Mother's Day is one of the more difficult days for me as a Pastor. I know the stories. I see the faces, present and absent. There is great joy - lunch out somewhere - phone calls - flowers. There is sadness - at loss - at infertility - at disappointment. It's a difficult world to navigate, but God's Word is full of all these emotions and circumstances.
Hannah and Sarah come quickly to mind. Long struggles to wait for God's intervention. But we just know about the joys in those cases. In Hebrews 11 can be read the struggles and heartache and difficulties that ended in death for many. Their hope was in what they had not yet seen. This earth gave them nothing in which to rejoice.
PAUSE.......
I'm back - it's Friday. I struggled both with time and thoughts for this week until today as my thoughts turned to my dad who died 3 1/2 years ago. His oldest brother died last night in FL and so for me, my mom, my sister and our families, it's brought back some memories and a flood of feelings. Faith means we hold on that the worst news won't be the last news when God is involved. Death is one of those things that will expose what we really believe.
And I've thought about family. Family can sure cause heartache and joy, laughter and pain. We've all known it or will because no family is perfect and God uses every family to teach and shape us. Dysfunction infects us all. Children go astray. Relationships are strained. Miscommunication surrounds us. The Enemy seeks to tear us apart every chance he gets. Hang on.
I'm thinking about one of my heroes in the faith - Alan. I shared about him a few weeks ago. Alan and his family have had their share of hurdles and speed bumps, mountain tops and celebrations. What I have admired up close as a colleague is the way he allows each circumstance to be a chance to learn and grow in faith. He doesn't like everything that life has brought his way. He doesn't look forward to it all. He does focus on Jesus and what he can learn while he's passing through. He lives before my eyes that the worst thing isn't the last thing with Jesus. Thanks, Alan, for being one of the bright lights on my road of faith.
Hannah and Sarah come quickly to mind. Long struggles to wait for God's intervention. But we just know about the joys in those cases. In Hebrews 11 can be read the struggles and heartache and difficulties that ended in death for many. Their hope was in what they had not yet seen. This earth gave them nothing in which to rejoice.
PAUSE.......
I'm back - it's Friday. I struggled both with time and thoughts for this week until today as my thoughts turned to my dad who died 3 1/2 years ago. His oldest brother died last night in FL and so for me, my mom, my sister and our families, it's brought back some memories and a flood of feelings. Faith means we hold on that the worst news won't be the last news when God is involved. Death is one of those things that will expose what we really believe.
And I've thought about family. Family can sure cause heartache and joy, laughter and pain. We've all known it or will because no family is perfect and God uses every family to teach and shape us. Dysfunction infects us all. Children go astray. Relationships are strained. Miscommunication surrounds us. The Enemy seeks to tear us apart every chance he gets. Hang on.
I'm thinking about one of my heroes in the faith - Alan. I shared about him a few weeks ago. Alan and his family have had their share of hurdles and speed bumps, mountain tops and celebrations. What I have admired up close as a colleague is the way he allows each circumstance to be a chance to learn and grow in faith. He doesn't like everything that life has brought his way. He doesn't look forward to it all. He does focus on Jesus and what he can learn while he's passing through. He lives before my eyes that the worst thing isn't the last thing with Jesus. Thanks, Alan, for being one of the bright lights on my road of faith.
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