The Long Wait
Stories
Object:
Contents
"The Long Wait" by Keith Hewitt
"Hope for Anxious People" by Keith Wagner
"When the Lord Shines Upon Us" by Keith Wagner
* * * * * * *
The Long Wait
by Keith Hewitt
Isaiah 64:1-9
There's something they used to call the Chinese Water Torture, where a prisoner would be tied down and water would be dripped onto his face at some very slow -- but regular -- rate. Supposedly, over time the monotonous drip... drip... drip would break even the strongest will, and the prisoner would be left as a puddle of mush, willing to tell whatever secrets they knew or do whatever their captors wanted. Turns out it was invented by an Italian during the Renaissance, but no matter, the principle was the same, and anyone who's ever sat in a quiet room, listening to the relentless ticking of a clock while they waited for judgment to be passed, could tell you that it's a thing.
Each tick of the clock on the wall was like another drop of water falling on Tom's forehead and as he sat almost motionless in the principal's outer office, his mind played tricks on him -- in some way that only physicists and football fans who were ahead by six points with the opposing team driving toward the end zone in the last minute of a game can understand. The interval between ticks seemed to grow longer, and there were moments when he held his breath, ears straining, sure that he must have missed the last tick, because it couldn't possibly be taking this long.
As the clock peeled away his resistance, tick by tick, his mind raced over the things that had brought him to this place... not doing homework, skipping class, not studying, each time for what seemed like justifiable reasons and each time making it a little harder for him to stay afloat... and each time causing him escalating twinges of guilt, because he knew what the right thing to do was -- it just interfered with his life too much.
Finally, realizing that he was about to fail, he discovered that if he leaned back in his chair just so, and craned his neck a little, he could read Jenny Morgan's test booklet during the final, and that would mean a sure A on the test, maybe a passing grade for the class.
He was happily writing down everything he saw in his own test booklet, when Mr. Cooper's hand dropped on his shoulder like the roof was falling in. He looked up, about to declare his innocence, but fell silent in the face of Mr. Cooper's stern expression and the simple, curled finger that said, come with me.
It was a long, silent walk to the office... and an even longer wait.
... tick... tick... tick...
He had tried, really tried, in the beginning of the year. After a less-than-stellar year before, he had gone into this year with a renewed attitude, vowing to do better. Each time he'd come to talk to Principal Esker -- and, looking back, there had been too many times -- he had promised to do better, try harder. He had apologized -- sincerely -- every time he was caught for an infraction, every time he stumbled.
... tick... tick... tick...
But even though he knew what he should be doing, and even though he knew what he should not be doing, those lines somehow seemed to blur in the moment, to grow less distinct when there was something that attracted his attention, some shiny new way of getting around the rules that promised he wouldn't get caught. Then when his resistance was low, he would suddenly find himself falling into the old familiar trap... and in the back of his mind, he would start counting down, waiting to be caught.
... tick... tick... tick...
And now the hammer was going to fall. He'd really messed up this time and there was no way he was going to skate... so why didn't Esker just come out and get it over with? As the big clock on the wall opposite the chair seemed to be counting off the last moments of his life, he felt that familiar lump of slush forming in his gut and tried not to think about it. He knew he deserved whatever was coming -- Cooper knew it, Esker knew it, he knew it -- so why the delay? What point was there in waiting to drop the hammer?
... tick... tick... tick...
And what would Mom say? She would be disappointed, sure, but she would be angry too and rightfully so. Tom was a screw-up, and she knew it... Tom knew it, everybody knew it. It's not like this would be a surprise to anyone, he thought, so why the delay? Why let him suffer -- honestly, why had they ever given him so many chances in the first place?
... tick... tick... tick...
The door to Esker's office opened and the ticking faded -- for a moment, Tom was almost convinced that time had stopped, but then Esker came out, to prove that time had not stopped... although by then Tom's heart had.
Or at least seemed like it had...
Okay, he said to himself, he's coming. You're going to get what you've been asking for... what you deserve.
But then he realized that Esker was not alone. There was a man, someone Tom had never seen before, and although he was almost as grim-faced as Esker, there was something about him that was different, something that made him not scary. He was still trying to figure it out when Esker said, "So, young man, we seem to have a problem here. I could have you suspended for this. Actually, considering your disciplinary card, I could have you expelled. Do you realize that?"
