The Perfect Lamb
Spring is here, at least according to the calendar. Still a bit chilly in some places, but here we are in the middle of remembering the most important week in the history of the world.
For the last month or so, we have seen around us the signs of how the world celebrates this week. The stores are full of bright new clothing, colored egg displays, lots of bunnies, and even some cute little chicks. It is fitting that people celebrate the new life that the Creator sends to us as we see the change from the cold of winter to the hope of spring, but there is so much more.
Occasionally, among the displays and decorations, we will see a representation of another of God’s creatures. Among the rabbits and chicks, we will sometimes see a soft, white, cuddly lamb. To many, this is just another symbol of spring, the peak of lambing season when most sheep give birth to their young.
But to the body of Christ, the lamb has much greater significance.
As we read through the Old Testament (which I definitely recommend that you do on a regular basis) we see in Genesis 4:2-5: When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This is the first mention of a lamb as an offering to the Lord. It was brought by Abel and was accepted, but his brother Cain’s offering from his harvest was not accepted. I think most of you know how that turned out. If not, read on in chapter 4.
In Genesis 22:7-8, we read that God told Abraham to take his long-awaited son of the promise, Isaac, to a mountain and offer him as a sacrifice. In faith, Abraham obeyed. As he prepared the wood, Isaac asked: “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?” “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.
And God provided a ram as a substitute!
The first 14 chapters of the book of Exodus tell us how the Lord delivered his people, the Israelites, from 400 years of slavery in Egypt by demonstrating His power as the Almighty God through the 10 plagues with the climax being the death of the firstborn of every family. But God offered the people of Israel deliverance from this awful judgment in Exodus 12. They were told to choose a perfect young lamb, one year old and without blemish or defect, on the tenth of the first month and then, four days later, they were to slaughter the lamb and paint the blood on the doorposts of their home.
On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn son and firstborn male animal in the land of Egypt. I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, for I am the Lord! But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt. (Exodus 12:12-13) More instructions follow about how they were to prepare to be delivered out of Egypt that very night.
In Exodus 12:14 God commanded; This is a day to remember. Each year, from generation to generation, you must celebrate it as a special festival to the Lord. This is a law for all time. This was followed with instructions on how it was to be celebrated every year as the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. Passover was so important it was named as one of the three annual Pilgrimage festivals which required all males in Israel to travel to Jerusalem. This explains the large crowds that were gathered there during what we now call Holy Week.
Even though the Julian solar calendar was in use at the time of Jesus, the Jewish people used the Hebrew calendar to determine the dates of their feasts as they still do today. Until 325 A.D. Easter continued to be celebrated at the time of Passover, but that year the Council of Nicaea determined that Easter would be on “the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox”. This “unlinking” from Passover has led to confusion among many in the Christian church. As a child growing up in Brooklyn, I knew that many of my Jewish friends celebrated Passover close to our Easter but I never really understood the connection between the two (except maybe for the Last Supper). It was a wonderful blessing later to understand that when Jesus came into Jerusalem to the adulation of the crowd (on what we call Palm Sunday), it was the very day that the Jewish families were to select their lamb for the Passover sacrifice.
That day God was providing the perfect Lamb.
When the people gathered to celebrate the Passover meal after sundown on that Thursday, Jesus gathered with his disciples to follow God’s command to remember that night of deliverance from Egypt at what we now call the Last Supper. That night, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper (our Communion celebration) as a sacrament of grace for His people.
As Passover continued into Friday, we all know the horror of how our Lord Jesus Christ was brutalized, humiliated, and finally nailed to a cross to die in agony. Why? God was ending for all time the need for any further sacrifice of lambs or other animals to point ahead to a future time.
God was now providing the perfect sacrifice for our sin, His only Son!
Behold! The Lamb of GOD who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)
The next day was a High Sabbath, the Sabbath occurring during Passover, and Jesus’ body was resting in the tomb.
The day following the Passover Sabbath (the first day of the week) was the Jewish Feast of the Firstfruits. The first and best sheaf of grain from the new harvest was waved before the Lord, thanking him for the coming harvest and asking His blessing on it. This day was also, of course, our Resurrection Sunday, the first Easter! Knowing this helps us to understand what Paul wrote:
But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back. (1 Corinthians 15:20-23)
Just as Christ is risen from the dead (as the first of a great harvest), all who belong to Christ will also be raised when He returns.
Praise be to God for the Perfect Lamb who lived, died, rose up from the grave, and is coming again! (Revelation 5)
Heavenly Father,
Thank you that you so loved the world that you sent your only Son to be the perfect Lamb, the sacrifice in our place, to give us eternal life through Him. Thank you that you reveal yourself to us and give us faith by the hearing of your Word. Help us to share this good news with those around us and to glorify you in all we do.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen
For the last month or so, we have seen around us the signs of how the world celebrates this week. The stores are full of bright new clothing, colored egg displays, lots of bunnies, and even some cute little chicks. It is fitting that people celebrate the new life that the Creator sends to us as we see the change from the cold of winter to the hope of spring, but there is so much more.
Occasionally, among the displays and decorations, we will see a representation of another of God’s creatures. Among the rabbits and chicks, we will sometimes see a soft, white, cuddly lamb. To many, this is just another symbol of spring, the peak of lambing season when most sheep give birth to their young.
But to the body of Christ, the lamb has much greater significance.
As we read through the Old Testament (which I definitely recommend that you do on a regular basis) we see in Genesis 4:2-5: When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This is the first mention of a lamb as an offering to the Lord. It was brought by Abel and was accepted, but his brother Cain’s offering from his harvest was not accepted. I think most of you know how that turned out. If not, read on in chapter 4.
In Genesis 22:7-8, we read that God told Abraham to take his long-awaited son of the promise, Isaac, to a mountain and offer him as a sacrifice. In faith, Abraham obeyed. As he prepared the wood, Isaac asked: “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?” “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.
And God provided a ram as a substitute!
The first 14 chapters of the book of Exodus tell us how the Lord delivered his people, the Israelites, from 400 years of slavery in Egypt by demonstrating His power as the Almighty God through the 10 plagues with the climax being the death of the firstborn of every family. But God offered the people of Israel deliverance from this awful judgment in Exodus 12. They were told to choose a perfect young lamb, one year old and without blemish or defect, on the tenth of the first month and then, four days later, they were to slaughter the lamb and paint the blood on the doorposts of their home.
On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn son and firstborn male animal in the land of Egypt. I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, for I am the Lord! But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt. (Exodus 12:12-13) More instructions follow about how they were to prepare to be delivered out of Egypt that very night.
In Exodus 12:14 God commanded; This is a day to remember. Each year, from generation to generation, you must celebrate it as a special festival to the Lord. This is a law for all time. This was followed with instructions on how it was to be celebrated every year as the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. Passover was so important it was named as one of the three annual Pilgrimage festivals which required all males in Israel to travel to Jerusalem. This explains the large crowds that were gathered there during what we now call Holy Week.
Even though the Julian solar calendar was in use at the time of Jesus, the Jewish people used the Hebrew calendar to determine the dates of their feasts as they still do today. Until 325 A.D. Easter continued to be celebrated at the time of Passover, but that year the Council of Nicaea determined that Easter would be on “the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox”. This “unlinking” from Passover has led to confusion among many in the Christian church. As a child growing up in Brooklyn, I knew that many of my Jewish friends celebrated Passover close to our Easter but I never really understood the connection between the two (except maybe for the Last Supper). It was a wonderful blessing later to understand that when Jesus came into Jerusalem to the adulation of the crowd (on what we call Palm Sunday), it was the very day that the Jewish families were to select their lamb for the Passover sacrifice.
That day God was providing the perfect Lamb.
When the people gathered to celebrate the Passover meal after sundown on that Thursday, Jesus gathered with his disciples to follow God’s command to remember that night of deliverance from Egypt at what we now call the Last Supper. That night, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper (our Communion celebration) as a sacrament of grace for His people.
As Passover continued into Friday, we all know the horror of how our Lord Jesus Christ was brutalized, humiliated, and finally nailed to a cross to die in agony. Why? God was ending for all time the need for any further sacrifice of lambs or other animals to point ahead to a future time.
God was now providing the perfect sacrifice for our sin, His only Son!
Behold! The Lamb of GOD who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)
The next day was a High Sabbath, the Sabbath occurring during Passover, and Jesus’ body was resting in the tomb.
The day following the Passover Sabbath (the first day of the week) was the Jewish Feast of the Firstfruits. The first and best sheaf of grain from the new harvest was waved before the Lord, thanking him for the coming harvest and asking His blessing on it. This day was also, of course, our Resurrection Sunday, the first Easter! Knowing this helps us to understand what Paul wrote:
But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back. (1 Corinthians 15:20-23)
Just as Christ is risen from the dead (as the first of a great harvest), all who belong to Christ will also be raised when He returns.
Praise be to God for the Perfect Lamb who lived, died, rose up from the grave, and is coming again! (Revelation 5)
Heavenly Father,
Thank you that you so loved the world that you sent your only Son to be the perfect Lamb, the sacrifice in our place, to give us eternal life through Him. Thank you that you reveal yourself to us and give us faith by the hearing of your Word. Help us to share this good news with those around us and to glorify you in all we do.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen
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Barbara Heggland has been on the WM Leadership Team for 10 years, serving as Treasurer and as Co-Director and continuing in the role of Chairman. She works with her husband Roy in his CLB Estate Planning ministry and they divide their time between San Antonio, FL and East Hartland, CT. They enjoy time with family (especially their six grandsons!) and with their church families at Grace Community in Wesley Chapel and Bethany in East Hartland.
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Changing Seasons
With spring just around the corner, a renewed sense of vitality and purpose seems to arise in the air. As the sun shines a little brighter each day, and the snow melts away, thoughts of hot summer days by the lake begin to swirl around in my mind. A new season is about to come! The long, mundane winter nights slowly fade away into an abyss of the past, and a new sense of expectation is welcomed. The previous months get wrapped up into a mental photo album (or Facebook/Instagram) and become memories.
With every new season, an opportunity to look again at what God has done for us is presented. Newness is around the corner.
Isaiah 43:18-19 says, But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. [NLT]
Before God invited the Israelites to lift up their eyes to the new work He was about to do, He reminded them of His mighty works in the past (Isa 43:1-17) and also His purpose for Israel in the future. (Isa 43:21). Then He points out their failures and their sins of the past, but reminds them that He offers complete forgiveness “for His own sake” and not because of anything they have done or will do. (Isa 43:25). They will be able to move forward into the new thing God has for them relying on His promise. (Isa 44:1-5). It is the same for us today. It might be a pattern of negative thinking, a toxic relationship, a silent battle within, or a stumbling block in your path – no matter what it is, God offers us the same promise today as He did back then. He will blot out our sins “for His own sake” so that we can honor Him before the whole world.
How can you be sure? Malachi 3:6 reminds us, “For I am the Lord, I do not change [but remain faithful to My covenant with you]; that is why you, O sons of Jacob, have not come to an end.” [AMP]
Oftentimes, when God makes a promise, we worry about the details that seem to stand in the way of the fulfillment of that promise. Yet, we must remember our Almighty God, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, has infinite resources and infinite love. His plan for you is to forgive your sins and for you to honor Him before the whole world. Rest in Him!
1O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it….
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
(Psalm 139: 1-6, 23-24)
Dear Heavenly Father, we praise you! You are the maker of all things, you created us, and you love us beyond our understanding! Thank you for Jesus who covers my sin. Father, we pray that you will remind us of your faithfulness in every season. When we doubt, we ask that you turn our eyes to your greatness, goodness, and infinite resources. We pray that we will rest in you and the work that you are doing. Amen.
With every new season, an opportunity to look again at what God has done for us is presented. Newness is around the corner.
Isaiah 43:18-19 says, But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. [NLT]
Before God invited the Israelites to lift up their eyes to the new work He was about to do, He reminded them of His mighty works in the past (Isa 43:1-17) and also His purpose for Israel in the future. (Isa 43:21). Then He points out their failures and their sins of the past, but reminds them that He offers complete forgiveness “for His own sake” and not because of anything they have done or will do. (Isa 43:25). They will be able to move forward into the new thing God has for them relying on His promise. (Isa 44:1-5). It is the same for us today. It might be a pattern of negative thinking, a toxic relationship, a silent battle within, or a stumbling block in your path – no matter what it is, God offers us the same promise today as He did back then. He will blot out our sins “for His own sake” so that we can honor Him before the whole world.
How can you be sure? Malachi 3:6 reminds us, “For I am the Lord, I do not change [but remain faithful to My covenant with you]; that is why you, O sons of Jacob, have not come to an end.” [AMP]
Oftentimes, when God makes a promise, we worry about the details that seem to stand in the way of the fulfillment of that promise. Yet, we must remember our Almighty God, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, has infinite resources and infinite love. His plan for you is to forgive your sins and for you to honor Him before the whole world. Rest in Him!
1O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
5 You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it….
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
(Psalm 139: 1-6, 23-24)
Dear Heavenly Father, we praise you! You are the maker of all things, you created us, and you love us beyond our understanding! Thank you for Jesus who covers my sin. Father, we pray that you will remind us of your faithfulness in every season. When we doubt, we ask that you turn our eyes to your greatness, goodness, and infinite resources. We pray that we will rest in you and the work that you are doing. Amen.
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Christine Lawson is a student at Lutheran Brethren Seminary studying for her Masters in Theological Studies. She and her husband, along with their four children, have lived in Fergus Falls for 16 years. Christine has been a studio potter most of her adult life and travels with her wheel giving pottery demonstrations and her testimony. She recently accepted the position of Administrative Assistant to the President of Lutheran Brethren Seminary and works part-time. She would love to talk with anyone who may be interested in the Masters of Theological Studies program!
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Clinging To Christ
As we dive into a new year, I find myself lingering in the anticipation of what this year will bring. My prayers have been flooded with images of grasping, embracing, and clinging. Children wanting to be picked up by their parents and grasping their hands; the countless images of humans and animals being carried out of the fires on the west coast; the picture of the prodigal son’s father running to meet him; these come to the front of my mind. Luke says the son “arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20)
I want to cling to Jesus the way that the prodigal son surely clung to his father; the way that children cling to their parents; the way that the bleeding woman in Mark 5 grasped for even the edge of the garment Jesus wore. And my heart longs for this “clinging” just as I feel unworthy of it.
The prodigal son had not been anticipating an embrace. He had been preparing a speech that included the phrase “I am not worthy to be called your son.” How often do we do that? We identify so steadfastly with the prodigal son in his errors that we forget how forgiven we are! His father did not even wait for his son to get all the way to the house, but ran to him to embrace him and show him how loved he is. Does our Heavenly Father not have the same response when we turn from our sin and run back to Him?
The relief of the son is nearly palpable, as he must have relaxed into his father’s arms and came back to himself, came home to where he belonged. And this restoration could not have happened if the son had continued to cling to his pride, to his fear.
It is a difficult realization that I cannot cling to Christ while continuing in my current ways. I cannot cling to Christ if I am clinging to my house cleaning schedule to keep me afloat. I cannot cling to Christ if I am clinging to my busyness, keeping myself too busy to slow down and be quiet with Him. I cannot cling to Christ if I am clinging to my pride, my fear, my worries, or my work. So how do we cling to Christ?
Perhaps the answer is different for each of us, as we walk with Christ and sit at his feet. The answer is likely always rooted in Scripture, though, isn't it? God gave us His Word as something to cling to, something to guide us and point us back to Him. In His Word, He does not simply tell us to come back home, to read Scripture, to run back to Him. He also tells us that He loves us, that we are meant for His presence, that His arms are always wide open to us.
In the Spring of 2024, I lost my therapy dog to cancer. It was a grief to a level I did not expect, accompanied by a realization that I needed a new management plan for my anxiety. I clung to Jesus, my husband, and my mom. I repeated Psalm 23 over and over and over again. My mom embraced me often and never ended the hug before I did; sometimes she was practically holding me up. My husband never left me alone, sitting in my office while I worked or read and reminding me that I was not going through the loss or anxiety alone. I clung to the love that God put in my life, sitting at the feet of Jesus by reading His Word and worshiping even when I didn’t want to. I repeated that Psalm over and over until I meant it, until I believed it. I clung to Christ.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Practically, how do you cling to Christ and to the promises in His Word? Maybe it’s starting a new Bible study, a new devotional. Maybe it’s scheduling a personal worship time each day in the car (or shower, wherever you want to sing God’s praises). Maybe it’s praying for a passion for His Word.
All I know is that clinging to Christ is the desire of my heart, that I long to return to him and see him running towards me with arms wide open. I long to cling to Christ and feel him clinging to me, picking me up off the ground in his delight to see me and squeezing me closer to him (as I imagine the father embraced his prodigal son). It is, after all, God who prepares the table in the presence of my enemies; it is God who anoints me and overflows my cup; it is God who brings me ever closer and closer to Him as He clings to me, too.
Even as I cling to the Lord in my loss, in my grief, in my sin and brokenness, He clings to me - holding me up! When a child clings to a parent, isn’t it the parent doing the holding? Doing the comforting, calming, and speaking the truth of the gospel to whatever the child is going through? What a blessing that even when we are grasping and reaching out to God, we do not have to stretch very far because He is already there, holding on to us ever so tightly. When I lost Reid, my dog, I didn’t have the energy to reach out to God, even when I knew He was what I needed. I was barely getting out of bed, how was I going to cling to Christ?
THANK GOD that it was the father who ran down the road, that it is God who leads me to still waters, and it is the gospel that brings me closer to Christ. The work required for me to cling to Christ was finished on the cross and is carried out in how God holds ME, clings to ME; clinging to me because He knows I need Him.
It is my prayer that this is a desire for you too, that you may hear and believe the words of the prodigal’s father, “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15:24) You are alive, you are found, and you are loved.
Jesus, thank you for clinging to me. When I cling to you and when I don't, you are there holding on to me. Thank you for ignoring my speeches about not being worthy to be your child, instead telling me that my worth does not lie in my own efforts, but in your work on the cross! As we go through our day to day, please let me remember that you are there clinging to me and teaching me how to cling to you. Please bring me ever closer to you. Amen.
I want to cling to Jesus the way that the prodigal son surely clung to his father; the way that children cling to their parents; the way that the bleeding woman in Mark 5 grasped for even the edge of the garment Jesus wore. And my heart longs for this “clinging” just as I feel unworthy of it.
The prodigal son had not been anticipating an embrace. He had been preparing a speech that included the phrase “I am not worthy to be called your son.” How often do we do that? We identify so steadfastly with the prodigal son in his errors that we forget how forgiven we are! His father did not even wait for his son to get all the way to the house, but ran to him to embrace him and show him how loved he is. Does our Heavenly Father not have the same response when we turn from our sin and run back to Him?
The relief of the son is nearly palpable, as he must have relaxed into his father’s arms and came back to himself, came home to where he belonged. And this restoration could not have happened if the son had continued to cling to his pride, to his fear.
It is a difficult realization that I cannot cling to Christ while continuing in my current ways. I cannot cling to Christ if I am clinging to my house cleaning schedule to keep me afloat. I cannot cling to Christ if I am clinging to my busyness, keeping myself too busy to slow down and be quiet with Him. I cannot cling to Christ if I am clinging to my pride, my fear, my worries, or my work. So how do we cling to Christ?
Perhaps the answer is different for each of us, as we walk with Christ and sit at his feet. The answer is likely always rooted in Scripture, though, isn't it? God gave us His Word as something to cling to, something to guide us and point us back to Him. In His Word, He does not simply tell us to come back home, to read Scripture, to run back to Him. He also tells us that He loves us, that we are meant for His presence, that His arms are always wide open to us.
In the Spring of 2024, I lost my therapy dog to cancer. It was a grief to a level I did not expect, accompanied by a realization that I needed a new management plan for my anxiety. I clung to Jesus, my husband, and my mom. I repeated Psalm 23 over and over and over again. My mom embraced me often and never ended the hug before I did; sometimes she was practically holding me up. My husband never left me alone, sitting in my office while I worked or read and reminding me that I was not going through the loss or anxiety alone. I clung to the love that God put in my life, sitting at the feet of Jesus by reading His Word and worshiping even when I didn’t want to. I repeated that Psalm over and over until I meant it, until I believed it. I clung to Christ.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Practically, how do you cling to Christ and to the promises in His Word? Maybe it’s starting a new Bible study, a new devotional. Maybe it’s scheduling a personal worship time each day in the car (or shower, wherever you want to sing God’s praises). Maybe it’s praying for a passion for His Word.
All I know is that clinging to Christ is the desire of my heart, that I long to return to him and see him running towards me with arms wide open. I long to cling to Christ and feel him clinging to me, picking me up off the ground in his delight to see me and squeezing me closer to him (as I imagine the father embraced his prodigal son). It is, after all, God who prepares the table in the presence of my enemies; it is God who anoints me and overflows my cup; it is God who brings me ever closer and closer to Him as He clings to me, too.
Even as I cling to the Lord in my loss, in my grief, in my sin and brokenness, He clings to me - holding me up! When a child clings to a parent, isn’t it the parent doing the holding? Doing the comforting, calming, and speaking the truth of the gospel to whatever the child is going through? What a blessing that even when we are grasping and reaching out to God, we do not have to stretch very far because He is already there, holding on to us ever so tightly. When I lost Reid, my dog, I didn’t have the energy to reach out to God, even when I knew He was what I needed. I was barely getting out of bed, how was I going to cling to Christ?
THANK GOD that it was the father who ran down the road, that it is God who leads me to still waters, and it is the gospel that brings me closer to Christ. The work required for me to cling to Christ was finished on the cross and is carried out in how God holds ME, clings to ME; clinging to me because He knows I need Him.
It is my prayer that this is a desire for you too, that you may hear and believe the words of the prodigal’s father, “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15:24) You are alive, you are found, and you are loved.
