After having been caught running away, after having been tossed into the sea, swallowed by a great fish, and barfed out upon dry land, Jonah receives the word of God a second time. This goes to show that, even when we mess up, even when we try to run away from God, even when we fail to do what God calls us to do, God not only does not give up on us but, indeed, God gives us second, third, and fourth chances to follow God's Will. Scripture is clear here: "The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time...." (3:1) It wasn't that Jonah remembered what God's calling was, or decided to follow the orders he had been given earlier; no, Jonah actually received the word of the LORD a second time. This is good news for us: if we miss it and mess up when God speaks to us, we can have hope that God will speak to us again.

After receiving the calling of God a second time Jonah set off to preach his way through Ninevah. He managed to make it a third of the way across the city, having preached for a full day while travelling, and during that time the people heard his message and - shock of all shocks - repented of their sins! Indeed, the King of Ninevah was so taken with the call to repentance that he ordered the entire city to put on sackcloth and ashes, abstain from food and drink, and to repent all evil practices. Jonah's calling, was successful! One would think that Jonah would be pleased that the people of Ninevah had repented.

Quite the contrary, Jonah was not in the least bit happy. After all, he had been through a great deal! He had been caught in a storm at sea, tossed into the waters, swallowed by a great fish, spent 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of that fish, and then been sub-orbital barfed from the Mediterranean to the shores of the Euphrates River. After all of this, Jonah wanted to see some action! He wanted to see the dirty rotten sinners of Ninevah smitten! And, so, he whined to God. He claimed - in one of the most outlandish lies to be found in the Bible - that God's leniency with the people of Ninevah was the very reason he had run away from God and not wanted to do God's Will! "I knew you were going to forgive them, and I didn't want to see that! I want fireworks! When I ran away from you I got my punishment, now I want to see them to get their punishment! Smite 'em, God!"

Again, we find in Jonah a mirror for ourselves: we want grace for ourselves, but we don't want it for anyone else. We want success on our own terms, not on God's terms. We think we know better how God should go about His business, and when God doesn't do things the way we think they should be done we are prone to want to take our toys and go home. We get angry ... "angry enough to die!" (4:9) And, like Jonah, we have no justification for our actions. We might pretend as though we do, but we are lying and wimping out just as assuredly as was Jonah.

When God calls, we should listen and not try to run. When God calls, we should do as God says and follow God's Will for us. And, when God produces a result, we should be willing to accept God's Will even when it conflicts with our own desires, designs, or expectations. In truth, like Jonah, we have no choice. God is in charge, so we might as well bow to the inevitable.

De Colores!

Rev. Greg Neal

Community Spiritual Director 

Walk #97

Table of Luke

Imagine the beach, the sandy shore, with the tide coming in. The water is frothy along the edges as it rolls over the sand. Depending on where you last felt the ocean, you may anticipate the water to be freezing cold to your toes, or comfortably warm. You may want to race in, splashing, or just walk along the edge.

Think of your Walk to Emmaus weekend and how God's grace became apparent.  Like waves that crash into a rocky shoreline, God's grace sometimes crashes into our lives and is as obvious to us as the thundering waves crashing against the rocks, spurting upwards into the air past the cliffs. Can you envision that?

I look back and see God's mercy and grace as being able to leave my burdens at the foot of the cross during the Dying Moments communion. I look around at the faces at my table and see the transforming love of God.

Other times in our lives, His grace seems to ebb and flow like the tide coming into the shore. Just a little bit at a time may be revealed as we go through our Fourth Days. But like the ocean, God's love is always there.

Being one who has always loved the water, I like to imagine floating on the surface of the water on a raft. Lying on my back, feeling the warmth of God's Son, allowing the water to push and pull me along. Relaxing...

It is like God's love, always there for us to run headlong into and enjoy playing in.  But also strong enough to burst into our lives and rise above all the circumstances in our lives that are difficult.

Sharing some of those memories of our Walk is what serving on a Fourth Day Team brings forth. We start by showing up on Wednesday and transform the camp site into conference rooms, chapels and dining halls. We make up little baskets for prayer requests or "I forgots". We put items into the baskets for the conference room tables with supplies that the pilgrims will use for their artistic expressions of the talks they hear. 

At the end of the evening, as you look about, you have walked where the next group of pilgrims will walk during their 72 hour Walk to Emmaus. You smile, knowing what is in store for them. Knowing that the waves of God's grace will flow throughout the weekend, ebbing and flowing, touching gently the hearts of the pilgrims, but also crashing through some stony barriers.

Please come and be part of the Walks coming up this fall. I want to encourage you to look at the upcoming Walk dates and make a commitment to come out and help on one of the Fourth Day Teams. You can help on Wednesday, or with the potluck on Thursday, or Candlelight on Saturday. Sunday is always special as you listen to the pilgrims at Closing. It really is wonderful to hear how God's grace has washed over the pilgrims' lives just as the waves wash over the sandy shoreline. 

De Colores!

Kathie Johnson

Community Fourth Day Chair 

Walk #185

Table of Elizabeth

I had the privilege of attending closing for Women's Walk 246 and Men's Walk 247 in June and July at Camp Copass. Listening to the pilgrims share what the weekend meant to each of them brought back to me the feelings I had on my Walk almost 10 years ago. What has this weekend meant to you? What are you going to do about it?

Some said their priorities would definitely be adjusted moving forward. They talked about their feelings of unconditional love of Christ during the weekend. They spoke about the people that did not even know them who prayed for them by name during the 72 hours of the weekend. Many shared that they had been able to lay down their obstacles during 'Dying Moments.' They felt like they had looked into the faces of angels as they walked through the lines of the community at candlelight.

These are powerful words. Many of us have forgotten how we felt on Sunday at closing after the Emmaus weekend, the talks, the songs, the 'artistic impressions', and the food! Maybe we all need to take just a minute and remember.

The next Women's Walk will be #248 will be September 12 - 15. The next Men's Walk is October 10 - 13. Both of these Walks will be at Sabine Creek Ranch. Think about someone you know that would benefit from 72 hours bathed in the love and grace of Christ. Applications are available at the Dallas Emmaus website, www.dallasemmaus.org. Offer this opportunity now to someone you know. They will be forever grateful!

De Colores!

Carolyn Jestis

Community Lay Director 

Walk #180

Table of Esther