Running to God . . .

Teaticket, Massachusetts
THE PRESENCE
Hebrews 11:6

I have not always been a good Christian. I have been an utterly sincereChristian. One thing that I did, shortly after I made a 're-commitment' at ageseventeen, has become a symbol in my own mind of my entire relationship withGod across the years.I ran, physically, after God, trying to reach Him, to find Him, to comenear to Him.
Maybe I had an over-simplified, even arrogant idea about being aChristian. I had the idea that now that I am a Christian, I will give iteverything I have, and I'll be a pretty good one! I'll be spiritual! I'llget my prayers through, and I'll do everything I know and be a credit to Godand the church.What's wrong with that? There are a lot of "I's"in that thought, aren't there?Anyway, I ran after God, literally. Maybe more than once-- but Iremember one time vividly-- it was in a bit of woods, no one else around tosee or hear.
I prayed, I called, finally I got up and simply ran, hoping thatthe energy would bring me closer to God.Maybe I am still running after God! Maybe sometimes I need to run. ButI have been discovering these past 60+ years that God is near when I realizethat He is near-- and that God is near even when I do NOT realize that He isnear.It isn't bad to run to God. James tells us, "Draw near to God, and Hewill draw near to you!" Perhaps it is even all right to go running after Him.But I'm not sure that it is necessary, or that a physical nearness is whatJames means at all.

I. DISCOVERING ISAIAH 41:10I discovered Isaiah 41:10 on the way to Eastern Nazarene Collegein early September, 1949, in the Durkee's new Plymouth. The occasionwas evening bible reading. I didn't know where I was, but God notonly knew, He let me know that He knew.A few weeks later in the jail in Wareham (my two room mates and I hadbeen dropped off in the middle of the night, a college prank on freshman, andactually a kindly police sergeant offered us the use of his brand-new jailcells- 1949) it stood me in good stead.

II. THE WALK TO THE HAMBURGER STANDDid you ever have God slip up beside you, like the Emmausstory tells? One night three college boys decided about 10 p.m. to gofor a hamburger in the only place (then) in North Quincy that wasopen-- a diner across from Sacred Heart Church. We talked of anythingand everything, but somehow on the walk home the conversation turnedto God, and to the desire we had to know Him.When we turned off Hancock Street onto Elm Avenue we fellsilent. We walked maybe a block, and then we said to one another,"Did you feel that, too?" Each of us in the deepest parts of ourhearts had sensed that God Himself had walked along with us. I cannottell you any significance for you. But I have never gotten over thethrill of knowing that one time as we talked about God He joined inthe conversation with indescribable love.

III. I KNOW I AM SAVED! EDISON STUDY, 1970 OR SOThe occasion was a seemingly totally unprovoked, simply goingabout my God-called task. There have been many times when I have"felt" close to God, or have been moved to a deep sense of gratitudefor His blessings. But this day as I sat at my desk it "dawned on me"with sheer and deep persuasion of joy that I knew I was accepted, thatI was saved. That is the only way I can describe the assurance. I donot try to catalogue the experience as being "saved" or "sanctified,"for I am sure I had been saved a long time before.I would give a lot to have that experience repeated over and over--and there certainly are times when I "feel" anything but right withGod. But that afternoon I *knew* and the memory of that certitude isprecious indeed.Experience is not the be-all and end-all of faith. Experience isnot to be trusted apart from scripture and from covenant-making faith.But experience is a powerful witness in the journey with God.

IV. THE ROAD TO EMMAUS, THEN AND NOWTHE OCCASION: SEE LUKE 24They were sadThey were discouragedThey were sinfully behind in their faith . . . butunderstandably so--no different from what I would have been, I'm sureJesus was:A companion in their walkHe was an explainer of Himself in the scripturesHe revealed Himself in the breaking of breadThis experience brought:New joy, great assuranceA desire to share the seeds of the church that continue to this day


Many times I think that I am that new Christian, that teenager,running to Jesus-- seeing if I can find Him and use Him to make me asuper Christian.And other times I think-- yes, I am still running! I stilldon't know a great deal about being near. But then I quiet my mindand think:Where, do you suppose, is Jesus right this very minute?

There is a beautiful church in a central city square, CopleySquare, in Boston-- Trinity Church, Episcopal. On one side of thechurch, facing a little park, is a statue of Trinity Church's mostfamous pastor, Phillips Brooks. Phillips Brooks was a noted preacher,a silver-tongued orator that held hundreds spellbound each Sunday.But he is best known for a Christmas carol that you have probably sungmany times, "O Little Town of Bethlehem."The statue of the pastor is notable because there are actuallytwo figures in the statuary, and the pastor is the smaller of the two.He is standing in his pulpit, this figure of Phillips Brooks, with hishand on the Bible, but the larger figure, a hooded figure of theChrist, is standing just behind Phillips Brooks, and Christ has hishand on the shoulder of the man in the pulpit. There is a message Iget every time I see this statue, and even every time I think aboutit. For I know that whenever I think about it, the Presence is there!In the dark, in the sunshine, in the cold of winter, in the heat, thePresence is there backing up that pastor!I suppose I'm still running to Jesus! Not, now, to see if Hewill make me super-Christian, so that I can do great things. Butbecause I need Him! And He has promised never to leave me, and thatif I need Him, He'll come where I am.

Lord Jesus, thank you you are here!