Jesus, thank you for clinging to me. When I cling to you and when I don't, you are there holding on to me. Thank you for ignoring my speeches about not being worthy to be your child, instead telling me that my worth does not lie in my own efforts, but in your work on the cross! As we go through our day to day, please let me remember that you are there clinging to me and teaching me how to cling to you. Please bring me ever closer to you. Amen.
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Beka Nadgwick grew up in the Lutheran Brethren and currently serves as Director of Youth and Worship Ministries at Word of Life Church in Le Sueur and New Prague, Minnesota. She is currently enjoying working towards her Masters of Theological Studies at the Lutheran Brethren Seminary. Beka, her husband Isaac, and their two dogs (Gwyn and Goose) live in Le Sueur, they love reading, board games, and walks in their neighborhood.
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New Year, New You
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come. All of this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”
2 Corinthians 5:17-19
It's January, the month that tells us we can better ourselves in 2025!
New Year,
New You!
Renew your gym membership now for a discount!
Buy that protein powder that’s on sale!
Try that collagen powder you’ve been considering… or is this the year to start Botox??
Your resolutions are now even easier to attain because of all the deals you can get at the gym or online. Not to mention you can download that planner app that you’re sure will keep you on task!
There’s nothing wrong with being healthy or organized or trying to better your physical or spiritual life. But think on this; when we first received forgiveness and redemption in Christ, we became a new creation… The OLD has passed away! The NEW has come! And verse 19 – wow! What mercy, grace, and unmerited salvation we have through Christ–God no longer counts our sins against us! Ephesians 2:1-2, 4-5 says “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked… But God, being rich in mercy… made us alive together in Christ–by grace you have been saved…”
Jesus reminded us that the most important commandments are to love the Lord our God with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:29-31). 1 John 4:7 tells us “let us love one another, for love is from God.” What better way to show love to your neighbor than introducing them to Christ and displaying the love of Christ? Note that we are called to this ALWAYS – no new resolution required – just continuing in the love of our Lord and the people of this world.
There are so many examples of the newness we have through the Holy Spirit and Christ. It is mind-blowing! Read Ezekiel 36:25-27. “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” I’m taking it out of context here but it’s Ezekiel’s exhortation to the people of Israel to turn from their ways, from their sin and their shame, and God will give them a heart of flesh instead of a heart of stone.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could forget our old selves? Slough off our old skin and leave it behind without anything attached to us. But we are human and we will struggle with our old nature, the old man, until Christ calls us home.
So remember the promises we hold in Christ, and be reminded that even if you make a New Year’s Resolution and you fail at it, God sees you as his new creation and you are alive in him! Praise God!!!
Father God, we pray that you would constantly remind us that we are a new creation – we don’t have to do anything more because Christ did it all for us. We pray that you would soften our hearts to this truth and give us the desire to show your love in all our interactions with others. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to give us the words to share about you. Father God, give us opportunities to display your love! Amen.
2 Corinthians 5:17-19
It's January, the month that tells us we can better ourselves in 2025!
New Year,
New You!
Renew your gym membership now for a discount!
Buy that protein powder that’s on sale!
Try that collagen powder you’ve been considering… or is this the year to start Botox??
Your resolutions are now even easier to attain because of all the deals you can get at the gym or online. Not to mention you can download that planner app that you’re sure will keep you on task!
There’s nothing wrong with being healthy or organized or trying to better your physical or spiritual life. But think on this; when we first received forgiveness and redemption in Christ, we became a new creation… The OLD has passed away! The NEW has come! And verse 19 – wow! What mercy, grace, and unmerited salvation we have through Christ–God no longer counts our sins against us! Ephesians 2:1-2, 4-5 says “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked… But God, being rich in mercy… made us alive together in Christ–by grace you have been saved…”
Jesus reminded us that the most important commandments are to love the Lord our God with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:29-31). 1 John 4:7 tells us “let us love one another, for love is from God.” What better way to show love to your neighbor than introducing them to Christ and displaying the love of Christ? Note that we are called to this ALWAYS – no new resolution required – just continuing in the love of our Lord and the people of this world.
There are so many examples of the newness we have through the Holy Spirit and Christ. It is mind-blowing! Read Ezekiel 36:25-27. “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” I’m taking it out of context here but it’s Ezekiel’s exhortation to the people of Israel to turn from their ways, from their sin and their shame, and God will give them a heart of flesh instead of a heart of stone.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could forget our old selves? Slough off our old skin and leave it behind without anything attached to us. But we are human and we will struggle with our old nature, the old man, until Christ calls us home.
So remember the promises we hold in Christ, and be reminded that even if you make a New Year’s Resolution and you fail at it, God sees you as his new creation and you are alive in him! Praise God!!!
Father God, we pray that you would constantly remind us that we are a new creation – we don’t have to do anything more because Christ did it all for us. We pray that you would soften our hearts to this truth and give us the desire to show your love in all our interactions with others. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to give us the words to share about you. Father God, give us opportunities to display your love! Amen.
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Cathy Barlow works for LBIM as the Administrative Assistant. She lives in Fergus Falls, MN, and loves her family and the family that she has at the office and at her church, Good Shepherd LBC. She’s looking for new hobbies (knitting and crocheting are not options) – email her with any suggestions!! [email protected]
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A Welcome Presence
Out shopping for their dad, my oldest five boys and I meandered around the mall, their eyes distracted with Christmas lights and displays. I guided them through, occasionally calling out to keep their eyes ahead before they walked smack into someone. Spatial awareness is not a strong suit in grade school children…
We had already found a few things, but there was one more item on the list for their father. “We aren’t quite done yet,” I told them. The boys moaned… “What else do we need to get him?” I half smiled, gathering my determination. “Cologne… Your dad asked about finding a cologne that smells nice, and as much as I wish I could just order online, we have to smell them to figure out which one we like best.” A bit more groaning followed, and a lecture from me to respect the store and not touch everything!
Then, I made the bold move of walking into Sephora with five boys. I knew our presence would not be welcome, but, as I’ve grown accustomed to doing with my large family, we pushed forward to get the job done.
There was apprehension from the clerks as they watched us stand near the expensive, pretty perfume bottles. A few hovered around us as I sprayed papers and sent the paper down the line of boys to see which one they liked the best. I watched the tension in the clerks ease a bit as the boys pretty much left the shelves alone. Then I purchased our top pick, and we headed out of there.
Though allowed to go in, our presence was an unwelcome one at first. Thinking back on that, I remember a friend of mine who I had invited to a church gathering. I remember her saying, “I don’t know, Karen… I’m not really a churchy person. I’m pretty convinced I will be struck by lightning if I enter your church.” I laughed, “Nope, that is not going to happen. We would love to have you come! You and your family’s presence will be welcome there!”
She did not show up at the first thing to which I invited her, but by about the third one, she came and brought her family. She was apprehensive at first, unsure of how she would be received. But she was greeted and welcomed; and she and her family took part in the events and the food. It wasn’t what she expected, but the exchange opened the door to a new experience of church and a different understanding of how God viewed her.
Fast forward some years to a few months ago when a friend of hers walked into one of our church events for the first time. He looked at her in surprise and said, “I can’t believe you are here! I thought you’d be struck by lightning or something!?”
She now looked at him in surprise and said, “No! This church and I go back for some time now! I’m welcome here.” She smiled. I watched this exchange take place and marveled at the way God has been at work in her heart.
As I ponder the season of Advent, I also marvel at the events that God put in motion. Here we are, wretched sinners, unwelcome to come into the presence of God. He is holy, he is perfect, and he demands perfection. I can’t push my way into his presence like I did in Sephora to prove to him that I’m good enough, saying, “God, if you just give me a chance!” In reality, if I enter his presence on my own strength, in my own merit, the phrase “I will be struck by lightning… and die” hits pretty close to home. God is unable to accept sinners into his presence because of his holiness.
But into rebellious, sinful hearts, this prophecy was spoken, this promise was given:
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
(Isaiah 9:6-7)
Jesus Christ’s coming was foretold to the world, and the promise was fulfilled that night long ago in Bethlehem. He was and is our only plan for redemption. The Lord desires for us to enter into his presence to have a restored relationship with him. Jesus came down and entered into our presence so that we might be restored through his blood and his resurrection.
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:12-13)
For those who believe in Jesus, baptized into his name, we are fully accepted in the presence of God. He has taken away our sins and made us his children. We have this amazing gift that we get to share with the people in our lives. Because of Christ’s love for me, I was able to love my friend and let her know that her presence was wanted; to be that voice outside the church walls so that she braved coming inside the church walls.
Every Christmas season, we remember the gift of Jesus, sent down to earth as a baby. He entered into our midst so that we could enter into His. It is so great a gift that my mind cannot fully comprehend it. It is because of this gift that I can tell my friend, and know myself, that we are welcomed into the church; there is good news proclaimed for us there! “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.”
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for Jesus. We thank you that we can stand in your presence, fully accepted and fully loved. May we feel surrounded by your love this Christmas as we remember the ultimate gift of Christ. Lord, this season, comfort the hurting, the lonely, and the sick. Encourage us, your church, and may our hearts overflow with your love, and may that love flow out to our neighbors. In Jesus Name, Amen.
We had already found a few things, but there was one more item on the list for their father. “We aren’t quite done yet,” I told them. The boys moaned… “What else do we need to get him?” I half smiled, gathering my determination. “Cologne… Your dad asked about finding a cologne that smells nice, and as much as I wish I could just order online, we have to smell them to figure out which one we like best.” A bit more groaning followed, and a lecture from me to respect the store and not touch everything!
Then, I made the bold move of walking into Sephora with five boys. I knew our presence would not be welcome, but, as I’ve grown accustomed to doing with my large family, we pushed forward to get the job done.
There was apprehension from the clerks as they watched us stand near the expensive, pretty perfume bottles. A few hovered around us as I sprayed papers and sent the paper down the line of boys to see which one they liked the best. I watched the tension in the clerks ease a bit as the boys pretty much left the shelves alone. Then I purchased our top pick, and we headed out of there.
Though allowed to go in, our presence was an unwelcome one at first. Thinking back on that, I remember a friend of mine who I had invited to a church gathering. I remember her saying, “I don’t know, Karen… I’m not really a churchy person. I’m pretty convinced I will be struck by lightning if I enter your church.” I laughed, “Nope, that is not going to happen. We would love to have you come! You and your family’s presence will be welcome there!”
She did not show up at the first thing to which I invited her, but by about the third one, she came and brought her family. She was apprehensive at first, unsure of how she would be received. But she was greeted and welcomed; and she and her family took part in the events and the food. It wasn’t what she expected, but the exchange opened the door to a new experience of church and a different understanding of how God viewed her.
Fast forward some years to a few months ago when a friend of hers walked into one of our church events for the first time. He looked at her in surprise and said, “I can’t believe you are here! I thought you’d be struck by lightning or something!?”
She now looked at him in surprise and said, “No! This church and I go back for some time now! I’m welcome here.” She smiled. I watched this exchange take place and marveled at the way God has been at work in her heart.
As I ponder the season of Advent, I also marvel at the events that God put in motion. Here we are, wretched sinners, unwelcome to come into the presence of God. He is holy, he is perfect, and he demands perfection. I can’t push my way into his presence like I did in Sephora to prove to him that I’m good enough, saying, “God, if you just give me a chance!” In reality, if I enter his presence on my own strength, in my own merit, the phrase “I will be struck by lightning… and die” hits pretty close to home. God is unable to accept sinners into his presence because of his holiness.
But into rebellious, sinful hearts, this prophecy was spoken, this promise was given:
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this.
(Isaiah 9:6-7)
Jesus Christ’s coming was foretold to the world, and the promise was fulfilled that night long ago in Bethlehem. He was and is our only plan for redemption. The Lord desires for us to enter into his presence to have a restored relationship with him. Jesus came down and entered into our presence so that we might be restored through his blood and his resurrection.
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:12-13)
For those who believe in Jesus, baptized into his name, we are fully accepted in the presence of God. He has taken away our sins and made us his children. We have this amazing gift that we get to share with the people in our lives. Because of Christ’s love for me, I was able to love my friend and let her know that her presence was wanted; to be that voice outside the church walls so that she braved coming inside the church walls.
Every Christmas season, we remember the gift of Jesus, sent down to earth as a baby. He entered into our midst so that we could enter into His. It is so great a gift that my mind cannot fully comprehend it. It is because of this gift that I can tell my friend, and know myself, that we are welcomed into the church; there is good news proclaimed for us there! “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.”
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for Jesus. We thank you that we can stand in your presence, fully accepted and fully loved. May we feel surrounded by your love this Christmas as we remember the ultimate gift of Christ. Lord, this season, comfort the hurting, the lonely, and the sick. Encourage us, your church, and may our hearts overflow with your love, and may that love flow out to our neighbors. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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Karen StenbergDirector of WMCLBKaren has a passion for encouraging women in Christ, being honest about life, and sharing how God is at work in hard places. She is the Director of WMCLB, Mom to seven boys, and married to Daniel Stenberg, who pastors our LB church in Bergenfield, NJ.
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Vulnerability
My old boss and friend came over for coffee and cake this past week. She is someone whom I respect as an amazing teacher, educator, and friend. As a mom with insecurities and doubts over homeschooling my children, I knew I had a choice: I could only mention the good things, or I could actually confide in her and share the struggles of teaching my children at home.
Should I open myself up? That would mean taking the risk of having my pain and insecurities out there for her to see. Instead, I could float by, glossing over anything with substance, and give her the highlight reel. We all have them in our back pocket. They usually start with the opening line, “Life is good! Busy with… etc. etc.” The highlight is normally my go-to, but God has been revealing to me that He has much more for us than our highlight reels and half-truth answers.
God has created us for connection, deep connection. Author and psychologist Curt Thompson likes to say, “We are born into this world looking for someone looking for us.” From the beginning of time, from Adam needing a helpmate, to when a newborn baby is born, we have a deep need and longing to have others in our lives who delight in us. Delight in each other brings connection. But to be delighted in and connected, we have to be willing to let others see us, not just our highlight reels, but the real self.
We have to be vulnerable.
Vulnerability is hard. I have never been very good at it. I have admired others who share vulnerable parts of their stories. I marvel at their confidence and bravery. When I hear someone share something risky, when there is no certainty that the recipient of that story is going to accept them, a few things happen: first, I am impressed; second, I have a deep yearning for that connection; and third, I feel closer and more connected with them for being vulnerable.
Being vulnerable means that we are willing to risk sharing our true selves with no guarantee that we will be accepted. These parts of our true selves are often linked to shame that we carry. Shame is sneaky and subtle in how it seeps into the ways we think about ourselves and distorts our story of who (and whose) we are. It makes us feel like we are unworthy of connection, we are too much for this person to handle, or we are not enough. If they hear or see who we “really are”, they would find us unworthy of connection and turn away. This makes the risk of sharing our true selves even harder. So instead, we self-preserve and protect ourselves by withdrawing.
Here are a few ways we do this:
- Pretending everything is okay, (insert highlight reel)
- Numbing with food, social media, alcohol (whatever we’ve found that takes us away from the shame and rejection of the moment.)
- Striving for perfection (convincing ourselves that once we have reached perfection, everyone will love and accept us.)
We are hiding--hiding from our true selves and, more importantly from who God has made us to be in relationship with him. The enemy has planted these lies and shameful thoughts into our stories and lives. These false narratives of ourselves blind us and limit our connection and understanding of who God says we are through His word. This is not how God views us, his beautiful creation. Paul explains this in 2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
We can be confident in who we are in Christ. We are his new creation. The lies and shame we believe are not true and God has brought freedom and healing through his work on the cross.
All this is possible for us because God himself is vulnerable. Jesus set the example of vulnerability. He lived the most vulnerable life of all and died the most vulnerable death. He came as a naked babe to this world, shared the gospel of truth to all who would listen, yet knew this sharing of himself would not be accepted by everyone. He knew this would eventually lead him to be killed, but of course, this wouldn’t stop him, because he intentionally allowed it to happen on our behalf.
All this was, and still is, worth it for him. He knows the outcome that radical vulnerability brings. He knows we are made for deep connection, he created us! And in his great love for us, He willingly died on the cross, to make it possible for us to experience deep connection with him and in turn with others. When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable to the authority of scripture, we recognize our need for Christ. When we confide in him through repentance, we accept the freedom and beauty Christ has offered through His body and blood on the cross. And through faith we are clothed with Christ, hard to find a deeper connection than that!
This has provided everything we need to live a whole and connected life. We deeply need to trust Him in what he says about us:
We are enough in Christ.
We are his creation.
We are deeply known and loved.
Over the coffee and cake, I chose to take a risk and be vulnerable. I shared the struggles and shame I carry as I navigate homeschooling my children. Instead of rejecting me, my friend was kind and accepting. She had some deeply encouraging things to say and wanted to continue to walk with me through the journey of educating my children. I felt seen and connected. God had not only given me an outlet to share my burden, but he had brought me encouragement and support through my honest sharing.
But it’s not always like this. There’s a reason why it is so hard to be vulnerable. I’ve experienced misunderstandings, rudeness, and negative responses. We are all affected by sin, struggle with shame, and carry feelings of unworthiness, but God knows the truth about us, and he reveals it as we receive the word of law and gospel over us. The more we trust and live into these truths the more we will be able to be his hands and feet to the people around us,
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” ( 2 Cor. 1:3-4)
God has created us for community and deep connection because he is a communal God and we are made in his image. Let's take advantage of what we have in Christ. Let’s delight in the people who are in our lives but also and most importantly in God.
Despite how unworthy we are, God has declared us his, given us his presence and yearns for us to experience his deep love for us.
“You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” ( Ps 16:11)
He continues every day, to draw us to himself, longing for an ever-deepening relationship with us.
“Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)
He fuels our desire for intimacy with him, and reminds us he is able to heal our pain and insecurities. So allow yourself to be vulnerable to the Lord! He will strengthen your soul, and grow you in taking risks in opening up with others.
Dear God, thank you for who you are. Your heart for us is so big. You love us so much. Thank you for all that you have done to draw us to yourself. Your desire to connect and commune with us is so humbling and beautiful. We don’t deserve any of it. Dying on the cross for our sin and providing a way for us to fellowship with you is so incredible. Thank you for holding our shame and sadness with such tenderness and care. God, I pray you direct our hearts into your love and the steadfastness of Christ. I pray we walk in the confidence of your work in our lives and who we are in you and step out in faith to be vulnerable and connect with the people you have placed in our lives. Thank you for being with us every step of the way. In Your name we pray, Amen.
Should I open myself up? That would mean taking the risk of having my pain and insecurities out there for her to see. Instead, I could float by, glossing over anything with substance, and give her the highlight reel. We all have them in our back pocket. They usually start with the opening line, “Life is good! Busy with… etc. etc.” The highlight is normally my go-to, but God has been revealing to me that He has much more for us than our highlight reels and half-truth answers.
God has created us for connection, deep connection. Author and psychologist Curt Thompson likes to say, “We are born into this world looking for someone looking for us.” From the beginning of time, from Adam needing a helpmate, to when a newborn baby is born, we have a deep need and longing to have others in our lives who delight in us. Delight in each other brings connection. But to be delighted in and connected, we have to be willing to let others see us, not just our highlight reels, but the real self.
We have to be vulnerable.
Vulnerability is hard. I have never been very good at it. I have admired others who share vulnerable parts of their stories. I marvel at their confidence and bravery. When I hear someone share something risky, when there is no certainty that the recipient of that story is going to accept them, a few things happen: first, I am impressed; second, I have a deep yearning for that connection; and third, I feel closer and more connected with them for being vulnerable.
Being vulnerable means that we are willing to risk sharing our true selves with no guarantee that we will be accepted. These parts of our true selves are often linked to shame that we carry. Shame is sneaky and subtle in how it seeps into the ways we think about ourselves and distorts our story of who (and whose) we are. It makes us feel like we are unworthy of connection, we are too much for this person to handle, or we are not enough. If they hear or see who we “really are”, they would find us unworthy of connection and turn away. This makes the risk of sharing our true selves even harder. So instead, we self-preserve and protect ourselves by withdrawing.
Here are a few ways we do this:
- Pretending everything is okay, (insert highlight reel)
- Numbing with food, social media, alcohol (whatever we’ve found that takes us away from the shame and rejection of the moment.)
- Striving for perfection (convincing ourselves that once we have reached perfection, everyone will love and accept us.)
We are hiding--hiding from our true selves and, more importantly from who God has made us to be in relationship with him. The enemy has planted these lies and shameful thoughts into our stories and lives. These false narratives of ourselves blind us and limit our connection and understanding of who God says we are through His word. This is not how God views us, his beautiful creation. Paul explains this in 2 Corinthians 5:17
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
We can be confident in who we are in Christ. We are his new creation. The lies and shame we believe are not true and God has brought freedom and healing through his work on the cross.
All this is possible for us because God himself is vulnerable. Jesus set the example of vulnerability. He lived the most vulnerable life of all and died the most vulnerable death. He came as a naked babe to this world, shared the gospel of truth to all who would listen, yet knew this sharing of himself would not be accepted by everyone. He knew this would eventually lead him to be killed, but of course, this wouldn’t stop him, because he intentionally allowed it to happen on our behalf.
All this was, and still is, worth it for him. He knows the outcome that radical vulnerability brings. He knows we are made for deep connection, he created us! And in his great love for us, He willingly died on the cross, to make it possible for us to experience deep connection with him and in turn with others. When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable to the authority of scripture, we recognize our need for Christ. When we confide in him through repentance, we accept the freedom and beauty Christ has offered through His body and blood on the cross. And through faith we are clothed with Christ, hard to find a deeper connection than that!
This has provided everything we need to live a whole and connected life. We deeply need to trust Him in what he says about us:
We are enough in Christ.
We are his creation.
We are deeply known and loved.
