OUR PASTOR

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.”

These familiar words from Ecclesiastes may sound somewhat simplistic, but they describe a very real truth about our world. There is a predictability to life even when it may not always seem so when we are in the midst of living day-to-day and week-to-week. That predictability reflects the nature and character of God, the creator of the universe.

We all know that we live in challenging times. In a world where we worry about our own and our children’s safety, where job security is non-existent, and where the economy is up and down, it is hard to comprehend the unchanging nature of God, let alone put our trust in the Lord. Yet that is what we, as Christians, are called to do – put our trust in the God who loves us, forgives us, and is always there for us.

I know it is not easy to trust God. Trust is something we expect someone to earn; something we build slowly in a relationship. God, however, has already done more than enough to earn our trust. We just have to learn to recognize and to acknowledge all that he has done.

One way we can begin to do this is to take time to thank God for all the small blessings of life. Until we take a few moments to stop and think about the many ways God has helped us, provided for us, encouraged us, and guided us, we will find it difficult to trust in God and his constancy.

The month of November, when our thoughts naturally turn to the giving of thanks, is a natural time to focus on the blessings the Lord has brought into our lives. As you look at the world around you, interact with family and friends, buy food and clothes, attend church, and even when you pay the bills, give thanks to God for the opportunity to have such experiences, to enjoy relationships, and to have a life to live.

We can depend on the unchanging nature of God, who has provided order to the universe and a predictability to life. Let us give thanks to the Lord!

With thanksgiving,

Pastor Diane