There is a place on the road out to the blacktop that never fails to delight me.  The road runs along the edge of a hollow which drops away sharply.  Far out on the horizon there are several ridges of hills.  Some days the ridges are clear and sharp so all can be seen.  Other days the farthest ones are partially obscured by haze.  Sometimes we can see the rain sweeping across them, maybe coming our way, maybe not.  But always as I pass the spot, I look that way and revel in the beauty.

    But I have not always enjoyed and appreciated those hills.  For fourteen of the fifteen years we have lived here, I drove on by that spot as if the beauty were not there.  And for me it was not.  The edge of the hollow was overgrown with trees and underbrush.  As I drove by, I assumed that piece of land was like all the others in the area.  So it held no interest for me.

    Then the landowner cut the trees and cleared the land, opening a vista known by the old-timers, but unknown to me.  The first time I drove by after it was cleared, my jaw dropped.  I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.  A year or more later, I still enjoy the view every time I pass.

    The important thing to note is that the hollow and the hills were there all the time.  From long before we moved up here they existed.  But I didn’t discover the beauty until someone cleared the trees and brush away.  Then I could see what others knew was there and had seen long ago.

    This is a picture of the way I see my work as a preacher/teacher.  The Word of God if filled with truth and beauty that many people don’t know is there.  They read and try to understand, but they can’t see the beauty because of the trees and the underbrush.  Then God clears the obstacles and opens their eyes to the view by using a preacher or teacher to explain things.  One of the greatest joys of my life is when as a result of my ministry someone sees and understands what they did not before.  It is wonderful to see the light of understanding dawn.

    Helping others discover the beauty and truth of God’s Word is one of the greatest privileges I can imagine.  I thank and praise the Lord for letting me share in it.  And hope I can continue to minister the Word all the days of my pilgrimage here.