Harvest- Interviewing the Clarks- Day 23

The mid 1950s. The beginning.

Married 57 years. Pastoring for 56 years. Three children. Eight grandchildren.

I’m honored to interview David and Helen Clark. As I wrote yesterday, our paths crossed when we lived in Seattle. And our journey has been richer because of it. Read the introduction here.

Join me in enjoying the life and wisdom of the Clarks!

What do you do to stay connected to God?   What do you do to pay attention to God in daily life?

David–  God has always spoken to me through my Bible Study and sermon preparations. I am an avid reader, so have always tried to keep my mind open to what God might be saying – even in a secular novel, mystery or NYT best-seller non-fiction book. I suppose that has worked best when I have consciously expected God to speak. He hasn’t disappointed me.

Helen–  I live  in the complete confidence that God stays connected to me!  It seems that everywhere I turn I think of something to communicate with Him about – starting daily with the Seattle Times/prayer sheet!  I am again reading through the Bible which will cover the O.T. in two years, and the N.T. once each year, with the Psalms and Proverbs sprinkled here and there.  

Has this (how you stay connected) changed in different seasons of life?  (first married, raising children, empty nest, etc)    

David–  Now that I am retired, I am not preparing sermons and Bible Studies every week, so I’ll admit that staying connected to God has been a problem. I’ve tried a couple of things recently that have been helpful, like reading a Psalm, or a portion of the Psalms every day and spending some time meditating on what I’ve read. Helen and I converse constantly on current news items we’ve seen or read about; on sermons we’ve heard or Bible Studies we’ve participated in.

Helen– No question that during the early years of our ministry, especially in church planting ( 2 years in MN and almost 10 in Alaska) there wasn’t much time for quiet meditation!  I was always comforted in the awareness of many family and friends that were upholding us in prayer.  I have to admit that times of preparation for teaching, etc., doubled as devotional time – I always felt I learned much more that I has able to teach.

If you were to write a letter to your 30 year old self, what would say? What advice in faith, life would you give your younger self.

Helen-  “Lighten Up!”    We were in our 4th year as missionaries in the Aleutians, we had services in our home, or we lived the Chapel.  I had to bake and cook everything from scratch.  We did a weekly “newsletter” we mailed to all the villagers.  I was the most to qualified in the village to substitute teach at the 1-8 school.  We prepared for and taught 5 different age group for Bible Clubs and a Women’s Bible Study….and I often chided myself because I didn’t get all letters answered to the churches or our families or the ironing piled up or I didn’t feel I had spent quality time with our two little girls.  I don’t think I was falling down on my job, instead I think He may have been saying “Good job!”

David–  I’d say, “Pay attention to those people who are really organized. Get into the habit of filing things properly, keeping a journal and being more disciplined in prayer.”

What have been significant Scriptures throughout your life?

David–  When I first “personalized” my faith in Christ at the age of 16, a youth pastor encouraged me to find a “life verse” and to begin to read the Bible. For some reason, Hebrews fascinated me, and chapter 4:15, 16 jumped off the page for me (in the KJV, which is all we had at the time).

“For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities: but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

I have since studied and taught the book of Hebrews where ever I have been a pastor and find it central to my understanding of Christ’s ministry to us, in us and through us. The “Sermon on the Mount” and the Psalms are also very significant portions to me, personally.

Helen–  I so appreciate the Gospels.  The “What Would Jesus Do” had been my mantra long before it became a bracelet!  If Jesus dealt with the issue, I wanted to know why and how, and how it related to my life.  I admit I struggle with some of  the cultural issues in personalizing  both the OT and the Epistles, but God knows, I keep trying!

What do you think are some of the most important aspects of walking with Christ?

David–  In Seminary, studying the OT Prophets, Amos 3:3 impressed me: “Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?” Since then I have envisioned “walking with Christ” as:

(1) A choice, graciously made by Christ, in choosing to walk with me and accepted by faith by me that I would walk with Him.

(2) An assumption that Christ must always lead and I must always follow.

(3) A confidence that where ever He leads, it is going to be right, good for me and will lead to the fulfilling of God’s purposes.

(4) When I wander, or dawdle, or become distracted – as children are wont to do – Christ will make a strong effort to get me back on the path with Him.

(5) No threats, or danger, or disaster, or enemy will be able to overcome my “walking partner”.

(6) The “walk” includes communication (prayer); instruction, training, discipline, nourishment, refreshment and an eternal destination.

How have trials, loss, struggle shaped your relationship with God?

