Back to Fargo

by Marty Tollefson

Revive us again, O God. Psalm 119

Monday, September 6 was a quiet Labor Day in Fargo. Traffic was light. Business were not overcrowded. People were gone. Absent.

We went, later in the day, to Detroit Lakes. One last day on the beach. One last day swimming. One last day eating nachos from Zorbaz. Forget that last sentence! As we were driving east, we met lots of traffic going west – back to Fargo. People were going home. The weekend was over, not to mention, summer. Campers and boats were headed for storage. Seasonal cabins were being closed. People, for the most part, were enjoying one last taste of summer 2021.

The seasonal transition from summer to fall always brings an element of grief and sadness for me. I will miss the long, warm days of summer. I will miss the grilling and impromptu picnics on the deck. I will look back with fondness upon those vacation days where one is really good for nothing! I always wait for summer to arrive with all kinds of plans for day trips and weekend getaways, but now, it is time to say goodbye for another year. Grrh…

After hanging on the beach, swimming, and nacho eating we too, made the trip back to Fargo. This time, we found ourselves in the steady, current of traffic. It was one, long parade that was moving in the same direction. It felt, as if, we were all heading back to start a new season that lies before us.

Back to Fargo. Back to those places where we come from….

Our theme this fall is entitled – Revive!  I don’t know how it is with you, but I need to come back and say, “Revive me again, O God.” We continue to navigate a season of exhaustion, lack of clarity and predictability, and a season of disruption. If I could guess – I think people are down-right tired. I, we need to be revived, restored, refreshed, resuscitated, and renewed. We can search out all kinds of ways and opportunities to be renewed but there is this thing called our soul business. It goes deep. It is beyond words. It is the stuff inside that brings a peace that passes all understanding. I need that. I yearn for that. My guess is that you do too!

We are moving into a new, exciting season this fall. We are praying that people will be revived. We are praying that people will be engaged. We are praying that people’s spirits will be lifted. We are praying for a revival. We are praying for you!

Wherever you are at…may we all come back to those powerful words,
“Revive me again, O God!”

-- Pastor Marty

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