Church Family Update - April 1, 2020

First, some Ebenezer poetry:

Tomorrow I will be announcing the winners of our first annual Ebenezer poetry competition. There’s still time to submit your entries! Didn’t know we were having a poetry competition? See the Ebenezer Update from March 24. 

An Opportunity:

Yesterday I encouraged us all to be looking for the opportunities that God gives us to be a blessing on others during difficult times. Today I’d like to make you aware of one such opportunity for all of those who know how to sew (or maybe it’s knit…I can’t remember which one). The nurses at Leduc Hospital have asked for caps to wear while they are working. If you are interested in using your talents to make these caps contact Jen at the church office and she will give you the details (including whether or not these caps are supposed to be sewn or knit). 

Online Giving:

A number of people have inquired about giving to the church online using E-transfers during this time when we aren’t taking a physical offering. Jen can easily set this up for you just give her a call or email (jen@ebenezercrc.com)

Prayer Requests: 

Pray for all our seniors who are not allowed to receive visitors during this time of social distancing. 

Please pray for me and all the parents who will have to endure April Fool's jokes today from their kids who have way too much time and energy on their hands! 

A Devotional Thought for Today:

Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Today I’m thankful for this precious promise from Psalm 46 and in particular I’m focusing on the phrase “very present.” If you think about it, that’s kind of a strange phrase. It seems to me that either you’re present or you’re not present. How can you be very present? 

It reminds me of something I heard many times from exasperated teachers when I was a boy: “Jason, pay attention!” I’m kind of a daydreamer by disposition and I often found my mind wandering during class and then the teacher would call on me and I would literally have no idea what we were talking about. I can feel my face getting hot even now just thinking about those embarrassing moments. Maybe that’s why I got a job where I do all the talking—so no one will call on me. 

In those cases I was present but not “very present.” I suppose technically I heard what my teachers were saying but I wasn’t listening so I wasn’t taking it in. So often back then I was present-but-not-paying-attention. According to this verse, that’s the opposite of God’s presence with us during times of trouble. 

God is very present during our times of trouble. The word translated “very” in that verse literally means “abundantly.” Isn’t it good to know that God is abundantly present with you right now during this time of trouble? He’s there with you and He’s engaged and He’s leaning in and He’s listening. That’s the kind of God we worship: abundantly present. Think about that and take some time to thank God for His abundant presence with you today.    

Grace and Peace.

Pastor Jason