There Is Still Time
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series III, Cycle C
Karen hates church. She feels it's a place where people are brainwashed. She thinks the people who go to church are weak, looking for a crutch in sermons that tell them how to behave. Karen clearly has an issue with established religion.
Toby is a committed Christian who happens to be Karen's best friend. They hike together, go on moonlight walks around the lake, and meet weekly for breakfast. They live only thirty minutes away from each other and break away from their routines to meet. Toby is not convinced by any argument that Karen gives against religion. Not that they often talk about their faith.
Toby and Karen love each other. Toby's husband thinks Karen is nice, but he has never felt close to Karen as Toby does. Toby and Karen talk about their families, their jobs, and their dreams, but rarely about religion.
They were working together on a community project when Toby mentioned her Sunday school teacher's sudden onset of migraine headaches. She was very worried for him and absentmindedly remarked that they had started a prayer chain in several churches. Karen laughed. "Like God has time to worry about a person's headache."
Toby herself laughed. "Of course," she said. "God has time for a headache, for a heartache or any hurt. God hears all prayers."
Karen grunted. She looked pained and Toby decided to pry a little deeper. She asked what had convinced Karen that God couldn't listen or that God was so busy or callous not to be concerned with seemingly little things. That was the first time Karen truly poured out her heart to her friend. She told Toby that she had once believed in God when her father was dying of cancer. They had sent him home to die, and Karen, her mother, sister, and brother had prayed and prayed for her father's recovery. But he had died two years later. He had suffered so much and Karen was heartbroken to see him decline toward the end to nothing more than a skeleton who was delirious all the time. Karen missed her prom because she wanted to keep vigil at his side. God had failed her. God had ignored her pleas. And God was not someone she wanted to have anything to do with ever again.
Toby couldn't contain her tears. She had heard the story of Karen's father's illness, his death, and later her mother's death to cancer also. She knew it troubled Karen that they had to die young. But Toby had had no idea that Karen felt her prayers had fallen on deaf ears.
Toby knew this wasn't the time to convince Karen of anything. She held Karen tight as they cried together. Toby told Karen that she was going to pray about it. Karen looked up at her friend and smiled through her tears, warning her it would be of no use.
But deep down, Toby knows it is worth all the prayers she and now her church group are offering on Karen's behalf. Toby knows that it is never too late to repent, receive pardon for sin, and be open to the grace that God gives. God's reign is for everyone, even for those who at the moment aren't open to it.
Toby will have patience. And Toby will pray.
Toby is a committed Christian who happens to be Karen's best friend. They hike together, go on moonlight walks around the lake, and meet weekly for breakfast. They live only thirty minutes away from each other and break away from their routines to meet. Toby is not convinced by any argument that Karen gives against religion. Not that they often talk about their faith.
Toby and Karen love each other. Toby's husband thinks Karen is nice, but he has never felt close to Karen as Toby does. Toby and Karen talk about their families, their jobs, and their dreams, but rarely about religion.
They were working together on a community project when Toby mentioned her Sunday school teacher's sudden onset of migraine headaches. She was very worried for him and absentmindedly remarked that they had started a prayer chain in several churches. Karen laughed. "Like God has time to worry about a person's headache."
Toby herself laughed. "Of course," she said. "God has time for a headache, for a heartache or any hurt. God hears all prayers."
Karen grunted. She looked pained and Toby decided to pry a little deeper. She asked what had convinced Karen that God couldn't listen or that God was so busy or callous not to be concerned with seemingly little things. That was the first time Karen truly poured out her heart to her friend. She told Toby that she had once believed in God when her father was dying of cancer. They had sent him home to die, and Karen, her mother, sister, and brother had prayed and prayed for her father's recovery. But he had died two years later. He had suffered so much and Karen was heartbroken to see him decline toward the end to nothing more than a skeleton who was delirious all the time. Karen missed her prom because she wanted to keep vigil at his side. God had failed her. God had ignored her pleas. And God was not someone she wanted to have anything to do with ever again.
Toby couldn't contain her tears. She had heard the story of Karen's father's illness, his death, and later her mother's death to cancer also. She knew it troubled Karen that they had to die young. But Toby had had no idea that Karen felt her prayers had fallen on deaf ears.
Toby knew this wasn't the time to convince Karen of anything. She held Karen tight as they cried together. Toby told Karen that she was going to pray about it. Karen looked up at her friend and smiled through her tears, warning her it would be of no use.
But deep down, Toby knows it is worth all the prayers she and now her church group are offering on Karen's behalf. Toby knows that it is never too late to repent, receive pardon for sin, and be open to the grace that God gives. God's reign is for everyone, even for those who at the moment aren't open to it.
Toby will have patience. And Toby will pray.
