The lessons for today all recite a common theme: “THE AWESOME POWER OF GOD!” It doesn’t matter what lies before us, the Lord will help us. We need not fear, the Lord will not forsake us. The Lord is all powerful and demonstrates that the Kingdom of the Lord is everlasting! Therefore, we should not fear, but rejoice in the Lord always! This we need to hear and ponder, especially now as so many of us feel as small and powerless as a worm in the face of a recessed economy. We don’t know what lies ahead. While we should be praying for our nation’s leaders and reflecting on our own economic behaviors to see where we can better prepare ourselves for the future, it is even more important to remember who is ultimately in charge of our lives. The Lord reaches out to us in our times of need and says, “Fear not, I will help you!” This assurance is often difficult for some of us to accept, especially for those who are worried about losing their homes, their jobs, their savings, and who don’t have enough food to eat. At my church, which is only a few blocks from Creighton University, we serve the inner-city poor with our food pantry. The number of visitors is up dramatically. I hear this from fellow Christians all over the country. More people are hungry. Food banks are in need of bail outs too. And while it is easier for all of us to focus on our insecurities, afflictions, and needs than it is to recognize what the hand of the Lord has done in our lives, we also need to see where we can bless the name of the Lord in our faithfulness. As people of god, we have heard the good news and we have seen the awesome power of God at work in the world. We need to speak of that might with our deeds of love and mercy whenever we can so others can see it too. It is my prayer today, as I participate in the Christmas season, that I will see the springs of water instead of the desert, the trees instead of the wasteland, and the power of the Lord instead of my own weakness. If I rely only on myself, I see only my needs and my fears. If I accept the outstretched hand of God, I have much for which I can rejoice….and I can stretch out my hand to others by donating to my local food banks. This is the discourse of the glory of the Kingdom. This is how we make known THE AWESOME POWER OF GOD! |