Over the coffee and cake, I chose to take a risk and be vulnerable. I shared the struggles and shame I carry as I navigate homeschooling my children. Instead of rejecting me, my friend was kind and accepting. She had some deeply encouraging things to say and wanted to continue to walk with me through the journey of educating my children. I felt seen and connected. God had not only given me an outlet to share my burden, but he had brought me encouragement and support through my honest sharing.
But it’s not always like this. There’s a reason why it is so hard to be vulnerable. I’ve experienced misunderstandings, rudeness, and negative responses. We are all affected by sin, struggle with shame, and carry feelings of unworthiness, but God knows the truth about us, and he reveals it as we receive the word of law and gospel over us. The more we trust and live into these truths the more we will be able to be his hands and feet to the people around us,
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” ( 2 Cor. 1:3-4)
God has created us for community and deep connection because he is a communal God and we are made in his image. Let's take advantage of what we have in Christ. Let’s delight in the people who are in our lives but also and most importantly in God.
Despite how unworthy we are, God has declared us his, given us his presence and yearns for us to experience his deep love for us.
“You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” ( Ps 16:11)
He continues every day, to draw us to himself, longing for an ever-deepening relationship with us.
“Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)
He fuels our desire for intimacy with him, and reminds us he is able to heal our pain and insecurities. So allow yourself to be vulnerable to the Lord! He will strengthen your soul, and grow you in taking risks in opening up with others.
Dear God, thank you for who you are. Your heart for us is so big. You love us so much. Thank you for all that you have done to draw us to yourself. Your desire to connect and commune with us is so humbling and beautiful. We don’t deserve any of it. Dying on the cross for our sin and providing a way for us to fellowship with you is so incredible. Thank you for holding our shame and sadness with such tenderness and care. God, I pray you direct our hearts into your love and the steadfastness of Christ. I pray we walk in the confidence of your work in our lives and who we are in you and step out in faith to be vulnerable and connect with the people you have placed in our lives. Thank you for being with us every step of the way. In Your name we pray, Amen.
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Kirsten Pierce is married to David who is the pastor at Peace Lutheran Brethren Church, Olympia WA. She’s currently involved with hosting dinners for the neighborhood community, the women’s ministry at church, and putting on the children’s Christmas program. Besides these activities, she ministers to their three children, homeschooling them in their elementary years.
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Storm Etiquette from the Saints
I just saw a picture on Facebook of a beautiful sunny day with blue skies from a friend who lives in Florida. She said, “The weird thing about the day before a hurricane is the blue skies and sunshine. You would never guess a huge storm is coming.” Hurricane Milton is forecasted to directly hit her city with full force winds tomorrow. Once you read this article, the full extent of the devastation will be known - how many lives were lost, how much damage was done, how much will need to be rebuilt, and so on. Isn't that how things are with our lives as well? Storms come, but they aren't always forecasted...or are they? In John 16:33 Jesus tells us that “in this world you will have trouble.” Trouble is forecasted, by THE weatherman who is always right. We will have trouble, and shouldn't be surprised when it comes. It may be a sunny day now, but tomorrow the storm may come. And if not tomorrow, maybe the next. We don't know. But what DO we know? We know that in the rest of John 16:33 Jesus says, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” We know we will have trouble, but we also know that Jesus has overcome the world. We serve the One who knows what storms are headed our way, who will be there with us in the midst of them, and who has already conquered them. How do we prepare for the storm? We don't have to do anything but trust in the One who already has the victory! Fix our eyes on Jesus and not look at the waves swirling around us.
Easier said than done.
All Saints Day, November 1, is a day on the church calendar that many churches celebrate on the first Sunday in November. I used to think it was a weird Catholic thing, but I've since come to appreciate it for its rich and invaluable reminders. It's a day in which we remember the faith of the saints, other believers who have gone before us, and their example to us of what it means to live a life of faith. Their example encourages us to continue on in the faith, and to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
When I was younger, I remember admiring certain people in my church who had lived a life of faith, and weathered many storms. Yet, their countenance was one of peace and contentment. They were always at church. Though they knew the Word better than I ever hoped to, they were always at Bible study, and were always urging me to be there as well. Many are now in Heaven, and among the list of those I remember on All Saints Day. There are two lessons I have learned from them by observing their model of life and faith:
1. There will be storms in our lives that we don't plan and that we don't want. But it is possible to have peace and contentment, even while in the storm.
These saints I admired had learned what Paul talked about in his letter to the Philippians (4:8-13): the secret of being content in any and every situation - Trusting in God for strength, and keeping their eyes fixed on Jesus and on eternity. That's how all of them, and also all of us can say, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). When we fix our eyes on Jesus, rather than the storm around us, we will have peace. This leads me to the second lesson I learned from my fellow saints:
2. How do we fix our eyes on Jesus and receive His peace in the midst of storms? How are we inwardly renewed day by day? By fixing our minds on His Word. By being in the Word consistently, as a priority, in church and in Bible study with other believers, we learn the truths and promises of God, and how to build our lives firmly on the Rock, so that when the storms come, we will not be moved.
Remember where my model saints always were? Bible study. Church. Their Bibles were worn from years of use, yet they could never get enough. In our Philippians verses, Paul tells us what to think about, what to daily fix our minds on: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable —if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Where do we find these things? In God's Word! And then, after we think about them, verse 9 tells us to “...put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Peace. Contentment. Even in the storm.
We need other believers to help us during the storms. We need their reminders of what God's Word says and promises, because when the skies aren't sunny and blue it can be easy to forget. We need their encouragement to keep trusting God when we don't understand why the storm isn't letting up, because when we're hurting, our feelings can often seem more real than the truth that God cares. We need to be in the Word so we're prepared. We may not be prepared for the specific circumstance that arises. However, we can be prepared for how we will face it - how we will react. We can react with peace and contentment because we can say “I KNOW whom I have believed” (2 Timothy 1:12), and because we have the confidence that He has already conquered the world and whatever storm we face.
Lord Jesus, thank you that you have already conquered the world. Help us to remember who You are, and to trust You and fix our eyes on You instead of the storm. We confess that we try to do life on our own strength, and we often place the study of Your Word behind other priorities. Teach us to lean on You, rely on Your strength, and to regularly seek out and accept the help and encouragement of our fellow believers. Thank you for the example of those who have gone before us. Help us to live out our own lives in faith, through every storm we encounter, with the peace and contentment that comes from knowing You, our God who has won the victory. Amen.
Easier said than done.
All Saints Day, November 1, is a day on the church calendar that many churches celebrate on the first Sunday in November. I used to think it was a weird Catholic thing, but I've since come to appreciate it for its rich and invaluable reminders. It's a day in which we remember the faith of the saints, other believers who have gone before us, and their example to us of what it means to live a life of faith. Their example encourages us to continue on in the faith, and to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.
When I was younger, I remember admiring certain people in my church who had lived a life of faith, and weathered many storms. Yet, their countenance was one of peace and contentment. They were always at church. Though they knew the Word better than I ever hoped to, they were always at Bible study, and were always urging me to be there as well. Many are now in Heaven, and among the list of those I remember on All Saints Day. There are two lessons I have learned from them by observing their model of life and faith:
1. There will be storms in our lives that we don't plan and that we don't want. But it is possible to have peace and contentment, even while in the storm.
These saints I admired had learned what Paul talked about in his letter to the Philippians (4:8-13): the secret of being content in any and every situation - Trusting in God for strength, and keeping their eyes fixed on Jesus and on eternity. That's how all of them, and also all of us can say, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). When we fix our eyes on Jesus, rather than the storm around us, we will have peace. This leads me to the second lesson I learned from my fellow saints:
2. How do we fix our eyes on Jesus and receive His peace in the midst of storms? How are we inwardly renewed day by day? By fixing our minds on His Word. By being in the Word consistently, as a priority, in church and in Bible study with other believers, we learn the truths and promises of God, and how to build our lives firmly on the Rock, so that when the storms come, we will not be moved.
Remember where my model saints always were? Bible study. Church. Their Bibles were worn from years of use, yet they could never get enough. In our Philippians verses, Paul tells us what to think about, what to daily fix our minds on: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable —if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Where do we find these things? In God's Word! And then, after we think about them, verse 9 tells us to “...put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Peace. Contentment. Even in the storm.
We need other believers to help us during the storms. We need their reminders of what God's Word says and promises, because when the skies aren't sunny and blue it can be easy to forget. We need their encouragement to keep trusting God when we don't understand why the storm isn't letting up, because when we're hurting, our feelings can often seem more real than the truth that God cares. We need to be in the Word so we're prepared. We may not be prepared for the specific circumstance that arises. However, we can be prepared for how we will face it - how we will react. We can react with peace and contentment because we can say “I KNOW whom I have believed” (2 Timothy 1:12), and because we have the confidence that He has already conquered the world and whatever storm we face.
Lord Jesus, thank you that you have already conquered the world. Help us to remember who You are, and to trust You and fix our eyes on You instead of the storm. We confess that we try to do life on our own strength, and we often place the study of Your Word behind other priorities. Teach us to lean on You, rely on Your strength, and to regularly seek out and accept the help and encouragement of our fellow believers. Thank you for the example of those who have gone before us. Help us to live out our own lives in faith, through every storm we encounter, with the peace and contentment that comes from knowing You, our God who has won the victory. Amen.
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Alyssa McIvorFullerton, CAAlyssa McIvor serves as a Lutheran Brethren Pastor's wife in Fullerton, California, teaching Bible Studies and singing on the worship team. Alyssa, her husband Dirk and their two high school girls enjoy board games, pizza night, camping and making music! Alyssa is a speaker, songwriter and Bible study author. You can contact her at [email protected]
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Always Connected
Stage fright has never been much of a problem for me. Speeches, performances, instrumentals, solos, never a problem. It has served me well in the path God has laid before me. In my childhood home we were often performing in our “family band.” I took several years of speech class, had plenty of piano recitals, and performed in various skits and plays. Finally, as adults, my husband and I accepted a call to become missionaries in Japan. Every conversation now feels like a performance as I test out my second language at the grocery store or the doctor’s office, or picking up our oldest from school. Thankfully God has been preparing me for this career for a long time.
That bravery, however, does not apply to social media. There have been dozens of posts I have written out and never posted because I feel so nervous that I might be misunderstood. Each of those potential updates were simple, uncomplicated, and entirely non-political. Even though I know that they would be well received and appreciated by my social media friends, I still am unable to publish the post.
Some of this fear is founded in reality as social media can be a dangerous place for relationships, but I think the reality for me is that the inability to receive facial and vocal feedback makes me feel uncomfortable and cautious about what I say. I want to see the facial expression and hear the comment or reaction to what is being said. I will likely always have this cautious nature around social media though I am hopeful to be able to address this fear and be a little more confident in providing our friends and family and supporters with updates.
Unfortunately, this same uncertainty and self consciousness feels incredibly similar to my prayer life. There is so little feedback, no facial or auditory input. It is much easier for me to pray aloud in a Bible study where I can hear my fellow believers echo my prayer. On my own I always struggled to get talking beyond the request list. For many years I just forced my way through that list but it was so hard to stay consistent when it was so difficult to find any enjoyment or intimacy in those prayers. They felt like I was interacting with my Creator in the same impersonal way that as a child I would wish upon dandelion fluff. Over time God has been teaching me about prayer. Through his word, through prayer, and through necessity.
One of the first eye opening things I learned about prayer came in reading through the letters of Paul. One constant part of the letters he wrote to the churches was a greeting that came in the form of a prayerful blessing. They are beautiful prayers, both personal and meaningful. I admire the way that in Colossians, Paul greets the church and gives them this wonderful encouragement and an example of how he prays for them.
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. (Colossians 1:3-6)
As life and calling has brought me further away from my friends and family, they experience joys and griefs, births and deaths, but I am not there to grieve or celebrate with them. I am off in a distant land, and though I feel strong conviction that I am where God has called me to be, I still sense a deep loss of closeness with those I have left behind. Life has continued for my friends and family members back in the U.S. But I am no longer a part of their daily life. I can’t stop by with a meal when someone is sick, I can't be there when my family is grieving, I am not attending Christmas gatherings or birthday celebrations. So how can I continue to be a part of the community God has blessed me with back home? The answer for me came in the form of Paul’s prayers. Trying to pray in the way that he does for the churches that he is unable to be a part of at that time. Praying specific encouragement over my friends and thanking God for their involvement in my life helps me feel more connected both to my far away loved one and to God.
When Paul was writing these letters he did not have the convenience of being able to see the social media posts of the church members, but he did have prayer and an ever present Father to deepen the love and connection he had with God and with the Church. I am especially thankful for his words of blessing over his friends and community. As I go through this season of learning to better appreciate prayer, I hope you too in your season are able to be taught by God through his Word, through prayer, and through necessity.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the gift of Your Word. Thank you for using it to shape us and help us grow. Please continue to teach us to pray. Help us to continue to praise you even in seasons of exhaustion and trial. Help us to grow in our relationship with you and with those you have placed in our lives. Thank you for all you have done and have made.
Amen
That bravery, however, does not apply to social media. There have been dozens of posts I have written out and never posted because I feel so nervous that I might be misunderstood. Each of those potential updates were simple, uncomplicated, and entirely non-political. Even though I know that they would be well received and appreciated by my social media friends, I still am unable to publish the post.
Some of this fear is founded in reality as social media can be a dangerous place for relationships, but I think the reality for me is that the inability to receive facial and vocal feedback makes me feel uncomfortable and cautious about what I say. I want to see the facial expression and hear the comment or reaction to what is being said. I will likely always have this cautious nature around social media though I am hopeful to be able to address this fear and be a little more confident in providing our friends and family and supporters with updates.
Unfortunately, this same uncertainty and self consciousness feels incredibly similar to my prayer life. There is so little feedback, no facial or auditory input. It is much easier for me to pray aloud in a Bible study where I can hear my fellow believers echo my prayer. On my own I always struggled to get talking beyond the request list. For many years I just forced my way through that list but it was so hard to stay consistent when it was so difficult to find any enjoyment or intimacy in those prayers. They felt like I was interacting with my Creator in the same impersonal way that as a child I would wish upon dandelion fluff. Over time God has been teaching me about prayer. Through his word, through prayer, and through necessity.
One of the first eye opening things I learned about prayer came in reading through the letters of Paul. One constant part of the letters he wrote to the churches was a greeting that came in the form of a prayerful blessing. They are beautiful prayers, both personal and meaningful. I admire the way that in Colossians, Paul greets the church and gives them this wonderful encouragement and an example of how he prays for them.
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. (Colossians 1:3-6)
As life and calling has brought me further away from my friends and family, they experience joys and griefs, births and deaths, but I am not there to grieve or celebrate with them. I am off in a distant land, and though I feel strong conviction that I am where God has called me to be, I still sense a deep loss of closeness with those I have left behind. Life has continued for my friends and family members back in the U.S. But I am no longer a part of their daily life. I can’t stop by with a meal when someone is sick, I can't be there when my family is grieving, I am not attending Christmas gatherings or birthday celebrations. So how can I continue to be a part of the community God has blessed me with back home? The answer for me came in the form of Paul’s prayers. Trying to pray in the way that he does for the churches that he is unable to be a part of at that time. Praying specific encouragement over my friends and thanking God for their involvement in my life helps me feel more connected both to my far away loved one and to God.
When Paul was writing these letters he did not have the convenience of being able to see the social media posts of the church members, but he did have prayer and an ever present Father to deepen the love and connection he had with God and with the Church. I am especially thankful for his words of blessing over his friends and community. As I go through this season of learning to better appreciate prayer, I hope you too in your season are able to be taught by God through his Word, through prayer, and through necessity.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the gift of Your Word. Thank you for using it to shape us and help us grow. Please continue to teach us to pray. Help us to continue to praise you even in seasons of exhaustion and trial. Help us to grow in our relationship with you and with those you have placed in our lives. Thank you for all you have done and have made.
Amen
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Alexa FraserLBIM JapanMy name is Alexa Fraser. My husband Paul and I just celebrated 7 years of marriage. We have two sons, Arthur (5) and Oswald (3), and we are expecting a third child in February 2025. We have been serving the Lutheran Brethren International Mission in Japan for just over one year. Right now we are working hard studying Japanese and learning more about the culture in which we serve. I am loving learning lots of new things and look forward to a life learning from my neighbors and friends here in Japan.
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Salt and Light
I’ve been thinking about salt a lot this summer. My husband and I took a trip to Utah to visit some National Parks, and we started and ended our trip in Salt Lake City. In a city situated next to the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere, where salt production helped to build the economy and is still a major industry, my thoughts turned to Jesus’ sermon on the mount found in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 5.
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”
Salt brings flavor. Salt preserves food. Salt has healing properties. When Jesus tells his followers they are the salt of the earth, he is telling them of the importance of their role in the world. Every cook and baker knows the importance of salt, and in the ancient world, before refrigeration, salt’s value could not be overstated. Without the preservative qualities of salt, food would rot. Jesus tells us that we are a preserving, healing influence on earth.
But how can salt lose its saltiness? Through dilution. A grain of salt tastes salty. But if you put one grain of salt in a quart of soup, it’s not going to bring much flavor. When I think about this metaphor as applied to the Christian life, a few parallels come to mind. How can I “lose my saltiness” or be “diluted”? Well, perhaps the “flavor” of my faith isn’t all that apparent to the world around me if I’m spending so much of my time, money, and energy on other pursuits. When the people around me interact with me, does the flavor of my faith come through to them? Do they see that I bring healing, preservation, and flavor to the world? Or have the fruits of the spirit in my life become diluted in a bath of other priorities, interests, and distractions? I can read these verses and be personally convicted that Jesus calls me to salt the earth; perhaps if I’ve let too many other things occupy my time, my mind, or my heart, this is a call to repentance, a reminder that there should be no “diluted” disciples of Christ.
But another meaning of this metaphor strikes me. When Jesus says “you are the salt of the earth”, He isn’t speaking to an individual person. He’s talking to a group of his followers. You- collectively, you followers of Christ- you are the salt of the earth. You, all together, are called to bring the flavor of a life with God to the people around you. I’m so thankful that it’s the church that is called to be the salt of the Earth- if this call was just to me, the burden resting on my own individual shoulders, we’d be in a heap of trouble. But I’m a part of the body of Christ. When I inevitably sin and make the wrong choice, I can rest in the forgiveness that is offered to me and the gratefulness that it’s not all up to me. I’m called to be the salt of the earth- but to do that in the context of the body of believers. We all, together, are called to bring healing and preservation to a world that is broken and rotting. Right now, we have so many places in our world that are broken and rotting. And the world needs that salt.
Two years ago, my husband and I moved to Boston, MA to start a church. In our neighborhood of East Boston, with a population of around 70,000 in 4.5 square miles, there are 3 English speaking churches that are Bible-believing, Gospel-preaching churches, bringing salt and light to the world around us. They’re all small congregations, under 100 people each. Under 300 grains of salt in a sea of 70,000 people. Let me tell you, it is very clear that the Christian influence in Boston is diluted.
But Jesus doesn’t just call us to be salt. He states that we ARE salt. As we meet our neighbors, they see that there is something different about us. As we share our faith and back it up with tangible acts of love- planting trees in our neighborhood, tutoring kids who are behind in school, coordinating donations for people in need- the people around us start to see that saltiness, that distinct “flavor” of what it means to be a follower of Christ. And while it’s utterly overwhelming to think of how our small group here could flavor our entire neighborhood, we see God’s faithfulness every day in how He is using us to bring saltiness into our daily interactions, our friendships, and our workplaces.
The text in Matthew continues by saying, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” While our good deeds don’t do anything to save us, they do serve as a light to help others see the glory of God.
I’m reminded that Jesus started his mission work with a group of 12. He discipled them, and sent them, in groups, to proclaim the Good News. And that pinch of salt has brought the knowledge of the Gospel across our world.
One last thing struck me about salt this summer. We swam in the Great Salt Lake during our trip, and while it was fun to float unassisted, and the scenery was strange and hauntingly beautiful, the concentration of the salt in the lake makes it impossible for anything to grow there. There are no plants along the bottom of the Great Salt Lake. It’s too salty. This is just my own extrapolation, but it reminded me that if I just spend my time surrounded by other believers, in a concentrated mass of people who believe, it can be fun and beautiful- but it can sure inhibit growth. My own faith grows when, trusting God, I step out into the world, letting my light shine, telling the people around me about my God through both words and actions. And, by God’s grace, the Kingdom of God grows, as people hear the Word and respond in faith.
Lord, thank you for the way your Holy Spirit works in the lives of your followers to produce fruit and “saltiness” in us. I pray that you would prune away any actions, thoughts, or distractions that may be diluting our witness. I pray that you would increase in us the desire to bring your salt and light into a broken and dark world, and that we would be your instruments to further the growth of the Kingdom of God. I pray that we would seek to follow Your call wherever that may lead us. Amen.
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”
Salt brings flavor. Salt preserves food. Salt has healing properties. When Jesus tells his followers they are the salt of the earth, he is telling them of the importance of their role in the world. Every cook and baker knows the importance of salt, and in the ancient world, before refrigeration, salt’s value could not be overstated. Without the preservative qualities of salt, food would rot. Jesus tells us that we are a preserving, healing influence on earth.
But how can salt lose its saltiness? Through dilution. A grain of salt tastes salty. But if you put one grain of salt in a quart of soup, it’s not going to bring much flavor. When I think about this metaphor as applied to the Christian life, a few parallels come to mind. How can I “lose my saltiness” or be “diluted”? Well, perhaps the “flavor” of my faith isn’t all that apparent to the world around me if I’m spending so much of my time, money, and energy on other pursuits. When the people around me interact with me, does the flavor of my faith come through to them? Do they see that I bring healing, preservation, and flavor to the world? Or have the fruits of the spirit in my life become diluted in a bath of other priorities, interests, and distractions? I can read these verses and be personally convicted that Jesus calls me to salt the earth; perhaps if I’ve let too many other things occupy my time, my mind, or my heart, this is a call to repentance, a reminder that there should be no “diluted” disciples of Christ.
