Hi everyone,
Man alive, it’s been a long week. All the funerals and such aside, it feels like I’ve been doing everything I could to just stay afloat and today’s powerpoint in worship (for those of you who were in worship today) was just testament to it all. Also, I have to admit, I had another bad parenting week.
Le sigh.
But I think it’s in these moments (or months) of difficulty, of hardship, of that feeling of being overwhelmed that we need to remember the hope that we have in Christ. We need to remember how while times can get rough, they will not last forever. We need to remember that regardless of what we are going through or how we feel, we are blessed.
And that isn’t always easy, but it is always true.
My prayers extend to all of you who are going through similar or worse months that I am, and that your faith with allow you to see God working the world around you and in your lives, that your hope and peace be rekindled.
Here are the readings for next week:
Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18
Psalm 149
Ephesians 1:11-23
Luke 6:20-31
It is All Saints Day next Sunday, and it seems appropriate for us here at Grace Lutheran and with all the deaths we’ve been having. It is appropriate as All Saints is a day that we remember those who have died, we lift up the lives that they’ve led, and we give thanks for their everlasting presence in our lives, our community, and in the world.
The texts that we get for All Saints are very appropriate as well, as they talk about the how the difficulties of the world are very real, but they will pass. The important thing is how we treat one another, hopefully with dignity and grace. This too, is not easy, as people can be mean and there are many days (or weeks and months) that we just don’t feel like being nice. We have our own stuff to deal with and we might not want to help others.
But, and I think this is where the gospel comes to play, is that while we go through rough patches, while our relationships might not be the greatest, and while we have days or weeks or months where we are just mean because we feel like it, we remain blessed. We remain redeemed and saved. We remain as God’s beloved children.
And it’s true, there are days that we act in a way that only our parents would continue to love us, but we are reminded that it isn’t us or our charming personalities (or lack thereof) that saves us, but it is God’s grace shown to us through the work of Jesus on the cross that invites and welcomes us into God’s arms forever.
So these difficult times that all of us face won’t last forever. And even by chance if they do (let’s hope and pray that they don’t), it doesn’t change our position in God’s family as God’s children. For we are blessed, we are loved, we are saved.
Thanks be to God! Have a great week, everyone!