Faith

Dirty Hands

Posted by revarant on February 23, 2017
Posted in: Faith, Faith in Action, relationship, teaching by example. 2 Comments

dirty-gardener-hands-holding-world-15956626In the summer of the year I turned thirteen, we moved to a small tobacco farming community. One of the farmers in church with teenagers near my age, invited me to their farm to learn how tobacco was harvested. The next morning I woke up at what I thought was early…especially for summer vacation. I dressed in my favorite white shorts, white t-shirt, white socks and white shoes, and rode my bicycle down the road several miles thinking I would be early. When I arrived I found them already hard at work – as they had been for the last three hours. They were unloading a trailer full of freshly harvested tobacco into a large curing box. The farmer immediately made room for me as he said… “The best way to learn is to do.” As we worked, I learned how to harvest and cure tobacco.

I will never be able to describe the joy that I felt when we finally emptied that trailer, expecting that we were on the verge of a break. My smile quickly faded as the empty trailer was pulled away so another full one could take its place. And so it went all day. For nine hours we worked (twelve for those who were on time), stopping only for lunch. By the end of the day the farmer had to load me and my bicycle in the back of his truck to haul me home because I was too tired to walk, much less ride. I was so filthy; my mother stopped me at the door and washed me off with a garden hose. The amused farmer jokingly said “I’ll pick you up at 6 am tomorrow so that you won’t be late.” I think to his surprise and mine, I said “Thank You. I’ll be ready.” He picked me up at 6 am every weekday for the next five summers.

We are surrounded by work that needs to be done, differences that need to be made. We are often hesitate to get involved because we may not know what to do, or maybe we don’t think that we have the time. Deep down we may even be reluctant because we are fearful of making our own lives too dirty or complicated. Many times I’ve heard individuals claim to be waiting for someone to teach them before they get involved. One of my favorite Bible verses is James 1:22, “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” It reminds me that we are called to express our faith through action.

It is only when we cast ourselves totally into the journey that we really begin to personally know Christ. Even then our journey should be more than an effort to know Christ. It has to include making Christ known. If we continue to wait until our personal and spiritual lives are perfect and tidy we will forever be on the sidelines. In life and faith, we learn best by doing and ‘getting our hands dirty.’ That first day on the farm taught me a lot about farming and faith, neither of which are spectator sports. I think the most important lesson I learned was that if at the end of the day your hands are clean, you probably did not make a difference. Live life to get dirty and make a difference.

Shifting ground

Posted by revarant on June 13, 2013
Posted in: Faith, Perseverance, relationship. Tagged: . 2 Comments

2013AnnualConferenceLogoAnnual Conference has just ended.  It was a bitter sweet experience this year, involving the most personal and spiritual change since my ordination.

This was my first conference as Conference and Board of Ordained Ministry Registrar. Part of my responsibilities were to deliver the Business Report to the Clergy session of the Conference.  As I waited for the session to begin, I was seated next to Rev. Ted Walter, who had held this position (and may others) when I was a child and early in my ministry.  It was humbling being beside someone who made this job look so easy and effortless, and realize that I was following in his example. I suddenly became aware of the ground shifting beneath me.

Part of my report included the reading of the names of ministers who have died since the last session of Annual Conference.   I was doing well until I read the names of my mentor, the Rev. Jerry James, and the Rev. Ed Mainous who helped me complete my first set of charge conference reports.  Again I felt a shift in the ground beneath me.

My father, Rev. Athon Arant, Sr., also retired from active ministry after 34 years of service at this annual conference.   I had been asked to assist the retirees as they made their way to be recognized by the Bishop.  I still can’t explain my feelings of helping my father and mother to the stage.  Then I was helping another relative, Rev. Forrest Mixon, who entered the ministry with my father and has always been a spiritual teacher.  Before I could stop and reminisce, I was helping one my first superintendents, Rev. Ed McDowell, who taught me what it meant to be part of a connectional ministry. Glancing from him down the line of retiring clergy I saw so many others who helped form me spiritually. Men and women whose ministry are responsible for helping me answer my calling and find my ministry.  Once again I felt the ground shift beneath me.

Screen Shot 2013-06-13 at 1.08.35 AMMonday evening I had the honor of participating in the ordination service. It was my pleasure and responsibility to read the names of minsters being commissioned as provisional elders during the ordination service as they are really just beginning their ministry.  I found my self thinking back to my ordination, with Bishop Spain, Rev. McDowell, my father and Rev. James laying hands on me. The ground beneath almost felt as if it were about to fall away.