But another meaning of this metaphor strikes me. When Jesus says “you are the salt of the earth”, He isn’t speaking to an individual person. He’s talking to a group of his followers. You- collectively, you followers of Christ- you are the salt of the earth. You, all together, are called to bring the flavor of a life with God to the people around you. I’m so thankful that it’s the church that is called to be the salt of the Earth- if this call was just to me, the burden resting on my own individual shoulders, we’d be in a heap of trouble. But I’m a part of the body of Christ. When I inevitably sin and make the wrong choice, I can rest in the forgiveness that is offered to me and the gratefulness that it’s not all up to me. I’m called to be the salt of the earth- but to do that in the context of the body of believers. We all, together, are called to bring healing and preservation to a world that is broken and rotting. Right now, we have so many places in our world that are broken and rotting. And the world needs that salt.
Two years ago, my husband and I moved to Boston, MA to start a church. In our neighborhood of East Boston, with a population of around 70,000 in 4.5 square miles, there are 3 English speaking churches that are Bible-believing, Gospel-preaching churches, bringing salt and light to the world around us. They’re all small congregations, under 100 people each. Under 300 grains of salt in a sea of 70,000 people. Let me tell you, it is very clear that the Christian influence in Boston is diluted.
But Jesus doesn’t just call us to be salt. He states that we ARE salt. As we meet our neighbors, they see that there is something different about us. As we share our faith and back it up with tangible acts of love- planting trees in our neighborhood, tutoring kids who are behind in school, coordinating donations for people in need- the people around us start to see that saltiness, that distinct “flavor” of what it means to be a follower of Christ. And while it’s utterly overwhelming to think of how our small group here could flavor our entire neighborhood, we see God’s faithfulness every day in how He is using us to bring saltiness into our daily interactions, our friendships, and our workplaces.
The text in Matthew continues by saying, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” While our good deeds don’t do anything to save us, they do serve as a light to help others see the glory of God.
I’m reminded that Jesus started his mission work with a group of 12. He discipled them, and sent them, in groups, to proclaim the Good News. And that pinch of salt has brought the knowledge of the Gospel across our world.
One last thing struck me about salt this summer. We swam in the Great Salt Lake during our trip, and while it was fun to float unassisted, and the scenery was strange and hauntingly beautiful, the concentration of the salt in the lake makes it impossible for anything to grow there. There are no plants along the bottom of the Great Salt Lake. It’s too salty. This is just my own extrapolation, but it reminded me that if I just spend my time surrounded by other believers, in a concentrated mass of people who believe, it can be fun and beautiful- but it can sure inhibit growth. My own faith grows when, trusting God, I step out into the world, letting my light shine, telling the people around me about my God through both words and actions. And, by God’s grace, the Kingdom of God grows, as people hear the Word and respond in faith.
Lord, thank you for the way your Holy Spirit works in the lives of your followers to produce fruit and “saltiness” in us. I pray that you would prune away any actions, thoughts, or distractions that may be diluting our witness. I pray that you would increase in us the desire to bring your salt and light into a broken and dark world, and that we would be your instruments to further the growth of the Kingdom of God. I pray that we would seek to follow Your call wherever that may lead us. Amen.
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Mary AndersenBoston | Grace HillMary Anderson lives in Boston, Massachusetts where she and her husband Kristian are planting a Lutheran Brethren church called Grace Hill. She teaches STEM to grades K-5 at a school in her neighborhood. She enjoys traveling (visited #46 of 50 states this summer), hosting people for meals and overnights at her home, and playing weekly trivia.
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Swerve
I know this may come as a shock to you all, but there are times when I can shoot my mouth off. Sometimes I hear myself and I realize internally I’m being an idiot, but I can’t stop my mouth from going. Once, when I was about 17, I said something to someone from my church that made them make the assertion that I have the gift of prophecy…. But all I did was parrot something that I heard my mom say. Worst of all, my mom was in the room! We had a long talk after the company left… I still cringe when I think about that moment…
The text I’ve been mulling over for a couple of months is 1 Timothy 1:5-7:
“The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.” (ESV)
Verses 6 & 7 are quite a mirror for me! I don’t have a pure heart, a good conscience, or sincere faith. If anything, AT BEST, I have a wretched heart, an impish conscience, and an uninspiring faith. I definitely have “wandered… into vain discussions” (in both senses of the word vain) “without understanding” as I “make confident assertions.”
All too often, my motivation in this is an inward love of myself rather than an outward love of another. Thoughts of how good this makes me look or how smart I sound. But as I said earlier, my smartness is usually parroting someone else.
Over the past year, maybe two, I’ve asked God to give me opportunities to keep my mouth shut. And he has. He has been faithful to provide me with many chances. Sometimes I succeed in keeping my mouth shut, but I do still talk some crazy talk at times!
Galatians 5 says that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” (Gal. 5:22-26). What are vain discussions, without understanding, going to accomplish if not the provocation of another and proof of envy in ourselves?
Ultimately, we mess it up; we can’t do this perfectly. We can’t do this. I can’t do this.
Paul finishes this first letter to Timothy by telling him to “avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called ‘knowledge,’ for by professing it, some have swerved from the faith” (1 Tim 6:20b-21a). The effect of our conversation carries a weight with others. Self-control is important! I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my mouth to be what makes people swerve from God, that puts falsities in their minds about him, or to swerve from faith in him.
We can’t have a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith on our own. And these things are also not the means by which we are saved, but by God’s mercy washed over us in Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection, he sees these attributes in us. THAT is love. Praise God for his forgiveness, his mercy, his grace. May we rest in that and seek him, boast on him and share him!
Father God, we pray that our words would be spoken in love to each other and that what we say would be truth. We pray that you would give us wisdom when to speak and when to keep our mouths closed so that we do not cause people to swerve from faith in you. Thank you that you can use our humanness to lead others to you. We pray for the Holy Spirit’s prompting in the hearts of those we meet in our day to day life. Lord, would they hear you and not us…
Amen.
The text I’ve been mulling over for a couple of months is 1 Timothy 1:5-7:
“The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.” (ESV)
Verses 6 & 7 are quite a mirror for me! I don’t have a pure heart, a good conscience, or sincere faith. If anything, AT BEST, I have a wretched heart, an impish conscience, and an uninspiring faith. I definitely have “wandered… into vain discussions” (in both senses of the word vain) “without understanding” as I “make confident assertions.”
All too often, my motivation in this is an inward love of myself rather than an outward love of another. Thoughts of how good this makes me look or how smart I sound. But as I said earlier, my smartness is usually parroting someone else.
Over the past year, maybe two, I’ve asked God to give me opportunities to keep my mouth shut. And he has. He has been faithful to provide me with many chances. Sometimes I succeed in keeping my mouth shut, but I do still talk some crazy talk at times!
Galatians 5 says that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” (Gal. 5:22-26). What are vain discussions, without understanding, going to accomplish if not the provocation of another and proof of envy in ourselves?
Ultimately, we mess it up; we can’t do this perfectly. We can’t do this. I can’t do this.
Paul finishes this first letter to Timothy by telling him to “avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called ‘knowledge,’ for by professing it, some have swerved from the faith” (1 Tim 6:20b-21a). The effect of our conversation carries a weight with others. Self-control is important! I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my mouth to be what makes people swerve from God, that puts falsities in their minds about him, or to swerve from faith in him.
We can’t have a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith on our own. And these things are also not the means by which we are saved, but by God’s mercy washed over us in Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection, he sees these attributes in us. THAT is love. Praise God for his forgiveness, his mercy, his grace. May we rest in that and seek him, boast on him and share him!
Father God, we pray that our words would be spoken in love to each other and that what we say would be truth. We pray that you would give us wisdom when to speak and when to keep our mouths closed so that we do not cause people to swerve from faith in you. Thank you that you can use our humanness to lead others to you. We pray for the Holy Spirit’s prompting in the hearts of those we meet in our day to day life. Lord, would they hear you and not us…
Amen.
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Cathy BarlowFergus Falls | Good ShepherdCathy Barlow works for LBIM as the Administrative Assistant. She lives in Fergus Falls, MN and loves her family and the family that she has at the office and at her church, Good Shepherd LBC. She's only been in the LB for about 8 years, so don't feel bad if you're only just starting! We're not all related. (Though her sister is Claire Rose, an LB missionary in Africa.) You can reach Cathy at [email protected].
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The Faithfulness of God in Every Unknown
What is a major life event you’ve gone through? Perhaps you moved, had a child, got married, or started a new job. Was this event planned? Or was it something you weren’t expecting, but felt the Lord tugging at your heart to make a change? Whether planned or not, these are opportunities for us to pause, pray, reflect, and ask questions as we move in this new direction. These milestones can also be times associated with great stress, worry, and anxiety. Are we making the right choices? Is this the appropriate time for what we are about to do? What if I can’t handle the change? What if I fail at what I’m setting out to do? Regardless of how we are feeling or the questions we are asking, if we remain rooted in prayer, we align ourselves with God’s perfect timing and leading, while also regularly reminding ourselves of His faithfulness through all of life’s opportunities and challenges.
A story representing this truth can be found in Genesis chapters 12-21. It involves God making a promise to a man named Abram and his wife, Sarai. God told Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1-3)
After packing up his family and setting out to an unknown place that God was going to reveal to him, Abram and Sarai still questioned God’s plan about making their nation great because they remained childless. How could God possibility accomplish this promise through them? Did God choose the right people for this task?
Abram only needed to walk the path God set before him and trust that God would remain faithful to His Word. Make no mistake, there were points when Abram made some questionable choices, doing things his own way instead of trusting in God’s plan, but ultimately God remained faithful to His promise and we see that in the arrival of Abram (now Abraham) and Sarai’s (now Sarah) son, Isaac. A major take away I have from this event is that the worry and hasty decisions we make in life don’t discount the promises God makes to us.
Over the last few months I’ve worked through this in a real way, as Mike and I prepared to move from Rhode Island to Minnesota. Moving can be stressful as you attempt to juggle the numerous aspects associated with it. In fact, some of those aspects can become all-consuming if we let them. Combine that with buying a house and things get even more challenging and overwhelming.
As I navigated through that, I found the Holy Spirit constantly reminding me to focus on God’s past faithfulness to help me though the current changes. In doing this I was able to rest knowing that God had the aspects I was worried or concerned about already figured out. I just needed to take a second, situate myself, say a prayer, and take the next step. Notice how I said step and not steps. It’s so easy to get consumed by what’s 5 to 10 steps ahead that we miss what’s right in front of us. Never forget “He (God) who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:24). God will line up all the details and plans precisely when they need to happen. He has everything figured out and we can peacefully rest in that truth.
It is the faithfulness of God that sees us though not only the good things that happen in our life but also those tough seasons we walk through. He is by our side every step of the way.
Lord, thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for using us to further your kingdom, even though we might make hasty decisions sometimes. I pray that you continue to mold us and shape us to be more like Christ each day in everything we do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
A story representing this truth can be found in Genesis chapters 12-21. It involves God making a promise to a man named Abram and his wife, Sarai. God told Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1-3)
After packing up his family and setting out to an unknown place that God was going to reveal to him, Abram and Sarai still questioned God’s plan about making their nation great because they remained childless. How could God possibility accomplish this promise through them? Did God choose the right people for this task?
Abram only needed to walk the path God set before him and trust that God would remain faithful to His Word. Make no mistake, there were points when Abram made some questionable choices, doing things his own way instead of trusting in God’s plan, but ultimately God remained faithful to His promise and we see that in the arrival of Abram (now Abraham) and Sarai’s (now Sarah) son, Isaac. A major take away I have from this event is that the worry and hasty decisions we make in life don’t discount the promises God makes to us.
Over the last few months I’ve worked through this in a real way, as Mike and I prepared to move from Rhode Island to Minnesota. Moving can be stressful as you attempt to juggle the numerous aspects associated with it. In fact, some of those aspects can become all-consuming if we let them. Combine that with buying a house and things get even more challenging and overwhelming.
As I navigated through that, I found the Holy Spirit constantly reminding me to focus on God’s past faithfulness to help me though the current changes. In doing this I was able to rest knowing that God had the aspects I was worried or concerned about already figured out. I just needed to take a second, situate myself, say a prayer, and take the next step. Notice how I said step and not steps. It’s so easy to get consumed by what’s 5 to 10 steps ahead that we miss what’s right in front of us. Never forget “He (God) who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:24). God will line up all the details and plans precisely when they need to happen. He has everything figured out and we can peacefully rest in that truth.
It is the faithfulness of God that sees us though not only the good things that happen in our life but also those tough seasons we walk through. He is by our side every step of the way.
Lord, thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for using us to further your kingdom, even though we might make hasty decisions sometimes. I pray that you continue to mold us and shape us to be more like Christ each day in everything we do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Lindsay NataleFergus Falls, MNLindsay Natale is married to Mike who is the Student Life Director at Lutheran Brethren Seminary, in Fergus Falls, MN. They have a cat named Peachy Paterno (or Pat for short). Lindsay loves reading, taking pictures and trying to grow a garden. We are thankful to have her on the Women’s Ministries Leadership Team as the pod leader for Connections.
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Bloom where you are planted...
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV)
We have a gorgeous magnolia tree in our backyard. It is the biggest one I have ever seen, and it blooms beautifully every year at the end of April to early May without us doing anything to it. In fact, we didn’t even plant it; we inherited it from the previous owners of our property. What an incredible gift God consistently brings to us each spring as He brings this tree to life. We can count on Him to do this same amazing work in our own lives if we continue to abide in Him and in His word. If we trust in the Lord and allow Him to work through us, we won’t fail to bear fruit.
Over a year ago, my sister-in-law asked a friend and me about starting a playgroup at church one morning each week. We had about 5 or 6 moms at the very most meeting together with our kids each week. Playgroup began as an opportunity to get out of the house and drink coffee with our friends and have our kids play together, but in the past few months it has expanded into something that I feel is much bigger. We have a group of up to 13 moms and their kids that meet together weekly in our church nursery to spend a few hours together. We’re a diverse group. Some of us have been Christians most of our lives, others have just started attending our church more regularly, and a few do not attend church anywhere. Regardless of our backgrounds, we all come together and do this crazy motherhood thing, and we’re becoming friends. We encourage one another and build each other up, and I look forward to our time together every week.
I don’t have anything miraculous to report, but this little group of ours is growing, and there is fruit! There is so much potential for outreach to other parents in our community, and we have a space where moms in our town can feel comfortable coming into a church even if they aren’t followers of Jesus. The Christian women in our group have a place where they can fellowship and encourage one another in their daily walk with the Lord.
All of us have been commissioned to go and make disciples of all nations. Maybe in the season of life that you are in, that feels like an impossible task. Nonetheless, put your trust and confidence in the Lord. Nothing is impossible with God. Remember at the end of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:20 Jesus says, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” He doesn’t send us on our own but instead goes with us and works through us. Pray and seek opportunities to serve God wherever he has planted you. You can go and make disciples exactly where you are with exactly the resources and time that God has given you. Just as God brings my beautiful tree to life each spring simply because it’s still rooted in the ground, remain in the Lord and He will do great and beautiful things through you.
Heavenly Father, help us to send out our roots by the streams of living water and trust in you that you can and will use us where we are planted. Thank you for being with us always and allowing us to be a small part of the amazing work that you do in the world.
Amen
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV)
We have a gorgeous magnolia tree in our backyard. It is the biggest one I have ever seen, and it blooms beautifully every year at the end of April to early May without us doing anything to it. In fact, we didn’t even plant it; we inherited it from the previous owners of our property. What an incredible gift God consistently brings to us each spring as He brings this tree to life. We can count on Him to do this same amazing work in our own lives if we continue to abide in Him and in His word. If we trust in the Lord and allow Him to work through us, we won’t fail to bear fruit.
Over a year ago, my sister-in-law asked a friend and me about starting a playgroup at church one morning each week. We had about 5 or 6 moms at the very most meeting together with our kids each week. Playgroup began as an opportunity to get out of the house and drink coffee with our friends and have our kids play together, but in the past few months it has expanded into something that I feel is much bigger. We have a group of up to 13 moms and their kids that meet together weekly in our church nursery to spend a few hours together. We’re a diverse group. Some of us have been Christians most of our lives, others have just started attending our church more regularly, and a few do not attend church anywhere. Regardless of our backgrounds, we all come together and do this crazy motherhood thing, and we’re becoming friends. We encourage one another and build each other up, and I look forward to our time together every week.
I don’t have anything miraculous to report, but this little group of ours is growing, and there is fruit! There is so much potential for outreach to other parents in our community, and we have a space where moms in our town can feel comfortable coming into a church even if they aren’t followers of Jesus. The Christian women in our group have a place where they can fellowship and encourage one another in their daily walk with the Lord.
All of us have been commissioned to go and make disciples of all nations. Maybe in the season of life that you are in, that feels like an impossible task. Nonetheless, put your trust and confidence in the Lord. Nothing is impossible with God. Remember at the end of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:20 Jesus says, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” He doesn’t send us on our own but instead goes with us and works through us. Pray and seek opportunities to serve God wherever he has planted you. You can go and make disciples exactly where you are with exactly the resources and time that God has given you. Just as God brings my beautiful tree to life each spring simply because it’s still rooted in the ground, remain in the Lord and He will do great and beautiful things through you.
Heavenly Father, help us to send out our roots by the streams of living water and trust in you that you can and will use us where we are planted. Thank you for being with us always and allowing us to be a small part of the amazing work that you do in the world.
Amen
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Rachel HilleBethany Lutheran Brethren Church | East Hartland, CTRachel Hille is a member of Bethany Lutheran Brethren Church in East Hartland, CT. She worked as a nurse for 7 years before deciding to be a stay at home mom. She has a husband, Mark, and two boys Benji (6) and Ryker (2) and a baby girl due in July.
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Called for Such a Time
It’s the first week of April, and I began the week by planning (and masterfully implementing) April Fool assignments for my middle school students. As I write, I’m looking out my window at our snow-covered pond, simultaneously enjoying the view and dreading the last week of school, when it will most likely be 90 degrees and smelly. (A classroom full of pre-teens in the heat is its own experience!) This is spring in New England!
I could be frustrated on an April snow day, but in truth, what good would it do? Would it change the reality? Encourage anyone? Make me feel any better? Of course not. It creates new issues to deal with and potential obstacles to overcome, but there’s time enough for those tomorrow. Today I choose to enjoy the *last* snow of the year, and a quiet day at home.
In truth, snow days are a blissful interruption of routine for me, once I accept their existence. Although working with middle schoolers on a daily basis is anything but routine, the rhythm of my life is much the same during the school year. At this point in the year, the kids are counting the days until the end of the year (39 - school days, that is!) and spring fever is in full bloom. I spend a lot of time counseling kids to pull themselves together, keep their eyes on the prize. Remember who you are and who you represent when you step out your front door each morning. Are you making yourself proud right now? Would Mom and Dad be proud of you at this moment? The last months of the year bring unique challenges, require extreme measures of patience and humor, and are some of my favorite times with kids. It is an honor and a privilege to spend this time with students on the verge of high school, walking the balance beam of being kids and becoming adults. In the same half hour, I can go from comforting a twelve-year old girl sobbing into her stuffed animal to standing between two thirteen-year old boys (towering over me) intent on causing bodily harm. As crazy as it gets, this is my routine, so when a snow day appears, it provides time for me to reflect and regroup.
Queen Esther faced a change in her routine when evil Haman devised a plan to eliminate the Jews from Persia. King Xerxes went along with the plan, making it law and causing great distress in the capital city of Susa. Her uncle, Mordecai, presented her with this truth: “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
Mordecai is certain that God will save his people. But he recognizes that God uses his people to carry out his plan, and that this might be Esther’s role to play. At this point, Esther had been queen for around four years, and she was in a routine of sorts. Her life was stable, she was surrounded by people who cared for her every need, and she appears to be content in her role. When confronted with Mordecai’s challenge, in a very human moment, she replies, “But I haven’t seen the king in a month! I can’t just go waltzing into the throne room and ask him to reverse a law because I don’t like it!” That is when Mordecai’s famous words were spoken, and Esther, after fasting and prayer, proceeded to charm the king and his wicked counselor, ultimately resulting in the saving of the Jews as well as Haman’s demise. As she stepped out in faith, God remained faithful.
Now, most of us never face situations as dire and dramatic as Esther did; we are not called to save an entire population from certain destruction. But we are all called to walk in the will of God, to be his hands and feet in the place we have been planted. And that’s not always easy to do.
I never pictured myself teaching middle school; in fact, as a college student, my goal was to be a kindergarten teacher. When I went back to teaching after our children were all in school, I started in third grade, then moved to fifth, and spent some time in fourth and sixth. I found myself loving the middle grades, and thought I’d spend the rest of my career there until I was approached to move to middle school. I had an odd certainty that this was the path I was to walk on, and some days I marvel at how much I love this job and these kids. Not only am I teaching them academic skills, I get to build relationships with them at a time when their lives feel scary and unsettled. I get to be a consistent presence in their lives for three years, and launch them into the last four years of their education. Like Esther, I settle into my routines. And like Esther, sometimes I need to be shaken out of my comfort zone to walk in faith. When hard things happen, it’s easy to hide behind excuses not to get involved, to have the attitude of “they got themselves into this mess, let them figure it out!” In times like this, I need to be ready to act. How do you react to interruptions? Do you view them as an inconvenience or as an opportunity? Who knows but that you, like Queen Esther, "have come to your position for such a time as this?"Lord, you have put me where I am for a reason and a purpose. Help me to walk closely with you and to hear your voice when I am called to be your hands and feet. Thank you for your faithfulness in the face of my doubt and fear. Give me courage, peace, and wisdom, and walk closely with me, making me a blessing to those you’ve put around me.
