"? Could it be your story, faith, love for others, or something else? Pick it up, partner with Jesus who called us to ministry, and continue your faith journey.

In the Christian journey, we are called to trust, obey, and go the distance, even when it seems impossible. Like the American revolutionaries, let us trust in the strength of God, believe in Him in all our decisions, and take a leap to go the distance for our faith. The Lord needs us to heed the call to follow, serve, and abide in Him. Happy Fourth!

Rev. Dr. Owar Ojulu