May 3, 2024
REJOICE!
Our bulletin this past Sunday greeted us with a command: “Rejoice!” In other words, be glad, celebrate the goodness of God and the life we have been given. This coming Sunday’s psalm, Psalm 98, proclaims that when God’s justice and mercy are evident and obvious to all, all God’s people will rejoice, all the people of the world will rejoice, and all of creation will rejoice. The presence of God in the world draws praise and joy out of everything and everyone.This only reinforces the direction we were given last Sunday from the outset: “Rejoice!”
It seems, therefore, we have no excuse not to rejoice. After all if we do not, we run the risk of taking the many graces of our lives, our world, and our congregation for granted; or thinking of them as less than they actually are. For example, a woman attended our worship service for the second time this past Sunday. She shared with me that her daughter does not approve of her being a faithful person. But she declared, “I feel like Jesus is with me all the time, and really feel it here.” What a great reminder that the spirit we have in our church is not common, and is, in fact, life-giving to those whose spirits are parched and dry. Both others and we ourselves are refreshed and have our thirsty souls quenched by being together in worship.
Further, last Sunday was something to rejoice in. We have a gifted, care-full, and faithful woman who we have called to be a pastor among us. We have the resources to have a pastor who can help nourish and nurture our congregation, especially focusing on those of our congregation who are the future of this church. In that spirit, we were able to celebrate the generations of faith that have formed Pastor Lauren, from her father’s participation in the service, together with her mother, grandparents, husband, and friends adding their voices to our worship of God and our covenant with her that day.
My friends, we have no idea what the future will bring, what graces or ills await us. But now, in this present moment in the life of our church, we have much to celebrate and rejoice in. And even when the challenges of the days ahead seem daunting, we have faith in a God who will not let us go. And in this we should always rejoice.
With confidence in Christ,
~ Pastor Todd