Dear Fellow Children of God,
On Friday evening, April 1, our 8th grade confirmation
students attended the annual confirmation banquet. The Elders of the congregation and the
parents, grandparents, and other family of those students being confirmed,
gathered to celebrate. There was a pot
luck meal which, like most pot lucks, had an abundance of tasty food. And then the students were examined. In front of the Elders and their families
they were asked questions about the lessons from the past year, and they were
asked to recite Bible verses, the 10 commandments, the Apostles’ Creed, and the
Lord’s Prayer from memory. You can
understand that the students were a little nervous. Actually, if most adults were asked those
questions, today’s adults might be nervous too.
After the examination, however, we gave those in
attendance an opportunity to speak personally to these students. After three years of studying about our Lord
and the Bible, these young people would be publicly sharing with others that they
believe in Jesus. They would also be promising
to serve Him with their lives. As they
faced this rite of passage, what might the parents and church leaders have to
share?
I have heard a lot of moving personal advice over the
years, but this year one parent shared with the students her experience as a
Christian in a way that I haven’t heard in previous times of examination. This parent simply quoted a Bible verse, and
then explained. She quoted Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God.” Her personal experience shared with the
students is that there are times that life is crazy and overwhelming. But, God is still God. It is worth taking time to be still, to be
alone, and to focus on God and His love instead of obsessing about the trials
we face.
Wow! Actually, I personally
know that verse and have believed that truth.
But shared in that moment with those young students who have their whole
life in front of them, I was touched by the faith, and the experience, and the
wisdom of this advice from a loving Christian mom.
The truth of this verse is important for all children of
God. “Be still and know that I am God.”
The Lord is indeed God. He is
Creator, Ruler, Shepherd, Redeemer, Comforter, and Counselor. God is all powerful, all wise, all
knowing. He is righteous and holy, while
being gracious and merciful and compassionate.
When the trials in our life are crazy and overwhelming we
can be filled with doubt and fear. But,
the One who created us loves us. The One
who is our Heavenly Father, sent His only begotten Son from Heaven. Jesus defeated the sin of this world with a
life of love and obedience, and by His death on the cross to pay for the sins
of all people. Jesus defeated our enemy,
death, by rising from death. We are told
that God is with us always, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Whether we face personal sin or failure, or
trials brought by the world around us, God is still God. And because He IS God, then we can be
still. We don’t have to lose hope. We know that the Lord of the universe and our
Savior is ruling over all, and is in our lives.
So, we can trust our Lord and find peace in His presence.
I think mom had been talking with her daughter. The verse the daughter used to share her
faith with our congregation on Confirmation Day was from 1 Corinthians 14:33, “For God is not a God of disorder, but a
God of peace.” That sounds sort of
familiar, doesn’t it?
Yes, there are times that life is crazy and
overwhelming. But, God is still
God. So the advice of Psalm 46, and the
advice of this mother, is helpful and wise.
God tells us, “Be still and know
that I am God.”
A Child of God, Finding Peace the our Lord is in Charge,
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. On Monday I
went on the last ice fishing trip of the year.
That was quite a challenge, because the ice is out on the lakes in the
valley already, the earliest I have ever seen.
But, Cody and Heather Sherman were hosting Heather’s Aunt and
Grandmother from the Carolinas. Their
visitors wanted to try ice fishing. So
we went north along the Glenn Highway, and after a little work got on one of
the lakes up there. Once we were on the
ice was still 40” thick. And. . . EVERYBODY caught fish. Here are some pictures.
****
ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE
PASTOR’ - I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to
all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have. (I am regularly
adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this
e-mail for the first time.) However, if you don’t want to receive this
e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for
this message.
****
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