The Housewife

Tony Campolo writes that his friend and prominent radio preacher Steve Brown eloquently described a housewife who was washing dishes in the kitchen sink one day after the children had left for school. She looked at one particular plate.  She stared at it for a long time and asked over and over again, "How many times have I washed this plate? How many times have I dried it? How many times will I wash it and dry it again?" She then set down the plate, took off her apron,  packed a few of her belongings, and left.

That night she called home to tell her husband that she was all right, but that she just could not come home again. From time to time, over the next several weeks, she would call just to see how her husband and children were doing. But she would never tell them where she was, nor accede to the pleas from her family to return.

The husband hired a detective to search for her, and after picking up a few leads, the detective tracked her down. She was in another state, living in a small apartment over a luncheonette where she had a job as a waitress. Her husband set out immediately to bring her home. When he found the place she was staying, he knocked on the door of her upstairs  apartment. She opened the door, saw him, and did not say a word. She went into her bedroom, packed her belongings,  and silently followed him out to the car. Then, in silence, he drove her back home.

Several hours later when the two of them were alone in their bedroom he finally spoke, and he asked her, "Why didn't you come home before? Over the phone I begged you to return. Why didn't you come?" The wife answered, "l heard your words, but it wasn't until you came for me that I realized how much you cared and how important I was to you."

It can be said that though the prophets in the Old Testament section of the Bible may have tried to tell us about God's love, we never really got the message until God showed up among us. The Bible puts it like this, The Word, (Jesus) became human and lived among us. We saw his glory — the glory that belongs to the only Son of the Father — and he was full of  grace and truth. Johns' gospel, chapter 1, verse 14. He broke into history and became one of us, and as one of us, showed us His love.

            Rev David Saunders.

For local enquiries relating to Week St. Mary Church matters please contact either of the Churchwardens:
Lesley Booker Tel: 01288 341221 or Linda Cobbledick Tel: 01288 341468

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For enquiries relating to Week St. Mary Methodist Church please contact:
Rev Steve Swann • Telephone: 01840 779339