I found myself thinking back to Abraham and then Isaac.  Then my mind wandered to Jacob and Joseph…Elijah and Elisha, Daniel, and finally Jesus and the disciples.   God has been at work forever, leading up to this day.  But this day is not the end, it’s only part of the story.  As God has entrusted all these who have gone before to be in ministry, I have also been entrusted and equipped.  As I honor my calling, others are being raised up by God to follow me.  This is not my story, this is God’s.

On Wednesday, another bitter sweet moment took place as I was appointed to a new congregation.  For the last seven years I have worked side by side with some great people to start a new congregation that is focused on bringing people to Christ.  I have been their first and only pastor.  Now I will simply be their first pastor, because God has raised up another great leader and personal friend to carry the torch from here. As I prepare to become the next pastor at Pendleton and Rev. Lane Glaze the next pastor at Waters Edge I am reminded that the moving beneath my feet is not the ground shifting, but God moving.  It’s my job to hold on tight and keep moving with God.

Catch me!

Posted by revarant on April 15, 2013
Posted in: Faith, relationship. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

DSC_0052I have never been much of a traveler. I simply don‘t like being away from my family. A few years ago, I had to spend more than a week on the other side of the Country in school. I returned home and found my youngest son playing on the deck of his tree house. No one seemed to notice my return or even miss me enough to be looking out for my arrival. I quietly approached his tree house and just stood there with arms full of luggage for a few minutes as I watched him play. All of a sudden he saw me and took off running. Without any warning, he jumped from the top of his tree house toward me yelling…”CATCH ME DADDY!” Without any thought, everything in my arms fell as I reached up and plucked him from mid-air. “Son,”I said, “Please don‘t ever jump like that again. I could have dropped you.” Without ending his hug he said, “No Daddy, You never drop me!”

In difficult times, it is easy to worry about failure and falling. It can even be overwhelming when we realize how many people are expecting us to “CATCH” them. If we are not careful, fear of dropping everything, even the ones we love, will render us helpless. In Luke 12:6-7a, Jesus says, “What’s the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one. And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head!” Jesus is trying to reassure those to whom he is speaking that they are not in their struggles alone. God is with them. He goes on to say that we should use our lives to proclaim our faith. He‘s suggesting that we focus on living faithfully in the small ways, trusting that God will provide the guidance and answers for the journey. In other words, tend to what we can in the best and most faithful way we can. If we let worry and fear grip us, everything will fall.

My son was right to expect me to drop everything to catch him. I always do. Jesus even says that we‘re “…worth more than a million canaries. (Luke 12:7a)” If we tend to what we can, as faithfully as we can…God will not drop us.

Like jumping off a bridge

Posted by revarant on November 6, 2012
Posted in: Faith, Faith in Action. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

As a child, swimming in a creek near our home was one of our favorite summer pastimes. All of my friends loved to jump off the bridge into the deep end of the creek. Not being able to swim, my father always had to jump with me causing me much grief from the other kids. Daddy tried everything to teach me, and I continued to swim like a rock. No matter what method or even how often daddy tried, he always wound up fishing me out after my failed attempt. I became so discouraged that I started looking for excuses not to go swimming with all my friends.

One day my father took me to the top of the bridge and said, “Son, you know everything you need to know to swim, you‘re just afraid to let go of me.” After some talking and lots of “fatherly persuasion” he convinced me to jump off the bridge alone, promising to be waiting in the deep end to help me. Just before he jumped into the water he said, “Son, I promise.” I can still feel my heart racing as I closed my eyes and hesitantly took that first step off the bridge‘s guard rail. It turned out to be one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life.

We often let fear and past failures hold us back in life. Many times we know what our hearts are leading us to do, we are just too fearful to let go so the fun can begin. In Matthew 14, the disciples see Jesus walking on the water. Peter feels led to join Jesus on the water, and allows his faith in Jesus to give him the courage to step out of the boat. It doesn‘t go perfectly. Peter winds up sinking into the sea only to be fished out by Jesus. But for a few moments Peter also walked on the water. He made other mistakes, like lopping off the ear of a priest‘s servant when Jesus was arrested (John 18:10) and even denying knowing Jesus while Jesus was on trial (Matthew 26:69-75). Peter could have let fear of failing again hamper his faith and ministry. Instead he kept trying, and became a foundational teacher and example of faith.

There are times when we need to stop dreaming and start walking. There are times when we simply must follow the spiritual pull on our hearts, trusting God‘s promises and put our past behind us. The real joys of faith and life will never be found standing on the shores, but out on the water where Jesus is. Often times it simply takes the first step, almost like jumping off a bridge. Mistakes do slow us down, but they don‘t have to take us out of the game.