Rev. John’s Discovery of Grace

His first wife died in his arms.

Rev. John shared in his retirement talk at Annual Conference two weeks ago that one man in particular ministered to him through the aftermath.

The most striking time came when the two men were sitting on the parsonage porch. The pastor was a widower newly hollowed out.  The other listened well, even to silence. He helped Rev. John even though he wasn’t exactly active in church. (Cough, cough, nudge, nudge.)

Rev. John, whom I love and highly respect, said this about one of their times together: “I realized I was looking at a slightly inebriated Jesus sitting on the porch with me.

“And I learned to not expect God’s grace in a form I shaped.”