A Time for Goodbye and Hello
They were bosom buddies – one a Baptist minister, the other a furry grey squirrel. A daily supply of nuts had won the minister his companionship and friendship. When the minister called upon his parishioners, the little squirrel could actually be seen following him, scampering through the large trees.
The time finally came, as such times do. The minister had been called to another church, far away from the large oak tree where his little friend lived. One day a large truck pulled up and parked in the driveway. All day the squirrel watched and wondered why his friend had not brought him his daily supply of nuts. Finally, late in the day his friend emerged from his home carrying a large bucket of nuts. The little grey squirrel scampered down the tree and jumped into the bucked of nuts before it could be placed on the ground.
The minister laughed. He watched as his friend buried himself in the nuts. “Well, little friend,” he said with a sigh, “The time has come. That will have to hold you over for a while. I hope someone else will come along and feed you. Goodbye, old buddy.” The minister got into his car and drove away.
In considering these two friends, we remember that Jesus also said goodbye to his friends. Jesus made sure that there would be a time to do this. In saying goodbye, Jesus gave to His friend the Bread and the Cup to hold them over the cold winters of life. He also gave them the hope and promise of the Holy Spirit. One who would come after Him and would give them as He was no longer able to do.
It is that hope and promise that enables us to journey through life and when the time comes to say our “goodbyes,” we know that God has already said a joyful “Hello!”
