This time of self isolation and social distancing has been a challenge for churches and for Christians. We are not able to gather together for worship as we have in the past. Here at St. John we have gone to live streaming the worship and the Sunday Bible study. It has created a challenge for Casey and for Dave as they work to prepare for the live stream. What works on one day, the next day doesn't. The sound works the night before, then doesn't work the day of the service. The camera is working great and then refuses to work when it is time for service. All I can say is that Satan must really be working overtime to try to keep people from being a part of a regular worship service.
Anyway, this has also challenged us Lutherans in our understanding of the Means of Grace. Do you remember what they are? The Means of Grace are the means which the Holy Spirit uses to begin faith and sustain faith in you. The Means of Grace are the Word and Sacraments (Sacrament of Baptism and Sacrament of the Altar). Through Word and Sacrament, we are brought to faith and kept in that faith.
So through Baptism, we are brought to faith. As we recall our Baptism daily, we are sustained in that faith. Through the Word, we are brought to faith. (Often this is the case for an adult who comes to faith prior to being Baptized. The Word has been shared with them and the Spirit uses that Word to bring the person to faith.) It is also through the Word that we are kept in the faith, which is why we continue read, mark, learn and inwardly digest the Word.
And it is through Holy Communion that we are strengthened in our faith. We have grown accustomed to receiving the Sacrament regularly and frequently, as well we should. It is good, right and salutary that we should receive the Supper, to receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, in, with and under the bread and wine.
What has happened with Covid-19, we are have been unable to gather together in times of worship. Gatherings of 10 or less are acceptable but they are discouraged. We are told to stay home, to avoid being around others, to watch out that we don't share the virus with others. This is good advice and many of us have been faithfully following that. So we worship together virtually - via live stream on YouTube or Facebook. We have joined together in daily prayer as it is shared on Facebook. Us pastors, are learning how to share the Word of God with our people in new and different ways.
But we are not receiving the Sacrament of the Altar. We are unable to gather together. Yes, we hunger for it. We desire it. But it is difficult because at this time, we do not have the Saturday/Sunday Divine services with the Supper. You can't give people communion over the internet. The theology of doing so is wrong. As Lutherans, we would have to change our beliefs and teachings to do so. And, I, for one, refuse to change the theology of the Lutheran Church to meet this time of crisis. For is you change theology for this, why can't you change it for other circumstances, and boy, does that open up a can of worms!
So we, as Lutherans, are beginning to remember the power of the Means of Grace, which includes the Word of God. We are starting to remember that God's Word has power in and of itself. It seems that we have sort of relegated the Word to second place in the Means. It is good, but not quite as good as the Sacrament. We are getting back to the truth that the Word is just as powerful and just as wonderful as the Lord's Supper. (Don't get me wrong. I am not advocating getting rid of the Sacrament of the Altar. Far from it. Here at St. John, Clarinda, IA we are working to figure out a way to celebrate the Lord's Supper on Mandy Thursday that is faithful to God's Word, Lutheran practice and the mandates of the state of Iowa.) We are seeing how important that Word truly is for our lives. We are returning to our roots of Lutheran Church and seeing the power of God's Word in our lives.
So if something good can be found in this, it is that we as Lutherans are seeing that all the Means of Grace are wonderful, powerful and a gift from God. When this has passed, and it will, we will be able to return to receiving the Sacrament regularly and frequently. What I hope is that we don't forget the importance of God's Word in our lives. Maybe we will find ourselves attending Bible study more often. Maybe we will even find ourselves continuing to make the Word a regular part of our days.
I know, not the regular rambling, but rambling nonetheless. May the Lord bless us each day.
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Monday, March 30, 2020
Did you know that Lazarus was not the 1st one to come out of the tomb? Jesus said, "Lazarus, come fourth!" LOL! I slay me. OK, so Jesus actually said, "Lazarus, come forth!" But if you know me, I find great pleasure in those kinds of silly jokes.
This is the first of the new puzzles that we did. Challenging? Yes. But it is relaxing to do these puzzles. When you are finished, it is amazing what the picture looks like.
As I think about those puzzles, I think about life. When we put the pieces on the table, it looks overwhelming. There is no rhyme or reason to how the pieces are on the table. It looks like this.
It makes no sense. That is life. When we look at life, it makes no sense. Oh, we try to sort it out. We try to figure it out. But in times like this, we start to think that there is no sense at all. We don't see how it can work out. Yet, the Lord knows. He sees the whole picture, not just the jumble of pieces. And yet, at the same time, if you look at that picture of all the pieces, and think of each piece being a different person, the Lord knows each piece/person, calls them by name and knows exactly where they fit into the picture. That amazes me. To think that with all those pieces, He knows exactly where it goes. I have to search, look, try, and grumble when it doesn't work. The Lord is in control.
That is comforting to me. In the middle of this chaos, the Lord is still in control. It is not chaos to Him. I think about how He has stepped down in the chaos, became a human, and then took the fullness of that sinful chaos, suffered for our sinfulness, and died. He then rose again from the dead! He rose! He took this chaos and put it all back together in the proper way. Wow! The Lord has truly loved each of us. Thank You Lord.
So, anyway, that is my ramblings for today. Where was I going? I didn't know. But this is where we arrived. It is puzzling to me (humor!) how it will work out. But it isn't to the Lord. I pray for you. Ask the Lord to watch over you. And I know this one thing: He does! Alleluia!
Did you know that they could not play cards on the ark? It is because the elephants stood on the deck! Oh, yeah! I just cause myself to laugh. As Penny would say, "Good thing you make yourself laugh. Someone has to." Yes, she loves and supports me. She gets to roll her eyes often.
A little humor to start your day (I know, very little humor). We need humor right now because there is so much that causes us concern, perhaps even fear. Every time we hear of someone with the virus, our hearts jump. When a case if found in our county, we get concerned. It isn't something to celebrate, having a case in your county. Instead, when you hear that word, stop, and say a prayer for that person, for those who must care for the person, for the person's family and for the community. Pray that the Lord will bring strength, protection and, yes, healing.
I pray that you are doing well. What is going on in the Schuessler household? Well, there is a lot happening. Penny is working hard to try to keep Noah's Ark open for those who still need care for their children. This is the time when we see the importance of offering daycare to the community. This is not preschool, that was closed when the school closed. This is the part of Noah's Ark that is daycare. There are families who need care so they can continue to work. Penny is trying to offer that. She does webinars about 2-3 times a week, to stay caught up on the things she needs to know to offer this service to the community. There are new rules in place to protect the children and the workers. Penny and I both want to do what we can for both the families and for the workers. With so many people being out of work, Penny is doing what she can to ensure that these workers continue to have a paycheck, without financially hurting the church. So she is at church every day to make sure that things are working well.
At home, she is baking, cooking and making my life good. I fear that I am going to have to go on a diet when this is all over. She is such a good cook. And I love to eat. What a great combination. We are also working on puzzles. We had stopped about 3 puzzles ago, as the regular puzzle time was over. Then this all happened and we started working on them again.
This is the first of the new puzzles that we did. Challenging? Yes. But it is relaxing to do these puzzles. When you are finished, it is amazing what the picture looks like.
As I think about those puzzles, I think about life. When we put the pieces on the table, it looks overwhelming. There is no rhyme or reason to how the pieces are on the table. It looks like this.
It makes no sense. That is life. When we look at life, it makes no sense. Oh, we try to sort it out. We try to figure it out. But in times like this, we start to think that there is no sense at all. We don't see how it can work out. Yet, the Lord knows. He sees the whole picture, not just the jumble of pieces. And yet, at the same time, if you look at that picture of all the pieces, and think of each piece being a different person, the Lord knows each piece/person, calls them by name and knows exactly where they fit into the picture. That amazes me. To think that with all those pieces, He knows exactly where it goes. I have to search, look, try, and grumble when it doesn't work. The Lord is in control.
That is comforting to me. In the middle of this chaos, the Lord is still in control. It is not chaos to Him. I think about how He has stepped down in the chaos, became a human, and then took the fullness of that sinful chaos, suffered for our sinfulness, and died. He then rose again from the dead! He rose! He took this chaos and put it all back together in the proper way. Wow! The Lord has truly loved each of us. Thank You Lord.
So, anyway, that is my ramblings for today. Where was I going? I didn't know. But this is where we arrived. It is puzzling to me (humor!) how it will work out. But it isn't to the Lord. I pray for you. Ask the Lord to watch over you. And I know this one thing: He does! Alleluia!
Thursday, March 26, 2020
Gossip in a time of crisis.
So what do you do? Now that there is a case of Covin-19 in Page County, what do you do? You continue to stay home. You continue to get the carry out meals from the local places of eating. You avoid going around folks who are high risk. You continue to social distance.
What don't you do? You don't try to find out who it is. You don't call your neighbor and gossip with them, saying things like, "I heard it might have been..." Or you don't start to say, "I heard from someone that heard from someone else that our neighbor might have been exposed to the virus." That is not helpful. No, you cannot be told who it was. Nor should you be asking around to try to find it out. Nor should you spread any other gossip that you have heard. Last Monday, I was told, "I heard that there were 2 cases in ...." Again on Tuesday, I was told, "There was a person in ,,, who tested positive." Both of these were mere gossip and untrue. Unfortunately these things are passed on. What did I say? I told the different people that said these things, "I am sure that is not true."
We are people who want to know everything we can about everyone else, even while we don't want anyone to know about us individually. Unfortunately we often share things that are not true. Gossip is something that runs rampant. If you hear something, you want to share it, even if it isn't true. Often, we don't want to seem like we don't know what is going on. We also like to be the first to share something.