Tom just nodded.
There was a long, agonizing pause -- again, Tom waited for the words to come -- and then Esker's face softened. "But I'm going to give you one more chance, Tom. I want you to meet the new Dean of Students, Mister Alvarez. We had a long talk and he's willing to wipe the slate clean for you and start over -- if you're willing to work with him. Or you can just take what the disciplinary process hands down." Esker paused, looked at him closely. "So what are you going to do?"
And Tom's heart began to beat again... maybe there was hope for him, after all.
Keith Hewitt is the author of three volumes of NaTiVity Dramas: Nontraditional Christmas Plays for All Ages (CSS). He is a local pastor, former youth leader and Sunday school teacher, and occasional speaker at Christian events. He is currently serving as the pastor at Parkview UMC in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin. Keith is married to a teacher, and they have two children and assorted dogs and cats.
Hope for Anxious People
by Keith Wagner
Mark 13:24-37
Every year on the first Sunday in Advent the lectionary includes the one of the "end times" texts. Like all scripture, this passage takes place in a time when the disciples were living in a very uncertain moment. They were oppressed by a powerful Roman government. They found themselves in opposition to the religious establishment and they didn't have an abundance of resources. Thus they were anxious and consequently they lacked hope.
One Black Friday, the day following Thanksgiving, I was shopping and I observed some shoppers standing in line waiting to pay for their bargains. The lines were long and you could see the anxiety on their faces. Some were talking on cell phones, conversing with loved ones someplace else in the shopping mall who were looking for great deals. There were some pushing and shoving and some unkind words said as people pressed toward the cash registers. When I arrived at the mall, finding a parking place was next to impossible. People were in a hurry and I observed many near misses. It was a day that was shoulder to shoulder and bumper to bumper. Instead of kindness and cooperation, there was despair and hopelessness. I thought, "If God is ready to come and end this insanity, this would be a good day to do it."
Like the disciples, we live in a time of uncertainty. The tension in the Middle East certainly has the world on edge. Some have personal conflicts. For others there is tension in families and relationships. Some worry about their economic future and also their health. Unfortunately there are pessimistic people around us who hold us back and drag us down.
Jesus, however, wants us to live in faith, not fear. Catastrophic events, whether global or personal, always happen. Besides, most of what happens is beyond our control. Jesus, like the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah before him, warned against worrying about the future and not paying attention to the needs of the present. It may seem like the end is near at times, but that is no reason for us to give up.
What Jesus gave to his disciples was hope and assurance. He told them that the kingdom of God was near. He assured them that his words would never pass away.
The metaphor of the fig tree is very symbolic. The tree is often used as a metaphor for the peace and prosperity of Israel in the Old Testament. Jesus reassured his followers that they didn't need signs to know when God was at hand. It would be as simple as the fig tree. "As soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near."
What anxious people need more than anything is hope. I believe we can rise above the chaos when we realize the presence of God in our everyday lives.
On another Black Friday I went into a Fossil store that sold watches. The store was crowded and I could barely make my way to the counter. I was on a mission. I had a fossil watch that needed a battery. I was certain that the last thing any clerk wanted to do on the busiest shopping day of the year was to install a new battery in a watch. Much to my surprise the man said he would be glad to put in a new battery. I could leave it and pick it up later. When I came back, again much to my surprise, he only charged me $5. In the midst of all that craziness I experienced the reality that life goes on and the simplest of things continue in spite of all the craziness. I gratefully left the store, watch in hand, ticking along, marking time for years to come. I felt a sense of peace that God is still in the midst of all the chaos. Thankfully God was still working through someone who was a good neighbor.
When the Lord Shines Upon Us
by Keith Wagner
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
This psalm was written during a time when the Israelites were in dire straights. Nevertheless they believed that the Lord was like a shepherd who was watching over them and giving them hope.
God is referred to as the "Lord God of hosts," one who was aware of their plight in a cosmic way. "Restore us O God; let thy face shine, that we may be saved!" they prayed. Their hope was in a sovereign being who could restore them to newness.
This is a time of year when people are anxious about many things. When we become overwhelmed there is a tendency to give up or fall into a deep depression. Rather than look to God for assurance we throw in the towel.
