From the Pastor's Desk

Dear Church Family,
 There is an old story about a Jewish Rabbi, centuries ago, who consented to take a weary traveler into his house for a night’s rest.  After they had eaten together, the Rabbi said, “You are a very old man are you not?”  “Yes”, the traveler replied.  “I am almost a century old.”
 As they talked, the Rabbi brought up the matter of religion and asked the visitor about his faith and about his relation to God.  “Oh, I do not believe in God,” the aged man replied.  “I am an atheist.”
 When the Rabbi heard this, he was infuriated.  He rose up, opened the door, and ordered the man from his house.  “I cannot keep an atheist in my house overnight,” he reasoned.  The weary old man said nothing, but hobbled to the door and stepped out into the darkness.  The Rabbi again sat down by his candle to read the Old Testament.  Then he seemed he hear a voice saying, “Son, why did you turn that old man out?”  “I turned him out because he is an atheist and I cannot endure him overnight!”  The Rabbi heard God’s voice saying, “Son, I have endured him for almost 100 years, don’t you think you could endure him overnight?”
 The Rabbi leaped from his chair, rushed out into the darkness and found the old man, brought him back into his house and treated him like a long lost brother.  If it were not for the mercy of God, so go we.  How many years did God put up with you before His mercy reached you?  People need the Lord.  Let’s reach out to them, not turn our backs on them.  David said, “The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.” Serving the Savior, Pastor Mike