Lost It All?

As I write these thoughts just one week has passed following the massive flooding in Colorado.  The force and amount of water has caused terrible destruction throughout our state, sweeping homes away, flooding others, breaking our infrastructure, and has even swept lives away.  We are in shock and awe at the sudden and force of destruction.  Many (including myself) are still cleaning up.    On the news and in some conversations referring to what is now gone, I hear the term “lost it all”.  Our dear neighbors lost their home as a mudslide broke in one side of their house and went out the other.  You could say they lost it all.  As people check with insurance agencies and are told there is no coverage for flood, they might exclaim we have lost it all.  As families mourn a death that has come as a result of this flood, in their pain they feel they have lost it all.  The loss is truly great and not to be minimized, but to say “lost it all” is a mistake.  Romans 11:29 tells us that God’s promises to us, God’s love for us, and God’s gifts to us are under full warranty – never canceled, never rescinded.  His greatest gift to us is Jesus and in Jesus we have everything.  No one has lost it all.  No matter how terrible our circumstances, we can say “I am still God’s child.  My life is more than this life.  This suffering will eventually pass.  God will make something good out of this.  Jesus is my all.  I will stay faithful and trust God no matter what.”  Our life is more than this life, more than this broken heart, more than this difficult time.  God won’t break a promise.  He will get us through this.  If you’d like to talk to someone, or need a helping hand at this time, please contact us at Peace.

                                                                     Polly Wegner, Director of Discipleship

                                                                     pwegner@peacelutheran.net

                                                                     303-424-4454

How are we Known?

Max Lucado tells the story of a woman in a small town who was a single mother with a frail sick baby.  Her neighbor stopped by every few days and cared for the infant so the mom could do her needed errands.  After some weeks the neighbor shared more than time; she shared her faith, and the mom became a Christian.  Friends of the young mother objected: "Do you know what you are doing, what Christians stand for?" they contested.  "Here is what I know," she told them.  "They held my baby."

To extend Christ's love to our neighbor sometimes is as easy as holding a baby.  We don't have to have a theological answer for every question in society.  Just be nice.  Another quote (I wish I could credit who first said it) says “Don’t tell me what a friend I have in Jesus until I see what a friend I have in you.”  Seeing a need and meeting it in the name of Jesus is the mark of a disciple following Jesus' example.

"And they'll know we are Christians by our love."

                                                                                 

                                                           Polly Wegner, Director of Discipleship

                                                           pwegner@peacelutheran.net

                                                           303-424-4454