11-16-2018

Good Morning All,

           Romans 12:15; “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”

     We once observed a time when we had a wedding, regular Sunday worship and then a funeral in less than 24 hours.  We literally went from rejoicing with those who rejoice and mourning with those who mourn.  It was a short turn-around time.  While many people would look at this weekend and ask how can you possibly swing from one emotion to the other so quickly?  Were you sad at the wedding or were you too happy for the funeral?  I am not real sure what that question really means but I think the answer is “no”; I wasn’t too happy or too sad.  However, I did see something that I hadn’t really thought of before.  Weddings and funerals are a lot alike.

     Now I am sure you are thinking; “I’ve been to weddings and I’ve been to funerals, about all they have in common is the church.”  Yet there is a far deeper truth involved.  Both weddings and funerals show us examples of what faith is.  We see times when we go forth trusting in God’s grace to get us through.

     As you counsel and the marry two people, you can’t help but think of the marriage statistics and wonder and worry but especially pray for this newlywed couple.  They seem to be in love; they seem to give the right answers and the right attitude.  Yet in the end, we only have God’s grace to rely on.  We trust and pray that the newly married couple will always look to Christ for guidance and direction.  We pray that God will sustain them through whatever comes their way.  In the end, a wedding is joining two people together, trusting that God, in his grace and mercy, will protect them from all harm and danger.

    In a funeral, we see God’s grace in action on the other end.  In a funeral, we plead to God to give us strength to see the victory that is ours in the death and resurrection of Jesus.  We trust in God and his promise that our salvation is guaranteed and that our loved one is now resting in the loving arms of our Savior and that in this knowledge we take comfort because we know that we will see, touch, love and rejoice with our loved ones again. 

    In both these events, and in all our other life events, we only truly have God’s grace to sustain us.  We are creatures of God that rely solely on his mercy for all that we have.  We are his redeemed and beloved children to whom he has promised to pour out his grace upon us and we take comfort and we can have joy knowing that the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords is dwelling in us and giving us peace.  All of our life events are connected because our entire existence is a loving mercy from God.

Father of all goodness and mercy, we look to you in our joy and in our sorrow for you alone are the holy One.  In your mercy you give to us as we need and you bring us the wonders of your love.  You protect us from the evils of the devil and you give to us the hope of life, perfect life with you.  Keep us strong in our faith; keep us strong in living the life that you give us.  Guard as we go.  In the precious name of Jesus, our risen Savior, we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret