Rye Congregational Church
Promoting Christian growth and fellowship in a politics-free zone.
Biblical • Traditional • Independent
Sunday Services at 10 a.m.
Conservative Non-political
Click here for a copy of the Sunday service bulletins.
“Celebrating God’s Love ~ In the Heart of Rye Since 1726”
Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rains came, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the Rock. ~ Matthew 7:24-5
Have you ever watched a house being built from the very start? They dig down deep and measure carefully and set sturdy footings. Everything is designed to carry the load. Inspectors are on site at various intervals to make sure that nothing is left out or shortchanged. The winds and the rain will come, as will snow loads on the roof.
Wind is surprising in its power and persistence. I’ve heard of the winds of Oklahoma and Kansas in story and song. I’ve been to those places and they are windy. People lose lawn furniture in Kansas. But we have wind in New Hampshire also – lots of wind. Mount Washington is the windiest place in the United States, and we get our share of wind here on the seacoast as well. It comes from all directions. One day the windows are rattling on one side of the house, and the next day it seems like the garage doors are going to come crashing in. The chairs on the porch tumble over violently and get blown against the rail on the other end. A roadside tree goes down somewhere nearby, and the lights go out and the generator kicks in.
This being blown about from one direction and then the other reminds me of the changing times which seem to pressure us in one direction and then the other from decade to decade and certainly from one generation to another. Yet Christ calls us to walk the straight and narrow, which means that we are going to find ourselves resisting winds of one sort or another most of the time. Resisting requires effort and stamina and usually a good dose of courage as well. And, depending on how you conduct yourself, you can get a reputation as a naysayer or a malcontent. Bucking popular trends is not the easiest course to popularity, but it’s often the best way to lead in challenging times. Then comes the tendency to “knee-jerk resist” everything. That can also be a big mistake as well because there is such a thing as having the wind at your back, and it’s a wonderful thing (especially on a bicycle).
Knowing what to do and when to do it requires wisdom – a precious commodity usually learned through experience, some of it painful. A friend of mine has a great attitude upon making mistakes: “Well, I never learned anything by doing it right the first time anyway.” Being willing to learn and to listen to those with more experience is a rare gift – and equally precious. Being open to the voice of God who speaks to us in various ways is the most precious of all. May we listen to one another as we speak words of love from the heart. May we take heed to God’s word and seek His will in all things – and may God give us the strength to resist wayward winds and the wisdom to sail and soar with joy when that time comes as well.
In God’s Love,
Ron Lavoie
(PreacherInTheRye@ryecc.com)