I was visiting one of the shut-in’s, a wonderful ninety-two year old woman who is filled with love for people and her church. She asked me how a particular family in our congregation was doing. I told her I was worried about them. I’ve noticed the family slowly slipping away. As one Christian song-writer put it, “It’s a slow fade.” Along with the slow fade, some family members that gotten them into some trouble with the law.

In response to my concern, she said, “They’ll be back.” It was as simple as that. “They’ll be back.” She then added, “It may be because of something good that happens in their life, or maybe something really bad, but they’ll be back.”

I left that day feeling so much better about that family. I will continue to touch base with them and pray for them. But what my ninety-two year old pastor reminded me of was God’s long view of things. I was looking at everything from a short-term perspective. She helped me to sit back and see things from the long view.

Her years on earth have given her this long view of things. No doubt she has seen many families like this. She has seen God work with families that wander like this, and she isn’t panicking.

In the instant society we live in today, its easy to lose God’s long view of things. I really thank her for sharing her wisdom and knowledge with me. And I hope she can help you too in your ministry, to see situations not just from the immediate, but from God’s long view.

Blessings, Dan