Amen.
I could be frustrated on an April snow day, but in truth, what good would it do? Would it change the reality? Encourage anyone? Make me feel any better? Of course not. It creates new issues to deal with and potential obstacles to overcome, but there’s time enough for those tomorrow. Today I choose to enjoy the *last* snow of the year, and a quiet day at home.
In truth, snow days are a blissful interruption of routine for me, once I accept their existence. Although working with middle schoolers on a daily basis is anything but routine, the rhythm of my life is much the same during the school year. At this point in the year, the kids are counting the days until the end of the year (39 - school days, that is!) and spring fever is in full bloom. I spend a lot of time counseling kids to pull themselves together, keep their eyes on the prize. Remember who you are and who you represent when you step out your front door each morning. Are you making yourself proud right now? Would Mom and Dad be proud of you at this moment? The last months of the year bring unique challenges, require extreme measures of patience and humor, and are some of my favorite times with kids. It is an honor and a privilege to spend this time with students on the verge of high school, walking the balance beam of being kids and becoming adults. In the same half hour, I can go from comforting a twelve-year old girl sobbing into her stuffed animal to standing between two thirteen-year old boys (towering over me) intent on causing bodily harm. As crazy as it gets, this is my routine, so when a snow day appears, it provides time for me to reflect and regroup.
Queen Esther faced a change in her routine when evil Haman devised a plan to eliminate the Jews from Persia. King Xerxes went along with the plan, making it law and causing great distress in the capital city of Susa. Her uncle, Mordecai, presented her with this truth: “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
Mordecai is certain that God will save his people. But he recognizes that God uses his people to carry out his plan, and that this might be Esther’s role to play. At this point, Esther had been queen for around four years, and she was in a routine of sorts. Her life was stable, she was surrounded by people who cared for her every need, and she appears to be content in her role. When confronted with Mordecai’s challenge, in a very human moment, she replies, “But I haven’t seen the king in a month! I can’t just go waltzing into the throne room and ask him to reverse a law because I don’t like it!” That is when Mordecai’s famous words were spoken, and Esther, after fasting and prayer, proceeded to charm the king and his wicked counselor, ultimately resulting in the saving of the Jews as well as Haman’s demise. As she stepped out in faith, God remained faithful.
Now, most of us never face situations as dire and dramatic as Esther did; we are not called to save an entire population from certain destruction. But we are all called to walk in the will of God, to be his hands and feet in the place we have been planted. And that’s not always easy to do.
I never pictured myself teaching middle school; in fact, as a college student, my goal was to be a kindergarten teacher. When I went back to teaching after our children were all in school, I started in third grade, then moved to fifth, and spent some time in fourth and sixth. I found myself loving the middle grades, and thought I’d spend the rest of my career there until I was approached to move to middle school. I had an odd certainty that this was the path I was to walk on, and some days I marvel at how much I love this job and these kids. Not only am I teaching them academic skills, I get to build relationships with them at a time when their lives feel scary and unsettled. I get to be a consistent presence in their lives for three years, and launch them into the last four years of their education. Like Esther, I settle into my routines. And like Esther, sometimes I need to be shaken out of my comfort zone to walk in faith. When hard things happen, it’s easy to hide behind excuses not to get involved, to have the attitude of “they got themselves into this mess, let them figure it out!” In times like this, I need to be ready to act. How do you react to interruptions? Do you view them as an inconvenience or as an opportunity? Who knows but that you, like Queen Esther, "have come to your position for such a time as this?"Lord, you have put me where I am for a reason and a purpose. Help me to walk closely with you and to hear your voice when I am called to be your hands and feet. Thank you for your faithfulness in the face of my doubt and fear. Give me courage, peace, and wisdom, and walk closely with me, making me a blessing to those you’ve put around me.
Amen.
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Amy BourqueBethany East Hartland, CTAmy Bourque is the Secretary of WMCLB and also serves as the president of the Eastern Region WMCLB. She and her husband Kevin live in East Hartland, CT, and are members of Bethany Lutheran Brethren Church. She is an educator in the local school and mom to five children (including Ellie Szobody who, with her husband Matthias, is in France preparing for mission work in Chad).
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Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
Gospel of John, Chapter 9
My aunt was born blind. You didn’t need to see her white cane or seeing eye dog to know she was blind, you could tell just by looking at her. Her whole face looked different because of her disability. The muscles around her eyes were bent inwards from never being used. Her eyes were practically sealed shut. I never knew what eye color she had, as they were always closed.
In John’s gospel there is an ongoing theme of Jesus proving He is the Son of God. Repeatedly He is asked to give evidence of where His power comes from; to give the people a sign. It’s ironic because Jesus gives them miracles in public, in broad daylight, several times before this. Before curing this man born blind, Jesus heals an official’s son without even touching him. He merely speaks the words and the boy is healed. Then He feeds five thousand people with one boy’s lunch and walks on water. But healing blindness seems to cause a particular stumbling block to the Pharisees. They immediately go into investigative mode. They interrogate the man who was healed as well as his parents. They are convinced this is a trick, that Jesus didn’t really heal blindness, He set up some kind of elaborate ruse.
“They still did not believe the man had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. ‘Is this your son?’ they asked. ‘Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?’” (v. 18)
The man’s parents answer the questions as best they can but end up deflecting. “‘We know he is our son,’ the parents answered, ‘and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.’ They said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.” (vs. 20-22)
Being put out of the synagogue was a big deal. It meant excommunication. It meant no longer being able to worship in the temple. What should have been a joyous event, a miraculous moment of their blind son being able to see, turned into a terrifying trial. They are now in danger of being cast out.
Not satisfied with his parents’ answers, the Pharisees interrogate the man again. They try to corner him, telling him to “give glory to God by telling the truth.” In other words, quit lying and tell us what we want to hear. But the blind man stands his ground and he says something remarkable to them that gets him insulted and thrown out.
“No one has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” (v. 32)
The blind man knew, the power to restore eyesight could only come from God.
My Aunt has passed away now. She died from cancer and was blind until her death. Blindness was all she knew. With all our doctors and science and medical technology we still have no cure for blindness today.
Like the Pharisees, I try to downplay Christ’s power. It’s hard to believe in it when we watch people around us suffer, get sick, and die. When the healing we pray for never comes. But He is the Son of God. Christ’s power is from God and He and the Father are one. The same power that can give a blind man his sight, is with you.
“Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’
‘Who is he sir?’ the man asked. ‘Tell me so that I may believe in him.’
Jesus said, ‘You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.’
Then the man said, ‘Lord I believe,’ and he worshipped him.
Jesus said, ‘For judgement I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.’
Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, ‘What? Are we blind too?’
Jesus said, ‘If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.’ ” (vs. 35-41)
There’s something bigger at stake here than eyesight. We can only truly see by the light of Christ. By His light we know our need is greater than physical blindness, and His power is revealed in more than physical healing. Those who claim to see, who claim to know God and yet deny Christ, they are the ones who are truly blind.
Even though she was blind, my aunt could truly see because she knew Jesus. Now that she is in heaven with Him, she can also physically see because He has healed her. I know that at the resurrection her body will be whole again. I might not be able to recognize her, as her eyes will be opened, the facial muscles no longer caved in.
We who know Christ, we are no longer blind. We can see clearly. This should be a great comfort to us. Christ has healed us of our spiritual blindness and He is with us.
Dear Jesus, Lord of heaven and earth,
We are thankful that you are the true light and in you there is no darkness. As we wait for Easter, help us to remember your sacrifice. Let us not be distracted by the things of this life. Help us not to fear those who would hurt us. Let us not turn away, but instead speak the truth and keep our eyes fixed on you. We know that you are faithful, and we know that we can trust in you.
Amen
Gospel of John, Chapter 9
My aunt was born blind. You didn’t need to see her white cane or seeing eye dog to know she was blind, you could tell just by looking at her. Her whole face looked different because of her disability. The muscles around her eyes were bent inwards from never being used. Her eyes were practically sealed shut. I never knew what eye color she had, as they were always closed.
In John’s gospel there is an ongoing theme of Jesus proving He is the Son of God. Repeatedly He is asked to give evidence of where His power comes from; to give the people a sign. It’s ironic because Jesus gives them miracles in public, in broad daylight, several times before this. Before curing this man born blind, Jesus heals an official’s son without even touching him. He merely speaks the words and the boy is healed. Then He feeds five thousand people with one boy’s lunch and walks on water. But healing blindness seems to cause a particular stumbling block to the Pharisees. They immediately go into investigative mode. They interrogate the man who was healed as well as his parents. They are convinced this is a trick, that Jesus didn’t really heal blindness, He set up some kind of elaborate ruse.
“They still did not believe the man had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. ‘Is this your son?’ they asked. ‘Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?’” (v. 18)
The man’s parents answer the questions as best they can but end up deflecting. “‘We know he is our son,’ the parents answered, ‘and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.’ They said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.” (vs. 20-22)
Being put out of the synagogue was a big deal. It meant excommunication. It meant no longer being able to worship in the temple. What should have been a joyous event, a miraculous moment of their blind son being able to see, turned into a terrifying trial. They are now in danger of being cast out.
Not satisfied with his parents’ answers, the Pharisees interrogate the man again. They try to corner him, telling him to “give glory to God by telling the truth.” In other words, quit lying and tell us what we want to hear. But the blind man stands his ground and he says something remarkable to them that gets him insulted and thrown out.
“No one has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” (v. 32)
The blind man knew, the power to restore eyesight could only come from God.
My Aunt has passed away now. She died from cancer and was blind until her death. Blindness was all she knew. With all our doctors and science and medical technology we still have no cure for blindness today.
Like the Pharisees, I try to downplay Christ’s power. It’s hard to believe in it when we watch people around us suffer, get sick, and die. When the healing we pray for never comes. But He is the Son of God. Christ’s power is from God and He and the Father are one. The same power that can give a blind man his sight, is with you.
“Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’
‘Who is he sir?’ the man asked. ‘Tell me so that I may believe in him.’
Jesus said, ‘You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.’
Then the man said, ‘Lord I believe,’ and he worshipped him.
Jesus said, ‘For judgement I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.’
Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, ‘What? Are we blind too?’
Jesus said, ‘If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.’ ” (vs. 35-41)
There’s something bigger at stake here than eyesight. We can only truly see by the light of Christ. By His light we know our need is greater than physical blindness, and His power is revealed in more than physical healing. Those who claim to see, who claim to know God and yet deny Christ, they are the ones who are truly blind.
Even though she was blind, my aunt could truly see because she knew Jesus. Now that she is in heaven with Him, she can also physically see because He has healed her. I know that at the resurrection her body will be whole again. I might not be able to recognize her, as her eyes will be opened, the facial muscles no longer caved in.
We who know Christ, we are no longer blind. We can see clearly. This should be a great comfort to us. Christ has healed us of our spiritual blindness and He is with us.
Dear Jesus, Lord of heaven and earth,
We are thankful that you are the true light and in you there is no darkness. As we wait for Easter, help us to remember your sacrifice. Let us not be distracted by the things of this life. Help us not to fear those who would hurt us. Let us not turn away, but instead speak the truth and keep our eyes fixed on you. We know that you are faithful, and we know that we can trust in you.
Amen
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Heather KnutsonFergus Falls, MNHeather Knutson serves on our Women's Ministries Leadership Team as the Teaching/Training Pod Leader. She worked as an EMT for 7 years before becoming a full-time stay-at-home mother. Her husband Clint was the pastor in Birch Hills Saskatchewan before they moved to Fergus Falls with their 4 children and he began teaching at the Lutheran Brethren Seminary.
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THE WOMEN WHO SAVED MOSES
One of the things that I like about reading through a book of the Bible (rather than pieces here and there) is that it gives you context (where does this fit in God’s redemption story) and connection (how do the events fit together). I have been reading the book of Exodus again recently and was struck by the stories of six women who saved the life of Moses.
Over a period of 400 years, the family of Jacob (Israel) had grown from 70 people, who came to Egypt to escape famine and were welcomed by Pharaoh, to a nation of perhaps a million who were now seen as a threat and were being oppressed by the Egyptians. But God had promised Abraham many years before that one day his descendants would be released from slavery and brought back to the land God promised. (Genesis 15:13-24). Exodus is the story of God’s faithfulness in fulfilling this promise…
In Exodus1:15-21, we meet two Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, who are given a gruesome order by Pharaoh: if a Hebrew woman gives birth to a boy, kill him! The Bible tells us they refused to obey because “they feared God.” When they were called before the King to explain their actions, they told him that the Hebrew women give birth so quickly, they’re not there in time. God was good to these midwives, gave them children of their own, and included them by name in this very important story. But when Pharaoh realized his plan wasn’t working, he gave a new order to ALL his people: throw every newborn Hebrew boy into the Nile.
At that time, there was a couple from the tribe of Levi, Amram and Jochebed. They already had two children, a daughter named Miriam and a son named Aaron, and now Jochebed was pregnant again. When she gave birth to a beautiful son, she hid him for three months. Hebrews 11:23 tells us that it was “by faith” that he was hidden, and she was not afraid to disobey the king. But as the baby grew, Jochebed realized she could not hide him forever, so she made a reed basket and waterproofed it. Perhaps she had heard the stories of the great flood and how God had saved Noah and his family. She made an “ark” for her precious child, placing him in it and putting it in the reeds along the bank of the Nile. Jochebed trusted her son to the care of the God of Abraham.
His sister, Miriam, then stood a short distance away, watching to see what would happen to her baby brother. Soon a princess, the daughter of Pharaoh, came to the river to bathe and when she saw the basket, she had it brought to her. The baby was crying, and his tears touched the heart of the princess who recognized him as one of the Hebrew children. Miriam approached and offered to find a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby and the princess agreed. So Jochebed was not only able to bring her son back home to care for him but also was paid by and under the protection of Pharaoh’s daughter. A few years later, after the child was weaned, Jochebed brought him back to the princess who adopted him as her own and named him Moses because, she said, “I lifted him out of the water.” He received all the benefits of life in the palace, but Moses knew who his own people were. At age 40, he killed an Egyptian who was mistreating a Hebrew slave and he was forced to flee. He went to live in Midian where he married Zipporah, the daughter of the priest of Midian.
After 40 years, God told Moses to return to Egypt and tell Pharaoh that the LORD says, “Let my people go!” In Exodus 4:24-26 we read of an incident that happened on the way when they had stopped for the night. The Lord “confronted Moses and was about to kill him” when Zipporah took out a knife and circumcised their son, after which “the Lord left him alone.” It appears that Moses had neglected the command given to Abraham that all the Israelite boys were to be circumcised as a mark of the covenant with the God of Israel. This was a serious offense and God was ready to judge Moses until Zipporah stepped in and saved his life.
In just these first four chapters of Exodus, we see how six different women were used by God. Shiphrah and Puah were faithful workers who obeyed God, rather than man (even the Pharaoh!) Jochebed was a loving and brave mother who “by faith” went against the king’s command and trusted God. Miriam was an obedient daughter who watched over her baby brother and was not afraid to approach the daughter of Pharaoh, the princess whose tender heart was touched by the tears of this “slave child.” And Zipporah, an outsider to Israel, knew that God’s commands were not to be ignored and acted in obedience. God used each of them as part of His plan to provide a leader for His people and bring them out of slavery in fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham centuries before.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your Word and that you choose to reveal yourself to us through it. Thank you that we receive faith by hearing your Word. Thank you that, by faith, we can be obedient to your will. Thank you that you are always faithful to keep your promises.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen.
Over a period of 400 years, the family of Jacob (Israel) had grown from 70 people, who came to Egypt to escape famine and were welcomed by Pharaoh, to a nation of perhaps a million who were now seen as a threat and were being oppressed by the Egyptians. But God had promised Abraham many years before that one day his descendants would be released from slavery and brought back to the land God promised. (Genesis 15:13-24). Exodus is the story of God’s faithfulness in fulfilling this promise…
In Exodus1:15-21, we meet two Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, who are given a gruesome order by Pharaoh: if a Hebrew woman gives birth to a boy, kill him! The Bible tells us they refused to obey because “they feared God.” When they were called before the King to explain their actions, they told him that the Hebrew women give birth so quickly, they’re not there in time. God was good to these midwives, gave them children of their own, and included them by name in this very important story. But when Pharaoh realized his plan wasn’t working, he gave a new order to ALL his people: throw every newborn Hebrew boy into the Nile.
At that time, there was a couple from the tribe of Levi, Amram and Jochebed. They already had two children, a daughter named Miriam and a son named Aaron, and now Jochebed was pregnant again. When she gave birth to a beautiful son, she hid him for three months. Hebrews 11:23 tells us that it was “by faith” that he was hidden, and she was not afraid to disobey the king. But as the baby grew, Jochebed realized she could not hide him forever, so she made a reed basket and waterproofed it. Perhaps she had heard the stories of the great flood and how God had saved Noah and his family. She made an “ark” for her precious child, placing him in it and putting it in the reeds along the bank of the Nile. Jochebed trusted her son to the care of the God of Abraham.
His sister, Miriam, then stood a short distance away, watching to see what would happen to her baby brother. Soon a princess, the daughter of Pharaoh, came to the river to bathe and when she saw the basket, she had it brought to her. The baby was crying, and his tears touched the heart of the princess who recognized him as one of the Hebrew children. Miriam approached and offered to find a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby and the princess agreed. So Jochebed was not only able to bring her son back home to care for him but also was paid by and under the protection of Pharaoh’s daughter. A few years later, after the child was weaned, Jochebed brought him back to the princess who adopted him as her own and named him Moses because, she said, “I lifted him out of the water.” He received all the benefits of life in the palace, but Moses knew who his own people were. At age 40, he killed an Egyptian who was mistreating a Hebrew slave and he was forced to flee. He went to live in Midian where he married Zipporah, the daughter of the priest of Midian.
After 40 years, God told Moses to return to Egypt and tell Pharaoh that the LORD says, “Let my people go!” In Exodus 4:24-26 we read of an incident that happened on the way when they had stopped for the night. The Lord “confronted Moses and was about to kill him” when Zipporah took out a knife and circumcised their son, after which “the Lord left him alone.” It appears that Moses had neglected the command given to Abraham that all the Israelite boys were to be circumcised as a mark of the covenant with the God of Israel. This was a serious offense and God was ready to judge Moses until Zipporah stepped in and saved his life.
In just these first four chapters of Exodus, we see how six different women were used by God. Shiphrah and Puah were faithful workers who obeyed God, rather than man (even the Pharaoh!) Jochebed was a loving and brave mother who “by faith” went against the king’s command and trusted God. Miriam was an obedient daughter who watched over her baby brother and was not afraid to approach the daughter of Pharaoh, the princess whose tender heart was touched by the tears of this “slave child.” And Zipporah, an outsider to Israel, knew that God’s commands were not to be ignored and acted in obedience. God used each of them as part of His plan to provide a leader for His people and bring them out of slavery in fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham centuries before.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your Word and that you choose to reveal yourself to us through it. Thank you that we receive faith by hearing your Word. Thank you that, by faith, we can be obedient to your will. Thank you that you are always faithful to keep your promises.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen.
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Barbara HegglandEast Hartland, CT & Wesley Chapel, FLBarbara Heggland has been serving on the WM Leadership Team for 10 years and is currently the Chairman and also the Co-Director. She and her husband, Roy, divide their time between San Antonio, FL, where they enjoy the sunshine and the fellowship at Grace Community in Wesley Chapel; and East Hartland, CT, where they enjoy being with family (especially their six grandsons!) and their church family at Bethany.
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January 2024
Silence
““The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur.” (Genesis 16:7)
Here are a few hard questions for you to think about…
How many times have you experienced silence from God? Or what seemed like silence?
How many times have you felt that God has left you to fend for yourself or to deal with things on your own?
This is something I’ve struggled with a lot, especially recently. I had a severe bout of depression recently and it makes me wonder why God would leave me at such a time. I feel alone. I feel God is not there. Which is scary. But I continue to read my Bible. I continue to immerse myself in Christian life. Why would he let me struggle through this and try to dig my way out of the mud?
The Old Testament is full of God with his people or an angel of the Lord leading God’s people, or even Jesus in the presence of Israel. The Old Testament is also full of wells, springs or altars made to honor God and named for the way God is experienced at that place. The well I want us to look at is Beer-lahai-roi. Do you know where it’s found in the Bible? Do you know what it means? Do you know anything about its context?
Read Genesis 16 to find out!
Hagar fled because she had been given to Abram as a way for him to have a son – because Abram & Sarai took matters into their own hands instead of trusting and waiting on Isaac. And then Sarai, out of jealousy and anger, decided to treat Hagar unkindly. Hagar fled. She felt alone and unseen. She did as the woman asked her to do and was then not protected by the man who gave her the child.
In verse 7 we find Hagar by a spring (or well) in the wilderness and an angel of the Lord found her. The angel speaks to her in the silence of her rest. She is told to return to Abram and Sarai and is given a blessing for the son she carries. She then “called the name of the Lord who spoke to her” and said, “You are a God of seeing.”
God saw her. He wasn’t speaking to her necessarily in all her struggles and in her mistreatment, but he still saw her. And Hagar acknowledges this by saying “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” The next verse says, “the well was called Beer-lahai-roi” and my Bible has a note that says this means “well of the Living One who sees me.”
Hagar names her son Ishmael which means “God hears.” Ishmael isn’t the one through whom the promise is carried out, but he is important because God hears. God sees Ishmael’s mother. God uses Hagar and Ishmael to show his mercy and kindness.
God sees our suffering. He hears our cries for him. I’m not alone. We’re never really alone.
Father God,
Thank you for seeing us even when we feel alone and unseen. Thank you for never leaving us and for always walking beside us in our seasons of praise and lament. Lord, we are so forgetful of your love and provision for us. Help us to remember your love and provision for us daily, especially when we feel we are alone. Father God, may we also be brave to reach out to one another in our hard times and ask for prayer or support or just a listening ear. Thank you Father, for your Spirit that is in us, pointing us to you.
