The Empty Nest.

It finally happened! I knew it would. Yet, it still felt a little sad when it did. Every time I went in or out of the front door, I would look up at the Robin nest under the eaves of the porch. I looked forward to seeing Mom or Dad Robin busily feeding their brood. I would smile when I saw babies stretching their little necks upwards with mouths wide open in expectation. Each time I would say a little prayer of thanksgiving for the wonders of nature. All the while, I knew that it was GOD’s design for those birds to grow up and leave the nest. Most older parents have gone through the empty nest syndrome in varying degrees. The time when the last child finally leaves home to make a life for his or herself. Of course, there have been a few times when a parent couldn’t wait for that child to move on, secretly holding back cheers not tears. Since I was comparing the Nest, last time, to the Church, I will continue to do so now. It can become a bit discouraging, for small congregations, when they don’t see rapid growth. It is even more discouraging when a person or a family leaves that group for whatever reason. Perhaps the most discouraging of all is when a congregation finally must close its doors for good and its members merge with other congregations. That might be the worst of the Empty Nest concept. I simply would encourage all of us, myself included, to remember the BIG PICTURE, the FULL NEST, as it were. The LORD’s Church has never been completely empty from it inception until today. And, I believe with all my heart, that it NEVER WILL. If a congregation has to close its doors, it is only a building that becomes empty, NOT the Church. We should also find joy and trust in the fact that somewhere in this great big world, souls are being born again, perhaps every day. Souls are being added to ‘The Nest’ by the LORD. Rejoice! The Church, as the WHOLE Body of CHRIST, will never become an Empty Nest while this earth remains.

Russell Ashby