From the Pastor's Desk
Reverend David Kaul
“ Be still then and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth. ”
- Psalm 46:10
Vacationing with Jesus
Dear friends in Christ,
God never tires of encouraging us to place our trust in Him. The American landscape will look a bit different when you receive next months December Lightshine. We will have elected a new president. Washington's economic relief package should begin to work toward stabilizing our economy and building confidence. The football, cheerleading, and band programs and fall trips away that have cut badly into worship attendance will have ended. We will be the better for it. We can allow many seemingly important activities and events to get in the way of our worship of God and the religious instruction of our children through the Sunday School. We do so at our own expense.
God has something important to say to us every day and especially on weekends when we gather at worship. Here the Word is preached and the sacraments are shared. Vital business takes place. God forgives real sinners. Friendships are formed. God uplifts discouraged spirits. Prayers are offered. Offerings are given that empower ministry in Jesus' name. Minds and lives are realigned with God's purposes. We are reminded again who is running the show! "I will be exalted in the whole earth." God is overseeing His world!
God does all this in a most unusual fashion. He asks us to be still, to quiet our anxious hearts, to listen and trust.
I remember a church sign that said, "No God, No Peace!" and , "Know God, Know Peace!" We can not stay turned on at our +40 hours a week jobs, raise the family, and confront the pressures of everyday life, without the renewal of Saturday evening or Sunday Sabbath with God. We must sharpen the axe. A man was cutting down a tree with a dull axe. His wife told him to stop and sharpen his axe. He responded, "I haven't got the time!" He went back and just tried to work harder. He hit the tree with greater force. The result was he became more and more tired. The tree defied his efforts! Friend, you may be facing the challenges of life with a very dull axe.
"Be still and know that I am God!" Paul spoke of a peace that passes all understanding. It is the result of spending time in God's presence in worship and prayer, meditation on His word and loving service. Paul placed every kind of anxiety and concern in the hands of a loving God. Large issues and small were given to One who was more wise, more knowing, more loving, more able, more resourceful than anyone or any human response or anything else in all creation.
We can "Have no anxiety about anything but with prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made to God and the peace of God that passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
As we live in faith and trust in God, our hearts can be still because Someone else is fighting our battle. That Someone is Almighty God. Be still! Quiet your life. Come into God's presence in worship. Experience the power of victorious living in the strength of Jesus Christ.
God's richest blessings,
P. Dave