I have found that to be true about such things as hospitalization or death. One time I had a member in the hospital. I had just returned to church after the hospital visit and was told, "So and so is in the hospital." I said, "I know." I was told, "Well she in a coma." "Really? That is amazing because I was just talking to her a short time ago so she isn't a coma." "Oh yes, she is. I heard that she was." "No, that isn't true." "Yes it is." There was nothing that I could say to convince this person that what was being said was untrue, even though I knew differently.
Gossip is wrong, even if what is being shared is true. I think about what Luther says in the meaning to the 8th commandment: "We should fear and love God so that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him and put the best construction on everything."
In this time of Covid-19, we need to not slander people by sharing that you heard they might have... Nor should we hurt someone's reputation by saying, "I heard so and so was tested..." This is not good. It is not loving. It does not support your neighbor.
What should you do? Speak well of each other. When you hear something untrue, speak up and tell the person it is not true. When you hear something that is true, you should point out that even though it is true, it isn't in the best interest of that person to continue to share such a thing.
It is hard. Good news and truth travels slowly. Bad news and lies spreads quickly. How does that change? You and I make the change. Instead of bad news or lies, spread good news and truth. Share the love of Christ. Encourage each other. Speak well of others.
This is a time that calls for Christians to step forward and act according to the will of the Father. You might say, "But I am just trying to protect others." Are you? The best way to protect others is to do as we are told, socially distance, and be smart.
Pray for each others. Pray that folks don't get the virus. Pray that the Lord will lift up folks. Keep the Lord in front of you and let Him guide your lips and your words.
What don't you do? You don't try to find out who it is. You don't call your neighbor and gossip with them, saying things like, "I heard it might have been..." Or you don't start to say, "I heard from someone that heard from someone else that our neighbor might have been exposed to the virus." That is not helpful. No, you cannot be told who it was. Nor should you be asking around to try to find it out. Nor should you spread any other gossip that you have heard. Last Monday, I was told, "I heard that there were 2 cases in ...." Again on Tuesday, I was told, "There was a person in ,,, who tested positive." Both of these were mere gossip and untrue. Unfortunately these things are passed on. What did I say? I told the different people that said these things, "I am sure that is not true."
We are people who want to know everything we can about everyone else, even while we don't want anyone to know about us individually. Unfortunately we often share things that are not true. Gossip is something that runs rampant. If you hear something, you want to share it, even if it isn't true. Often, we don't want to seem like we don't know what is going on. We also like to be the first to share something.
I have found that to be true about such things as hospitalization or death. One time I had a member in the hospital. I had just returned to church after the hospital visit and was told, "So and so is in the hospital." I said, "I know." I was told, "Well she in a coma." "Really? That is amazing because I was just talking to her a short time ago so she isn't a coma." "Oh yes, she is. I heard that she was." "No, that isn't true." "Yes it is." There was nothing that I could say to convince this person that what was being said was untrue, even though I knew differently.
Gossip is wrong, even if what is being shared is true. I think about what Luther says in the meaning to the 8th commandment: "We should fear and love God so that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him and put the best construction on everything."
In this time of Covid-19, we need to not slander people by sharing that you heard they might have... Nor should we hurt someone's reputation by saying, "I heard so and so was tested..." This is not good. It is not loving. It does not support your neighbor.
What should you do? Speak well of each other. When you hear something untrue, speak up and tell the person it is not true. When you hear something that is true, you should point out that even though it is true, it isn't in the best interest of that person to continue to share such a thing.
It is hard. Good news and truth travels slowly. Bad news and lies spreads quickly. How does that change? You and I make the change. Instead of bad news or lies, spread good news and truth. Share the love of Christ. Encourage each other. Speak well of others.
This is a time that calls for Christians to step forward and act according to the will of the Father. You might say, "But I am just trying to protect others." Are you? The best way to protect others is to do as we are told, socially distance, and be smart.
Pray for each others. Pray that folks don't get the virus. Pray that the Lord will lift up folks. Keep the Lord in front of you and let Him guide your lips and your words.
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Midway through the week
How are you doing? Truly, how are you doing during this difficult time. There are the memes that bring smiles to our faces. I like the one that says that introverts are loving this time but the extroverts are struggling. As this goes on, I wonder even about the introverts. Are you a hugger? I am. I like to give hugs to folks. Not only does it lift their spirits, but it lifts mine as well Not being able to hug, outside of hugging my wife which is enjoyable and we do it as often as possible, is hard on me. I can't reach my hand out and shake the hand of the person that I meet. I cannot give a person a hug after we have spent time talking about what is going on in their lives. It is tough.
So how are you doing? I fear that depression might set in for some folks. I also think about children who are not able to have that contact with other children, teachers who are not able to be in their classrooms with their children. Oh, I know, that some of the teachers are doing things online. There is online teaching taking place, which helps. But that is not the same as being in a classroom, with the sounds, smells and actions that take place each day.
I feel that. At St. John, Clarinda, IA we are working on livestreaming our worship services and Bible study. Last weekend we were going to have worship, probably not with huge crows but I had the local police stop by and tell us that we cannot. So we recorded the Saturday evening worship and aired it on Sunday morning. I taught Bible study on Facebook live, with Penny and Dave B. present. I rejoiced that I was able to get that into the households of the folks in Clarinda, New Market, College Springs, Shenandoah and other places throughout the country. We are going live tonight for our Wednesday Lenten service. There is "studio" set up in the church sanctuary. We are going to ensure that folks have the Word of God in their lives and have that opportunity to worship their Lord. I know many churches across the nation are doing the same things.
But let me tell you a little secret. This is hard on me, personally. I love being with my church family. I love having the sanctuary filled with the bodies of the children of God, to look at their faces as I read the Word, to call them by name at the communion rail, to see their expressions as I preach the Word (and see the ones sleeping, LOL). All of that fills my heart with joy. And not having that, is hard on me. I greatly enjoy teaching Bible class. I love it when members of the class ask questions, taking us down what we call rabbit holes. It challenges me to be able to answer the questions of Donna, Elmer, Shirley and others. I love being able to look them in the eyes as I answer their questions.
Not being able to do that in Bible study or worship, is hard. I miss the Body of Christ. I miss the fellowship of the faith. I miss being able to greet folks as they walk out of the church following worship, shaking hands, giving hugs, checking to see how folks are doing. I miss being able to stand after Bible class and find out how a person's week has gone. I miss that contact.
So I wait. I know that this shall pass. I know that the Lord will see us through this time. I know that there will come a time again for us to gather together for worship and Bible study. I know that we will have time to sit as a table during a Touch of Love Breakfast. I know all this. And I thank God for the hope that He gives to in the middle of this crisis.
So what do I do while I wait? I read the Word. I pray. I listen for the voice of the Lord in my life. I pray some more. I post prayers. I post blogs. I do all that I can to continue to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit. And I do all I can to lift up those around me.
I give thanks to the Lord for His love. I give thanks to the Lord for the Body of Christ. I give thanks to the Lord that I am able to talk on the phone with members. I give thanks to the Lord. Period. Instead of focusing on the pain, I focus on that which the Lord continues to do in my life and the life of each and every one of us.
My friends, how are you doing?
So how are you doing? I fear that depression might set in for some folks. I also think about children who are not able to have that contact with other children, teachers who are not able to be in their classrooms with their children. Oh, I know, that some of the teachers are doing things online. There is online teaching taking place, which helps. But that is not the same as being in a classroom, with the sounds, smells and actions that take place each day.
I feel that. At St. John, Clarinda, IA we are working on livestreaming our worship services and Bible study. Last weekend we were going to have worship, probably not with huge crows but I had the local police stop by and tell us that we cannot. So we recorded the Saturday evening worship and aired it on Sunday morning. I taught Bible study on Facebook live, with Penny and Dave B. present. I rejoiced that I was able to get that into the households of the folks in Clarinda, New Market, College Springs, Shenandoah and other places throughout the country. We are going live tonight for our Wednesday Lenten service. There is "studio" set up in the church sanctuary. We are going to ensure that folks have the Word of God in their lives and have that opportunity to worship their Lord. I know many churches across the nation are doing the same things.
But let me tell you a little secret. This is hard on me, personally. I love being with my church family. I love having the sanctuary filled with the bodies of the children of God, to look at their faces as I read the Word, to call them by name at the communion rail, to see their expressions as I preach the Word (and see the ones sleeping, LOL). All of that fills my heart with joy. And not having that, is hard on me. I greatly enjoy teaching Bible class. I love it when members of the class ask questions, taking us down what we call rabbit holes. It challenges me to be able to answer the questions of Donna, Elmer, Shirley and others. I love being able to look them in the eyes as I answer their questions.
Not being able to do that in Bible study or worship, is hard. I miss the Body of Christ. I miss the fellowship of the faith. I miss being able to greet folks as they walk out of the church following worship, shaking hands, giving hugs, checking to see how folks are doing. I miss being able to stand after Bible class and find out how a person's week has gone. I miss that contact.
So I wait. I know that this shall pass. I know that the Lord will see us through this time. I know that there will come a time again for us to gather together for worship and Bible study. I know that we will have time to sit as a table during a Touch of Love Breakfast. I know all this. And I thank God for the hope that He gives to in the middle of this crisis.
So what do I do while I wait? I read the Word. I pray. I listen for the voice of the Lord in my life. I pray some more. I post prayers. I post blogs. I do all that I can to continue to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit. And I do all I can to lift up those around me.
I give thanks to the Lord for His love. I give thanks to the Lord for the Body of Christ. I give thanks to the Lord that I am able to talk on the phone with members. I give thanks to the Lord. Period. Instead of focusing on the pain, I focus on that which the Lord continues to do in my life and the life of each and every one of us.
My friends, how are you doing?
Monday, March 23, 2020
One God to whom we pray
Monday morning, and nothing has changed. The world is still a mess. The virus is still out there. Schools are still closed. People are still told to stay in. And there is still the need for Christ. Through all this, I would pray that people would see how much they need Jesus Christ as their Savior.
