Hello Gloria Dei,
I officiated at a funeral yesterday. Earlier this month I officiated at a wedding. I’ve also been blessed to be part of numerous baptisms over the past few months. We pastors have been meeting with our ninth-grade confirmation students.
In all these different stages and phases of life, the promise of Psalm 23 runs constant. You’ve heard me say many times that the first words of this beautiful psalm are “The Lord.” Then, right smack dab in the middle of the psalm come the words “With Me.” And the very last word of the psalm is “Forever.” Put them together and you have the theme not only of Psalm 23, but of all of Scripture.
“The Lord… With Me… Forever.” That’s our promise, centered in Christ, and that’s our reality.
We are now into the busy fall season. Yet, I want to remind you to stop for a while and give thanks to God that God is with us… with you, no matter the stage or circumstances of life. It is a privilege all of us share to proclaim at baptisms, confirmations, weddings, and funerals, that the Lord is with us always.
For this week’s worship services, please read Luke 19:1-10. The theme this week is “Made For Being Known”. Psalm 23 gives us the promise that the Lord is our Shepherd who knows us, loves us, forgives us, and journeys with us through this life and the next. Surely God’s goodness and mercy are following you and you will dwell in the house of the Lord now and forever.
See you in worship,
Pastor Tim
