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Redeemer Lutheran Church 1320 Dean Street, Woodstock, IL 60098 Phone: (815)338-9370 Fax: (815)338-9266 Email: info@rlcw.org Pastor Thomas E. Rogers Jr: pastor.tom@rlcw.org |
Pastor’s Message
For my daily devotions, my former spiritual director turned me on to a devotional book called Daily Texts. It uses Bible texts that the Moravian church elders pick annually, something they have been doing since 1731. Then the people who put out this devotional, Mount Carmel Ministries of Minnesota, add daily prayers that reflect on the texts.
I have been struck by a recent text and prayer. The text is from 1 Peter 1:18-19:
“You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.”
Here is the prayer: “You are our God and we are your people. Free us from our mindless, self-centered ways. Secure our hope in your promises by giving us faith in what you can do with us and through us. Help us to focus on things that are eternal so that, transformed by your love, we can share your reality. Amen”
What strikes me about these is the “futile, mindless, and self-centered ways” that occur when we are not focused on God’s love for us in Jesus Christ. The writer of First Peter reminds us that Jesus’ life, death and resurrection was all about freeing us from these errant ways. Once freed then, we can go on and focus on building up God’s way, making that a present reality.
So where in our lives do we need to repent of our “futile, mindless, and self-centered ways?” Where do we need to repent in our relationships with family, friends and at work? Where do we need to repent in our journey of faith and as members of the community of Christian faith here at Redeemer? We need to repent – to turn our backs to – these ways. Not only do they destroy these relationships, they also distance us from God, destroying that relationship as well, wrecking our faith.
So repentance is vital! Then, after we repent, our prayers can first ask for faith to trust in the Holy Spirit’s leading. Then with that trust, we can constantly realign ourselves with God’s will, on those things that are eternal. The good news for us is that God promises to always be our God, for God’s love for us is unwavering. Finally, as the prayer says, give us “…faith in what you can do with us and through us.” Remember, for nothing is impossible with God and I am eager to see God’s continued action here at Redeemer!
In faith,
In God’s peace,
Pastor Tom