God's Love Gifts of Grace to All

On the first Easter Sunday, as the sun was setting, two men were journeying back home - - wondering - - watching. Could it be? How could all of what we have heard be true? Could it really be? The road to Emmaus that night was trudging and wearisome. They wanted to hope and believe what they had heard .... but!

My friend and colleague, Martha Etter, who lives in San Antonio, Texas, served as the Southwest Texas Annual Conference Lay Leader at the same time that I served as the North Arkansas Conference Lay Leader. Martha and I were buddies and usually sat close to each other at our twice yearly gatherings. Martha kept telling me about the transformation that had happened in her church in San Antonio. She told me that "Walk to Emmaus" had completely transformed her church - - and that it would never be the same again. She told me recently that 80% of the active membership of University Park UMC had been involved in "Emmaus."

About six years have passed since that conversation but a seed was planted in my heart. Well, maybe ---- someday.

The next "God-incidence" in my winding journey was when I was selected, in 1996, by the South Central Jurisdictional Conference to become a member of the governance board of the General Board of Discipleship. It was there that I was immersed in knowledge about the "Emmaus" program - - since it is a program of Upper Room Ministries of the General Board of Discipleship.

And then in June of 2000 David Bush comes into my life. This magnificent magnifier of God's grace and love said, "Jim, you really need to consider Emmaus as a part of your spiritual journey." I was at first flattered - - and then I said, "Nah, too much togetherness with a bunch of old guys." I am not into "touchy/feely" stuff - - I tell myself.

About three months ago - - all of these incidents that God had sent into my life must have found each other. The proverbial 2x4 on the back on the head! I reluctantly acknowledged a tugging at my spiritual self. I told David that I had decided to jump in. I was at first planning a September 2001 walk with a good friend. However, he just did not feel called to attend - - so I checked the schedule and found openings in the March/April 2001 Men's Walk #84.

If you know me at all - - you will know that I am an "in control" person. I do not want anything happening around or to me that I am not in full control of at all times. My "security blankets" are automobile, telephone, pager, watch, cell phone, computer and calendar. I feel unclothed and vulnerable without my "security blankets."

And then the good natured teasing began from my "friends." I heard things like "sleeping in tents," "Pit bulls patrolling the parameter," "terrible food," "initiation rites," "your sponsor not coming to bring you home," etc. Well that was all bad enough but then they said - - "no telephone, no automobile, no watch, no cell phone, no computer and no calendar" - - and they were not kidding about that! Whoa, I said! Man, that is all of my "security."

David Bush, my sponsor, was not a whole lot of help. I kept asking him questions about what to expect, what would happen and when. He would only smile that "preacher" smile and say "Trust me, you will like it!" Yeah, right!

I must admit that it was with a lot of uncertainty and anxiety that I packed my bag on Thursday and prepared for David, to pick me up and take me to the 4H Center at Ferncliff. I kept saying to myself, "Hey it is only three days - - you can do this."

I have been to the 4H center many times before - - but this time was different. All the way out there I kept getting more and more anxious - - not knowing.

We drove up to the entrance and there were folks waiting there to meet us and help us get checked in.

David took me over to the registration table and they gave me a name badge and checked my name off a list. What they did not give me was a program brochure and outline for the weekend. Man, I did not have any of my security baggage to hold onto and now no program agenda. My anxiety level skyrocketed. You ever try to stand around with a bunch of guys you do not know - - not knowing what time it was and what was to happen next?

Friends, I am telling you all of this so that you will know that I was exactly at the same point in my spiritual journey as the two who walked that first walk to Emmaus almost 2000 years ago.

As the weekend journey begins you will have many emotions about what is happening around you and to you. What you will soon realize is that you are surrounded by a whole bunch of people who love you and are praying for you. You see you are enveloped in loving wings of prayer by people that you do not know and will not ever meet or know who they are, before you even arrive and all the time you are there.

To experience the grace of Emmaus the operative words are - - "Do not anticipate!"

There I was thrown in with about 60 guys all the way from 19 to 80! I only knew three and they were all preachers. About half were young men from 20's thru 30's. Many had left a wife and small children at home. Three wives were expecting - - one very close. One was a single father who had left his children with his pastor. One of my two roommates was the 19-year old. There other was a young man named Steve who had this weird haircut and was a member of a Nazarene Church in Jacksonville.

While there are no secret passwords or secret handshakes - - you need to experience, for yourself, the grace gifts of the weekend - - without me telling you about them. It would be like me telling you the ending of a very good movie or a good mystery novel. It would completely ruin the experience for you.

Let me share with you some of the grace that I will carry with me always!

Never have I experienced such agape love.

I have not had that much fun since I was a teenager.

There we were without any women to either impress or tell us not to do something, or how to dress (you know matching clothes, socks, clean underwear, etc.). It was not a pretty sight! I have not been that uninhibited in a long time. It was a rowdy, fun bunch of guys having a great time. Heard lots of good clean jokes. We have a guy pact to not tell some of the things we did!

Bonding with men from almost every discipline of life. Doctors, dentists, eye doctors, lawyers, truck drivers, engineers, coaches, farmers, school teachers, full time church workers, pastors, company executives, consultants, pilots, construction workers, retired, semi-retired and gainfully employed. There were no titles or acknowledgment of class or status. No denominations. There was "Cooter" (Mr. Cooter, thank you!) and "Bubba". One thing we did have in common was that we were all very active in our local churches.

We had to learn how to sing because we had to sing for our meals! At the end we sounded pretty good.

This ole boy had his life jarred and my spiritual life and walk will never be the same again. Oh you will probably not be able to tell any difference in looking at me. It is in my daily walk that, with Godâs grace, you will see the difference. I will never see you the same again!

Someone asked me, "Jim, what are you going to do now?"

I have thought about that some and here is my response.

I, Jim Lane, am going to do nothing!

What I pray for is to just make myself open to God's will in my life and listen and then to respond with all of my strength. You see it is only with God working in my life that I can do anything.

You have seen the bumper stickers - - they say "De Colores!"

God's magnificent rainbow, with its many colors, was the sign of God's first covenant with us. A promise of amazing beauty and bountiful life. A life full of indescribable, unending color!

For yourself and those you love dearly - - "Walk to Emmaus" and experience the risen Christ who will join with you, walk with you, break bread with you and spend eternity with you.

Oh, and about my roommate Steve, the one with the weird haircut. The last one I would have picked for a roommate. Turned out to be a great guy and deeply committed Christian. Raised by abusive, alcoholic parents. Got into the drug culture at an early age. Had a Damascus Road experience with Jesus about 10 years ago. Steve is on his way to a Bible College in Colorado and feels God calling him to go to Russia to make disciples of Jesus Christ. He wants to keep other kids off drugs with the power of the Holy Spirit! Join with me in praying for Steve!

For information on the programs of Emmaus, visit www.upperroom.com.

There are two Emmaus communities in Arkansas:
Heart of the Ozarks Emmaus/Chrysalis Community
PO Box 8533
Fayetteville, AR 72703-0010
E-mailjohncyd@cswnet.com

Noahs of Ark Emmaus Community
P.O. Box 7559
Little Rock, AR 72217-7559
501-455-8855
www.noahsofark.org
E-Mail noahsofark@bigfoot.com

Jim Lane
April 3, 2001