April 14, 2006

I missed sharing with you. Life can sometimes move more quickly than we can keep up. Within the past three weeks my family has been to an island in Nicaragua for a dive vacation, thieves have visited our home and taken, among other things, the computer that had all my reflections and other pastoral work on it. (Life lesson: faithfully back up important material. For at a time as ye think not . . .) We’ve attended our 30th high school reunion. I unexpectedly bought a truck at an auction. (My minimum bid happened to be the only bid:) Kelly’s step-dad died in the Lord. We give thanks for so many things about his life, but his passing still leaves great loss.

My mental/emotional health is taking a final exam. I believe I’m passing with a pretty high score. So instead of wrapping myself in my life. I will let myself be wrapped in Jesus. After all, this weekend is all about Him. There are potentially some vicious rumors circulating about the Adventist pastor in our town who forgot Jesus this Easter. The truth is that at our dress rehearsal for the Easter Cantata I discovered I had not asked anyone to read the words of Jesus for the cantata narration. So Wayne, the Alliance pastor in town who came to my rescue, has a whopper of a sermon illustration to use sometime as payback for what I owe him :)

I have this awesome story about what it is to know the resurrection power of God. But because I’m using it in church tomorrow, I can’t use it now. So for my church family who are out of town this weekend and the rest of you who are part of other fellowships, I’ll share it in a few weeks.
Let me conclude with this. In a couple of hours I will assist with a community Good Friday service in the old Spanish Mission in town. I will read the passion story from Mark’s Gospel. I’m especially struck again by Jesus’ surrender to His Father’s will. The Father’s will is for us!

At His arrest He asks the mob a question. “Why?” Then He says, “But let the scriptures be fulfilled.” (RSV) He knew what scripture said about His Father’s will. I hear Him choosing to surrender to that will. This seems to run directly counter to our human nature. But we each may choose to allow the same providence to cover our lives. I do not expect that my road to glory be any easier than my Savior’s. God has great plans for us. May we let them be fulfilled.

“Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain in the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “Truly, this was the Son of God!” Mark 15:37-39

Be at peace,
Pastor Steve