It is August. We are into the Dog days of Summer. The oppressive heat reminds me of our physical struggles in this life. The last two months I have written about death and again we have lost another long time member. The limitations of this life are so evident to us and just like the heat at this time of year they seem to drag on. In this heat it is so easy to just stay put and say why bother it is too hot. Sometimes we can get into the same rut spiritually.
Life does not seem to get better. We struggle with the same problems over and over again. One ailment seems to morph into another and we grow weary. Elijah was so distraught even after seeing God’s victory over Baal that he went off and prayed to die.
The people of Israel seemed to constantly lose sight of God every time things got hard. We seem to revert back to that inner child and ask the old question. “If God loves me, why can’t I get my locker open? We may have gotten older and our problems are more adult problems but we still struggle with the basic question does, “God really love me?”
We humans love to be rescued. In those moments we feel loved. So, why is it we resent having to be rescued? Why is it, that in the midst of trouble we forget that God has saved us?
The Scriptures tell us, “Faith comes from hearing the message of Christ.” The parables tell us that when our faith is week we need more of God’s Word.
Hebrews 12 says:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
In these times we need again to look to Jesus and to be assured of His love for us. His love never fails and his mercy never comes to an end.
Pastor Mark
Life does not seem to get better. We struggle with the same problems over and over again. One ailment seems to morph into another and we grow weary. Elijah was so distraught even after seeing God’s victory over Baal that he went off and prayed to die.
The people of Israel seemed to constantly lose sight of God every time things got hard. We seem to revert back to that inner child and ask the old question. “If God loves me, why can’t I get my locker open? We may have gotten older and our problems are more adult problems but we still struggle with the basic question does, “God really love me?”
We humans love to be rescued. In those moments we feel loved. So, why is it we resent having to be rescued? Why is it, that in the midst of trouble we forget that God has saved us?
The Scriptures tell us, “Faith comes from hearing the message of Christ.” The parables tell us that when our faith is week we need more of God’s Word.
Hebrews 12 says:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
In these times we need again to look to Jesus and to be assured of His love for us. His love never fails and his mercy never comes to an end.
Pastor Mark
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