No Bread, No Bag, No Money

2 Samuel 7:18-29; Ephesians 1:1-10; Mark 6:7-13

Most of you are aware that I have been with Boy Scout Troop 377 for the past week. If I hadn't gone with them, 13 Boy Scouts would have been out in the woods of Camp Tapico with Linda Mason and Linda Rosencrantz. And this, wouldn't have been so bad, really. But, I figured that they might be able to use the extra help.

So, last Sunday, after church was over, Nathan and I loaded our old Tempo with all the necessary things: back packs, sleeping bags, jack knives, cooking equipment, and a week's worth of clothes, and then headed off towards the Great North and Camp Tapico, via Highway 27.

We were about fifty miles north of St. Johns when I looked at the dashboard and noticed that the alternator light was on. This meant that the battery charging system on my car wasn't working. Either my alternator or the V-belt had broken. So, at this point, I had to make a decision. It was Sunday afternoon. There probably wouldn't be too many mechanics available. And even if I could find one, there was no guarantee that the replacement part would be on hand. So, I decided to press on, with God's help. I'd try to get to Camp Tapico and then get the car fixed on Monday.

Now, Camp Tapico is about 20 miles to the west of Grayling, off M-72. So, I knew that if I could at least get to Grayling, it would be better than if my car stopped running on the freeway. Nevertheless, as I looked at my instrument panel, I noticed several disturbing things taking place: First, as I was about a half hour away from Grayling, the digital clock stopped working and went completely blank. Then, about twenty minutes away from Grayling, the little warning light started to dim. Then, about five minutes later, I noticed that my turning signal would no longer work. Then, five minutes later, my seat belt warning light came on, and then dimmed. And, then, just as I was entering Grayling, my gas gauge went from "half a tank" to "empty." And, finally, just as my engine died, for not having enough electricity in the battery to keep the spark plugs sparking, I was able to turn into an auto service station and park my car.

"God works in mysterious ways," I thought. How else is it possible that I could have driven all that way just to have my car stop running at such a moment as when I would be able to park in a mechanic's driveway? I had no choice but to utter the words, "Praise the Lord!"

I got out of my car, opened the hood, and noticed that the alternator belt was broken. Then I went over to the mechanic's office. The door was locked. A note on the door said, "Open Monday through Saturday." I looked at Nathan and he looked at me. Suddenly, I wondered, "Lord, you've brought me this far. Certainly, you must have a plan for us."

Suddenly, I looked up and saw a K-mart down the road, within a few minute's walking distance. "They have v-belts at K-Mart, I thought." So, Nathan and I walked up the road to the K-Mart. And, as I was walking up the road, I was saying to myself, "Praise the Lord for K-Mart!" Nevertheless, when we got into the store and went back to the automotive department, we found that they didn't have any v-belts for my car. So, again, I had to ask, "Lord, you've brought me this far. Don't you have a plan for us?"

As I was leaving the K-Mart I mentioned my problem to the cashier. She looked at me and said, "Hey, we've got just what you need! We've got adjustable v-belts! All you have to do is cut it to the right length and then clamp it together with a couple of screws. Maybe John here can even help you," she said, as she pointed to a man who turned out to be the store's janitor.

So, we left K-Mart, once again, this time accompanied by John, the store's janitor, who also seemed to be carrying with him about all the wrenches and screwdrivers the store had. And John spent an hour getting that adjustable v-belt onto my car. And he even jump-started the engine. And, when it started, I said, "Thank you Lord! Thank you for John!" And, Nathan and I drove out of the mechanic's driveway and headed west out of Grayling on M-72 for Camp Tapico."

We were only about five miles out of town when suddenly we heard a "snap!" and the engine died. We came to a stop along the road, right next to a sign that read, "Prison Area -- Do not pick up hitch hikers!" Again, I had to ask the question, "Lord, you've gotten us this far, don't you have a plan for us?"

Well, Nathan and I got out of the car, once again. Together, we started to walk towards Grayling. And I was thinking to myself, "What will happen next? How will we get out of this, now?

We hadn't gone more than fifty steps when a big green fourwheel drive pickup truck with dome lights on it stopped on the other side of the road. A man with a conservation officer's uniform asked us if we needed help. Telling him our problem, he said, "Hop in! I'll take you to the Sheriff's office where you can call for a tow." As we were heading down the road, I said, "Praise God for this conservation officer!"

And then the Sheriff was helpful, too. He even let me call Camp Tapico and get someone to drive over to get us and our gear. In the meantime we were able to get the car towed to a service station where a v-belt would be put on the next morning.

Certainly, the story isn't finished. There were other things that happened with that car over the next day or so. And each time something happened, I would ask God, "You've taken me this far, aren't I in your plan?" And then, somehow, mysteriously, wonderfully, God would answer by giving me a solution, a way through the wilderness. And I'm still amazed.

King David was also amazed at how God worked in his life. Looking back at all the amazing things God had done for him, he asked, "You've taken me this far, O Lord. Am I really in your plan? And then David pondered a very serious question. He asked God, "Is this your usual way of dealing with humanity, O Sovereign Lord?"

I really believe it is. If we are open to God's amazing power, if we are open to God working in our lives, we will feel his power and we will know that he is working in our lives. Indeed, David's question hits the mark: "Is this God's usual way of dealing with humanity?" And the answer is "yes." God works in our lives. God does have a plan for us.

When we headed for Camp Tapico, last Sunday, we did it in an old car that's got over 115,000 miles on it. And I remember telling my wife, as I headed out the door, "Gee, I hope this old car doesn't break down on the way up to camp." But, then, I remembered our Gospel lesson for this morning where Jesus told his disciples: "Take nothing for the journey except a staff -- no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals, but don't take an extra set of clothes."

In that gospel lesson Jesus was telling his disciples that they didn't need much to do the Lord's work. All they really needed was faith. I found that out in a very vivid way in Grayling last Sunday afternoon. For the problems we may meet on our life's journey, God offers solutions, sometimes more quickly than we may expect.

Christ sent his disciples out to share the faith. And he continues to send his disciples into the world, today. We are those disciples. And we need to take nothing special with us for the journey. Only the bare necessities, and faith, and the message of God's love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.