I sit and think about this. I think about how much people need to believe in Christ and yet, how many people don't believe in Him. In the midst of this crisis, people will say, it doesn't matter who you call upon, as long as you call upon some sort of higher power. After all, all these religions are basically the same, they all give people something to look to and that is the point. Call upon something. That is good enough.
Good enough? No it isn't. If you are not calling upon the true God, the triune God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are not calling upon anything that can save you. Isaiah 45:20b They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep praying to a god that cannot save. And again, 1 Chronicles 16:26 For all gods of the people are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. And again, Jeremiah 11:12 Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they make offerings, but they cannot save them in their time of their trouble.
Who is the true God? The Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, three persons. Who do we turn to? Not to the gods of this world but to Him alone. John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. And again, 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.
Then we have a straight forward statement by Jesus Christ: Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6 If we want to be heard in our prayers, we need to be praying to the true God, believing in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who alone is the way to salvation.
There is only one God who can help in this time of trouble. Let us turn our hearts from our sinfulness, from the gods of this world, from the gods of our hearts, and turn to the only true God, Jesus Christ. He alone can help. He alone gives comfort. He alone gives peace. He alone saves. He alone is the One who can assure us that we are not alone.
The world is blind in their sinfulness. It cannot give itself sight. Let's proclaim Christ clearly. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will open the hearts and eyes of those who do not know Jesus.
I sit and think about this. I think about how much people need to believe in Christ and yet, how many people don't believe in Him. In the midst of this crisis, people will say, it doesn't matter who you call upon, as long as you call upon some sort of higher power. After all, all these religions are basically the same, they all give people something to look to and that is the point. Call upon something. That is good enough.
Good enough? No it isn't. If you are not calling upon the true God, the triune God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are not calling upon anything that can save you. Isaiah 45:20b They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep praying to a god that cannot save. And again, 1 Chronicles 16:26 For all gods of the people are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. And again, Jeremiah 11:12 Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they make offerings, but they cannot save them in their time of their trouble.
Who is the true God? The Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, three persons. Who do we turn to? Not to the gods of this world but to Him alone. John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. And again, 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.
Then we have a straight forward statement by Jesus Christ: Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6 If we want to be heard in our prayers, we need to be praying to the true God, believing in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who alone is the way to salvation.
There is only one God who can help in this time of trouble. Let us turn our hearts from our sinfulness, from the gods of this world, from the gods of our hearts, and turn to the only true God, Jesus Christ. He alone can help. He alone gives comfort. He alone gives peace. He alone saves. He alone is the One who can assure us that we are not alone.
The world is blind in their sinfulness. It cannot give itself sight. Let's proclaim Christ clearly. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will open the hearts and eyes of those who do not know Jesus.
Sunday, March 22, 2020
Sunday morning
It is Sunday morning and things are different. I am preparing, with the help of Penny, to lead a Bible study online. We are going to do a Facebook live Bible study this morning. It will be at the regular time - 9:00 a.m. Then the service will be broadcast. It was recorded last night before a packed house of 7 people.
We are going to try a live stream on Wednesday evening, at 6:00 p.m. instead of having service at 5:30 p.m. Why? So that we keep under the 10 people number for grouping. It was suggested that maybe we do several services, each with only 10 people, so folks could have that time of worship. While I would like to do something like that, because worship does entail joining with the fellow believers, to lift up and support each other, we are told that we should not be doing that.
I know that I had said that I would offer worship despite the mandate to not gather. Why did I change? It is the right thing to do. I will leave it at that. May the Lord continue to guide me as I try my best to lead St. John through this time of pandemic. I have never pastored through a time like this before. I am working to figure out the best way to lead the congregation. Sometimes I make the right decision. Sometimes I make the wrong decision.
What my prayer is for our congregation is that we will support one anther no matter what takes place. If something is said wrong, we confess that to each other. Then we forgive each other. What I am saying is that we act like Christians, the children of God. We act like the Lord would have us act. We show love and kindness to each other.
As times get tough, people will say things, because of the stress that they are going through. People will do things that they would not normally do (like buying up everything in the store, even if they don't need it). Tension, change, disruption and uncertainty cause people to act and do things that they might not normally do. This calls for understanding and support for each other. It calls for us to ask the Lord to help us with our family relationships, congregational relationships, and community relationships. We need to understand each other and support each other. Now is the time for the good the Spirit has placed in our lives starts to come out and guide us.
I will continue to try to post and support throughout this crisis. I am asking the Lord to keep me focused and lead me to help you. I encourage you to continue pray, to read your Bible, and to continue to grow in Your faith. This is a time for each of us to remain focused on living in Christ Jesus in all that we do.
May the Lord continue to bless and strengthen you. Remember that He loves and cares for you in all that you are going through.
All right, let's start this day. Lord, guide me! Amen.
We are going to try a live stream on Wednesday evening, at 6:00 p.m. instead of having service at 5:30 p.m. Why? So that we keep under the 10 people number for grouping. It was suggested that maybe we do several services, each with only 10 people, so folks could have that time of worship. While I would like to do something like that, because worship does entail joining with the fellow believers, to lift up and support each other, we are told that we should not be doing that.
I know that I had said that I would offer worship despite the mandate to not gather. Why did I change? It is the right thing to do. I will leave it at that. May the Lord continue to guide me as I try my best to lead St. John through this time of pandemic. I have never pastored through a time like this before. I am working to figure out the best way to lead the congregation. Sometimes I make the right decision. Sometimes I make the wrong decision.
What my prayer is for our congregation is that we will support one anther no matter what takes place. If something is said wrong, we confess that to each other. Then we forgive each other. What I am saying is that we act like Christians, the children of God. We act like the Lord would have us act. We show love and kindness to each other.
As times get tough, people will say things, because of the stress that they are going through. People will do things that they would not normally do (like buying up everything in the store, even if they don't need it). Tension, change, disruption and uncertainty cause people to act and do things that they might not normally do. This calls for understanding and support for each other. It calls for us to ask the Lord to help us with our family relationships, congregational relationships, and community relationships. We need to understand each other and support each other. Now is the time for the good the Spirit has placed in our lives starts to come out and guide us.
I will continue to try to post and support throughout this crisis. I am asking the Lord to keep me focused and lead me to help you. I encourage you to continue pray, to read your Bible, and to continue to grow in Your faith. This is a time for each of us to remain focused on living in Christ Jesus in all that we do.
May the Lord continue to bless and strengthen you. Remember that He loves and cares for you in all that you are going through.
All right, let's start this day. Lord, guide me! Amen.
Friday, March 20, 2020
Sun in my eyes!
I was sitting at the table this morning and the sun was shining in my eyes. It is a sunny cold day. Yesterday was a spring day, warm, windy, stormy. We grilled even while the storms were rumbling all around us. That could actually be a metaphor for what is going on in your life right now. I was standing there grilling, in the middle of all the storms raging. I continue my life, perhaps in a changed way, but continue it nonetheless, in the middle of the storms that are raging - coronavirus, stock market issues, closed businesses, take out and drive through dining, and so on.
But that wasn't what my thought was as the sun shone in my eyes as I sat at the table (ramblings remember). I thought, look at the sun coming through that window.
This is the window. As I was blinded, I thought, wait a minute, that is coming through a different window than it did at the beginning of the week. You see, it came in on Monday in through the window on the right. This morning it came through the window on the left, between the tree and the garage. OK, so what?
I thought about this and thought, "Self, God is still in control. The world is still moving just as it should. The virus has not stopped the world that God has given to us. Remember, Self, that the virus is not in control. God is." Think about that. The coronavirus has caused a lot of changes. You might even be trapped in your house right now as you read this. But think of this. The sun came up at the exact right time this morning. The virus didn't stop it. The day will last the exact right about of time today. The virus can't stop that. The wind will still blow (and boy did it blow last night). The virus couldn't stop that. The universe is still moving in the exact same way that it has since God created it. Scientists tell us that (thought they argue about the age of the universe. Friends, God made it when He made it!).
My point? God is still in control. Yes, this is a crazy time. We are seeing the results of a fallen world. There is sickness. When this virus is overcome, something else will happen. Remember polio, mumps and measles? God gave the right people the understanding on how to overcome those, and yet, the next one came along. Why? A fallen world. Yes, there will be earthquakes and calamities. Jesus warned us of these. But He also said, "Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." (Luke 21:28) Instead of looking at the things of the world that are messed up and causing all sorts of issues in this world and in your life, look to the Lord, be held fast in the hand of the Father and trust in that which you have been given - faith in Christ and the hope of life eternal.
Yes, there are changes. Yet, there are things that have not changed. When your heart becomes faint, lift up that faint heart in prayer to the Lord that never changes. He will strength the faint heart and the feeble knees and will give comfort, peace and strength.
The sun continue in its course. The earth continues to spin. And the Christian still awaits the coming of the Lord. Yes, things are pretty much the same as before the virus.
But that wasn't what my thought was as the sun shone in my eyes as I sat at the table (ramblings remember). I thought, look at the sun coming through that window.
This is the window. As I was blinded, I thought, wait a minute, that is coming through a different window than it did at the beginning of the week. You see, it came in on Monday in through the window on the right. This morning it came through the window on the left, between the tree and the garage. OK, so what?
I thought about this and thought, "Self, God is still in control. The world is still moving just as it should. The virus has not stopped the world that God has given to us. Remember, Self, that the virus is not in control. God is." Think about that. The coronavirus has caused a lot of changes. You might even be trapped in your house right now as you read this. But think of this. The sun came up at the exact right time this morning. The virus didn't stop it. The day will last the exact right about of time today. The virus can't stop that. The wind will still blow (and boy did it blow last night). The virus couldn't stop that. The universe is still moving in the exact same way that it has since God created it. Scientists tell us that (thought they argue about the age of the universe. Friends, God made it when He made it!).
