God Be With You
Did you know the word, “Goodbye” is simply a shortened form of, “God Be With You”? In this way, goodbye could be said as a blessing. As Lori and I are soon to leave and start a ministry with the people at Grace in Maple Grove, we leave and say goodbye with the belief that God will be with you.
I think of how God had Abraham leave his family and his homeland for an unknown land. In effect God said, “Abraham and Sarah, I want you to say goodbye to everything you know and love for I have something for you to do”.
“The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1)
Abraham and Sarah had absolutely no idea what was in store for them as they packed up and left their home. That’s sort of the thought we have as we leave. Ebenezer is safe, secure, normal, familiar, comfortable. We’re going to this unknown church and it’s unknown needs and unknown ministry. It’s kind of scary to start out again after being at Ebenezer all these years.
But what if Abraham said to God, “You want me to leave all the things I hold dear? You want me to leave a safe and secure and wonderful life? No, I like my house, I have lots of friends here. Things are going well. I’m not moving!” It’s not like the plan of God to save the world hinges on Abraham and Sarah being obedient to the call of God on their life. But if Abraham wasn’t willing, He would have picked another to do His work. God gave Abraham the charge. Would he obey?
For me, there is a real sense of obedience in accepting the call to Maple Grove. The call to serve this church has been a strong and confirmed call. It’s not about figuring out what is best for me and my family. It’s very much accepting and obeying the call of God. In this way saying “Goodbye” is a good thing and a God thing.
I think of Paul who had to say ‘goodbye’ to his church and friends.
“They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.” (Acts 20:37–38)
God had given Paul the mission of going to various cities to share the good news about what Jesus has done and many would come to believe Jesus as Savior. A church was started and Paul would make these good friends. Then as things were just beginning to hum along, God would put in the heart of Paul the move to a new location and preach the Good News to them. So Paul had to say goodbye to these wonderful friends he made.
I know many of you can say with me that the best friendships are made among people who share a Christian faith. Here at Ebenezer, we’ve made the best friendships with you. Our friendships are grounded on our common belief that Jesus is who He said He is and did what He said He would do. We’ve joined as friends not because we’re the same age, or have the same interests but because of Jesus. He has made us friends.
Being with you these years: Yearly celebrating our Saviors birthday; focusing on his death that paid for our sin; celebrating His triumph on Easter has unified us and helped us understand we’re in many ways in this together and we’re not much different from each other and really (through Jesus) belong to each other. It has truly been my joy to serve as pastor. But as I have been called to serve as pastor in Maple Grove, God has another man in mind to be your next pastor. That’s the beauty of saying goodbye to our family of Ebenezer, God has someone lined up ready to introduce himself saying: “Hello Ebenezer, I’d like to join the family.” Remember Ebenezer, you are God’s chosen people. God has given Ebenezer a mission. What is happening here is Kingdom of God work. Through Ebenezer, God has His Gospel presence in Northwood. Jesus died to make our church happen and He’s not about to leave the work high and dry.
Being your pastor for all these years, you know I have a particular style with maybe a few strengths and a bunch of weaknesses. Every pastor and leader is this way. Study the different leaders in the Scriptures, they were all different. Some were intellectual types – like Paul, Solomon. Others were charismatic and dynamic – like King David and Peter. Others had administrative and organizational gifts – Nehemiah and Daniel are good examples. Some were more pastoral and encouraging as Timothy and Barnabas seemed to be. Every pastor has their own gifts of ministry and personalities and style. No one way is necessarily better. God said,
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.” (1 Corinthians 12:4–6)
Another pastor will come and will have different gifts and different talents and different ways. What a blessing it will be! What I pray for is for a pastor to come to Ebenezer with fresh energy and fresh fire from the Holy Spirit and see a new harvest take place. There is a good foundation here. Ebenezer is a Bible based, Christ centered place. You have leaders that are mature and Christ-honoring people. You have a staff that loves Jesus and are very gifted and capable leaders. My leaving and the prayerful working to call a new pastor can be a time of anticipation of a new outpouring of God’s spirit upon Ebenezer and Northwood. Pray for this!
Remember that it is necessary sometimes to say goodbye. For sometimes the goodbye is really saying “yes” to God’s will and now goodbye truly becomes, God be with You.
Goodbye, God be with you our friends.
Pastor Mark and Lori
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