by Bishop Bill Gohl
The idea behind getting up early was to make sure that there was time to do all of these things and to still have time to pray and dwell in the Word before I was to meet John Auger, our synod’s Vice President, just after 6 a.m. at the Security Boulevard/Route 70 Park and Ride to begin our “Excellent Synodical Adventure,” visiting with the rostered leaders across this synod and church. First stop, Cumberland and our sisters and brothers in the Allegany Conference at 9 a.m.
I quickly showered and dressed (for which the rostered leaders John and I were meeting with were tremendously grateful), I packed a lunch, and I was out the door. Not only didn’t I pack my briefcase, I forgot it entirely (thank you, John, for being our worthy scribe and note-taker). And I was out the door.
Prayer and dwelling in the Word were rushed, if not left behind. And I felt tremendously guilty that on this day of meeting with, listening to, and encouraging our rostered leaders in the westernmost conferences of our synod, I left the house to begin our “Excellent Synodical Adventure” with a “half-tank.”
Surprising to me, there was a considerable amount of traffic on the Baltimore Beltway at 5:30 a.m.! And so I turned on the radio for company. As I did, one of our large local powerhouse congregations in the Baltimore/Washington metroplex was beginning its daily broadcast on the local radio station. A powerful voice boomed these words from Lamentations: "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never fail; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!"
Over the next 15 minutes, a pastor (whose name I never did catch) expounded on the journey through guilt to forgiveness, from the struggles of yesterday into the new hope of today. “Yesterday, were you not a particularly good spouse, parent, co-worker or friend?” the preacher bellowed. “Repent, turn back to one another, turn to God, and find a new life today.” There was Law, there was Gospel, and I found myself so grateful to dwell in the Word in an unexpected way.
And so, after the preacher’s proverbial 15 minutes were up, I turned off the radio and I spoke my prayers, beginning with a generous portion of praise, aloud, loudly in the car. I’m sure my fellow commuters thought I was probably dressing someone down on my cell phone, but God was “dressing me up” with a new heart and a new spirit, preparing me to listen carefully, think intentionally, and respond thoughtfully to our fine leaders in the Allegany and, later in the day, the Washington County conferences.
John and I saw the sun rise behind us as we journeyed out I-70 toward warm fellowship and rich conversation at our gatherings at both St. Paul’s, Cumberland and St. John’s, Hagerstown (where, by the way, I was a field education student more than 20 years ago!). He and I plotted, planned, and prayed for the work that is before us and the partnership we share as leaders among leaders. From those gatherings emerged some tough questions and real concerns for us to discern and address together as a synodical community in the days and years to come. Truth be told, my heart was both lightened and a bit burdened as the day came to a close.
Nevertheless, God is faithful and we are called to be faithful, too. Indeed our own lamentations will give way to new hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never fail; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!
We’re on the way together,