Well thanksgiving has come and gone.
The usual large family gatherings were banned and it looks as if the same will hold true for CHRISTmas. Business are closed and restricted to the point of closing forever. Life time investments gone. Dreams stolen. Hope crushed. Well enough holiday spirit dashing! We need that HOPE of CHRISTmas, the JOY of the holiday season and Peace on Earth. You know the usual, so I am issuing a Stay in the CHRISTmas Spirit Order. This is to go into effect immediately and stay in place until Jesus comes again.
So many of the holidays or days of recognition are short lived when they are feelings or attitudes we should express and encourage all year round. Take thanksgiving, do you live a life of gratitude or just express thanks periodically? Do you live a life celebrating the saviors coming down from heaven or get lost in the hustle bustle of shopping, wrapping baking?
Well this year in So Cal, you’re supposed to ‘stay at home’ stay 6 feet apart, ie: ‘Socially Distant’, however I urge you to stay ‘Spiritually Close’ to one another and to our Savior. We are told to wear a masked and even though they say the eyes are a window to the soul, it’s not the same as seeing peoples smiles and hear their joy spoken clearly not muffled.
Know that Gods promises and still spoken clearly! Since the promise of a Savior to Adam and Eve in the garden to Moses delivering the people out of slavery in Egypt and the fresh start of humanity through Noah and his family God is intimately involved in the lives of his creation. Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Jonah proclaiming God’s justice and love and grace. John the Baptist crying in the wilderness a savior is coming and Jesus himself declaring the Kingdom of God is at hand.
All of these people and more have proclaimed an eternal promise of Hope. Hope that can only come from the creator and redeemer. Christ’s real presence here on earth has brought salvation. His sacrificial death and resurrection and ascension has defeated sin, death and the power of the devil bringing to you his grace and power.
Romans 5:1-5 ESV - Peace with God Through Faith
5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
May God fill you with his peace and hope for the future in this place and this time.
Join us at Trinity Lutheran, your Hope filling Station.
@ 5080 Kingsley St., Montclair CA. OR www.tlcmontclair.org
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