My point? God is still in control. Yes, this is a crazy time. We are seeing the results of a fallen world. There is sickness. When this virus is overcome, something else will happen. Remember polio, mumps and measles? God gave the right people the understanding on how to overcome those, and yet, the next one came along. Why? A fallen world. Yes, there will be earthquakes and calamities. Jesus warned us of these. But He also said, "Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." (Luke 21:28) Instead of looking at the things of the world that are messed up and causing all sorts of issues in this world and in your life, look to the Lord, be held fast in the hand of the Father and trust in that which you have been given - faith in Christ and the hope of life eternal.
Yes, there are changes. Yet, there are things that have not changed. When your heart becomes faint, lift up that faint heart in prayer to the Lord that never changes. He will strength the faint heart and the feeble knees and will give comfort, peace and strength.
The sun continue in its course. The earth continues to spin. And the Christian still awaits the coming of the Lord. Yes, things are pretty much the same as before the virus.
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
What do you do? That is really the question. What do you do in this time of crisis? First, I would say to turn off the news. I know that we want to know what is going on in the world today. This morning, as I had my morning tea, I had the news on. In the hour that I had it on, there was only one segment, short, that did not talk about the coronavirus. That was when they did the weather segment. Otherwise, it was a full hour of talk about the virus. I understand that we need to know what is going on. But it gets to be too much. I remember that following 9/11, I finally had to turn he news off because the discussion of and the images of the disaster was getting overwhelming. It was depressing. It caused nothing but despair and helplessness. I was becoming depressed. I needed to distance myself from it.
So when they are telling us to socially distance ourselves, I think we need to socially distance from the news media. If we don't, we are going to become more and more depressed. We will be dealing with more issues.
I am really asking myself about what to do. Worship. The importance of worship. Yes, it can be done virtually. For many, that has been the way they have done worship, letting the tele-evangelist minister to them instead of attending worship at their church. It has been enough. I hear, "Pastor, I may not make it to worship, but I watch TV. I watch Rev. Whatshisname and I watch Madame Pastor Goodname. I get so much from them. I don't feel like I need to get out on Sunday." Well, welcome to the new reality. That is going to happen even more now. Churches will live stream their services and after this crisis is past, they will continue to offer that. I fear that more people will continue to stay home and say, "I worship at home. That is good enough."
And I know, it is, for those who are not able to get out to worship. But as a pastor, I fear that this will become the new normal. People who could get out, will use that as their reason for not attending worship. Then, as the crisis passes, they will return to their former way of life, where even watching worship at home will become an option.
I wonder. I struggle. I think. I pray. I ask the Lord, "What is the right thing to do right now?" And we are moving forward with the way that we, at St. John, think will be best. Pray for me. Pray for us. Pray for our nation. Pray for the sick. Pray for the well.
Lord, be with us.
So when they are telling us to socially distance ourselves, I think we need to socially distance from the news media. If we don't, we are going to become more and more depressed. We will be dealing with more issues.
I am really asking myself about what to do. Worship. The importance of worship. Yes, it can be done virtually. For many, that has been the way they have done worship, letting the tele-evangelist minister to them instead of attending worship at their church. It has been enough. I hear, "Pastor, I may not make it to worship, but I watch TV. I watch Rev. Whatshisname and I watch Madame Pastor Goodname. I get so much from them. I don't feel like I need to get out on Sunday." Well, welcome to the new reality. That is going to happen even more now. Churches will live stream their services and after this crisis is past, they will continue to offer that. I fear that more people will continue to stay home and say, "I worship at home. That is good enough."
And I know, it is, for those who are not able to get out to worship. But as a pastor, I fear that this will become the new normal. People who could get out, will use that as their reason for not attending worship. Then, as the crisis passes, they will return to their former way of life, where even watching worship at home will become an option.
I wonder. I struggle. I think. I pray. I ask the Lord, "What is the right thing to do right now?" And we are moving forward with the way that we, at St. John, think will be best. Pray for me. Pray for us. Pray for our nation. Pray for the sick. Pray for the well.
Lord, be with us.
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Difficult times
There are struggles all around. My heart hurts for the folks that aren't going to have paychecks or whose businesses are going to struggle through the next 6 months and then take another year or more to recover. Our daycare, St. John Noah's Ark, is going to have struggles. Penny and I have been wracking our brains trying to figure out how we can continue to care children, help the workers get a paycheck and not bankrupt the church. Yes, it is both of us. As pastor, I have to care for Noah's Ark. As director, Penny has to care for Noah's Ark. It isn't easy.
I struggle with the spiritual welfare of my congregation. I know my fellow pastors are feeling the weight of the souls on their shoulders. Yes, Jesus is Lord of all. Yes, Jesus will see us through these tough times. Yes, nothing, not the gates of hell nor the corona virus, will be able to overcome the kingdom of the Lord. Nothing! I am always thankful for God's Word, for the assurance that it gives, the comfort and the strength. It lifts our hearts and gives meaning to our lives.
But this is a struggle. The governor says no groups over 10. How can you worship like that? Yes, we can work on livestream, and Casey Brown is working on that. If anyone can get it up and running, he can. Thank you Casey.
But worship. Word ministry is easy to continue. I share the Word each day. I share prayers. The Holy Spirit guides my thoughts and leads me to the words needed to help someone, somewhere. But Sacrament ministry. We can go without the Lord's Supper, people have had to do that through all the generations, and they survived. But I never, I mean never, thought that I would run into this wall. That I would have to decide what to do.
Yes, it would be best not to have worship. And many of my brothers have gone that way. I am struggling with that. Is that the best? Flatten the curve, stop the virus. Make life better. Better? So we can return to our sinful lives. Our nations has gone off into the abyss of sin and revels in it. We have thrown out marriage. We accept homosexuality as normal. We worship TV and movie stars and thumb our nose at the Lord. We idolize sports stars and pay them sinful amounts of money. We love our sin. We want our sin. We have to have our sin.
And then this happens and we moan. Where is the Lord? Why does this happen? And then we are told, close the doors of the churches so that we can flatten the curve. The one thing, the only thing, that will lift a person, will strengthen a person, that will give a person hope in this hopeless time, we are told, you can't have it. No worship. Do it online.
We already post sermons online. We offer that. But it wasn't till things went south that folks began to see the need for it again. Are we listening? Are we paying attention to the Lord's call for repentance? Or are we going to return to our lunacy of life filled with sin once this scare is past? Think about it. What will you do when this clears up? Return to the Lord. Head back to worship? Spend time with the Lord? Or will you go back to making worship an option for your life? If you feel the need, you will attend a worship service. The rest of the time you will go to your sports gods, your sex gods, and all your other gods, and turn your back on the Lord again?
Sorry, I have digressed. Actually, I am not sorry. It is what is in my pastoral heart. I hurt for people - before this "social distancing" took place. So many people lived their lives as though they didn't need the Lord.
So I and my fellow pastors struggle. What do we do? Close our doors? Work our livestream? Or do we open our doors anyway? Do we hold our services, perhaps in an empty church? Do we unlock our doors at the appointed times, then lead a worship service, to one or two people? Or to whoever happens to stop in at that time? How do we minister to the needs of the people. Nursing Homes have locked us out, from the very people who really need God's Word and Sacrament because of the way their lives have been torn up.
I ramble. My blog is about a pastor's ramblings. So it is.
Lord, have mercy on my soul.
I struggle with the spiritual welfare of my congregation. I know my fellow pastors are feeling the weight of the souls on their shoulders. Yes, Jesus is Lord of all. Yes, Jesus will see us through these tough times. Yes, nothing, not the gates of hell nor the corona virus, will be able to overcome the kingdom of the Lord. Nothing! I am always thankful for God's Word, for the assurance that it gives, the comfort and the strength. It lifts our hearts and gives meaning to our lives.
But this is a struggle. The governor says no groups over 10. How can you worship like that? Yes, we can work on livestream, and Casey Brown is working on that. If anyone can get it up and running, he can. Thank you Casey.
But worship. Word ministry is easy to continue. I share the Word each day. I share prayers. The Holy Spirit guides my thoughts and leads me to the words needed to help someone, somewhere. But Sacrament ministry. We can go without the Lord's Supper, people have had to do that through all the generations, and they survived. But I never, I mean never, thought that I would run into this wall. That I would have to decide what to do.
Yes, it would be best not to have worship. And many of my brothers have gone that way. I am struggling with that. Is that the best? Flatten the curve, stop the virus. Make life better. Better? So we can return to our sinful lives. Our nations has gone off into the abyss of sin and revels in it. We have thrown out marriage. We accept homosexuality as normal. We worship TV and movie stars and thumb our nose at the Lord. We idolize sports stars and pay them sinful amounts of money. We love our sin. We want our sin. We have to have our sin.
And then this happens and we moan. Where is the Lord? Why does this happen? And then we are told, close the doors of the churches so that we can flatten the curve. The one thing, the only thing, that will lift a person, will strengthen a person, that will give a person hope in this hopeless time, we are told, you can't have it. No worship. Do it online.
We already post sermons online. We offer that. But it wasn't till things went south that folks began to see the need for it again. Are we listening? Are we paying attention to the Lord's call for repentance? Or are we going to return to our lunacy of life filled with sin once this scare is past? Think about it. What will you do when this clears up? Return to the Lord. Head back to worship? Spend time with the Lord? Or will you go back to making worship an option for your life? If you feel the need, you will attend a worship service. The rest of the time you will go to your sports gods, your sex gods, and all your other gods, and turn your back on the Lord again?
Sorry, I have digressed. Actually, I am not sorry. It is what is in my pastoral heart. I hurt for people - before this "social distancing" took place. So many people lived their lives as though they didn't need the Lord.
