All Good Things Don’t Have to Come to an End
Luke 20:14-17; 19-23; 26-29
Wednesday June 8, 2005
I have been writing and sending out this devotional tidbit for over six months. I am grateful for all who have responded at one time or another. Today’s devotional is going out to those who normally receive it as well as to a specially selected list of individuals who will read it for the first time.
Those I have specially selected to receive this devotional have a connection in one way or another to the Center for Christian Education in Irving, TX. I graduated from the Center last May. I am now saddened to say that they are closing their doors at the end of June. I am currently auditing a class there with our beloved Dr. Bill. I did not know this would be the last class ever taught at the Center. My wife and I (mostly my wife) have also been cleaning the Center for over three years. Excuse me if my tears are flowing through your monitor. I will dearly miss the Center.
They say all good things must come to an end. When Jesus was crucified, the religious leaders thought their problems were over. Jesus would no longer exist. His followers would not exist. After all, their leader Jesus would be dead. The cheers didn’t last long did they? Not only did Jesus arise, his followers spread his teachings and the good news of his death, burial, and resurrection to all parts of the world. Jesus was not a one man band tooting his own horn. He took men away from their jobs, a tax collector, fishermen, and others and made them all fishers of men. They preached the good news, they taught others about Christ. Jesus took them in and showed them personally the love of God. He had patience with them when any mere human would have lost their wits.
What Jesus did for the apostles, the Center for Christian Education has done for so many men and even a few wonderful women (Carol M. and Laura C. come quickly to mind) over the past 40 years. Jesus was full of patience when teaching the apostles, and our professors have been extremely patient with us as students. I think Dr. Herman Alexander was quite patient with me in preaching class. Every professor was patient with Sean, Luke, Rick U., and others with questions that interrupted important lectures. Most of all I want to mention that the Center for Christian Education legacy will live on forever through the teaching we received which we will teach and preach to others. There are many of us who want to continue the great teaching tradition of the Center. I personally know five or six current and former students that want to teach at the college level. We have been inspired by our wonderful professors to teach others in the way we have been taught. We are especially grateful for being taught how to study the Bible for ourselves.
All good things do not have to come to an end. While the Center may close its doors, the students who have passed through those doors will continue to teach the gospel message, hopefully with the same passion as Dr. Bill and Dr. Herman Alexander. Some of you man not know the Center for Christian Education and its professors, but you have seen their influence in these devotional tidbits over the past six months. I thank God for the education I received at the Center for Christian Education.
In Christ,
Brian Humek