We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Here are a few hard questions for you to think about…
How many times have you experienced silence from God? Or what seemed like silence?
How many times have you felt that God has left you to fend for yourself or to deal with things on your own?
This is something I’ve struggled with a lot, especially recently. I had a severe bout of depression recently and it makes me wonder why God would leave me at such a time. I feel alone. I feel God is not there. Which is scary. But I continue to read my Bible. I continue to immerse myself in Christian life. Why would he let me struggle through this and try to dig my way out of the mud?
The Old Testament is full of God with his people or an angel of the Lord leading God’s people, or even Jesus in the presence of Israel. The Old Testament is also full of wells, springs or altars made to honor God and named for the way God is experienced at that place. The well I want us to look at is Beer-lahai-roi. Do you know where it’s found in the Bible? Do you know what it means? Do you know anything about its context?
Read Genesis 16 to find out!
Hagar fled because she had been given to Abram as a way for him to have a son – because Abram & Sarai took matters into their own hands instead of trusting and waiting on Isaac. And then Sarai, out of jealousy and anger, decided to treat Hagar unkindly. Hagar fled. She felt alone and unseen. She did as the woman asked her to do and was then not protected by the man who gave her the child.
In verse 7 we find Hagar by a spring (or well) in the wilderness and an angel of the Lord found her. The angel speaks to her in the silence of her rest. She is told to return to Abram and Sarai and is given a blessing for the son she carries. She then “called the name of the Lord who spoke to her” and said, “You are a God of seeing.”
God saw her. He wasn’t speaking to her necessarily in all her struggles and in her mistreatment, but he still saw her. And Hagar acknowledges this by saying “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” The next verse says, “the well was called Beer-lahai-roi” and my Bible has a note that says this means “well of the Living One who sees me.”
Hagar names her son Ishmael which means “God hears.” Ishmael isn’t the one through whom the promise is carried out, but he is important because God hears. God sees Ishmael’s mother. God uses Hagar and Ishmael to show his mercy and kindness.
God sees our suffering. He hears our cries for him. I’m not alone. We’re never really alone.
Father God,
Thank you for seeing us even when we feel alone and unseen. Thank you for never leaving us and for always walking beside us in our seasons of praise and lament. Lord, we are so forgetful of your love and provision for us. Help us to remember your love and provision for us daily, especially when we feel we are alone. Father God, may we also be brave to reach out to one another in our hard times and ask for prayer or support or just a listening ear. Thank you Father, for your Spirit that is in us, pointing us to you.
We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Cathy BarlowFergus Falls, MNCathy Barlow works for LBIM as the Administrative Assistant. She lives in Fergus Falls, MN and loves her family and the family that she has at the office and at her church, Good Shepherd LBC. She's only been in the LB for about 8 years, so don't feel bad if you're only just starting! We're not all related. (Though her sister is Claire Rose, an LB missionary in Africa.)
If you want to talk about your struggles with mental health, she is happy to hear from you at [email protected]. She'd love to pray for you! |
December 2023
Seasons in the Psalms
“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” (Psalm 42:11 ESV)
For the last few months I have been slowly reading through the book of Psalms. Originally I chose to do this because a friend and I had challenged each other to spend more time in our physical Bibles away from electronics, which, let's face it, have a tendency to distract us if we let them. After a couple of weeks of reading, I chose to start over again, take it a little slower, and really soak in all that the Lord has for me in this Book.
For the last few years I have been in a season of health challenges and the book of Psalms has been so encouraging to me because it has shown me how God inspired the writers to not hold anything back. There are psalms written out of frustration for what the writers are experiencing or going through. There are psalms written out of praise for what God has done in their lives, has brought them through thus far, or has given them the strength to endure. There are psalms of lament where the writers cry out to the Lord in their sadness or anger, brought on by what’s happening, or not happening, in their lives.
Through this raw honesty, I have found so much strength and encouragement because I can relate to the Psalmists. I know that their struggles aren’t exactly the same as mine, but they are all caused by the same root problem, sin. And the great news is that God responded to that problem personally!
This month we celebrate Advent and during that time we look forward to Jesus’ arrival with eager anticipation. Jesus (God in the flesh) willingly left heaven to join us in our problems to one day set us free from them.
Hebrews 12:1-3 says: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
What’s really awesome is that God will always remain good and faithful regardless of how I’m feeling or what I’m going through. He will always walk with me through the ups and downs, guide me as I make choices on what treatments to pursue, and empower me to persevere even on the most difficult days. And His track record is amazing because He has already brought me through 100% of my most difficult days so far, and the same is true for you also!!!
A couple of years ago, we did a sermon series here at Faith on the Psalms and Mike asked those in the congregation for input on which Psalms to preach on and most importantly, how and why those Psalms were special to them. It was wonderful to hear all their responses and to notice how some people picked the same Psalm but for completely different reasons. This just goes to show the uniqueness of scripture, that no matter where we are in life, or how many times we have read through the Bible, it can impact us all differently. That’s because Scripture is living and active and the Holy Spirit uses The Word to speak to us differently throughout our lives.
“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4 ESV)
So as I continue to traverse through the inconsistency of good days and not so good days, I know that I can reach for my Bible, flip open to the book of Psalms, and find some encouragement, knowing that God is my strength, my comfort, and my consistency.
Lord God, thank you for the gift of Your Word and what it teaches us daily. Thank you for Your faithfulness to meet us where we are when we study Your Word. Thank you for the encouragement You give in the various situations we experience. In Jesus Name Amen.
For the last few months I have been slowly reading through the book of Psalms. Originally I chose to do this because a friend and I had challenged each other to spend more time in our physical Bibles away from electronics, which, let's face it, have a tendency to distract us if we let them. After a couple of weeks of reading, I chose to start over again, take it a little slower, and really soak in all that the Lord has for me in this Book.
For the last few years I have been in a season of health challenges and the book of Psalms has been so encouraging to me because it has shown me how God inspired the writers to not hold anything back. There are psalms written out of frustration for what the writers are experiencing or going through. There are psalms written out of praise for what God has done in their lives, has brought them through thus far, or has given them the strength to endure. There are psalms of lament where the writers cry out to the Lord in their sadness or anger, brought on by what’s happening, or not happening, in their lives.
Through this raw honesty, I have found so much strength and encouragement because I can relate to the Psalmists. I know that their struggles aren’t exactly the same as mine, but they are all caused by the same root problem, sin. And the great news is that God responded to that problem personally!
This month we celebrate Advent and during that time we look forward to Jesus’ arrival with eager anticipation. Jesus (God in the flesh) willingly left heaven to join us in our problems to one day set us free from them.
Hebrews 12:1-3 says: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
What’s really awesome is that God will always remain good and faithful regardless of how I’m feeling or what I’m going through. He will always walk with me through the ups and downs, guide me as I make choices on what treatments to pursue, and empower me to persevere even on the most difficult days. And His track record is amazing because He has already brought me through 100% of my most difficult days so far, and the same is true for you also!!!
A couple of years ago, we did a sermon series here at Faith on the Psalms and Mike asked those in the congregation for input on which Psalms to preach on and most importantly, how and why those Psalms were special to them. It was wonderful to hear all their responses and to notice how some people picked the same Psalm but for completely different reasons. This just goes to show the uniqueness of scripture, that no matter where we are in life, or how many times we have read through the Bible, it can impact us all differently. That’s because Scripture is living and active and the Holy Spirit uses The Word to speak to us differently throughout our lives.
“One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4 ESV)
So as I continue to traverse through the inconsistency of good days and not so good days, I know that I can reach for my Bible, flip open to the book of Psalms, and find some encouragement, knowing that God is my strength, my comfort, and my consistency.
Lord God, thank you for the gift of Your Word and what it teaches us daily. Thank you for Your faithfulness to meet us where we are when we study Your Word. Thank you for the encouragement You give in the various situations we experience. In Jesus Name Amen.
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Lindsay NataleCranston, RILindsay Natale is married to Mike who is the pastor of Faith Chapel LB Church in Cranston, RI. They have a cat named Peachy Paterno (or Pat for short). Lindsay loves reading, taking pictures and trying to grow a garden. We are thankful to have her on the Women’s Ministries Leadership Team as the pod leader for Connections.
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November 2023
Do Not Be Afraid
The skies were actually clear on that crisp October Sunday night with a moon adding to the energy in the air as I slowly made my way through the local haunted maze with two of our youth from church.
The scares were expected, but how afraid I personally became was not. Being at the end of our group caused the three of us to slow down as we froze in fear knowing our next step would bring about another emotion of inner apprehensive disquiet. I just love that dictionary.com definition of being afraid. Inner apprehensive disquiet, or as another of our youth put it, “I feel it in my gut.”
I’m thinking Adam felt it in his gut when he heard God looking for him and Eve in the garden after they had eaten from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So much had already changed for them. Their eyes actually were opened as the serpent had predicted. When God called out asking where Adam was, he had to admit he was hiding and was experiencing a new emotion of inner apprehensive disquiet. He felt it in his gut as he told God he was afraid. His eyes had been opened to his nakedness and he was afraid of being seen by God.
Adam was only the first to experience being afraid. Sarah lied about her laughing to the angel, Lot ran into the hills, Abraham lied claiming Sarah as his sister, Jacob built an altar after his ladder dream, Jacob then ran with his wives from his father in law, sent a huge peace bribe to his estranged brother ahead of their reunion, and wouldn’t send his youngest son Benjamin with his brothers for grain to Egypt, all because they were afraid.
Although many others felt afraid in the history of Israel and man, Benjamin’s brothers were the first to hear the empowering phrase, “Do not be afraid!” Moses’s final words to the Israelites as well as Joshua are to not be afraid, but to be strong and courageous. Jonathan tells David to not be afraid of Saul. Isaiah tells King Hezekiah, Nehemiah tells the Israelites who are rebuilding the wall, David writes Psalms 56 as he pretends to be a madman, the Lord tells Jeremiah as He commissions him, and also Daniel in the midst of a disturbing prophetic vision. Isaiah proclaims he will trust and not be afraid following the fantastic news from the Lord that a Child would be born! The Prince of Peace! Several hundred years later God sends angels to confirm this incredible historical event of His Son Jesus’s birth by beginning the proclamations to Zechariah, Joseph, Mary and the shepherds with “Do not be afraid!” Jesus, in his ministry, also uses the same words when He walks on water, encourages Jairus, comforts His disciples at the transfiguration, assures them during a storm on the lake, and while teaching them their worth is more than many sparrows. Three days after the unthinkable and bewildering event of Jesus death on the cross happens, women head to His grave to put spices on Jesus’s dead body. Those beautiful encouraging words are once again heard from an angel, “Do not be afraid!” This time the next words are even more shocking! “He is not here, He is risen!” Afraid, they started to run, but Jesus, Himself, is there saying those same beautiful words, “Do not be afraid!”
After His ascension to heaven, the young church began to grow. Even Paul, the strong young man God miraculously saved and used to preach and spread the gospel was afraid. He was in a rough town where the Lord showed him in a vision to “Not be afraid”. An angel confirms to Paul in a dream to “Not be afraid” in spite of an imminent shipwreck occurring. Then we have John hearing those familiar words as he is commissioned to write the vision he sees although he actually falls down in awe as if he is dead. John proceeds to write the final book of the Bible after being comforted by a touch on his shoulder and hearing, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever.” (Rev. 1:17 & 18).
The Lord was the First and the Last. He was there when Adam was afraid. He was there in the lives of the Biblical characters experiencing life. He was there as the three of us took steps forward in that haunted maze that caused us inner apprehensive disquiet. After telling one of the young men how he showed such courage continuing to take the steps forward in spite of knowing another scare was literally around the corner, he said he knew there was an end and he just wanted to get there.
There is an end for us all. Life will continue to have “scares” around the corner, yet through Christ and His death and resurrection, we can embrace the recurring phrase throughout scripture, “Do not be afraid!”, as we look forward to that eternal end in heaven!
Prayer: “ Our Heavenly Father, Thank you for providing us with assurance that You are there with us as we feel afraid in this life journey we are on. You have been there as we were knit in our mother’s womb and will be there to our dying breath. You were there with so many during Bible times and You are there with us today as we face the “scares” in our daily lives. Thank you for reminding us to not be afraid. We put our hope and trust in You, Lord. In Jesus name, AMEN.”
The scares were expected, but how afraid I personally became was not. Being at the end of our group caused the three of us to slow down as we froze in fear knowing our next step would bring about another emotion of inner apprehensive disquiet. I just love that dictionary.com definition of being afraid. Inner apprehensive disquiet, or as another of our youth put it, “I feel it in my gut.”
I’m thinking Adam felt it in his gut when he heard God looking for him and Eve in the garden after they had eaten from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So much had already changed for them. Their eyes actually were opened as the serpent had predicted. When God called out asking where Adam was, he had to admit he was hiding and was experiencing a new emotion of inner apprehensive disquiet. He felt it in his gut as he told God he was afraid. His eyes had been opened to his nakedness and he was afraid of being seen by God.
Adam was only the first to experience being afraid. Sarah lied about her laughing to the angel, Lot ran into the hills, Abraham lied claiming Sarah as his sister, Jacob built an altar after his ladder dream, Jacob then ran with his wives from his father in law, sent a huge peace bribe to his estranged brother ahead of their reunion, and wouldn’t send his youngest son Benjamin with his brothers for grain to Egypt, all because they were afraid.
Although many others felt afraid in the history of Israel and man, Benjamin’s brothers were the first to hear the empowering phrase, “Do not be afraid!” Moses’s final words to the Israelites as well as Joshua are to not be afraid, but to be strong and courageous. Jonathan tells David to not be afraid of Saul. Isaiah tells King Hezekiah, Nehemiah tells the Israelites who are rebuilding the wall, David writes Psalms 56 as he pretends to be a madman, the Lord tells Jeremiah as He commissions him, and also Daniel in the midst of a disturbing prophetic vision. Isaiah proclaims he will trust and not be afraid following the fantastic news from the Lord that a Child would be born! The Prince of Peace! Several hundred years later God sends angels to confirm this incredible historical event of His Son Jesus’s birth by beginning the proclamations to Zechariah, Joseph, Mary and the shepherds with “Do not be afraid!” Jesus, in his ministry, also uses the same words when He walks on water, encourages Jairus, comforts His disciples at the transfiguration, assures them during a storm on the lake, and while teaching them their worth is more than many sparrows. Three days after the unthinkable and bewildering event of Jesus death on the cross happens, women head to His grave to put spices on Jesus’s dead body. Those beautiful encouraging words are once again heard from an angel, “Do not be afraid!” This time the next words are even more shocking! “He is not here, He is risen!” Afraid, they started to run, but Jesus, Himself, is there saying those same beautiful words, “Do not be afraid!”
After His ascension to heaven, the young church began to grow. Even Paul, the strong young man God miraculously saved and used to preach and spread the gospel was afraid. He was in a rough town where the Lord showed him in a vision to “Not be afraid”. An angel confirms to Paul in a dream to “Not be afraid” in spite of an imminent shipwreck occurring. Then we have John hearing those familiar words as he is commissioned to write the vision he sees although he actually falls down in awe as if he is dead. John proceeds to write the final book of the Bible after being comforted by a touch on his shoulder and hearing, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever.” (Rev. 1:17 & 18).
The Lord was the First and the Last. He was there when Adam was afraid. He was there in the lives of the Biblical characters experiencing life. He was there as the three of us took steps forward in that haunted maze that caused us inner apprehensive disquiet. After telling one of the young men how he showed such courage continuing to take the steps forward in spite of knowing another scare was literally around the corner, he said he knew there was an end and he just wanted to get there.
There is an end for us all. Life will continue to have “scares” around the corner, yet through Christ and His death and resurrection, we can embrace the recurring phrase throughout scripture, “Do not be afraid!”, as we look forward to that eternal end in heaven!
Prayer: “ Our Heavenly Father, Thank you for providing us with assurance that You are there with us as we feel afraid in this life journey we are on. You have been there as we were knit in our mother’s womb and will be there to our dying breath. You were there with so many during Bible times and You are there with us today as we face the “scares” in our daily lives. Thank you for reminding us to not be afraid. We put our hope and trust in You, Lord. In Jesus name, AMEN.”
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Anne Marie StenbergOlympia, WAAnne Marie Stenberg loves her family and grandchildren. She loves to teach children and youth about God, sew, decorate, visit with friends, read, pizza and sweets. She lives in Olympia, Washington and is the wife of Pastor Luther Stenberg, who serves at Peace Lutheran Brethren Church, in Olympia, WA.
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October 2023
Waiting in the Dark
I'm writing this from a dark place. I am literally in my car, in the dark, sitting on the side of the road in some neighborhood of North L.A. with a flat tire, waiting for the tow truck. I'm at an all-time low in my life. I don't understand. I can't believe this is happening. You see, I'm on my way home from visiting my daughter who's been hospitalized with treatment resistant conditions for over 6 weeks. And things aren't getting better. Oh, and in addition to this flat tire, our other car as of yesterday began shooting sparks at the windshield. Really? What is God doing? Or better yet, why isn't He helping? Why allow all this to happen? He is God. He can stop it. He can make it all go away. He doesn't have to allow it. But...
Isn't that the point? If I'm asking those questions, then I believe God CAN help. I believe that He DOES filter all things through His loving hands before they reach me. I believe He IS able to make it all go away. I believe all these things, yet I'm upset that He's not doing what I think He should be doing. So the question becomes...do I believe that He is sovereign? Whoa.
Since He is God and I'm not, He is in control and I'm not. He's orchestrating ALL things, for His glory and for the GOOD of His beloved children - which includes me, you, and my precious daughter, who is more precious to Him than even to me, which blows my mind. HE is the one who flung the stars into space. I can't do that. I can't even change a flat tire, a fact of which I'm painfully aware as I sit here waiting in the dark. He said "I WILL lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I WILL guide them. I WILL turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I WILL do." (Isaiah 42:16). He promised. He is God. He is the creator. I am not. He is sovereign. I do not understand. But I don't have to. I just have to trust Him, and in ALL my ways acknowledge Him. Do not lean on my own understanding. Just bein' real, I don't have much understanding left. So I trust Him. And He promises He WILL direct my path. He WILL turn this darkness into light. So I wait.
The tow truck came. The guy showed me the hole in my tire and the condition of the wheel, and said I was lucky it hadn't blown yet. Then he expertly changed my tire and sent me on my way. Our Lord sometimes allows us to wait for Him in the dark. But all the while He is protecting us from those blown tires, watching over us, attending to our every need with compassion and great love. And then He will come. He will expertly help us to His promised light. That tow truck man had no idea that God was using Him to illustrate His faithfulness to me.
So, I will wait for the Lord to fulfill His promises, to renew my strength, and to reign with sovereign power over my impossible to understand circumstances. The tow truck WILL come. I WILL get home sometime tonight. And God WILL fulfill His promises to me, to you, and to my daughter. I may be waiting in the dark, but I am not alone. God is caring for me while I wait, and making His way to me with His expert help, which WILL come at just the right time. You can trust Him with everything you've got. He is coming.
Prayer:
Father God, thank you that we can trust you, no matter what we are going through. We confess that we like to lean on our own understanding, so forgive us when we forget that You are God and we are not. Help us to wait patiently, trusting in who we know you to be - our loving, able, and sovereign God, who flung the stars into space, and who faithfully keeps every promise. Thank you that you are coming to help us, and WILL turn our darkness into light. Help us to place all things, people and circumstances into Your more than capable hands, and then rest in Your peace.
In the powerful Name of Jesus we pray, AMEN.
Isn't that the point? If I'm asking those questions, then I believe God CAN help. I believe that He DOES filter all things through His loving hands before they reach me. I believe He IS able to make it all go away. I believe all these things, yet I'm upset that He's not doing what I think He should be doing. So the question becomes...do I believe that He is sovereign? Whoa.
Since He is God and I'm not, He is in control and I'm not. He's orchestrating ALL things, for His glory and for the GOOD of His beloved children - which includes me, you, and my precious daughter, who is more precious to Him than even to me, which blows my mind. HE is the one who flung the stars into space. I can't do that. I can't even change a flat tire, a fact of which I'm painfully aware as I sit here waiting in the dark. He said "I WILL lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I WILL guide them. I WILL turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I WILL do." (Isaiah 42:16). He promised. He is God. He is the creator. I am not. He is sovereign. I do not understand. But I don't have to. I just have to trust Him, and in ALL my ways acknowledge Him. Do not lean on my own understanding. Just bein' real, I don't have much understanding left. So I trust Him. And He promises He WILL direct my path. He WILL turn this darkness into light. So I wait.
The tow truck came. The guy showed me the hole in my tire and the condition of the wheel, and said I was lucky it hadn't blown yet. Then he expertly changed my tire and sent me on my way. Our Lord sometimes allows us to wait for Him in the dark. But all the while He is protecting us from those blown tires, watching over us, attending to our every need with compassion and great love. And then He will come. He will expertly help us to His promised light. That tow truck man had no idea that God was using Him to illustrate His faithfulness to me.
So, I will wait for the Lord to fulfill His promises, to renew my strength, and to reign with sovereign power over my impossible to understand circumstances. The tow truck WILL come. I WILL get home sometime tonight. And God WILL fulfill His promises to me, to you, and to my daughter. I may be waiting in the dark, but I am not alone. God is caring for me while I wait, and making His way to me with His expert help, which WILL come at just the right time. You can trust Him with everything you've got. He is coming.
Prayer:
Father God, thank you that we can trust you, no matter what we are going through. We confess that we like to lean on our own understanding, so forgive us when we forget that You are God and we are not. Help us to wait patiently, trusting in who we know you to be - our loving, able, and sovereign God, who flung the stars into space, and who faithfully keeps every promise. Thank you that you are coming to help us, and WILL turn our darkness into light. Help us to place all things, people and circumstances into Your more than capable hands, and then rest in Your peace.