David–  For about 4 years, from mid first grade to mid 5th grade, I was a “handicapped child”. I had a hip problem that kept me in a full body cast for 2 years and a leg brace for 2 more. I missed out on a lot of things, and felt the sting of rude kids calling me “cripple”, etc. I suppose I had a certain amount of inner anger about this, and it wasn’t until my spiritual turnaround at age 16 that I began to let the Lord deal with that.

My first two years at Bethel were foundational in that process. In the process I learned to lean more on the Lord, to trust Him to take care of my anger and feelings of rejection, and to believe that what had happened to me as a child was a part of His purpose to shape me into the Pastor I have been for 56 years. I can echo what Helen says below about having a tender heart for others in need.

Helen–  Having a brother post-polio who developed Muscular Dystrophy about age 10, and died at 26, shaped many things for me – how God loved and used him powerfully, for Doug to pray that he knew God could heal him…”if You don’t, keep me faithful; if You do, keep me humble.”  I think God has given me a tender heart for the hurting, the handicapped, the needy.

What practices, such as prayer, silence, solitude, worship, etc have had impact in your life?

David–  I have been serving on the worship team at our church for the last several years. It has been a very meaningful experience, especially since our Worship Pastor, Ruth Goddard, leads us in a Bible Study that relates to worship each rehearsal. This has meant that the meaning of the words has often resulted in a personal spiritual impact. I have occasionally tried meditative prayer, with some beneficial results. As I have aged, I find it often leads to a nap, which is embarrassing, and not the effect I desire.

What do you do when you feel stuck?  Or when God feels distant?

Helen–  I tell myself I’m must be needing a new step in faith-building.  Oswald Chambers in “My Utmost for His Highest” explains that for a new believer, God reveals Himself somehow frequently to develop the sense of His presence.  But after a while, God does not send “a lolly (sucker) every day”, as that will help the new Christian develop of faith in our unseen Savior. And also I remind myself that many good and Godly friends are praying for me so quickly “see Him” again.

David–  First, I say to myself: “If I feel distant from God, who moved?” Then I take steps to reset the relationship – prayer, Bible reading and meditation, confession. I read a book on the life of Mother Teresa: “Come, Be My light” by Brian Kolodiejchuk, which revealed that she never really felt the presence of God in her devotional or meditative life, but that did not keep her from continuing to trust and serve Him. I take a lot of comfort in that, because sensing the presence of God has not come often to me, except as I have described above. But I keep on trusting and serving and expecting.

As you look back at your life, what have been daily decisions, choices, prayers that have played a big part in who you are today?  (thinking of often it is not just big decisions that lead us places, but the small daily decisions that shape our character)

David–  I sensed rather early on exactly what you are saying about the small, daily decisions to recognize God, to listen to Him and to follow immediately. Most of the days of my life I have awakened with the thought that the day was His, so at the end of the day, the things that happened were because He had led me (us). We vocally express to each other often what we call “God moments” as we sense God has given a special blessing or prevented a disaster or timed an incident so that what was needed for the crisis of the moment was readily available. This has made us very conscious of how God is leading, directing and protecting us.

Helen–  I cannot remember a time in my life when I did not want to be obedient to Christ.  That sounds egotistic, but my parents were dedicated and faithful lay persons who made significant decisions in their lives and employment on the basis of the Lord’s work.  I became aware as a high school-er in Alaska that God wanted me to serve him with my life, so the choices made after that were pretty serious to me.  There have been times when I have had to pray, “not my will, but thine”…the place of service, the type of ministry asked of me, etc.  I know I am a pretty strong-willed person and I had to be conscious of wanting to declare a plan and asking God to bless it!

What are  your most enjoyable moments with God?

David–  I love when I have been given an opportunity to teach or preach and in the presentation feel that the Holy Spirit has taken over. I love the same feeling when I am participating in worship and feel lifted up in giving praise to Him. I love seeing and experiencing the wonderful world we live in. 

Helen– I love being out in our beautiful world and just thanking God for the world and the life He has placed me in.  I love sitting at the piano playing and reading to myself (I don’t sing all that well) all the verses of the grand poems set into hymns.  I love having our family around us and pondering how good God has been in their lives and thanking God for the spouses and children they have.  I love being with people God has allowed me (us) to minister to, to realize that God HAS been able to use me (us) — the blessing of long years and long ministry.

“Thank you, Melanie, for giving us a reason to review what we both consider a pretty wonderful life…”  David and Helen

Thank you to David and Helen for engaging so completely the questions. For reflecting and remembering. I pray for all reading, that from these lives you have a vision for seasons of harvest.

I’m participating with The Nester in 31 Days of Noticing Fall. This is Day 23.

You can find all 31 Dayers here. There are so many wonderful topics.

If you missed any days in the series, you can find my posts here.

Linking with Soli Deo Gloria, On Your Heart Tuesday, Titus 2 Tuesday