As Christians, we don't believe God would harm us. At the same time, we don't expect God to give us immunity either. A tornado is just as likely to strike your house as your neighbor's. What we believe is that God will use both the pleasures and the pain of life to strengthen us and draw us closer to himself.
One woman walked up to her pastor following her husband’s funeral and said “Thank you, pastor, for conducting my husband’s service, but who were you talking about in the sermon today?” Why do we do that? Why do we pastors sugar-coat the truth in times such as that?
We should recognize that the word father has mixed meanings. Some of us had fathers who loved us and sacrificed for our benefit. Others had abusive fathers who made their lives miserable. This means that there can be wildly different reactions to the teaching of God the Father.
Jesus healed many people, but not everyone. Those he healed got sick again, and those he raised from the dead eventually died again. The purpose of healing the sick and raising the dead was not to suspend the laws of nature but to bear witness to the power of God over life and death.
One of our church members noticed that I had twisted the wires together and loosely wrapped the connection with black tape. He showed me how to attach the wires with tubes crimped tightly on the wires--followed by tubes of heat shrink rubber. Now that my connections are good, my trailer lights work great!
Dawne finished typing, "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God." She hollered into the kitchen above the noise, "Would somebody PLEASE be the peacemaker?!" There was a moment's silence and then Garret, 6, piped up, "I'll be the piece maker, Mom!" He said: "Here's a piece for you and a piece for you--and one piece for me."
Often when kids strike out on their own, they quit going to church. They cut themselves off from their faith family. Lacking a support community, they become vulnerable to the temptations of the world. So, graduates, I’d like to offer these simple words: STAY CONNECTED!
Jesus tells us he is the way for an obvious reason. He wants us to get up and follow him. His way is simple: Love God and neighbor. That’s Christ’s great commandment, not some sweet, bumper-sticker sentiment. Make Christ’s way your way home.
In your most severe crisis--the hospital waiting room or the funeral parlor--the last thing you can hear is often the one thing you need to hear. "Let not your heart be troubled, Jesus says, "Believe in God, believe in me."
On this Sunday of the Holy Trinity, the one God is inviting us into the house of love to commune with Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to love and be loved, to believe and be guided into all truth and beauty and peace.