In the powerful Name of Jesus we pray, AMEN.
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Alyssa McIvorFullerton, CAAlyssa McIvor serves as a Lutheran Brethren Pastor's wife in Fullerton, California, teaching Bible Studies and singing on the worship team. Alyssa, her husband Dirk and their two high school girls enjoy board games, pizza night, camping and making music! Alyssa is a speaker, songwriter and Bible study author. You can contact her at [email protected]
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September 2023
Surviving the Human Condition
Fall is one of my favorite seasons. I know it can be a controversial topic but I live for the pumpkin spice lattes, the baking, the sweaters and the mayhem of the season. Moms around me shed tears of joy from children going back to school or tears of sadness with losing them to another school year; sometimes both. I like to say goodbye to the hot and humid months of summer as soon as I possibly can. I get out the decorations in celebration and overstock my pantry with all things fall flavored. I would prefer to have a full year of fall. It is one of the “in-between” seasons as summer dies off and winter starts to churn. I relish in the rest and anticipation the season brings.
The leaves around me are actually dying as they turn beautiful shades of orange, yellow, red and dark purples. The morbid reality of this collective death of leaves takes on a beauty all its own. They have to go through this season to make it through the winter. This “in-between” season for them is actually preparing them. The trees will survive the winter and spring forth new life in the summer. They’ll grow taller, thicker, or healthier as a new type of beauty forms.
This fall transition always makes me stop and ponder life changes and transitions. I compare it to my own struggles and the growth that has hopefully come because of them. I know others contemplate this around the new year, but for me it’s with the leaves dying. The way nature declares death in such a way to boldly declare life constantly reminds me of the gospel and how God works and declares who He is even in the simplest and most cyclical acts of nature.
I am reminded of Job 12:7-10
“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you;
or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you;
and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
Who among all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?
In his hand is the life of every living thing
and the breath of all mankind.
As I prepare to be surrounded by the beauty of the dying leaves, I can’t help but think how this reflects the gospel and our own human state. We live in a fallen world that is not currently thriving as it was created to be. When sin and death entered, it forced us to live through the “in-between” time as God’s creation waits to be made perfect again. We restlessly struggle with sin and see it around us daily even as we long for perfection and heaven.
I attended a work conference this past month. While this conference was not religious based whatsoever, I couldn’t stop those connections from being made through my own filters and worldviews. One of the speakers continually talked about everyone “surviving the human condition” in a topic on allyship. She discussed the diverse struggles we all go through and acknowledging and supporting each other in them.
In one exercise, she taped signs around the room and asked people to move around the room depending on their answers to questions. The labels were of course awkward to categorize yourself publicly by. But that was part of the point, and to recognize the diverse issues everyone struggled through as they “survived the human condition.”
The signs scattered around the room screamed trigger words and comforting words for people: Family; Compassion; Vocation; Not Good Enough/Failure; Political Affiliation; Veteran; LGBQ; Religious Affiliation; Ethnicity; Age; Afraid; Alone; Socioeconomic Class; Weight/Height/Body Shape; Country of Origin; Gender; Education; Skin Color.
What sign do you feel represents how you were raised? What has benefited you or given you the most advantage in life? How do you believe others see you and identify you? What do you struggle with daily? What do you hope to be known for?
Everyone was constantly split and moving to signs based on these questions, but on this last question, almost everyone split between the Family or Compassion sign. The presenter continued to discuss what she referred to as “surviving the human condition” and explained how she was encouraged to lead this exercise around the country and discover that at the last question it was almost always a split between compassion and family. She exclaimed that there was still hope for the world as everyone felt these two were still the most important.
I DO want to be known for compassion and I DO want to be known for caring and loving my family. The problem with this is that it doesn’t actually address the root of the human condition or where I want that compassion and love for family to be sourced from. I appreciated the acknowledgment that everyone struggled, but it didn’t provide answers to the actual human condition other than that it existed. It didn’t acknowledge where the human condition came from and the depths of sin and death and the struggle in this world. It didn’t provide the answers that I knew.
My prayer this fall, is that we can bask in this “in-between” season and recognize this time on earth as a gift to show compassion and love to ourselves and others BECAUSE of Christ’s love for us. I pray that common struggles would lead to answers and rest. As Christ followers, it is more than just surviving. With God’s grace we are not only surviving but we can rest in and declare the peace He offers as we look forward to the new life and being heirs of eternity. We know that Jesus defeated the human condition of sin on the cross. It doesn’t mean that we aren’t surrounded by sin and death. It doesn’t mean that we don’t struggle with it ourselves. It does mean that because of the gospel and God’s grace there is a future after this in-between time and a new life.
Lord, please continue to remind us of the rest that comes from your love and grace in changing seasons of life. Thank you for the reassurance we see in nature of death turning into life and the promises you have given us regarding our own death to life humanity. Convict me when I forget that I can thrive here in this world of changing seasons because of your finished work. Thank you for the life that comes through your son’s death and resurrection. Thank you for a salvation by grace through faith. Amen.
The leaves around me are actually dying as they turn beautiful shades of orange, yellow, red and dark purples. The morbid reality of this collective death of leaves takes on a beauty all its own. They have to go through this season to make it through the winter. This “in-between” season for them is actually preparing them. The trees will survive the winter and spring forth new life in the summer. They’ll grow taller, thicker, or healthier as a new type of beauty forms.
This fall transition always makes me stop and ponder life changes and transitions. I compare it to my own struggles and the growth that has hopefully come because of them. I know others contemplate this around the new year, but for me it’s with the leaves dying. The way nature declares death in such a way to boldly declare life constantly reminds me of the gospel and how God works and declares who He is even in the simplest and most cyclical acts of nature.
I am reminded of Job 12:7-10
“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you;
the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you;
or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you;
and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
Who among all these does not know
that the hand of the Lord has done this?
In his hand is the life of every living thing
and the breath of all mankind.
As I prepare to be surrounded by the beauty of the dying leaves, I can’t help but think how this reflects the gospel and our own human state. We live in a fallen world that is not currently thriving as it was created to be. When sin and death entered, it forced us to live through the “in-between” time as God’s creation waits to be made perfect again. We restlessly struggle with sin and see it around us daily even as we long for perfection and heaven.
I attended a work conference this past month. While this conference was not religious based whatsoever, I couldn’t stop those connections from being made through my own filters and worldviews. One of the speakers continually talked about everyone “surviving the human condition” in a topic on allyship. She discussed the diverse struggles we all go through and acknowledging and supporting each other in them.
In one exercise, she taped signs around the room and asked people to move around the room depending on their answers to questions. The labels were of course awkward to categorize yourself publicly by. But that was part of the point, and to recognize the diverse issues everyone struggled through as they “survived the human condition.”
The signs scattered around the room screamed trigger words and comforting words for people: Family; Compassion; Vocation; Not Good Enough/Failure; Political Affiliation; Veteran; LGBQ; Religious Affiliation; Ethnicity; Age; Afraid; Alone; Socioeconomic Class; Weight/Height/Body Shape; Country of Origin; Gender; Education; Skin Color.
What sign do you feel represents how you were raised? What has benefited you or given you the most advantage in life? How do you believe others see you and identify you? What do you struggle with daily? What do you hope to be known for?
Everyone was constantly split and moving to signs based on these questions, but on this last question, almost everyone split between the Family or Compassion sign. The presenter continued to discuss what she referred to as “surviving the human condition” and explained how she was encouraged to lead this exercise around the country and discover that at the last question it was almost always a split between compassion and family. She exclaimed that there was still hope for the world as everyone felt these two were still the most important.
I DO want to be known for compassion and I DO want to be known for caring and loving my family. The problem with this is that it doesn’t actually address the root of the human condition or where I want that compassion and love for family to be sourced from. I appreciated the acknowledgment that everyone struggled, but it didn’t provide answers to the actual human condition other than that it existed. It didn’t acknowledge where the human condition came from and the depths of sin and death and the struggle in this world. It didn’t provide the answers that I knew.
My prayer this fall, is that we can bask in this “in-between” season and recognize this time on earth as a gift to show compassion and love to ourselves and others BECAUSE of Christ’s love for us. I pray that common struggles would lead to answers and rest. As Christ followers, it is more than just surviving. With God’s grace we are not only surviving but we can rest in and declare the peace He offers as we look forward to the new life and being heirs of eternity. We know that Jesus defeated the human condition of sin on the cross. It doesn’t mean that we aren’t surrounded by sin and death. It doesn’t mean that we don’t struggle with it ourselves. It does mean that because of the gospel and God’s grace there is a future after this in-between time and a new life.
Lord, please continue to remind us of the rest that comes from your love and grace in changing seasons of life. Thank you for the reassurance we see in nature of death turning into life and the promises you have given us regarding our own death to life humanity. Convict me when I forget that I can thrive here in this world of changing seasons because of your finished work. Thank you for the life that comes through your son’s death and resurrection. Thank you for a salvation by grace through faith. Amen.
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Andrea BernardEmmaus Road ChurchAndrea Bernard grew up in the Pacific Northwest as a pastor’s daughter and joined the Lutheran Brethren as an adult. She is currently a member of Emmaus Road Church in DeWitt, Iowa and volunteers with their youth ministry. Andrea enjoys deep conversations with her youth kids, coffee, reading, baking, and going on random life adventures with friends.
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August 2023
Jesus Does Not See in Snapshots
"How do you do it? I mean, seven kids! I’m overwhelmed with one!” I laugh! This is a question I get often. And I get it, they see me in the grocery store, or at a school function, or at church, my 7 boys in tow, my oldest boys teens, my middles running around and a baby on my hip. Sometimes we look put together, sometimes we look like a mess… either way, those that are watching are often wondering how our family functions. Some think I have some superpower to keep these kids fed, alive, and generally happy. That I must not have the same struggles they do. But they are only seeing us on one part of our journey.
They haven't seen me, the new mom coming home overwhelmed, not sure what to do with a baby, crying every night…(I’m talking about me…not the baby…) for a week because she’s overwhelmed. Or me the mom dreading leaving the house again, frazzled at the thought of having to strap my two babies in their car seats and wrangle them while out and about. The truth is, we only get a snapshot of other people’s journeys. Little windows into their everyday. We didn’t see how they got there, what’s next, or even what their morning looked like.
When I was first asked to lead a Bible study I remember feeling very nervous about it. Would I lead well? Would I navigate conversation and ask good questions? Would I mess up a teaching on a passage? Am I qualified? I went to that first Bible study as prepared as I could be… but I was so nervous. Then the next week I went again dealing with the same feelings. Honestly for the first few months it was really hard, and slowly it started to get better. I started feeling more settled in my call to that role. And it wasn’t because I knocked it out of the park; rather, there were times I really struggled. Times I had to go back and check on resources. Times I’ve not handled things as well as I should have and hurt people's feelings and I’ve had to call and ask for forgiveness. And times I’ve needed to ask for help for various reasons.
We read in Ephesians 2:7-10, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.God has prepared the way for us. When the world fell into sin in the Garden, God was prepared with his eternal plan to provide for our salvation. He prepared the way for Christ to step into the scene at just the right moment. As our verses above read, that “he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,” the grace that saves us from the depths of our sin. And “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” God goes before us, ultimately preparing the way for our salvation and reconciliation through Christ. He also knows in advance the work he has prepared for us to do. We rest in the work of Christ for our salvation and we continue to rest in the work of Christ on our behalf as he calls us to be leaders, parents, friends, bosses, spouses, and all the various places our lives take us.
I’ve grown through the process of leading a Bible Study, and maybe not the growth I hoped for in the beginning. There’s growth I expected, like getting better at listening to others, understanding Scripture, and leading a conversation. But some areas of growth have been harder, like asking for forgiveness, or recognizing when I need help…. The areas that led to humbling myself were the hardest…but also the most freeing. I didn’t have to hold onto the idea of perfection when leading; instead it pointed me to the one who is perfect on my behalf, the one who we can boast in, Jesus. When we look down the road to the future we can quickly become overwhelmed. We compare ourselves right now in the moment to what we might encounter in the future. We fear the different struggles and possibilities that can arise from stepping into a new call. We often want to run from life's changes and hurts that are out of our control. But we do not need to be afraid of the future, we do not need to fear the struggle, because Christ is our victor. He is ever by our side. He doesn’t see our life in a snap shot. He sees where we started, our present circumstances, and our future. God knows better than any of us the paths we walk. As he leads us into new, and sometimes hard things, he is faithful to walk with us and to point us to Jesus in the struggle.
I didn’t start out with seven kids. I started out with one and that was overwhelming on its own. My days are by no means perfect… some hard, some amazing, and lots of moments of everything in-between. Just as God grew me into my ministry calling, he also grew me into this family and God has been faithful in each season. God will remain faithful to you in each season and each area of ministry to which he calls you. As followers of Christ, none of us have the ability to boast in ourselves… but we get the privilege of boasting about God's greatness!
Dear Heavenly Father,
We praise you that you are over all and are in control from beginning to end. We thank you that you have gone before us and that we can trust you in every circumstance. We pray that we will feel your presence near us through the joys and the struggles of life. We thank you so much for Jesus, and pray that you would give us hearts that trust in your leading and delight in your will. Amen
They haven't seen me, the new mom coming home overwhelmed, not sure what to do with a baby, crying every night…(I’m talking about me…not the baby…) for a week because she’s overwhelmed. Or me the mom dreading leaving the house again, frazzled at the thought of having to strap my two babies in their car seats and wrangle them while out and about. The truth is, we only get a snapshot of other people’s journeys. Little windows into their everyday. We didn’t see how they got there, what’s next, or even what their morning looked like.
When I was first asked to lead a Bible study I remember feeling very nervous about it. Would I lead well? Would I navigate conversation and ask good questions? Would I mess up a teaching on a passage? Am I qualified? I went to that first Bible study as prepared as I could be… but I was so nervous. Then the next week I went again dealing with the same feelings. Honestly for the first few months it was really hard, and slowly it started to get better. I started feeling more settled in my call to that role. And it wasn’t because I knocked it out of the park; rather, there were times I really struggled. Times I had to go back and check on resources. Times I’ve not handled things as well as I should have and hurt people's feelings and I’ve had to call and ask for forgiveness. And times I’ve needed to ask for help for various reasons.
We read in Ephesians 2:7-10, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.God has prepared the way for us. When the world fell into sin in the Garden, God was prepared with his eternal plan to provide for our salvation. He prepared the way for Christ to step into the scene at just the right moment. As our verses above read, that “he might show the incomparable riches of his grace,” the grace that saves us from the depths of our sin. And “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” God goes before us, ultimately preparing the way for our salvation and reconciliation through Christ. He also knows in advance the work he has prepared for us to do. We rest in the work of Christ for our salvation and we continue to rest in the work of Christ on our behalf as he calls us to be leaders, parents, friends, bosses, spouses, and all the various places our lives take us.
I’ve grown through the process of leading a Bible Study, and maybe not the growth I hoped for in the beginning. There’s growth I expected, like getting better at listening to others, understanding Scripture, and leading a conversation. But some areas of growth have been harder, like asking for forgiveness, or recognizing when I need help…. The areas that led to humbling myself were the hardest…but also the most freeing. I didn’t have to hold onto the idea of perfection when leading; instead it pointed me to the one who is perfect on my behalf, the one who we can boast in, Jesus. When we look down the road to the future we can quickly become overwhelmed. We compare ourselves right now in the moment to what we might encounter in the future. We fear the different struggles and possibilities that can arise from stepping into a new call. We often want to run from life's changes and hurts that are out of our control. But we do not need to be afraid of the future, we do not need to fear the struggle, because Christ is our victor. He is ever by our side. He doesn’t see our life in a snap shot. He sees where we started, our present circumstances, and our future. God knows better than any of us the paths we walk. As he leads us into new, and sometimes hard things, he is faithful to walk with us and to point us to Jesus in the struggle.
I didn’t start out with seven kids. I started out with one and that was overwhelming on its own. My days are by no means perfect… some hard, some amazing, and lots of moments of everything in-between. Just as God grew me into my ministry calling, he also grew me into this family and God has been faithful in each season. God will remain faithful to you in each season and each area of ministry to which he calls you. As followers of Christ, none of us have the ability to boast in ourselves… but we get the privilege of boasting about God's greatness!
Dear Heavenly Father,
We praise you that you are over all and are in control from beginning to end. We thank you that you have gone before us and that we can trust you in every circumstance. We pray that we will feel your presence near us through the joys and the struggles of life. We thank you so much for Jesus, and pray that you would give us hearts that trust in your leading and delight in your will. Amen
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Karen StenbergCo-Director WMCLB
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July 2023
And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.” And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” (Judges 6:14-16 ESV)
God called Gideon to save the Israelites, his Chosen People, from Midian—who had been bullying and oppressing the Israelites for years. He used no uncertain terms—God would win this battle and was inviting Gideon along for the ride. But if you’ve read Judges 6-7 you know that Gideon didn’t just feel uncertainty, he lived in it. Throughout his story, Gideon encounters fear and doubt… and immediately runs to hide—even while we are yelling like viewers of a horror film that he should be running to GOD! We think we know better just because it isn’t us, don’t we? But when uncertainty and fear pop up in our own lives, what do we do?
I got the incredible opportunity to speak to youth and teens at the CLB Warm Beach Camp at the end of June, something I have not ceased thanking God for because of how it has impacted my heart and others. I put significant time and effort into preparing my messages and studying the story of our friend Gideon. However, there was still a voice in my head telling me negative thoughts: I wasn’t good enough; I don’t deserve this; who am I to do something so important? All modern English ways to say what Gideon said to God: “How can I save Israel? I am the least in my father’s house.”
Or later, when Gideon asks God to speak to him through the miracles of the fleece saying, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, behold I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.” (Judges 6:36-37)
Just like Gideon, I went to God for reassurance often as I prepared for what he called me to do. I asked if he was sure in his choice of me, a silly question to ask the God who formed the world and knows everything. God answered me through the gentle words of a friend, Stacia Systma. She has been pointing me to the Lord for years: mentoring me in ministry; caring for me as a friend; and giving me this opportunity by inviting me to partner with her at Warm Beach, alternating between age groups. She sat with me in my uncertainty, then gently and firmly reminded me that I am not able to change God’s plan. He will work and minister; He will love and save. God is winning the battle; I am simply invited to come along for the ride. He will give me the words to say and the things to do; the Holy Spirit will do the rest. So, really, it’s all him anyways.
Relief washed over me. It is not up to me. What a gift from God, to be invited into a ministry that he can just as easily do without me.
The next day I did my message just as I had planned and I had to laugh at myself a bit. I read the end of the story, telling the teens in front of me that God won the battle, not Gideon and his tiny 300 man army. Then I rewound the story, to remind them (and myself) of how it started—with Gideon pleading with God, plagued by uncertainty and negative thoughts about himself as he said of himself and the Midianites “Lord how can I do this when they are so big and I am so small?”
Then I read Ephesians 2:4-10, focusing on verse 8. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”
Another relief: my salvation is not my own doing. It is not reliant on my performance, my study, my words. By grace I have been saved, through faith. And if I’m honest, even my faith is a gift I receive from God. He has done it all for me, just like he did for Gideon. This is not news to me, as I go to the cross and hear Jesus’ cry of “IT IS FINISHED.” Instead, this is a reprieve from my uncertainty and fear. God has won the battle and invited me to minister alongside him. What a gift.
Lord, please continue to remind us that our salvation is not our own doing, that our faith is a gift, and that we are invited into ministry alongside you, not on our own. Thank you for the reassurance you give us, thank you for coming to us when we run and hide in fear. Convict me when I am trying to fight my own battles, bring me back to the truth that you have won every battle. Thank you for sending Jesus, thank you for dying to save us even when we don’t deserve it. Thank you for inviting us into ministry while you are doing the heavy lifting. Thank you for a salvation by grace through faith. Amen.
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Beka NadwickDirector of Youth and Worship Ministries at Word of Life Church
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June 2023
I lift my eyes up to the mountains - where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your food slip - he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121:1-8 (NIV)
This spring, our daughter Ellie Bourque was called by the CLB Council of Directors to be a missionary to Chad, Africa. It was not a surprise; she has been working toward this goal for the past two years as she attended the seminary in Fergus Falls and took other classes online in preparation for being sent.
We have known since she was thirteen that Ellie was called to the mission field. My husband and I took her on a mission trip with our church to Guatemala, and it was apparent to us that it was her calling. She was in her element, even as a young teen. When she graduated from high school she went to Costa Rica and spent several years there in that mission field, before coming home and enrolling in nursing school. Now she is ready to go to the mission field.
There have been times over the past fifteen years when I have struggled as her mom to let her go. Many people, both Christian and non-Christian, have asked me, “How can you let your daughter go across the world?” (Sometimes in less kind words!) The answer is that I fought a hard battle with God about that issue, and he gave me not only peace, but joy in sending her. 3 John 1:4 says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth,” (NIV) and that has become true for me. Will I miss her as she journeys to live on the other side of the earth? Absolutely. But I rejoice that she will be fulfilling God’s call on her life and living fully for him; there is no greater joy for me than that. When I had a particularly tough day while she was in Costa Rica, God spoke clearly to me and told me that He has her in his hands, and I do not need to worry about her; He loves her even more than I do.
But that’s what we do, right? Moms worry and fret, and even though I honestly had joy in the thought of sending my daughter to Chad next year, I worried that she was going alone, a single woman to a Muslim country. Would she be safe? Would she feel safe? Would she be respected, would her message be heard? I have a group of faithful friends who pray together, and we started praying a couple years ago that God would send Ellie a husband who would have the same heart as she does for missions. Our family prayed. Our church family prayed. People were praying that prayer, and I didn’t even know it.
