Greetings to the saints of the most high God, who worship at the O’Fallon Apostolic Assembly and beyond. I am delighted to have the opportunity to address and hopefully, encourage each of you in the name of Jesus. As a church family, we are being guided by the concept of “Visions of Coming Home.” The idea is taken from Luke chapter 15:17, “And when he came to himself.” I wanted to focus on the thought that “he came to himself.” This meant that his thought life was re-oriented toward righteousness and therefore, to returning home.

    This year is well underway as we are entering into the month of March. March is usually the month we anticipate the seasons beginning to shift from winter to spring. Perhaps it is reasonable to see March as a kind of ‘pivotal’ month. To pivot references a turn on the same spot or space but the direction being faced has changed. In fact, the change of direction is so pronounced that in this thought, it points us in the opposite direction. The cold winter then becomes the warm, sunny revival of the outdoor climate. That pivotal change is dramatic also with this child of affluence, who had taken for granted his father’s love and generosity. When he had plenty of money and natural resources, he had no thought of home. In a foreign place, he only thought of fun. But when his money ran out and resources were depleted, he then became nostalgic for the home he had abandoned.

   It was in that moment that he decided ‘I will go home’. It is that piece that the month of March brings to my mind. As surely as we witness the awakening of buds on trees and flowers in the field, we should ourselves awake to righteousness. More
specifically, to the need to be with others of like precious faith in the worship of our Lord Jesus Christ. We need to pivot from our selfish perspectives and turn to the support and ministry we can share with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

   So let the change of months and seasons serve to alert you and I. There are better things that await us in the House of God and in the service of our Lord. Let us make the pivot towards home, the house of God.