R. Buckminster Fuller reached a point in his life when he was ready to end it because things were going badly. He had been expelled from college and was so down he decided to throw himself in Lake Michigan. At the age of 32, he stood on the bank, ready to throw himself into the icy waters and took one last look at the starry sky above him. As he looked to the heavens he felt a sense of awe and something inside him said, "This is not what you should do with your life." From that point on Fuller embarked on a journey that led him to careers as an inventor, engineer, architect, mathematician, poet, and cosmologist. He won dozens of honorary degrees and even a Nobel Prize nomination. He wrote two dozen books, circled the globe 57 times, and shared his story with millions of people.
The day Fuller became filled with hope was the day he found himself, wondering, contemplating, and reflecting on the meaning of life. As he gazed to the sky he became intimately aware of the presence of God and chose to live out his full potential.
There are times when we all find ourselves in the dark where everything seems totally hopeless. Life becomes overwhelming and we can't seem to find our way. We forget that the Lord of hosts is watching over us and provides the light we need to continue our life's journey.
In the movie, Apollo 13, following the explosion that almost destroyed the spacecraft, astronaut Jim Lovell was asked if he had ever been afraid. He recalled a time in WWII when he was flying a combat mission and was returning to the aircraft carrier he was supposed to land on. Everything was totally dark and the carrier didn't have lights on due to combat conditions. His radio and navigation equipment weren't working so he had no way to contact the ship. He turned on a map light in the cockpit to try and calculate his position, but as he did that an electrical short caused the lights in his cockpit to go out. He found himself in total darkness and he was running out of fuel. It was at that moment that he looked down and saw a luminescent glow of sea plankton caused by the wake of the ship. All he had to do was follow the glow of light and then he safely landed on the ship.
We can overcome our fears and feelings of hopelessness when we yield to the cosmic power of God.
Rev. Dr. Keith Wagner is the pastor of St. John's UCC in Troy, Ohio. He and his wife, Lin, live in Springfield, Ohio.
*****************************************
StoryShare, November 30, 2014, issue.
Copyright 2014 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
"The Long Wait" by Keith Hewitt
"Hope for Anxious People" by Keith Wagner
"When the Lord Shines Upon Us" by Keith Wagner
* * * * * * *
The Long Wait
by Keith Hewitt
Isaiah 64:1-9
There's something they used to call the Chinese Water Torture, where a prisoner would be tied down and water would be dripped onto his face at some very slow -- but regular -- rate. Supposedly, over time the monotonous drip... drip... drip would break even the strongest will, and the prisoner would be left as a puddle of mush, willing to tell whatever secrets they knew or do whatever their captors wanted. Turns out it was invented by an Italian during the Renaissance, but no matter, the principle was the same, and anyone who's ever sat in a quiet room, listening to the relentless ticking of a clock while they waited for judgment to be passed, could tell you that it's a thing.
Each tick of the clock on the wall was like another drop of water falling on Tom's forehead and as he sat almost motionless in the principal's outer office, his mind played tricks on him -- in some way that only physicists and football fans who were ahead by six points with the opposing team driving toward the end zone in the last minute of a game can understand. The interval between ticks seemed to grow longer, and there were moments when he held his breath, ears straining, sure that he must have missed the last tick, because it couldn't possibly be taking this long.
As the clock peeled away his resistance, tick by tick, his mind raced over the things that had brought him to this place... not doing homework, skipping class, not studying, each time for what seemed like justifiable reasons and each time making it a little harder for him to stay afloat... and each time causing him escalating twinges of guilt, because he knew what the right thing to do was -- it just interfered with his life too much.
Finally, realizing that he was about to fail, he discovered that if he leaned back in his chair just so, and craned his neck a little, he could read Jenny Morgan's test booklet during the final, and that would mean a sure A on the test, maybe a passing grade for the class.
He was happily writing down everything he saw in his own test booklet, when Mr. Cooper's hand dropped on his shoulder like the roof was falling in. He looked up, about to declare his innocence, but fell silent in the face of Mr. Cooper's stern expression and the simple, curled finger that said, come with me.
It was a long, silent walk to the office... and an even longer wait.