And so I prepared my heart to send my girl to Africa alone, knowing that God has her in his hands. But God, in his infinite grace and mercy - and amazing timing - had other plans. This spring Ellie became engaged to Matthias Szobody - a man with a heart for God and teaching (and for Ellie!). We rejoiced when we heard the news of their engagement because they are so happy, and we rejoiced because our prayers have been answered. God is so good.
But one of the most amazing parts of this story is the reaction of people in our lives who hear the news for the first time. Almost to a person, we have heard, “I’ve been praying for this!” It has been amazing to me to know how many people have been praying for my daughter, even though I know she is well-loved wherever she goes. It didn’t surprise me so much when people at church told me they had been praying about Ellie’s marital status, but it did when colleagues at work mentioned the same thing!
And so now we are joyfully planning a wedding for this summer, and I wonder if God did this on purpose, to help us to rejoice in the sending. We get to welcome a new son to our family and send them on their way to France for a year before they move to Chad, and we do it with hearts full of thanksgiving for His grace, faithfulness, and everlasting love.
The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Father, thank you that you have all of our comings and goings in your hand, that you never leave us nor forsake us, and that you love us with an everlasting love. Help me to remember this as I go through my days, and to leave my worries and cares at your feet. You are so good, Lord, and I praise you!
Amen!
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your food slip - he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121:1-8 (NIV)
This spring, our daughter Ellie Bourque was called by the CLB Council of Directors to be a missionary to Chad, Africa. It was not a surprise; she has been working toward this goal for the past two years as she attended the seminary in Fergus Falls and took other classes online in preparation for being sent.
We have known since she was thirteen that Ellie was called to the mission field. My husband and I took her on a mission trip with our church to Guatemala, and it was apparent to us that it was her calling. She was in her element, even as a young teen. When she graduated from high school she went to Costa Rica and spent several years there in that mission field, before coming home and enrolling in nursing school. Now she is ready to go to the mission field.
There have been times over the past fifteen years when I have struggled as her mom to let her go. Many people, both Christian and non-Christian, have asked me, “How can you let your daughter go across the world?” (Sometimes in less kind words!) The answer is that I fought a hard battle with God about that issue, and he gave me not only peace, but joy in sending her. 3 John 1:4 says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth,” (NIV) and that has become true for me. Will I miss her as she journeys to live on the other side of the earth? Absolutely. But I rejoice that she will be fulfilling God’s call on her life and living fully for him; there is no greater joy for me than that. When I had a particularly tough day while she was in Costa Rica, God spoke clearly to me and told me that He has her in his hands, and I do not need to worry about her; He loves her even more than I do.
But that’s what we do, right? Moms worry and fret, and even though I honestly had joy in the thought of sending my daughter to Chad next year, I worried that she was going alone, a single woman to a Muslim country. Would she be safe? Would she feel safe? Would she be respected, would her message be heard? I have a group of faithful friends who pray together, and we started praying a couple years ago that God would send Ellie a husband who would have the same heart as she does for missions. Our family prayed. Our church family prayed. People were praying that prayer, and I didn’t even know it.
And so I prepared my heart to send my girl to Africa alone, knowing that God has her in his hands. But God, in his infinite grace and mercy - and amazing timing - had other plans. This spring Ellie became engaged to Matthias Szobody - a man with a heart for God and teaching (and for Ellie!). We rejoiced when we heard the news of their engagement because they are so happy, and we rejoiced because our prayers have been answered. God is so good.
But one of the most amazing parts of this story is the reaction of people in our lives who hear the news for the first time. Almost to a person, we have heard, “I’ve been praying for this!” It has been amazing to me to know how many people have been praying for my daughter, even though I know she is well-loved wherever she goes. It didn’t surprise me so much when people at church told me they had been praying about Ellie’s marital status, but it did when colleagues at work mentioned the same thing!
And so now we are joyfully planning a wedding for this summer, and I wonder if God did this on purpose, to help us to rejoice in the sending. We get to welcome a new son to our family and send them on their way to France for a year before they move to Chad, and we do it with hearts full of thanksgiving for His grace, faithfulness, and everlasting love.
The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Father, thank you that you have all of our comings and goings in your hand, that you never leave us nor forsake us, and that you love us with an everlasting love. Help me to remember this as I go through my days, and to leave my worries and cares at your feet. You are so good, Lord, and I praise you!
Amen!
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Amy BourqueWMCLB Secretary & WMCLB Eastern Region Co-PresidentAmy Bourque is the Secretary of WMCLB and also serves as the president of the Eastern Region WMCLB. She and her husband Kevin live in East Hartland, CT, and are members of Bethany Lutheran Brethren Church. She is an educator in the local school and mom to five children, including Ellie.
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May 2023
"This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.
"They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
"But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols, I will bring down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD.”
Ezekiel 11:17-21 (NIV)
The Israelites are forgetful. In the Old Testament there is reminder after reminder of who God is, and what he has done for them. After almost every crisis, there comes a summary of their history. Remember when God saved you out of Egypt? Remember when God gave you manna in the desert? Remember the promise he made to Abraham?
For a brief time, they served God and loved Him. But then years passed and they forgot. They worship other gods. They worship themselves. The hearts that once beat for their Heavenly Father, forget the sound of his voice and pull in a different direction.
“I will give you back the land of Israel again. They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them.”
We tend to rate sins as Christians. We know its wrong, but it’s also easier to think of some sins as worse, when they are obvious and up front. The problem is that we can’t see a person’s heart. You can’t see if someone is arrogant or if they think they are better than others. You can’t see coveting. You can’t see if someone is disgruntled with the gifts God has given them and greedy for more. You can’t see if someone does not love people. These are sins of the heart, and only God can see what’s in our heart. He knows when we serve the idol of self. When we sin, we build hard layers over our heart. When I am proud, greedy, lustful, or coveting my husband’s ability to leave the house and go to work, my heart becomes hard. I am turning away from God’s ways and choosing my own.
Growing up I knew I was sinful, but that was for me just a condition I had been born with. I didn’t really believe my sinfulness was my own fault, it was the fault of Adam and Eve. I remember vividly the first time I really understood my own wretchedness. I was on a youth trip to Waterton National Park. We hiked up a mountain called Bear’s Hump in the dark and watched the stars. The northern lights came out in vivid greens and spiralled around the sky. In that moment when I should have been happy and at peace, I felt utterly empty. Something was very wrong with me. On that mountain top we had a Bible study on hard heartedness. God showed me my sin of being arrogant, overfed, and indifferent (Ezekiel 16:49). For the first time, I understood how far short of ‘good’ I really was. On one hand it was terrifying. Terrifying to know I couldn’t hide from God. He knew all my dirt. On the other hand, it was freeing. God knew all my dirt, but He was still there. He still forgave me.
Just as God promises to change the hearts of the forgetful Israelites, who pine for other gods, he promises to change your heart as well.
“I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.”
What is the cure for a heart of stone? God’s word is a double-edged sword, sharp enough to pierce joints and marrow. Sharp enough to pierce stone. It is not up to the Israelites to get their insides clean. Its not up to the Israelites to feel enough remorse and mourn long enough that it undoes their sin. Its not up to the Israelites to do as many random acts of kindness as they can to balance out their bad. And neither is it up to you and me. God never leaves us helpless in our sin. He exposes our need, but he never ends with the law that convicts us. He ends with a promise of reconciliation.
For you who have a hard heart, this is His promise to you.
God will put a new heart in you and a new spirit. He will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Then you will follow his laws, you will be his person, and he will be your God.
Heavenly Father, we ask that you would soften our hearts to hear your voice. We ask that you would remove our hard hearts and give us hearts of flesh that beat for you and you alone. Forgive our sin of selfishness. We thank you that you have called us to be your own. We thank you that you have adopted us, and made us your people. Amen.
"They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.
"But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols, I will bring down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign LORD.”
Ezekiel 11:17-21 (NIV)
The Israelites are forgetful. In the Old Testament there is reminder after reminder of who God is, and what he has done for them. After almost every crisis, there comes a summary of their history. Remember when God saved you out of Egypt? Remember when God gave you manna in the desert? Remember the promise he made to Abraham?
For a brief time, they served God and loved Him. But then years passed and they forgot. They worship other gods. They worship themselves. The hearts that once beat for their Heavenly Father, forget the sound of his voice and pull in a different direction.
“I will give you back the land of Israel again. They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them.”
We tend to rate sins as Christians. We know its wrong, but it’s also easier to think of some sins as worse, when they are obvious and up front. The problem is that we can’t see a person’s heart. You can’t see if someone is arrogant or if they think they are better than others. You can’t see coveting. You can’t see if someone is disgruntled with the gifts God has given them and greedy for more. You can’t see if someone does not love people. These are sins of the heart, and only God can see what’s in our heart. He knows when we serve the idol of self. When we sin, we build hard layers over our heart. When I am proud, greedy, lustful, or coveting my husband’s ability to leave the house and go to work, my heart becomes hard. I am turning away from God’s ways and choosing my own.
Growing up I knew I was sinful, but that was for me just a condition I had been born with. I didn’t really believe my sinfulness was my own fault, it was the fault of Adam and Eve. I remember vividly the first time I really understood my own wretchedness. I was on a youth trip to Waterton National Park. We hiked up a mountain called Bear’s Hump in the dark and watched the stars. The northern lights came out in vivid greens and spiralled around the sky. In that moment when I should have been happy and at peace, I felt utterly empty. Something was very wrong with me. On that mountain top we had a Bible study on hard heartedness. God showed me my sin of being arrogant, overfed, and indifferent (Ezekiel 16:49). For the first time, I understood how far short of ‘good’ I really was. On one hand it was terrifying. Terrifying to know I couldn’t hide from God. He knew all my dirt. On the other hand, it was freeing. God knew all my dirt, but He was still there. He still forgave me.
Just as God promises to change the hearts of the forgetful Israelites, who pine for other gods, he promises to change your heart as well.
“I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.”
What is the cure for a heart of stone? God’s word is a double-edged sword, sharp enough to pierce joints and marrow. Sharp enough to pierce stone. It is not up to the Israelites to get their insides clean. Its not up to the Israelites to feel enough remorse and mourn long enough that it undoes their sin. Its not up to the Israelites to do as many random acts of kindness as they can to balance out their bad. And neither is it up to you and me. God never leaves us helpless in our sin. He exposes our need, but he never ends with the law that convicts us. He ends with a promise of reconciliation.
For you who have a hard heart, this is His promise to you.
God will put a new heart in you and a new spirit. He will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Then you will follow his laws, you will be his person, and he will be your God.
Heavenly Father, we ask that you would soften our hearts to hear your voice. We ask that you would remove our hard hearts and give us hearts of flesh that beat for you and you alone. Forgive our sin of selfishness. We thank you that you have called us to be your own. We thank you that you have adopted us, and made us your people. Amen.
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Heather KnutsonFergus Falls, MinnesotaOur guest writer this month is Heather Knutson. Heather worked as an EMT for 7 years before becoming a full-time stay-at-home mother. She served as a pastor's wife in Birch Hills Saskatchewan and started an annual retreat for LB Canadian pastors' wives. She recently moved to Fergus Falls with her husband Clint and their 4 kids where she soaks up the warmer weather and friendly Minnesotans while her husband teaches at the Lutheran Brethren Seminary.
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APRIL 2023
My name is Alexa Fraser. Back in 2019 my husband Paul and I began to sense a call to become missionaries in Japan. Because of the Covid-19 travel restrictions and the preparations that were needed before we could move, we knew it could be a while before we were able to start language school in Japan. So in the meantime we, along with our two sons, Arthur and Oswald, joined the Japanese ministry at Rock of Ages Lutheran Brethren Church in Seattle. Here we made many new friends, took some language and cultural classes and got to participate in ministry to college age exchange students from Japan.
I am glad to announce that we have now been officially called to be missionaries in Japan with Lutheran Brethren International Mission. The plan is to arrive in Japan sometime this summer and spend the first couple of years studying language. We will be commissioned at Rock of Ages on June 11th and hopefully leave soon after that.
We are so grateful for all of your prayers and support as we follow God’s call. You can pray specifically that we would be patient with ourselves and with each other as we learn a new language, pack up our belongings, and say goodbye to dear friends and family.
Psalm 66:1-5 (NIV)
Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious.
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.
All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name.”
Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind!
As my family and I have prepared for several life changes over the past few years, stress and anxiety have been a constant part of my life. I went through two rounds of postpartum depression, and I searched my Bible for purpose and meaning. We moved across the country, and I found a balm for my lonely heart in the stories of people leaving the comforts of home over and over throughout scripture. In each of these instances I have eventually found myself opening back up to somewhat sad passages, to make myself feel less alone: to Psalms where the author asks God “why?”; to the Book of Ruth as Naomi journeys from bitterness back to faith in the wisdom of God; or to passages where Paul talks about perseverance. Each of these passages have brought me comfort as God works through these sad or hurt people and gave me hope that God would work through my pain.
Today I feel similar to all of those times. My husband and our two sons and I will soon be sent as missionaries to Japan. We are all feeling the stress of packing up and saying goodbyes to belongings and to beloved friends and family. We are often short with each other these days when we should really be drawing each other close for comfort and familiarity. It would seem that this could be the biggest change of my lifetime. My anxious heart is on high alert, wanting to prepare myself and my family for this move down to the tiniest detail.
So, when it came to writing this devotional I was looking back at the scriptures that have spoken to my heart. I initially gravitated toward those familiar stories of trial and perseverance. Instead, I came across Psalm 66. This song of praise is the complete opposite of the scriptures I usually lean on in times of need. This passage is 20 verses full of praise after praise. So joyful, so uplifting. In the few minutes that it took to read it once or twice I felt the weight of my anxiety fade into the background. Not forgotten, but no longer the focus.
I had forgotten how praise can lift my spirit and ease my burden. I opened up to that chapter and found a relief I had forgotten for a long time. This reminder that my pain, though real, could be set aside for the moment as shouts of joy filled my mind. An anxious heart quieted by the awe of the power of God, how he has shown me his power and times I have witnessed his awesome deeds. Each verse was a reminder of what God has done and what he can do with my current situation.
Even as the chapter came to a close and the reality of my responsibilities came back into focus, the awesome deeds of God were close to my heart. The reality of who God is has lightened the burden of my responsibilities. In a time of great need, I can trust that the Lord will carry us through. He does this for you as well. You may not be preparing to move to a new country, but certainly each one of us has situations that weigh heavily on our hearts and cause us to worry. The Lord desires to lift this burden from our shoulders and remind us that he alone is God and worthy of praise. Praise changes our gaze, praise takes our eyes from ourselves and our worries, and praise lifts our eyes to the almighty God, our strength, our refuge.
Now over the time I have spent writing this I have read Psalm 66 several more times and each time I am so glad to have this reminder that praise is an important part of my relationship with God, and it is not only honoring to him but also so comforting to my weary heart. God’s Word is a grace to us in many ways. In my inability to come up with the words to say to give God the praise he deserves, he has given me (and you) Psalm 66 to remind us all how wonderful he is and “How awesome are Your (His) deeds."
Heavenly Father, we often forget to give you the praise you deserve. Remind us of what you are doing even in times of sorrow, inability, and pain. Thank you for the songs of praise you use to guide our hearts back to worship of you. Please continue to use them to speak to our hearts.
Amen
I am glad to announce that we have now been officially called to be missionaries in Japan with Lutheran Brethren International Mission. The plan is to arrive in Japan sometime this summer and spend the first couple of years studying language. We will be commissioned at Rock of Ages on June 11th and hopefully leave soon after that.
We are so grateful for all of your prayers and support as we follow God’s call. You can pray specifically that we would be patient with ourselves and with each other as we learn a new language, pack up our belongings, and say goodbye to dear friends and family.
Psalm 66:1-5 (NIV)
Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious.
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.
All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name.”
Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind!
As my family and I have prepared for several life changes over the past few years, stress and anxiety have been a constant part of my life. I went through two rounds of postpartum depression, and I searched my Bible for purpose and meaning. We moved across the country, and I found a balm for my lonely heart in the stories of people leaving the comforts of home over and over throughout scripture. In each of these instances I have eventually found myself opening back up to somewhat sad passages, to make myself feel less alone: to Psalms where the author asks God “why?”; to the Book of Ruth as Naomi journeys from bitterness back to faith in the wisdom of God; or to passages where Paul talks about perseverance. Each of these passages have brought me comfort as God works through these sad or hurt people and gave me hope that God would work through my pain.
Today I feel similar to all of those times. My husband and our two sons and I will soon be sent as missionaries to Japan. We are all feeling the stress of packing up and saying goodbyes to belongings and to beloved friends and family. We are often short with each other these days when we should really be drawing each other close for comfort and familiarity. It would seem that this could be the biggest change of my lifetime. My anxious heart is on high alert, wanting to prepare myself and my family for this move down to the tiniest detail.
So, when it came to writing this devotional I was looking back at the scriptures that have spoken to my heart. I initially gravitated toward those familiar stories of trial and perseverance. Instead, I came across Psalm 66. This song of praise is the complete opposite of the scriptures I usually lean on in times of need. This passage is 20 verses full of praise after praise. So joyful, so uplifting. In the few minutes that it took to read it once or twice I felt the weight of my anxiety fade into the background. Not forgotten, but no longer the focus.
I had forgotten how praise can lift my spirit and ease my burden. I opened up to that chapter and found a relief I had forgotten for a long time. This reminder that my pain, though real, could be set aside for the moment as shouts of joy filled my mind. An anxious heart quieted by the awe of the power of God, how he has shown me his power and times I have witnessed his awesome deeds. Each verse was a reminder of what God has done and what he can do with my current situation.
Even as the chapter came to a close and the reality of my responsibilities came back into focus, the awesome deeds of God were close to my heart. The reality of who God is has lightened the burden of my responsibilities. In a time of great need, I can trust that the Lord will carry us through. He does this for you as well. You may not be preparing to move to a new country, but certainly each one of us has situations that weigh heavily on our hearts and cause us to worry. The Lord desires to lift this burden from our shoulders and remind us that he alone is God and worthy of praise. Praise changes our gaze, praise takes our eyes from ourselves and our worries, and praise lifts our eyes to the almighty God, our strength, our refuge.
Now over the time I have spent writing this I have read Psalm 66 several more times and each time I am so glad to have this reminder that praise is an important part of my relationship with God, and it is not only honoring to him but also so comforting to my weary heart. God’s Word is a grace to us in many ways. In my inability to come up with the words to say to give God the praise he deserves, he has given me (and you) Psalm 66 to remind us all how wonderful he is and “How awesome are Your (His) deeds."
Heavenly Father, we often forget to give you the praise you deserve. Remind us of what you are doing even in times of sorrow, inability, and pain. Thank you for the songs of praise you use to guide our hearts back to worship of you. Please continue to use them to speak to our hearts.
Amen
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Alexa FraserWMCLB Teaching/Training Pod LeaderHome Church: Rock of Ages Lutheran Brethren Church Seattle, WA
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MARCH 2023
"He Knows My Name"
Amy Bourque
This year when I read the genealogies in 1 Chronicles at the beginning of my Lent study, I read them with a different lens. I tried to think of myself as a Jew, recently returned to Israel, with stories in my head of the “old days”, but no tangible connections. To read those lists of names, to hear the names of people in one’s family, to know that God had never forgotten them, even when they were exiled in Babylon - what joy that must have brought. How comforting to know that not only did God remember the names of his people, he even remembered their jobs, their positions in the families they represented. He is a God who knows his people intimately and desires a relationship with us, even today, just like he did with the Israelites.
I love the Old Testament; I love following the through-line from creation to Jesus. God knows my name. He knew me from the beginning of time, and he calls me by name, which is written in the Book of Life. I know these things to be true, yet I still need those reminders, just as the Israelites did so long ago. When God brought the nation of Israel across the river into the promised land after forty long years in the desert, he stopped them along the way and told them to make monuments, memorials to help them remember each step of the journey. They even built one right in the middle of the river before the priests carried the ark all the way across and the water started flowing again! These were intended to make people stop and ask, “What is that thing for? Why is it there?” and for someone who knew the answer to tell them.
The season of Lent is similar, I think. It is a time for me to stop, to slow down, to remember what God has done for me. Time to remember that he knows my name, the number of hairs on my head, my every dream, my every care. And time for me to focus on his love for me, a love so deep that he made a plan for me to be with him in eternity, at the expense of his beloved Son. Lent is a kind of long-form communion, where I confess and accept his sacrifice and let him work in my life, cleansed in the precious blood of Christ. It’s time to step away from my everyday busy-ness and spend a little more time with the God who knows my name, knows my history, knows me, and loves me just the same.
I love the Old Testament; I love following the through-line from creation to Jesus. God knows my name. He knew me from the beginning of time, and he calls me by name, which is written in the Book of Life. I know these things to be true, yet I still need those reminders, just as the Israelites did so long ago. When God brought the nation of Israel across the river into the promised land after forty long years in the desert, he stopped them along the way and told them to make monuments, memorials to help them remember each step of the journey. They even built one right in the middle of the river before the priests carried the ark all the way across and the water started flowing again! These were intended to make people stop and ask, “What is that thing for? Why is it there?” and for someone who knew the answer to tell them.
The season of Lent is similar, I think. It is a time for me to stop, to slow down, to remember what God has done for me. Time to remember that he knows my name, the number of hairs on my head, my every dream, my every care. And time for me to focus on his love for me, a love so deep that he made a plan for me to be with him in eternity, at the expense of his beloved Son. Lent is a kind of long-form communion, where I confess and accept his sacrifice and let him work in my life, cleansed in the precious blood of Christ. It’s time to step away from my everyday busy-ness and spend a little more time with the God who knows my name, knows my history, knows me, and loves me just the same.
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Amy BourqueWMCLB Secretary & WMCLB Eastern Region Co-PresidentHome church: Bethany Lutheran Brethren Church, East Hartland, CT
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