Are you mending broken nets?

Frances and I were retired from AG World Missions when she finally succumbed to the cancer that had attacked her 13 years before.  One week after her body was laid to rest, I was at the point where I could easily have fallen into depression.  The love of my life was gone.  Then God unexpectedly spoke powerfully into my soul.  “I am giving you a brand new chapter in your life!”  I actually argued with the Lord.  I said, “Lord it’s all over.  I am 78 years old and retired from missions.”  I’ll never forget His direct reply, “You have the energy of a 40 year old.  Go back to Argentina!’ 

I contacted the AGWM.  I did not request to go back as an official missionary with a salary or my expenses covered.  I just asked to return and become a part of the team again living on retirement funds.  They and all the missionaries on the field welcomed me.  In fact, all our missionary staff will be gathering for an annual meeting this week and they have asked me to minister to them and their families this Thursday.  


These past four years have been awesome.  I sold my wife’s car and purchased a car in Argentina.  I have no apartment or address in Argentina.  Whatever city or little town where you see my car parked, that is where I am living… in some little rinky-dink motel or sometimes a classy hotel or a church apartment… or a spare bedroom… and I often change location three times a week.  I have never preached this much in my life… averaging, when in Argentina, 6 times per week… meaning sometimes 5 times on a weekend. 

However, I have damaged my vocal chords.  Last week a specialist scoped my vocal chords and claims the damage is irreversible.  I will have to try to let up, but it so hard since I have more invitations than I could ever fill.  So I am writing a book with the help of a brother who is an author.  Maybe… just maybe… the Lord is giving me another “new chapter”.

Now here is a special word for you today.  I was sitting stooped over in my little boat with tears flowing, trying to mend my torn nets, just so I could survive a few more years.  God looked down from heaven and offered me a “new chapter.”  The Gospel of Jesus is a Gospel of New Beginnings.  The very first time we responded to His call, His Holy Spirit had to do a major clean-up of our lives. He moved in and other things moved out.  He says, “Old things have passed away!  Behold, I make all things new!  You can bury your past.  I will give you a new start.”  Now here is the deal.  We all know that those words were only for the first time we came to Jesus… or were they?  1 John 1:8 through 2:2* sounds to me like it is designed for ragged, frail Christians like me. 

I am of the opinion that every now and then Jesus walks down the beach and sees us bending over our broken nets, trying to mend them with tears flowing… and He calls us again, “Hey, fisherman!  Yeah you!  Come and follow me!  I’ve got a new chapter for you… a fresh start… a new ministry… a new hope!”  The Resurrected Life-Giver is back! 

  

Ralph

* 1 John 1:8-2:2  If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.  My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if you do sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely.   He is the sacrifice for our sins. He takes away not only our sins but the sins of all the world.  NLT