... tick... tick... tick...
He had tried, really tried, in the beginning of the year. After a less-than-stellar year before, he had gone into this year with a renewed attitude, vowing to do better. Each time he'd come to talk to Principal Esker -- and, looking back, there had been too many times -- he had promised to do better, try harder. He had apologized -- sincerely -- every time he was caught for an infraction, every time he stumbled.
... tick... tick... tick...
But even though he knew what he should be doing, and even though he knew what he should not be doing, those lines somehow seemed to blur in the moment, to grow less distinct when there was something that attracted his attention, some shiny new way of getting around the rules that promised he wouldn't get caught. Then when his resistance was low, he would suddenly find himself falling into the old familiar trap... and in the back of his mind, he would start counting down, waiting to be caught.
... tick... tick... tick...
And now the hammer was going to fall. He'd really messed up this time and there was no way he was going to skate... so why didn't Esker just come out and get it over with? As the big clock on the wall opposite the chair seemed to be counting off the last moments of his life, he felt that familiar lump of slush forming in his gut and tried not to think about it. He knew he deserved whatever was coming -- Cooper knew it, Esker knew it, he knew it -- so why the delay? What point was there in waiting to drop the hammer?
... tick... tick... tick...
And what would Mom say? She would be disappointed, sure, but she would be angry too and rightfully so. Tom was a screw-up, and she knew it... Tom knew it, everybody knew it. It's not like this would be a surprise to anyone, he thought, so why the delay? Why let him suffer -- honestly, why had they ever given him so many chances in the first place?
... tick... tick... tick...
The door to Esker's office opened and the ticking faded -- for a moment, Tom was almost convinced that time had stopped, but then Esker came out, to prove that time had not stopped... although by then Tom's heart had.
Or at least seemed like it had...
Okay, he said to himself, he's coming. You're going to get what you've been asking for... what you deserve.
But then he realized that Esker was not alone. There was a man, someone Tom had never seen before, and although he was almost as grim-faced as Esker, there was something about him that was different, something that made him not scary. He was still trying to figure it out when Esker said, "So, young man, we seem to have a problem here. I could have you suspended for this. Actually, considering your disciplinary card, I could have you expelled. Do you realize that?"
Tom just nodded.
There was a long, agonizing pause -- again, Tom waited for the words to come -- and then Esker's face softened. "But I'm going to give you one more chance, Tom. I want you to meet the new Dean of Students, Mister Alvarez. We had a long talk and he's willing to wipe the slate clean for you and start over -- if you're willing to work with him. Or you can just take what the disciplinary process hands down." Esker paused, looked at him closely. "So what are you going to do?"
And Tom's heart began to beat again... maybe there was hope for him, after all.
Keith Hewitt is the author of three volumes of NaTiVity Dramas: Nontraditional Christmas Plays for All Ages (CSS). He is a local pastor, former youth leader and Sunday school teacher, and occasional speaker at Christian events. He is currently serving as the pastor at Parkview UMC in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin. Keith is married to a teacher, and they have two children and assorted dogs and cats.
Hope for Anxious People
by Keith Wagner
Mark 13:24-37
Every year on the first Sunday in Advent the lectionary includes the one of the "end times" texts. Like all scripture, this passage takes place in a time when the disciples were living in a very uncertain moment. They were oppressed by a powerful Roman government. They found themselves in opposition to the religious establishment and they didn't have an abundance of resources. Thus they were anxious and consequently they lacked hope.
One Black Friday, the day following Thanksgiving, I was shopping and I observed some shoppers standing in line waiting to pay for their bargains. The lines were long and you could see the anxiety on their faces. Some were talking on cell phones, conversing with loved ones someplace else in the shopping mall who were looking for great deals. There were some pushing and shoving and some unkind words said as people pressed toward the cash registers. When I arrived at the mall, finding a parking place was next to impossible. People were in a hurry and I observed many near misses. It was a day that was shoulder to shoulder and bumper to bumper. Instead of kindness and cooperation, there was despair and hopelessness. I thought, "If God is ready to come and end this insanity, this would be a good day to do it."
Like the disciples, we live in a time of uncertainty. The tension in the Middle East certainly has the world on edge. Some have personal conflicts. For others there is tension in families and relationships. Some worry about their economic future and also their health. Unfortunately there are pessimistic people around us who hold us back and drag us down.
