Good Morning Church Family,
It is the day after Resurrection Sunday. Is there anything special about today? My younger brother Tim thinks it is, as his 61st birthday is today. If Thomas Jefferson were alive, he would be trying to blow out 277 candles on his cake. Fifty years ago astronauts on Apollo 13 uttered the famous words, “Okay, Houston, we’ve had a problem here.” We celebrate the crew making it home and watching a pretty good movie about the many heroes that made it possible. Over history on this date there have been various military battles won over which the victors exulted and the losers mourned.
Now, you and I get to celebrate the fact that we are loved by the resurrected Jesus, today and every day. We do not have to wait until April 4, 2021 to commemorate His and our victory over sin and death.
I am an optimist to a fault. The reason for that (I hope) is grounded in the truths of the Bible. I watched some of “The Bible” movie yesterday. As Moses led Israel out of Egypt, he repeatedly stated to Pharaoh and those who doubted, “God has said.” Here are some truths you can celebrate today:
1) In Christ, your sins are forgiven and you have been adopted as a child of the Creator God (Eph. 1:5);
2) God has and will continue to lavish on you the riches of His grace (Eph. 1:7-8);
3) In times of doubt and suffering you can praise the God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3-7);
4) God has promised to not leave you alone as Hebrew 13:5-6 says, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you…The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”; and,
5) Though from a human perspective, the future looks uncertain and even dangerous, God is working out the plan He established before the creation of the world to redeem His people and show His glory to the whole world (Eph. 1:3-14).
I encourage you to add to this list. Go on a “treasure hunt” throughout Scripture and claim the glorious promises that “God has said” to His people.
Oh yeah, one more thing to celebrate: we are one day closer to being able to meet together. I recently read a definition of “the church” that has stuck with me. The writer, while later emphasizing it as the body of Christ, put his first focus on the church being the “gathered people of Jesus” who enjoyed diving bonds of fellowship together.
So I close today with part of a letter Ian Banks, Senior Class President at Covenant College, wrote to his classmates after learning their graduation ceremony will not be held until later in the fall:
“I look forward to Homecoming [when graduation will be held] with tremendous hope,
though these recent days have reminded us all that plans must be held loosely
and offered up to the Lord’s will.
I am confident that God will bring us together again, and in that time,
I will be thrilled to enjoy the great gift of your physical presence.”
I have known Ian all his life and am confident his words reflect a heart that celebrates His Savior every day. So I will borrow his sign off.
In great hope,
Pastor Gillikin