It feels strange to be staying home this July. We will visit family in August when we move James into the dorm. It also seems strange not to be getting together with our fellow Lutherans, but I have enjoyed the pictures from Germany and the live feeds of evening prayer from the Castle Church in Wittenberg. But I did get to have a long distance text conversation with the Pastor next to NYiT during the evening prayer service. So I feel that counts as me being there.
My point in all of this is that I am blessed that God has placed me in this place and time. That blessing so evident in His church we truly are the family of God. All that is because He chose us. He chose to come to us and to save us. We get discouraged so often, but time and time again we see God still keeping us in His grace.
I see that especially in our own little church. He surrounds us on all sides and protects us in troubled times. He provides our needs and gives us means to help others.
We call the 4th of July “Independence Day” that really is a misnomer. The only freedom that is of any value is our freedom to depend on God and the community He gives us in His Church.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NIV)
So this July I am celebrating my dependence.