First Notes: A Yellow-Ribbon Welcome Back Home

Dear First Baptist Family,

Six young people boarded a bus in New York, bound for Florida's beaches, when they noticed a quiet passenger named Vingo. He sat motionless in his ill-fitting brown suit, lost in silence, chewing his lip and staring ahead.

Outside Washington, a girl approached him. Slowly, painfully, Vingo began sharing his story. He'd spent four years in prison and was now heading home to Brunswick, just before Jacksonville. But he didn't know what awaited him there.

Before his incarceration, Vingo had written to his wife Martha, telling her he'd understand if she couldn't wait for him. He'd told her to forget him, find someone new, and spare herself and their three children the pain. For three and a half years, she hadn't written back.

Then, a week ago, knowing his parole was coming through, Vingo sent one final letter. He reminded Martha about the great oak tree at the entrance to Brunswick—a huge, famous landmark. If she would take him back, then she should tie a yellow handkerchief to that tree. If not, no handkerchief, and he'd simply keep riding through.

As they approached Brunswick, the young travelers crowded the right-side windows, caught up in Vingo's hope and fear. He stopped looking, bracing himself for disappointment. Ten miles. Five miles. The bus fell silent with anticipation.

Then suddenly, the young people erupted—screaming, crying, dancing in celebration. 

Vingo sat stunned, staring at the oak tree. It blazed with yellow handkerchiefs: twenty, thirty, maybe hundreds of them, transforming the tree into a gorgeous banner of welcome, billowing in the wind.

Home hadn't just accepted him back. Home had declared, unmistakably and overwhelmingly, that he was wanted. Slowly, the old ex-con rose and made his way forward to go home.

In a Distant Country

Sunday we kicked off our Advent theme of Home for Christmas. It’s an invitation to come home — to the Lord, to the church, to the place of acceptance and embrace.

Of course, to come home, you first have to recognize if you have drifted off course. The thing about spiritual drift is that you can seem to others like everything is fine, but you know something is off. 

Some of you may have gotten a little bitter this past year. Some of you have been overwhelmed with anxiety. Some are angry with the state of our nation, the state of our families, or any number of ways that things just don’t seem right. Some of you may just feel a little lost this Christmas season, like the Prodigal Son of Luke 15— “in a distant country” far from the Lord.

If any of that describes you, I want you to know that you’re not alone. Lots of others feel as you do. Church should be a home where you can be yourself and acknowledge your pain and doubts, not denying or masking them. 

Maybe God is saying to you, “I want you to come home to Me. I want you to know the peace I give.” 

But how do you get there? 

Rend Your Hearts

Through the cross, Jesus has provided for us a way back to the Father’s house. He lived among us and was “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). He gave his life so we could live again, free from the fetters of sin, shame and guilt.

We receive His grace by believing in Him, humbling ourselves, and returning to Him.

Through the prophet Joel, the Lord said, “Even now, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity” (Joel 2:12-13, NIV). 

It may sound strange to talk about fasting and weeping in what should be a time of joy and gladness, but what if you first need to “rend your heart” before you can have your soul restored? 

In the Prodigal Son story, the son “came to his senses” and realized how he had wronged his father. He looked at his heart and realized the error of his ways. 

Take some time to see what’s in your heart. What needs to be confessed? Where do you need forgiveness? Who do you need to forgive? Pause right now and ask the Spirit to show you what it means to “rend your heart.”

The Promise of Forever

While you and I need to return to the Lord from time to time, God isn’t like us. God doesn’t leave us or forsake us. God is faithful when we are unfaithful. God’s promises don’t change. 

I love the last promise of Psalm 23 as David declares, “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6, NIV).

What a wonderful word: forever. We are at home always with the Lord in the here and now, but also forever with Him. 

God’s welcome to you is like a great oak tree with thousands of yellow ribbons. You are accepted. You have a home — forever.

I am looking forward to our choir’s presentation of A Christmas Prayer this Sunday, a story about a young man who makes the challenging journey back home. I hope you’ll bring someone along to enjoy this inspiring time of worship. 

With love,

Pastor Brent McDougal