God's Words of Comfort During a Pandemic

Sermon preached at my congregation on March 15, 2020 for the Third Sunday in Lent. It was preached on Exodus 17:1-7 with John 4:5-26 also heavily used. This Sunday was arguably the first Americans had for worship during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, grace and peace to you, Amen.

God’s Word is always full of perfect timing. Our lives this past week have been changed and altered in profound ways. You have the feeling we have been quickly thrust into uncharted waters and we don’t yet know where this wayward ship is headed. Its frustrating when you don’t really know exactly what to think, or what sources to trust. We’re not sure if the world is going to end in the next 7 days or if we’re going to find out everything is a-okay, nothing further to worry about. Tomorrow remains a big unknown.

Yet not entirely. God’s Word speaks about Christian living in difficult times. In days of uncertainty and days in which we feel like we are surrounded by unknowns and uncharted waters God’s Word speaks of hope. God is the most perfect of certainties in our lives. He is known. He is in charge. He makes tomorrow a matter of hope and promise because it is in His hands.

Trees and Life

[Originally published in the Monroe News on March 6, 2020]

I was out walking in the woods and snow near my house the other day.  Its something I very much like to do.  I’m an avid hiker and backpacker and would hit the trails and be amongst the trees often if I had the time.  There is something about being out in nature and being amongst all of these growing things that breathes life into one’s soul.  

Trees can play a big part in life’s story.  How many of us can remember that one tree in our yard with which we spent so much time growing up?  Perhaps it was the shade tree under which we would sit and read a book.  Maybe it was the climbing tree or the tree from which hung a swing for us to play.  I had a red maple tree in my backyard growing up.  It was the tree that looked like it was lit on fire every autumn with beautiful red leaves which filled the yard up with beauty for a few weeks.  Trees are right in the midst of our memories and they help us see the passage of time and this life.  You might just say trees are a symbol and sign of life.