So I and my fellow pastors struggle. What do we do? Close our doors? Work our livestream? Or do we open our doors anyway? Do we hold our services, perhaps in an empty church? Do we unlock our doors at the appointed times, then lead a worship service, to one or two people? Or to whoever happens to stop in at that time? How do we minister to the needs of the people. Nursing Homes have locked us out, from the very people who really need God's Word and Sacrament because of the way their lives have been torn up.
I ramble. My blog is about a pastor's ramblings. So it is.
Lord, have mercy on my soul.
Monday, March 16, 2020
A reflection on the day
All this talk about the corona virus, the closing of schools, the closing of places to eat and drink in some states, the stock market having a wild ride, the fear of the unknown and so on, gets to be a little too much for me. If I would let it, anxiety would set in. Thankfully, the Lord fills my heart with His loving presence, giving to me the wonder of what it means to be His child, that He calls me by name day after day, He watches over me and will keep me, no matter what takes place with this physical life. So there is no room for anxiety or fear. It is overflowing with His love and mercy.
I was thinking about this day a year ago. Penny and I packed up everything that we owned and moved to Clarinda, IA. This brought about a lot of changes for us.
I think about those we have left behind. Our daughter Rachael and Brandon, along with Mya and Gabe. They had been a huge part of our life in Troy. They could stop by at any time, and often did. We would come home for lunch and Mya and Gabe would be there. Put them with Zeb and Wrigley and there was a lot of love greeting us at the door. We could have them over for dinner at anytime. It was so much fun having them close. When we moved, we left them behind. A whole 6 hours away instead of 20 minutes. We worshiped together, went out to eat regularly, played hearts, Uno and dominos regularly, tasted the wonder of new wines or whiskeys and enjoyed the closeness of life.
We left behind Shirley, Penny's mom. We had her a block away. We could check on her. We would see her drive by in her old grey car, knowing that she was all right. Watching as she waved with that bad arm that didn't lift up high enough. Inviting her to go out to eat (and paying for her meals which was a treat for me), having her over for supper when we grilled or Penny fixed something that we knew she would like. Worshiping together. Giving her communion (same as with Rach & Brandon) was a special treat. Now, not so close.
Folks that we came to know and love. There were people at Troy that we dearly loved. We were close to many. They shared their lives and their love with us. You can't spend 10 years with a congregation without drawing close to some. Yes, there were others that caused angst and frustration. But there were many more that brought us joy. If I started to name folks, where would I stop?
Then there are many from other congregations within an hour of Troy. I had served over 30 years in the area. We had many people, from Harvel, Ferrin and Altamont that we were close to as well. Ron and Lynn Michael and Sarah - family we will miss. Rick and Jodi Nielsen. The Schmedeke and Fesser families and their extended family. Sharon, I mean Judy, Voelker, the Stuemke clan who were fellow Cub fans and so many more people from the congregations. Then there was Guideon Richeson, the funeral director in Troy, who was a very special friend of Penny and I. So many people we were close to. All left in Illinois. 6 hours away. Not far, but farther than we had been in over 30 years. We were always within an hour of these folks.
So here we are in Clarinda, IA. Are we sad to be here. Not by a long shot. We have fallen in love with this community and church. We were both ready. The Lord brought us here. It was just what we needed. Getting to know new people, new saints of God, new people who will become our friends. There will be those that will become part of our family, just as folks had over the 30+ years. A congregation that wanted my and Penny, that wanted what we had to offer, that rejoiced that we were with them. Being able to be in ministry together again. We longed for that and the Lord gave it to us. What a blessing it has been for us.
A new house, which we can do what we want with! No fear if the dogs spill food or if we put a nail in the wall. No one telling us what we can or cannot do in our house. It is amazing to say, "this is our house." Penny and I marvel at that regularly. Walking in town. Seeing folks at the store. Knowing that we are slowly becoming a part of this community. Seeing the importance of ministering to souls here in this small town. Loving every minute of it. Having neighbors. For me, that is great. Black squirrels. Red squirrels. Blue jays. Eagles. How amazing it is.
A new congregation - with which we are going through this difficult time of the virus pandemic. We are learning and growing together. I am able to share God's love with them. They are able to love us back. Yes, it has been good for Penny and me to be here in Clarinda.
We thank the Lord for these blessings. We rejoice at the memories that we have, the extended family that is part of us. And we are glad. It has been a year. A good year. A really good year. And we look forward to the wonder of what God is going to do as we are here in this town.
A year. Wow. Thank You Lord.
I was thinking about this day a year ago. Penny and I packed up everything that we owned and moved to Clarinda, IA. This brought about a lot of changes for us.
I think about those we have left behind. Our daughter Rachael and Brandon, along with Mya and Gabe. They had been a huge part of our life in Troy. They could stop by at any time, and often did. We would come home for lunch and Mya and Gabe would be there. Put them with Zeb and Wrigley and there was a lot of love greeting us at the door. We could have them over for dinner at anytime. It was so much fun having them close. When we moved, we left them behind. A whole 6 hours away instead of 20 minutes. We worshiped together, went out to eat regularly, played hearts, Uno and dominos regularly, tasted the wonder of new wines or whiskeys and enjoyed the closeness of life.
We left behind Shirley, Penny's mom. We had her a block away. We could check on her. We would see her drive by in her old grey car, knowing that she was all right. Watching as she waved with that bad arm that didn't lift up high enough. Inviting her to go out to eat (and paying for her meals which was a treat for me), having her over for supper when we grilled or Penny fixed something that we knew she would like. Worshiping together. Giving her communion (same as with Rach & Brandon) was a special treat. Now, not so close.
Folks that we came to know and love. There were people at Troy that we dearly loved. We were close to many. They shared their lives and their love with us. You can't spend 10 years with a congregation without drawing close to some. Yes, there were others that caused angst and frustration. But there were many more that brought us joy. If I started to name folks, where would I stop?
Then there are many from other congregations within an hour of Troy. I had served over 30 years in the area. We had many people, from Harvel, Ferrin and Altamont that we were close to as well. Ron and Lynn Michael and Sarah - family we will miss. Rick and Jodi Nielsen. The Schmedeke and Fesser families and their extended family. Sharon, I mean Judy, Voelker, the Stuemke clan who were fellow Cub fans and so many more people from the congregations. Then there was Guideon Richeson, the funeral director in Troy, who was a very special friend of Penny and I. So many people we were close to. All left in Illinois. 6 hours away. Not far, but farther than we had been in over 30 years. We were always within an hour of these folks.
So here we are in Clarinda, IA. Are we sad to be here. Not by a long shot. We have fallen in love with this community and church. We were both ready. The Lord brought us here. It was just what we needed. Getting to know new people, new saints of God, new people who will become our friends. There will be those that will become part of our family, just as folks had over the 30+ years. A congregation that wanted my and Penny, that wanted what we had to offer, that rejoiced that we were with them. Being able to be in ministry together again. We longed for that and the Lord gave it to us. What a blessing it has been for us.
A new house, which we can do what we want with! No fear if the dogs spill food or if we put a nail in the wall. No one telling us what we can or cannot do in our house. It is amazing to say, "this is our house." Penny and I marvel at that regularly. Walking in town. Seeing folks at the store. Knowing that we are slowly becoming a part of this community. Seeing the importance of ministering to souls here in this small town. Loving every minute of it. Having neighbors. For me, that is great. Black squirrels. Red squirrels. Blue jays. Eagles. How amazing it is.
A new congregation - with which we are going through this difficult time of the virus pandemic. We are learning and growing together. I am able to share God's love with them. They are able to love us back. Yes, it has been good for Penny and me to be here in Clarinda.
We thank the Lord for these blessings. We rejoice at the memories that we have, the extended family that is part of us. And we are glad. It has been a year. A good year. A really good year. And we look forward to the wonder of what God is going to do as we are here in this town.
A year. Wow. Thank You Lord.
Friday, March 13, 2020
Fears and the answer
Fear of the corona virus is striking at the heart of many people. It has created such a fear that people across the world are panicking. Mass hysteria has struck. People have gone crazy buying TP. Yes, TP. Why? Because someone starting buying a bunch of TP and others thought they might need it, so they started buying it. And the run was on. Stores ran out of TP. People have enough TP to last them for a year or more. Why? Because you might need it and it might not be there? What is next? I can't begin to guess. I wouldn't have thought this would happen.
I stop and begin to think. Maybe that is the wrong thing to do. But I do. Is the Lord using this to get our attention? Think about it. Our nation has gone crazy with, wait for it, SIN! Yes, sin. We have accepted wilder and wilder sinfulness. We have accepted that there is more than just male and female. There is females who are male and males who are female. There are people who are neither of them. What? What kind of sinfulness is this? I know, some might get upset at me for calling this sin, but it is. We are warping what God has made. We are telling God He did it wrong. We are making ourselves God and declaring what we are.
More than that, homosexuality has taken hold as normal. We had a candidate for president who was openly homosexual and it was accepted. This candidate was actually telling the nation what faithfulness in marriage is like. He is faithful in marriage which makes him an expert on marriage. Really? You are being sinful. You are living a sinful life. And you are telling us what is good and right? God must be shaking His head in heaven, especially when Christians begin to listen to folks like this and think that what they say is better than what God has said.
We are calling sin good and calling God's morality wrong. In fact, God's morality is seen as silly, stupid and it is made fun of by many people. Our nation has thrown out the 4th commandment (Honor your father and your mother) and have made it all right to attack those in authority and have no repercussions. We do not arrest those who break the law and those who try to uphold the law are seen as the ones who are wrong.
