This edition of our TLSP e-newsletter is an edited Facebook post from John Weber, SPI principal and TLSP board member. I asked him if I could share this because it describes the influence of parenting, the strength of living out one's vocation, and how Jesus works through His people's witness. Thanks John, for allowing us to share ... and peace to you!
John wrote: "And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the water." (Genesis 1:2) I recently finished teaching a lesson about waves to a science class. I had the kids stand, hold hands, and then move their arms in a wave motion to demonstrate an important, but often misunderstood/overlooked aspect of wave motion. When a typical wave moves across the water (for example), the wave moves, but the actual molecules of water simply rise and fall in their place (until the wave reaches shallow water, when the top of the wave starts moving faster than the bottom, causing the wave to break.) Genesis 1:2 takes on special meaning once we realize the science of wave action and pair that with our theological understanding of "The Holy Spirit" as the Ruach, the breath of God. Wave-action is produced by wind, and we know that the Holy Spirit can certainly "make waves!" Nerdiness notwithstanding, as I read about Grandpa Weber's declining health, I think about waves; I think about how God has been at work in our lives. Here is a man who by any worldly measure would frankly be considered "anonymous." A man who joined the workforce at an age when most people of my generation were more concerned with sports and impressing the opposite sex. A man who was a "simple" farmer, simple in the sense that he did not build a farming empire. Instead, he farmed as in days of old: a farm that existed to feed his family and bring in a livable, modest income. And so, by outward measure, we are talking of an unremarkable molecule. But the wave. A molecule that stayed in one place through all of its ups and downs, has seen his influence ripple out throughout the world. His children and their spouses have taught in schools, served churches, and raised Godly families across the United States. Their reach has been incalculable. How many people have had their lives changed by the Holy Spirit working through my aunts and uncles and my parents? And how many of them have gone on to change the world themselves? And the wave went on. The grandchildren! The grandchildren have branched out further than their parents, going into new, diverse fields andfurtherspreading across the country. Now starting families of their own, the grandchildren are passing the wave on to yet another generation. A small molecule? Maybe by the world's standards, I'm sure. But to those who know better, we see the wave. Grandpa, you will never read this, and I'm coming to grips with the reality that I will not see you again. But you need to know that your story has been told. It has been told in our living rooms, and it has been told in classrooms. Your story is the story of us, of our family. And it is also the story of the Holy Spirit at work throughout the world. We are molecules that are part of an amazing wave, one that has its beginning in Genesis 1:2. The Lord is preparing a place for you, and it is incredibly sad for us. We pray that the Lord continues to hold you in His hand securely, tightly, as He calls you home. And may God grant us peace as well. Thanks again to John for sharing such beautiful sentiments and for providing us with something important to ponder.
