How Long Is 20 Years?

That depends, of course. Looking forward it might seem forever; looking back, the same 20 years are but a moment. The 20 years I spent in school seemed pretty long at the time, even with summers off. The 20 years a child takes to grow up lasts as long as an ice cream cone in July. And 20 years spent doing what you love tends to fly by.

It doesn’t seem possible that I’ve been pastor of Whetstone for 20 years. When I look at the pictures of our family when we came, it seems like ages ago. Yet it feels like just a little bit. How many hospital visits? Funerals? Births? Baptisms? Weddings? I haven’t counted, but I know it is not enough yet!

I never would’ve guessed 20 years ago that we would still be here today. But the future is a funny thing. We never know how it is going to turn out. We can make predictions, but it is not in our control. We can and should make preparations, which definitely have an influence on how tomorrow turns out. But there are many more influences and circumstances in the mix. That is why I am so glad to say with Psalm 23, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” When we trust in Him, He keeps our feet on the pathway that leads to life. And Psalm 121, “The Lord will watch over your coming and your going, both now and forevermore.” He holds the future in His hands.

A few Sundays ago we read from Philippians 3:14, “forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward.” It has been really nice living in the same house for 20 years. But nice as it is, this house is nothing compared to the one God has prepared for us. And even a whole lifetime here is only a moment compared to the eternity God has in mind for us.

We can look backward at 20 years or 40 years or 80 years and celebrate victories, or bemoan the defeats. All of us have had plenty of successes and failures. As a congregation we can look back at 135 years of continuous worship and discipleship and ministry here on the corner of 60^th and Madison (or, Whetstone Road and Brown Street Road). Plus 10 years before that in homes and schools. Do you think those early church planters had any idea of how things would turn out today? Did they dream that one day those corn fields would be filled with houses, and this country church would be part of the city of Anderson? Neither do we know how the future will turn out. But because of their faithfulness Whetstone Church was here for us.

I look forward to our church picnic this month, as we celebrate our history. How many lives have been shaped for the good, how many souls drawn to Christ through the ministry of this congregation? I have no idea of that number, but I do know this – not enough yet! Let’s keep pressing on to win the prize. God is calling us heavenward. Don’t give up till we get there.