“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”  ~  Philippians 4:6-7

 I wanted to start out by saying, “we are living in uncertain times,” but as I think back on what I have learned, and more importantly, what I have experienced over my life, I understand we have always lived in “uncertain times.”

The simple reason is that we cannot predict the future with any more accuracy than we can predict the weather.

So, more accurately, we are living in a time of change. But wait….. We have always lived in a state of change. Nothing around us, not even we as humans, were created to stay the same. Seasons change, weather changes, the sun and moon are always changing, our human bodies change—think of everything inside that never stops changing!

If this is true, that everything changes, then why can’t we find comfort in change?

I believe it is because we are not spending enough time seeking the presence of God, and when we don’t seek the presence of God, we begin to look away, we begin trusting less in God and more in ourselves. And when we trust more in ourselves than in God, the change we experience leans into fear—fear of not having or being enough. Fear of having our power or privilege (real or perceived) taken away. Fear of the “other” and what they are doing. And when each of us as individual humans begin to fear like that—well, we can clearly see what happens—just look around you for 30 seconds. It is not pretty!

March 5 begins our 40 day journey of reflection on Jesus and the cross. Traditionally, it has been viewed as a time of sacrifice—giving something up, or more recently, adding a spiritual discipline.

This year, I want to challenge you to just open yourself to what is happening around you. Open your eyes and purposefully and intentionally seek God in creation as well as those humans you encounter—family, friend, stranger, or enemy—where God is shining through them. And if you say you can’t see God shining through, I want you to remember that they, too, are a child of God, just like you, and God works through ALL of us, not just a few. Then Pray for God to reveal themselves through that/those people.

And if you can’t see, then close your eyes and listen. Listen to their story—do not interject your thoughts, expectations, or bias. Instead, let their story reveal God. And if you can’t hear, then pray for God to drown out the noise and reveal the truth about that person.

And if you can’t see or hear—then breathe deeply, clear your mind, and pray that God grant you the wisdom to understand and learn the truth that surrounds you.

God has promised to always be with us. God fulfilled that promise through Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection. And when Jesus left this earth, he gifted us with the Holy Spirit our Advocate and Guide, who now dwells within us, never leaving us.

During this Lent season, I invite you to calm your fears and anxiety by returning your focus to God. When you feel anxious, pray. When you are confused, pray. When you don’t know who to trust, pray to the one who has promised never to forsake you. Spend time talking to God, and intentionally seeking God within creation and others. Who knows, change may come more easily.

May the change that is happening manifest through you, through us, to bring about God’s year of Jubilee, offering peace and justice throughout the world. May God’s Kin-dom reign here on earth, now and forevermore, so that we no longer have to say, “we are living in uncertain times,” but rather ”our time is certain.” May it be so.

Always Peace,

Pastor Heidi