Is this pandemic a way of the Lord calling us back from our sinfulness? Is the Lord trying to get our attention? Ezekiel 14:6 says, Therefor say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God, Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations. And again, Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel? Ezekiel 33:11 And again, If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Will we repent? Will you repent? This is the question of the day. We acknowledge our sins. We repent of our sins. We pray that the Holy Spirit will assist us to not return to our sins like a dog to its vomit? The Lord will forgive us, not because of our actions, but because of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection. We will be forgiven through Christ.
Will the pandemic end? That, my friends, is only answered by the Lord.
I stop and begin to think. Maybe that is the wrong thing to do. But I do. Is the Lord using this to get our attention? Think about it. Our nation has gone crazy with, wait for it, SIN! Yes, sin. We have accepted wilder and wilder sinfulness. We have accepted that there is more than just male and female. There is females who are male and males who are female. There are people who are neither of them. What? What kind of sinfulness is this? I know, some might get upset at me for calling this sin, but it is. We are warping what God has made. We are telling God He did it wrong. We are making ourselves God and declaring what we are.
More than that, homosexuality has taken hold as normal. We had a candidate for president who was openly homosexual and it was accepted. This candidate was actually telling the nation what faithfulness in marriage is like. He is faithful in marriage which makes him an expert on marriage. Really? You are being sinful. You are living a sinful life. And you are telling us what is good and right? God must be shaking His head in heaven, especially when Christians begin to listen to folks like this and think that what they say is better than what God has said.
We are calling sin good and calling God's morality wrong. In fact, God's morality is seen as silly, stupid and it is made fun of by many people. Our nation has thrown out the 4th commandment (Honor your father and your mother) and have made it all right to attack those in authority and have no repercussions. We do not arrest those who break the law and those who try to uphold the law are seen as the ones who are wrong.
Is this pandemic a way of the Lord calling us back from our sinfulness? Is the Lord trying to get our attention? Ezekiel 14:6 says, Therefor say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God, Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations. And again, Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel? Ezekiel 33:11 And again, If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Will we repent? Will you repent? This is the question of the day. We acknowledge our sins. We repent of our sins. We pray that the Holy Spirit will assist us to not return to our sins like a dog to its vomit? The Lord will forgive us, not because of our actions, but because of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection. We will be forgiven through Christ.
Will the pandemic end? That, my friends, is only answered by the Lord.
Thursday, March 12, 2020
Still in the wilderness
For 40 years the people wandered in the wilderness. Those who did not trust in the Lord had been passing away through those years. There was Joshua and Caleb, watching this happen. Can you imagine what it must have been like to be them? How easy it would have been to say, "I told you. I told you that we could take those people. But, noooo, you would not listen. We can't do it, you said. You didn't trust the Lord. So here we are, in the wilderness, struggling each day, watching folks die off, all because we did not trust in the Lord." So easy to say, "I told you so."
It is so easy to look at others and see the problems and sins in their lives. So much more difficult to see it in your own life. Yes, Joshua and Caleb had said that the Lord could help them, but that did not mean they were sinless. They still sinned in their lives. Over those 40 years in the wilderness, they were not perfect. They continued to struggle with their own sinfulness.
So it is with our lives. Yes, we are children of God. But we still struggle with our sinfulness. We face temptations and often give in to those temptations. Like the children of Israel, we are not perfect. We do not always trust in the Lord. We sin. Yes, we sin.
Thankfully, the Lord did something amazing! He sent His Son into the world to be our Savior. Think about it. We turn our back on Him and He still loves us and cares for us. We don't follow Him and He still comes searching for us. We embrace temptation and He still takes upon Himself our sinfulness, our rottenness, our breaking of the Law. That is exactly what the Son of God did. He came for us, for you and for me.
The cross! Yes, the cross is so fabulous. There on that cross, Jesus Christ gave His life. He fulfilled the Law on our behalf. What a blessing this is for us! Oh the wonderful cross, where our dear Lord suffered and died on our behalf.
And so, while we are still in this wilderness, wandering, longing for the Promised Land. We know that one day, each one of us will enter that Promised Land. But until then, we trust in the Lord, keep our eyes on Him, and proclaim that good news as we face each day.
Wandering. We do not wander aimlessly lost. The Lord has saved us. He has loved us. He has given Himself for us. Following Him, we live. Daily.
All praise to our Lord.
It is so easy to look at others and see the problems and sins in their lives. So much more difficult to see it in your own life. Yes, Joshua and Caleb had said that the Lord could help them, but that did not mean they were sinless. They still sinned in their lives. Over those 40 years in the wilderness, they were not perfect. They continued to struggle with their own sinfulness.
So it is with our lives. Yes, we are children of God. But we still struggle with our sinfulness. We face temptations and often give in to those temptations. Like the children of Israel, we are not perfect. We do not always trust in the Lord. We sin. Yes, we sin.
Thankfully, the Lord did something amazing! He sent His Son into the world to be our Savior. Think about it. We turn our back on Him and He still loves us and cares for us. We don't follow Him and He still comes searching for us. We embrace temptation and He still takes upon Himself our sinfulness, our rottenness, our breaking of the Law. That is exactly what the Son of God did. He came for us, for you and for me.
The cross! Yes, the cross is so fabulous. There on that cross, Jesus Christ gave His life. He fulfilled the Law on our behalf. What a blessing this is for us! Oh the wonderful cross, where our dear Lord suffered and died on our behalf.
And so, while we are still in this wilderness, wandering, longing for the Promised Land. We know that one day, each one of us will enter that Promised Land. But until then, we trust in the Lord, keep our eyes on Him, and proclaim that good news as we face each day.
Wandering. We do not wander aimlessly lost. The Lord has saved us. He has loved us. He has given Himself for us. Following Him, we live. Daily.
All praise to our Lord.
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Wednesday wanderings
As the people wandered through the wilderness, they struggled with trusting in the Lord. He had done great things for them - brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand and outstretched arm, He had divided the Red Sea and gave them dry ground upon which to walk, He had stopped the Egyptian army when they followed into the Sea, He had given water from a rock, He had given them manna and quail, He had protected them from their enemies. There was so much that God had already done for them.
Then they grumbled. They wondered where God was in their lives. As they sat in the wilderness, they complained that God had deserted them. Why were they stuck there in the wilderness? Why did God make them to do this?
Wait a moment, God was ready to take them into the Promised Land but they didn't trust Him. He had given them leadership that was willing to step out in faith to follow the way of the Lord. But they refused to listen to Him. They refused to trust Him. They followed their own way, their own thoughts, and their own desires. And they messed it up royally.
Then it was God's fault? Yep. That is what we do as well. Wait. Weren't we just talking about the children of Israel? How did this get to us? Because we are like them in that God has done mighty things for us. He has broken the power of the devil. He had given freedom from the power of sin. He had crushed and broken the grip of death and the grave. He gave that to us, free of charge, giving us the very faith that we need to be saved.
And then we grumble against God. We find ourselves in this wilderness called life. As we wander through each day, we don't follow His will. We don't listen to His Word. We do our own thing. We listen to the words of the world. Things fall apart. Our lives become a mess. And we grumble about God - that He isn't with us, He isn't taking care of us, and so on.
He was with the Israel. He was caring for them even as they grumbled. He was loving them even when they were looking at a golden calf. He continued to love them despite themselves.
He does the same with us. He loves us. He cares for us even while we grumble. He loves us even while we turn our eyes from Him to the world around us. He watches over us even when we are not looking to Him.
He showed this in His Son Jesus Christ. The Son came into this world, joined the wandering people where they were at, lived among the people, understood what they were facing, took their sins, carried the fullness of the Law as He went to a cross, suffered and died, and then was buried. He then rose from the dead. All for His people who are wandering. All for you and me!
For me, it leads me to saying: Thank You Lord for being with me each day. Thank You for loving me despite how I act. Help me to keep my eyes focused on You as I wander through this world. When I grumble, forgive me. Help me to see Your hand in my life today. Amen.
Then they grumbled. They wondered where God was in their lives. As they sat in the wilderness, they complained that God had deserted them. Why were they stuck there in the wilderness? Why did God make them to do this?
Wait a moment, God was ready to take them into the Promised Land but they didn't trust Him. He had given them leadership that was willing to step out in faith to follow the way of the Lord. But they refused to listen to Him. They refused to trust Him. They followed their own way, their own thoughts, and their own desires. And they messed it up royally.
Then it was God's fault? Yep. That is what we do as well. Wait. Weren't we just talking about the children of Israel? How did this get to us? Because we are like them in that God has done mighty things for us. He has broken the power of the devil. He had given freedom from the power of sin. He had crushed and broken the grip of death and the grave. He gave that to us, free of charge, giving us the very faith that we need to be saved.
And then we grumble against God. We find ourselves in this wilderness called life. As we wander through each day, we don't follow His will. We don't listen to His Word. We do our own thing. We listen to the words of the world. Things fall apart. Our lives become a mess. And we grumble about God - that He isn't with us, He isn't taking care of us, and so on.
He was with the Israel. He was caring for them even as they grumbled. He was loving them even when they were looking at a golden calf. He continued to love them despite themselves.
He does the same with us. He loves us. He cares for us even while we grumble. He loves us even while we turn our eyes from Him to the world around us. He watches over us even when we are not looking to Him.
He showed this in His Son Jesus Christ. The Son came into this world, joined the wandering people where they were at, lived among the people, understood what they were facing, took their sins, carried the fullness of the Law as He went to a cross, suffered and died, and then was buried. He then rose from the dead. All for His people who are wandering. All for you and me!
For me, it leads me to saying: Thank You Lord for being with me each day. Thank You for loving me despite how I act. Help me to keep my eyes focused on You as I wander through this world. When I grumble, forgive me. Help me to see Your hand in my life today. Amen.
Monday, March 9, 2020
Monday morning
The second full week of Lent has begun. How has it been going for you? Have you kept your eyes focused on Christ? Or has that changed for you? Has the situation of your life caused you to lose sight of the Lord and what He has accomplished for you?
