11-9-2025

Good Morning All,

                2 Corinthians 4:7: “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”

    My wife and I received an outdoor propane fire pit for Christmas from our children many years ago.  A couple of weeks later, on a nice warm Sunday, my oldest son offered to put it together for his mother.  I would have gotten to it eventually but, you know.  I didn’t get to watch the construction; I wasn’t back from the church at the time.  Yet my wife could hardly contain her laughter when she told the tale.

    It seems that our, then, 2, almost 3, year old grandson offered to “help” his dad “fix it”.  Soon the little screws and nuts and bolts were spread around the patio.  Every so often he would stand in front of dad to get a better look or have the screwdriver that dad needed.  All in all, it added some time to the construction, but we both told my son; it is only beginning.

    When my sons were about that age and then older, they liked to “help” as well.  I remember telling my wife that I could get our livestock chores done in about an hour; it took an hour and a half when I was “helped.”  I remember looking for wrenches, hammers, screwdrivers, saws, nails, boards, screws, bolts and just about anything that wasn’t tied down that one, two or three little boys could carry.  They would always want to help and we usually let them unless it was unsafe for them.  They were allowed and encouraged to help because it formed a bond of love between them and the parents and grandparents that they were spending time with and now, the next generation is bonding as well.

  Now, some 10 years later, that firepit is in pretty tough shape. The hinges on the door have rusted off, some of the tiles have chipped off, and it is a little wobbly. We discussed tossing it and getting a new one. But as we thought and remembered; we looked again and, the legs were still straight and firm. The burner still works and we are going to try and put a new face on it with some new paneling to cover the hole where the door is. It holds too many memories to toss without trying.    

 This is part of why our verse plays out the way it does. We have the treasure (God’s saving Gospel message) but we have it in our frail human nature and condition.  This is one of the mysteries of faith; why does God let us humans mess it up so often?  It would go smoother if God just “zapped” the ones who would believe and then be done with it but that is not how he does it.  God uses created things to bring about healing in this broken world.  He uses water and bread and wine for our sacramental nourishment and he uses other humans to provide the physical warmth and touch.  He uses human voices to speak to us at times; he uses human arms to comfort us when we are hurting; he uses humans to reach humans. He loves us and does not want to throw us away but to renew, restore and keep in hos holy family.

Father, in your hands we rest safely.  Move us by your mighty Spirit to spread your message of salvation and hope.  Move us to have compassion on our brothers and sisters who are in need of your mercy.  Guide us to be your hands and voices in this world of pain and silence.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret