Five days, more than three thousand participants, many programs and spiritual time – that is Starpoint summarized.  This year, participants learned how to give each other spiritual food, and that we all are God’s beautiful creations; that He loves us despite our sins; that we need each other; that we can be truly at home in His house; that there are no VIPs in the church and that He fulfill us by his Spirit. Based on these thoughts and experiences, Rev. Péter Pál Czeglédi, a pastor from Hajdúbagos, talked about when Jesus walked on water.

“Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified.

Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.” (Mark, 6,45-52)

The pastor said that, during the festival, the lack of outlets was a challenge, so he imagined what it would be like if, at the Information Point at the festival, Jesus himself would be the charger. “Even though Jesus didn’t show up at the Information Point, I know that He was among us and charged our batteries. My soul did not need to be put into an outlet, as it slowly filled with the little that we brought – he emphasized. – God multiplied what we had, but it is thanks to you too, because you were the hands of the Father, that caught me.”

Péter Pál Czeglédi gave thanks for Starpoint and its beautiful moments throughout the past five days, where everyone could experience God’s infinite love. “We could feel, that God is not a rapid charger or a rapid date. He’s the one who touches your soul and for that He uses our and your hands a lot of times.” – he told and then added: “My phone’s been dead, but my soul is full and refreshed. Do you want this spiritual refreshment to be delivered and surround the world with the same love that you received?”

Let us not be scared, if we feel that we cannot do it alone, remember the story, although the third of the disciples were fishermen, who know the sea well, but the storm was still stronger than them. “This story is about to be spiritually refreshed as well, when Jesus arrives, He “refresh” them in spirit. But it is not a question if we have experienced it here. The question is if we can feel this when we return to our homes and if we can share this with those surrounding us? If not, then it is worth nothing, but if you share it with others, you will refresh yourself as well.” – the pastor reminded us.

As he said, God is even greater than his own divinity. “He wants to walk by the disciples, but He changes his mind. This is the Gospel: He changes his mind and gets in the boat with us.” In the Bible, there are no VIP characters either, God is in community with all of us and pulls the oars with us. “That’s how He refreshes you in spirit and says yes to you. He, many times unexpectedly, gets into our boat and maybe we’ll even scare from who He sends to us. But let us not to be afraid to let each other into our boat.” – Péter Pál Czeglédi encouraged the audience.

“Be ready to listen and get into the boat of each other’s life, because we fulfil Christ’s mission when we walk do not walk by the others, when we hold the oars, lives, crosses, sorrows and joys of each other’s.” – stressed the pastor our lifelong mission. He reminded everyone: those who sees us, sees the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, the children of the Father. But what do they see on us? Are we portraying the Father? “I believe, that if we don’t walk by each other, by the grace of God, the storm will calm down and we will reach the other side of the sea – concluded Péter Pál Czeglédi. On the other side, there will still be tasks and difficulties waiting for us, but Jesus will be there with us. Be aware of this and surround each other and do not let go of each other’s hands!”

Written by Zsuzsanna Farkas

Translated by Jázmin Milcsevics

Photos by Emese Molnár, László Szarvas, László Sebestyén