Last night we watched "Overcomer" at St. John, Clarinda. It is a really good movie. It gives a powerful message. It was well made. And brought joy and tears to the eyes. I would recommend that you would watch it if you haven't.
At the same time, I found myself challenged by the movie. Why? Because it was filled with decision theology. I understand that is where the writers were coming from. But I don't agree with it. It was amazing how they had Hannah read the first 2 chapters of Ephesians to understand who she was in Christ. Through out the reading, as she wrote down who she was, it was all that God had done for her. (It is also about what God has done and continues to do for you.) That was then translated into what she would do. Because God had chosen her, saved her, forgiven her, loved her - she then decided that she wanted God. That was quite the shift. From God saving her to her deciding she wanted to be saved. That is the unfortunate jump decision theology makes.
Yes, we do find ourselves living in Christ as we are brought to faith in Him. But it is still the Holy Spirit working through Word to bring each of us to faith. As we profess that faith in Christ, we must realize that we didn't bring ourselves to God but that He brings us to Him. He touches our hearts, moves them, changes them and giving us the gift of forgiveness and salvation.
Having said all that, I still found the movie well worth watching. It was a good movie.
How does this touch me in Lent? It reminds me that it is Jesus who has saved me. It is Jesus who went through His passion for me. He has carried my sins. He has paid my price. He has died for me. He has risen for me. He has saved me! He has saved me! Isn't that amazing? He has done that for you too.
That is the focus of Lent - Jesus Christ. Thank You Jesus for all that you have done for me. I give thanks to You for all that You have done for me.
Last night we watched "Overcomer" at St. John, Clarinda. It is a really good movie. It gives a powerful message. It was well made. And brought joy and tears to the eyes. I would recommend that you would watch it if you haven't.
At the same time, I found myself challenged by the movie. Why? Because it was filled with decision theology. I understand that is where the writers were coming from. But I don't agree with it. It was amazing how they had Hannah read the first 2 chapters of Ephesians to understand who she was in Christ. Through out the reading, as she wrote down who she was, it was all that God had done for her. (It is also about what God has done and continues to do for you.) That was then translated into what she would do. Because God had chosen her, saved her, forgiven her, loved her - she then decided that she wanted God. That was quite the shift. From God saving her to her deciding she wanted to be saved. That is the unfortunate jump decision theology makes.
Yes, we do find ourselves living in Christ as we are brought to faith in Him. But it is still the Holy Spirit working through Word to bring each of us to faith. As we profess that faith in Christ, we must realize that we didn't bring ourselves to God but that He brings us to Him. He touches our hearts, moves them, changes them and giving us the gift of forgiveness and salvation.
Having said all that, I still found the movie well worth watching. It was a good movie.
How does this touch me in Lent? It reminds me that it is Jesus who has saved me. It is Jesus who went through His passion for me. He has carried my sins. He has paid my price. He has died for me. He has risen for me. He has saved me! He has saved me! Isn't that amazing? He has done that for you too.
That is the focus of Lent - Jesus Christ. Thank You Jesus for all that you have done for me. I give thanks to You for all that You have done for me.
Saturday, March 7, 2020
Seeing is believing
Seeing has captured my attention lately. I wonder why? Could it be that it has become a challenge for me? Hmmm. Maybe. I am thankful that the doctors are able to do such things as cataract surgery. I am thrilled to be able to see out of the right eye, after they took off the cataract and placed the lens. Maybe if I would have paid the extra money, I could see better now. But I am too cheep. Did not want to pay and extra $3,000 per eye to take care of the astigmatism and the near sightedness. So I struggle. It will be a month till the other one is done. So I try to see. I try not to get frustrated. I try...
Notice the real problem here? It is what "I" am doing. The more I try, the less I am able to do things. I am finding that I am truly challenged to trust in the Lord even when things are not going so well. I think of Moses, the children of Israel and a bunch of snakes. The people grumbled. Oh did they grumble. They did not like being in the wilderness. They did not like not having the foods of Egypt. And they despised that awful manna that they received every morning. Mumble, grumbled. Why can't it be the way it was, or the way we want it to be? Why God? Why?
God said, "Fine, have some snakes." Poisonous snakes came into the camp and began to bite people. (Let's not get into a debate on poisonous vs. venomous.) People began to die. They began to figure out the connection. I grumbled against God. He sent poisonous snakes into the camp. They bite people. People die. Hmmm. Maybe I should - repent! Yeah, that is it. I will repent. Please Moses, ask God to help us.
And He does. He tells Moses to make the bronze snake, put it on the pole in the middle of the camp, and then, when someone is bit, they could believe the promise of God, look at the snake and be healed. Or they could turn their back on the promise of God and die. But the one thing God did not do? Take away the snakes. They had to live with the snakes in their midst. And they had to live in faith, believing the promise of God.
My grumbling makes me think of that. Why would I grumble when I can see. Yes, it is frustrating. Yes, I have to do things differently. Yes, life is more of a challenge. Please Lord, help me see better. OK He says. But not at the moment. You must have the snakes in your life so that you would again realize how much you need to trust in My Word. Repenting of my grumbling, I say, You got it Lord. I am beginning to learn, again. Just like I have had to do throughout my life.
So yes, it is a challenge. But I can see distance fairly clearly with my right eye and no glasses. That is amazing. So I need readers to read. OK Lord, I can do that. And so my left eye is still the way it was and I have to wait a month for it to be done. Lord, with You empowering me, I can do this.
Lesson - being learned. I know I will fail a few time along the way. But I will then lift up my eyes to the Savior on the cross and be healed of spiritual sin. And I will be strengthened again.
Have a great Saturday. The sun is shining. The wind is blowing. There is no snow. What more can we ask for?
Notice the real problem here? It is what "I" am doing. The more I try, the less I am able to do things. I am finding that I am truly challenged to trust in the Lord even when things are not going so well. I think of Moses, the children of Israel and a bunch of snakes. The people grumbled. Oh did they grumble. They did not like being in the wilderness. They did not like not having the foods of Egypt. And they despised that awful manna that they received every morning. Mumble, grumbled. Why can't it be the way it was, or the way we want it to be? Why God? Why?
God said, "Fine, have some snakes." Poisonous snakes came into the camp and began to bite people. (Let's not get into a debate on poisonous vs. venomous.) People began to die. They began to figure out the connection. I grumbled against God. He sent poisonous snakes into the camp. They bite people. People die. Hmmm. Maybe I should - repent! Yeah, that is it. I will repent. Please Moses, ask God to help us.
And He does. He tells Moses to make the bronze snake, put it on the pole in the middle of the camp, and then, when someone is bit, they could believe the promise of God, look at the snake and be healed. Or they could turn their back on the promise of God and die. But the one thing God did not do? Take away the snakes. They had to live with the snakes in their midst. And they had to live in faith, believing the promise of God.
My grumbling makes me think of that. Why would I grumble when I can see. Yes, it is frustrating. Yes, I have to do things differently. Yes, life is more of a challenge. Please Lord, help me see better. OK He says. But not at the moment. You must have the snakes in your life so that you would again realize how much you need to trust in My Word. Repenting of my grumbling, I say, You got it Lord. I am beginning to learn, again. Just like I have had to do throughout my life.
So yes, it is a challenge. But I can see distance fairly clearly with my right eye and no glasses. That is amazing. So I need readers to read. OK Lord, I can do that. And so my left eye is still the way it was and I have to wait a month for it to be done. Lord, with You empowering me, I can do this.
Lesson - being learned. I know I will fail a few time along the way. But I will then lift up my eyes to the Savior on the cross and be healed of spiritual sin. And I will be strengthened again.
Have a great Saturday. The sun is shining. The wind is blowing. There is no snow. What more can we ask for?
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Hello Thursday
The week is rolling along. For me, it is day 3 after eye surgery. I know, it is just cataract surgery, something that many people have gone through and that is not that difficult to go through. But it was the 1st time that I have gone through this surgery. I wasn't sure what to expect. Nor did I know what the week was going to be like. So for me, it was a challenging day on Monday and then it has been challenging all week.
Service last night was indeed a challenge. Reading with the left eye, trying to see folks with the right eye. Leave the glasses on? Take the glasses off? As I read the Passion narrative, I had the glasses on. Sounds easy. It was. Except for the right eye. Try doing the Scripture readings with one eye closed. I can empathize (to a point) with someone who has lost their vision or have limited vision in one eye. To wear my glasses, I cannot see out the right eye. It is nothing but a blur. (As I type, I have the right eye closed). I cannot imagine how challenging life is for someone who has vision in only one eye. It was hard doing the reading.
Then the sermon. I cannot see the laptop with my glasses off. (For those who don't know, St. John uses power point for the sermon and the sermons.) So do I leave the glasses on and see the laptop or take the glasses off and be able to see the screen? Yet, without my glasses, I can actually see the faces of the members who sit in the pews. Challenges.
And here we are moving towards the 2nd Sunday in Lent. Lent is that powerful season of the church year that focuses our attention on Jesus Christ, on His Passion. Yes, there is the emphasis on the importance on reflection on our sinfulness and the need for repentance. But if the only focus is upon me and what I do, I have lost the true focus of the season. It becomes about me. If it is about me, then it becomes about my piety and my works. That is wrong. It is about Jesus Christ and His works, not mine. He takes upon Himself my sins, my wretchedness. He is my Savior. I am not my Savior. Keep that thought in mind.
Looking to the cross. I am starting to see the cross more clearly. I am given the gift to have my eyes refocused. Show me the cross. Show me my Savior. Show me the tomb. Show me the empty tomb. And there is my celebration! There is my hope. To Christ be the glory. All praise be to Him as I walk through this Lenten season.