Jesus, however, wants us to live in faith, not fear. Catastrophic events, whether global or personal, always happen. Besides, most of what happens is beyond our control. Jesus, like the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah before him, warned against worrying about the future and not paying attention to the needs of the present. It may seem like the end is near at times, but that is no reason for us to give up.
What Jesus gave to his disciples was hope and assurance. He told them that the kingdom of God was near. He assured them that his words would never pass away.
The metaphor of the fig tree is very symbolic. The tree is often used as a metaphor for the peace and prosperity of Israel in the Old Testament. Jesus reassured his followers that they didn't need signs to know when God was at hand. It would be as simple as the fig tree. "As soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near."
What anxious people need more than anything is hope. I believe we can rise above the chaos when we realize the presence of God in our everyday lives.
On another Black Friday I went into a Fossil store that sold watches. The store was crowded and I could barely make my way to the counter. I was on a mission. I had a fossil watch that needed a battery. I was certain that the last thing any clerk wanted to do on the busiest shopping day of the year was to install a new battery in a watch. Much to my surprise the man said he would be glad to put in a new battery. I could leave it and pick it up later. When I came back, again much to my surprise, he only charged me $5. In the midst of all that craziness I experienced the reality that life goes on and the simplest of things continue in spite of all the craziness. I gratefully left the store, watch in hand, ticking along, marking time for years to come. I felt a sense of peace that God is still in the midst of all the chaos. Thankfully God was still working through someone who was a good neighbor.
When the Lord Shines Upon Us
by Keith Wagner
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
This psalm was written during a time when the Israelites were in dire straights. Nevertheless they believed that the Lord was like a shepherd who was watching over them and giving them hope.
God is referred to as the "Lord God of hosts," one who was aware of their plight in a cosmic way. "Restore us O God; let thy face shine, that we may be saved!" they prayed. Their hope was in a sovereign being who could restore them to newness.
This is a time of year when people are anxious about many things. When we become overwhelmed there is a tendency to give up or fall into a deep depression. Rather than look to God for assurance we throw in the towel.
R. Buckminster Fuller reached a point in his life when he was ready to end it because things were going badly. He had been expelled from college and was so down he decided to throw himself in Lake Michigan. At the age of 32, he stood on the bank, ready to throw himself into the icy waters and took one last look at the starry sky above him. As he looked to the heavens he felt a sense of awe and something inside him said, "This is not what you should do with your life." From that point on Fuller embarked on a journey that led him to careers as an inventor, engineer, architect, mathematician, poet, and cosmologist. He won dozens of honorary degrees and even a Nobel Prize nomination. He wrote two dozen books, circled the globe 57 times, and shared his story with millions of people.
The day Fuller became filled with hope was the day he found himself, wondering, contemplating, and reflecting on the meaning of life. As he gazed to the sky he became intimately aware of the presence of God and chose to live out his full potential.
There are times when we all find ourselves in the dark where everything seems totally hopeless. Life becomes overwhelming and we can't seem to find our way. We forget that the Lord of hosts is watching over us and provides the light we need to continue our life's journey.
In the movie, Apollo 13, following the explosion that almost destroyed the spacecraft, astronaut Jim Lovell was asked if he had ever been afraid. He recalled a time in WWII when he was flying a combat mission and was returning to the aircraft carrier he was supposed to land on. Everything was totally dark and the carrier didn't have lights on due to combat conditions. His radio and navigation equipment weren't working so he had no way to contact the ship. He turned on a map light in the cockpit to try and calculate his position, but as he did that an electrical short caused the lights in his cockpit to go out. He found himself in total darkness and he was running out of fuel. It was at that moment that he looked down and saw a luminescent glow of sea plankton caused by the wake of the ship. All he had to do was follow the glow of light and then he safely landed on the ship.
We can overcome our fears and feelings of hopelessness when we yield to the cosmic power of God.
Rev. Dr. Keith Wagner is the pastor of St. John's UCC in Troy, Ohio. He and his wife, Lin, live in Springfield, Ohio.
*****************************************
StoryShare, November 30, 2014, issue.
Copyright 2014 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
