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A Note From The Pastor
“Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.’” (Jeremiah 1:6) If you were in church on the 3rd, you can quit reading this, because it is the first part of the sermon for that day. One of the folks who was here asked me to repeat the beginning of the message as my message in the newsletter, so here goes: God called Jeremiah to be a prophet and he was reluctant to do what God asked. He figured he was too young so that people wouldn’t listen to him. He was from a priestly family, but he wasn’t ready to do what God was asking him to do. So, he said: I can’t do in now Lord, ask me later! We often do that. We find excuses for not attending worship or for not serving in the church or community. When we are young, we say: I’m too young. I can’t get there on my own. I’ll do it later. When we are young adults, we say: I don’t have the resources. And if we have young children, we add that we have to take care of the kids and getting them up and going is too hard. When we are middle-aged, we say: I’m far too busy with work and the house and other responsibilities. And besides, my children and my aging parents take up the rest of my time. When we reach old age, we say: I’m too old. No one will want to listen to me. And besides, I’ve lost my ability to sing or teach or …. And God said to Jeremiah and God says to us: Balderdash! If I call you, I’ll give you the ability. We can always come up with excuses. But, when God calls we need to remember that God will be with us and give us strength and ability and help. Jeremiah goes on, “Then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, ‘Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you this day ….. to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.’” So, my challenge this month is actually God’s challenge. Let’s listen for God’s call to us and then quit making excuses and show up in worship and continue working for God’s kingdom. Pastor Nancy
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A Note From The Pastor
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Lent and Love! That’s what this month is about. And not just the romantic love that we associate with Valentine’s Day. But the deep down love for us that comes from God through the gift of his Son. Sometimes when I stop and think about that gift I’m over-whelmed that God could love me that much. When we lump it all together and say God loved the world, that’s okay. But when we personalize it and think that God loved each one of us so much, it’s awe-inspiring. Now we often think of Lent as being somber and a time of reflection. And, frankly, that’s what it ought to be. But in our times of reflection, perhaps we need to remember the love. Perhaps we need to hold one another in that love. Perhaps we should remember to love God back! So, in this month when we remember Lent and Love, my challenge to you is to focus on the goodness of God. And love God, your neighbor, and yourself. That would be a good way to celebrate February, don’t you think? Pastor Nancy |
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