Church Family Update - April 23, 2020

First, some good news:

I asked my 11-year-old son if he had any good news to share. Without even hesitating he said, “Burger Barn is still open!” I can see I’ve taught him well. It is indeed a blessing that so many stores remain open giving us access to necessary items like food (and ice-cream). 

A Prayer Request:

Let’s be in prayer for our university students. Many of them are just now wrapping up final exams and facing an unknown future in terms of summer employment, housing, etc. 

An Opportunity to Serve:

During this time of scarcity for many ministries, Hope Mission is in need of a number of clothing and hygiene items. Here is the list of things they need:

Clothing:

-underwear

-Jeans Size 30-36

-Hoodies

-Sweatpants

-T-shirts

-Thin gloves

Hygiene Items:

-Big bottles of lotion, conditioner, shampoo, body wash, bath soap

-Deodorant

-Toothbrushes

-Razors and shaving cream

If you would like to donate any of these items you may bring them to the church office between 10:00 AM-2:00 PM either tomorrow (Friday the 24th) or Tuesday-Thursday next week (April 28th-30th). We also have a volunteer ready to come to your house and pick up any items you want to donate if that would be more convenient for you. Email the office if this is your preference.

A Devotional Thought for Today:

“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12) 

In keeping with the theme of Sunday’s sermon, I’m thinking about this verse from Psalm 90 today. Our current situation provides us with a real opportunity to grow in wisdom. I’ve been hesitant to talk about this virus as an “opportunity” because that almost seems dismissive of the thousands of lives that are being lost. 

Nonetheless, it is absolutely true that God can and does cause good things to come from bad circumstances. In that sense, we are presented with a real opportunity for growth during these difficult times. So my main prayer is that this crisis will end and lives will be spared. But I am also praying that through these difficult days we’ll learn the lessons that God has for us.

And I think one of those lessons is that we’re being taught to number our days. Many of us are thinking about our own mortality and the mortality of our loved ones more than we ever have before. And while that can be a depressing and even scary thought, it can also be a path to real wisdom. How so? 

When we learn to number our days and have a clear-eyed, realistic recognition of how fleeting life is, we learn to value each day as the gift that it is. In other words, a person who has numbered their days won’t waste their days. This particular day is a gift from God entrusted to you. Receive it as the gift that it is and use it well. That’s wisdom.

Have a blessed day. 

Pastor Jason