As I write this, in January of 2022, it is hard to believe we have spent two years dealing with the coronavirus. There are days when I feel like we are close to discovering the new normal. Other days I feel like everything is about to be flipped upside down. In January of 2020, I never imagined I would still be writing about the virus today. Nevertheless, I am once again seeing the hospitals fill up. I see people struggling. I see people fighting. There are people on staff at CLC who are working from home while they recover, and I just finished speaking to a church member whose husband is fighting for his life.
I desperately want things to be back to normal, but this is something I don’t get to control. I simply live with faith in a God who is in control. I would love to dive into the next year without hesitation, but there is more to life than what I want. Life is a journey, and we are all called to open our eyes and ears and listen to God...
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.
-Matthew 6:22
This week we begin a new sermon series that will challenge us to see the world differently. In the Bible, people often climbed mountains to experience God and gain a fresh perspective. Today, we know that God is everywhere, but we still need the mountaintop experiences on our faith journey.
Today I am praying for all those who are suffering, but I also want to find a deeper relationship with the people around me. The world has become so divided in the past two years. Every day I talk to people who want to prove someone else wrong. I wonder what we can do to lift each other up. This is not a moment for hate. We need to pull ourselves out of the rut we are in, and we need to look at our neighbors with hope.
Blessings!
Pastor Brian
