When moving up means moving out

"They all wept as they embraced and kissed him"

Acts 20:37

Man, transitions are hard, aren't they?  Even the good ones...

We were at a party today.  A good-bye party for a young man headed off to college.  It's so exciting to see him beginning a new chapter, but it's certainly hard for his friends and family who are left behind.  Oh, yes, he'll be home for Christmas, and there's telephone and email and texting and skyping and various other forms of "social media" that are beyond me, but it's just not... you know.... the same.

And the wonderful young couple whose wedding I told you about a few weeks ago, have moved.  Pursuing a higher education in another state.  We've been attending church together for a few years now, and it will be hard not to see them on a regular basis.  I know, it's not like we're never gonna see them again, but it's just not... you know.... the same.

And I met two amazing young women at this party tonight.  Both are at transitional places in life, making decisions about their education, and praying for God's guidance on where and when.  It can be daunting, to make life-changing decisions, because for good or bad, it's just not gonna be.... you know... the same.

Weddings, graduations, divorces, job changes... life is full of "moving on".   Why is something that's such a part of life, something that's expected in life, so hard?  I don't think we want things to stay the same forever.   There's no way I want to return to the diaper-changing stage of being a mother, and yet I look back fondly at when my children were babies.

And we strive to make transitions with grace and strength and courage.  But what does that mean?  When our young friend leaves this week for college, you think his mother's gonna try her hardest to swallow her tears?  Get that enormous lump in her throat, and that catch in her voice that's gonna give her away?  I think so.  Think she's gonna lose the battle, and end up just giving in to the tears?  Probably.    And her son would expect nothing less.  A good son understands his momma.

Have you ever read Paul's account of leaving the church in Ephesus?  It's in Acts 20.  " 'Now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there... I know that none of you will ever see me again... keep watch over yourselves and all the flock... Be shepherds.... be on your guard.... Now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace....' When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.  They all wept as they embraced and kissed him.  What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.  Then they accompanied him to the ship."

I love the honesty in this passage.  You can feel the pain that Paul and the Ephesian elders have as they make this transition.  And they had no problem sharing that.  They prayed, they wept, they embraced, they kissed, they grieved.... and they took the next step.   They accompanied him to the ship.  That's the key.  Do the next thing.  That's what He asks of us, is to simply do what He has brought us to.   That's faith.  That's obedience.

And don't worry a bit about the tears.