Service last night was indeed a challenge. Reading with the left eye, trying to see folks with the right eye. Leave the glasses on? Take the glasses off? As I read the Passion narrative, I had the glasses on. Sounds easy. It was. Except for the right eye. Try doing the Scripture readings with one eye closed. I can empathize (to a point) with someone who has lost their vision or have limited vision in one eye. To wear my glasses, I cannot see out the right eye. It is nothing but a blur. (As I type, I have the right eye closed). I cannot imagine how challenging life is for someone who has vision in only one eye. It was hard doing the reading.
Then the sermon. I cannot see the laptop with my glasses off. (For those who don't know, St. John uses power point for the sermon and the sermons.) So do I leave the glasses on and see the laptop or take the glasses off and be able to see the screen? Yet, without my glasses, I can actually see the faces of the members who sit in the pews. Challenges.
And here we are moving towards the 2nd Sunday in Lent. Lent is that powerful season of the church year that focuses our attention on Jesus Christ, on His Passion. Yes, there is the emphasis on the importance on reflection on our sinfulness and the need for repentance. But if the only focus is upon me and what I do, I have lost the true focus of the season. It becomes about me. If it is about me, then it becomes about my piety and my works. That is wrong. It is about Jesus Christ and His works, not mine. He takes upon Himself my sins, my wretchedness. He is my Savior. I am not my Savior. Keep that thought in mind.
Looking to the cross. I am starting to see the cross more clearly. I am given the gift to have my eyes refocused. Show me the cross. Show me my Savior. Show me the tomb. Show me the empty tomb. And there is my celebration! There is my hope. To Christ be the glory. All praise be to Him as I walk through this Lenten season.
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Tuesday thoughts
Lent began a week ago on Wednesday. The season has already gone one week with today. And I ask myself, "What difference have these days made in my spiritual life?" Isn't that the real question that needs to be asked?If this first week in Lent has not made a difference in your walk of faith, then what does it mean for you?
Yes, I have reflected upon my life, my need for a Savior. I am a sinner. I have sinned in thought, word and deed. I need the Lord to strengthen me in my walk. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for Jesus as He was in the wilderness for those 40 days, facing the temptations of Satan. Satan was doing his worst to get Jesus to sin. He was tempting Him in ways that I cannot even imagine. Especially when I think about how easily I give in to the simplest temptations. That just reminds me of how wonderful it is that my Lord died upon the cross for me, to pay the price that I am unable to pay.
Tuesday morning - sunshine. Bright, beautiful sunshine. Yesterday I has cataract surgery. Folks told me how things would look differently. I wondered if that was possible. After all, I was sure that I saw things clearly, at least fairly clearly. Then today, I look through that one eye, without my glasses, and I am amazed. I see how bright things are. I see the wonder of the colors. Sunrise today was quite colorful. The blues, the oranges, the reds, are bright.
And seeing things clearly at a distance. I haven't had that without wearing glasses for just about all my life. And now, I can see. I can't believe it. I think about the times that Jesus healed people that were blind. Think about how amazing that would be to go from not being able to see to being able to see. It must have been something. And to do that without having to do surgery! Here the doctors are working on me, it takes time to do, time heal, time to get things all together to be able to see. Eye drops, sun glasses, new glasses to see close up to read and all that. For those Jesus healed, there was none of that. Wow! Gives me new insight when I read those sections of Scripture.
So what is your Tuesday going to be like? Are you ready to move into the 2nd week of Lent? May the Lord continue to bless and lead you.
Yes, I have reflected upon my life, my need for a Savior. I am a sinner. I have sinned in thought, word and deed. I need the Lord to strengthen me in my walk. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for Jesus as He was in the wilderness for those 40 days, facing the temptations of Satan. Satan was doing his worst to get Jesus to sin. He was tempting Him in ways that I cannot even imagine. Especially when I think about how easily I give in to the simplest temptations. That just reminds me of how wonderful it is that my Lord died upon the cross for me, to pay the price that I am unable to pay.
Tuesday morning - sunshine. Bright, beautiful sunshine. Yesterday I has cataract surgery. Folks told me how things would look differently. I wondered if that was possible. After all, I was sure that I saw things clearly, at least fairly clearly. Then today, I look through that one eye, without my glasses, and I am amazed. I see how bright things are. I see the wonder of the colors. Sunrise today was quite colorful. The blues, the oranges, the reds, are bright.
And seeing things clearly at a distance. I haven't had that without wearing glasses for just about all my life. And now, I can see. I can't believe it. I think about the times that Jesus healed people that were blind. Think about how amazing that would be to go from not being able to see to being able to see. It must have been something. And to do that without having to do surgery! Here the doctors are working on me, it takes time to do, time heal, time to get things all together to be able to see. Eye drops, sun glasses, new glasses to see close up to read and all that. For those Jesus healed, there was none of that. Wow! Gives me new insight when I read those sections of Scripture.
So what is your Tuesday going to be like? Are you ready to move into the 2nd week of Lent? May the Lord continue to bless and lead you.
Monday, March 2, 2020
Monday morning
Before the sun rises, the Lord is watching over you. While you were sleeping, the Lord was watching over you. In all that is going on in this world today, the Lord is still in control. That might help you when you hear about the coronavirus. It might encourage you as you look at what is taking place in the world today. The reason I say "might" is that there is always that temptation to think that things are going on and the Lord has no control. Satan would love for you to think that the Lord can't help with the virus that is sweeping across the globe. Satan would also like you to think that you are on your own today.
But you are not! You are not. The Lord is still in control. He is with you. He is watching over you. "for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'" (Hebrews 13:5b-6 ESV) He also says, "I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20b ESV) Yes, He is with you. Don't listen to those who are trying to make you think otherwise.
This is important to me today. I say that because this is the day I go to have a cataract taken off my right eye. When I sing, "Open the eyes..." I am meaning that literally. Open my eyes so I can see again. The Lord has already opened the eyes of my heart and I pray today that He will be with the doctor as He operates on my eye. I know, many people have had this surgery. It is a "simple" surgery today. But at the same time, it is still a surgery. And so I pray:
Lord, be with me. Guide the hands of Dr. Mizener as he operates on my eye. Give him the wisdom and ability that he needs today. Be with me as I recover from this surgery. I am Your child and I trust in You. Thank You for loving me and holding me in Your hand. Amen.
Now it it time for Penny to take me to the hospital. I pray: Lord, be with Penny today. She is such a loving and caring wife. She takes care of me and loves me. Be with her as she waits. She also holds to Your promise. Amen.
OK. That is it. Here we go! I will see how this goes.
But you are not! You are not. The Lord is still in control. He is with you. He is watching over you. "for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'" (Hebrews 13:5b-6 ESV) He also says, "I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20b ESV) Yes, He is with you. Don't listen to those who are trying to make you think otherwise.
This is important to me today. I say that because this is the day I go to have a cataract taken off my right eye. When I sing, "Open the eyes..." I am meaning that literally. Open my eyes so I can see again. The Lord has already opened the eyes of my heart and I pray today that He will be with the doctor as He operates on my eye. I know, many people have had this surgery. It is a "simple" surgery today. But at the same time, it is still a surgery. And so I pray:
Lord, be with me. Guide the hands of Dr. Mizener as he operates on my eye. Give him the wisdom and ability that he needs today. Be with me as I recover from this surgery. I am Your child and I trust in You. Thank You for loving me and holding me in Your hand. Amen.
Now it it time for Penny to take me to the hospital. I pray: Lord, be with Penny today. She is such a loving and caring wife. She takes care of me and loves me. Be with her as she waits. She also holds to Your promise. Amen.
OK. That is it. Here we go! I will see how this goes.
Sunday, March 1, 2020
1st Sunday in Lent
That's today, the 1st Sunday in Lent. The day in which we have the opportunity to hear about the fall of Adam and Eve, the corruption of all humanity, and the temptation of Jesus Christ. It gives you that chance to hear God's Word and guide you to understand why you need repentance and a Savior.
Sinfulness. It infects every one of us. Born sinful. We don't like to talk about that but it is true. "Behold I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Psalm 51:5) Original sin. Born sinful. That sin that we receive from Adam through our parents.
I was thinking about that as I prepared for worship today. But it wasn't what I wanted to write about. I was thinking about Lent and Sunday. Sundays are not a part of Lent. What? Not a part of Lent? That's right. As we look at the Church year, Sundays were not planned to be a part Lent. Why? Because it was on this day when the Lord rose from the dead. Sundays are meant to be a celebration of that which Jesus did when He rose on the 3rd day, on that Sunday morning.
What a glorious day it is! Celebrate! He is alive! He rose from the dead. He gave His life upon the cross for each of us and then rose again for us. Living from the dead. That is what Jesus did for us. That is today. the 1st Sunday in Lent.
When you head to worship, celebrate. As you go through the day, celebrate. Jesus loves you. He is your Savior. As we are in Lent, we know that we are saved. Thank You Jesus.
Sinfulness. It infects every one of us. Born sinful. We don't like to talk about that but it is true. "Behold I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Psalm 51:5) Original sin. Born sinful. That sin that we receive from Adam through our parents.
I was thinking about that as I prepared for worship today. But it wasn't what I wanted to write about. I was thinking about Lent and Sunday. Sundays are not a part of Lent. What? Not a part of Lent? That's right. As we look at the Church year, Sundays were not planned to be a part Lent. Why? Because it was on this day when the Lord rose from the dead. Sundays are meant to be a celebration of that which Jesus did when He rose on the 3rd day, on that Sunday morning.
What a glorious day it is! Celebrate! He is alive! He rose from the dead. He gave His life upon the cross for each of us and then rose again for us. Living from the dead. That is what Jesus did for us. That is today. the 1st Sunday in Lent.
When you head to worship, celebrate. As you go through the day, celebrate. Jesus loves you. He is your Savior. As we are in Lent, we know that we are saved. Thank You Jesus.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)