This week I have been busy preparing for a mission trip to Brazil. Over the past 10 summers I and other ParkwayHills members have traveled there with P70, a church planting and strengthening initiative founded by Jairo Campos. Long story short - during this time we have seen many new churches begun, thousands come to Christ, and a host of young pastors called and trained into ministry in the north part of the Brazilian State of Minas Gerais, and -... it has been amazing.
Of course, before leaving I also wanted to see my grandchildren, so, I did a quick 48 hour road-trip to Oklahoma City and back. It was good - but, I do confess to feeling a bit pained when my daughter said, "looking forward to when you can stay more than a day, Dad." She didn't mean to pick, but, it did hit home nonetheless.
As I was preparing to leave, I went in to say goodbye to Cannon, the oldest, just turning 29 mos. (2 yrs. 5 mos.) He was on the floor of his brother's room, Colt, and playing, so I bent down to kiss him goodbye. As I did he shook his head, NO. Then, as if rehearsed, he patted hard on the floor indicating he wanted me to lay down beside him, and said, "NO! Play me! 2 more minutes, Papa!" His intention was clear. He didn't want me to leave, He wanted me to stay and play. To get on the floor right then, and, all this with the negotiation for just... '2 minutes more."
Now Cannon is young and the chances of him comprehending what 2 minutes really means are slim. Still, it was a phrase he'd heard - and one he'd learned to use in appeasing his desire for continuance. A desire God has given us all. With the capacity to feel and love comes a desire for more. And, Cannon, well, he'd been bit with the bug, too, so... '2 minutes more, Papa', became his sturdy appeal.
Well, I gave Cannon his 2 minutes. In fact, I gave him another 10. And, when I did leave it was much harder on me than him. As I drove off I could not help but think of how we all do this very same thing - how we all come into this world (after a a fashion) and go out - often asking for just 2 minutes more.
Back in Texas one of the Godliest women I know is about to see Jesus face to face. She is dying. Or, as I have often said, leaving the land of the dying to move on to the land of the living. Her name is Adele Glensky, and our church, especially her LIFEgroup, has been praying for her for months. First, for her healing, and now, for mercy and peace in her passing.
In each of my many conversations with Adele over the last weeks, I have asked what she might want me to pray for. Early on it was for healing, but, of late, it has been for strength. I have come to realize, though, that Adele was asking me to pray for more than strength to live - she was asking God for strength to carry on, peacefully, even in the midst of this thing we call dying. And though she has never asked me out loud for more time, she has spoken about the joy she feels in seeing her husband, her daughters, her grandchildren and her friends - each and every time, perhaps just one more time - or, in her case, just 2 minutes more.
This afternoon I stopped by Adele's on my way home from Oklahoma, as I realized the likelihood of my seeing her again this side of glory was not high. And, though the visit was not long, it was good. She was comfortable and at peace. As I returned to my car to drive the rest of the way home, I thought about both she and Cannon. Just 2 minutes more, Papa! I thought about all our negotiations with God in this life. How we ask Him, over and again, for more of this and more of that, and then, finally, often, for just some more time. Then I realized. Our desire - the desire for time, itself - is something given us by God (Ecclesiastes 3:11) And this - that what He has given us is realized ultimately only through Him. In the moment we step into His presence we receive that for which we have always pined - we receive from Him, not just 2 minutes more - but all the time of eternity. A perfect and lasting satisfaction in the thing we can never have otherwise outside of receiving it from HIm. More time, all of time, forever, with Him.
2 more minutes, Papa, indeed!
Pastor Sam
