Greetings From the Pastor
Pastor DeStephano's November 2020 Reflection
"Only Noah was left, and those that were with him in the ark. And the waters swelled on the earth for one hundred fifty days. But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and all the domestic animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided; (Genesis 7:23-8:1)"
Dear Friends,
Imagine being Noah on the ark – being alone, isolated, and not knowing what will come next. Surrounded by water, Noah can’t get off the boat and he’s stuck with his family and all of the animals of the world. Noah probably wanted to be alone, or see a new face, or even just to have the whole thing finished.
Sounds like the last few months of our lives, right?
During these months, we have run the gambit of emotions. Loneliness and depression, hopefulness and trust, excitement and disappointment, distress and relief, frustration and peace – all have been in extreme ways part of our lives. Young people even tell me there is an affliction that people have labelled as the “Fear of Missing Out.” We can be consumed by what we don’t know and there might be something great happening without us. I am sure Noah went through all of these, too.
Yet there at the end of seventh chapter of Genesis, something amazing happens. God remembered Noah. In not just the most difficult time in Noah’s life, but in the most difficult time in the whole world, God remembered him. And, yes, we could debate if God ever forgets, but the stress in this passage is that God remembered.
During these days, God remembers us. What great comfort we take in that! God remembers us, wherever we are and in whatever we are doing. As events around may become better or may become worse, God remembers us. As individuals or as whole congregations, God remembers us. In praise and worship, and in work and rest, God remembers us.
Conversely, we remember God. We recall all those things God has done for us. We remember God sending his Son into this world. In a world that seems “flooded” by so much chaos, we remember. Goodness and holiness enter into the world and we remember. We remember God and the church, the Body of Christ.
At Friedensaal we enter a time of remembering. We remember the Reformation, where the Gospel was stressed to be for all people. We remember all the saints who have gone before us on All Saints’ Sunday. We remember the blessings that God has already given us and will give us as we celebrate Thanksgiving. We remember the world of long ago and the world today as we prepare for the birth of God’s Son.
God remembered his people and gave his Son. That is the relationship that we have with God. God constantly remembers us. During the incredibly difficult times and in the times of “smooth sailing,” God remembers us while we in turn remember God. It is in this relationship that we live and that we find we have gained eternal life!
Yours in Christ,
Pastor DeStephano
"Only Noah was left, and those that were with him in the ark. And the waters swelled on the earth for one hundred fifty days. But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and all the domestic animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided; (Genesis 7:23-8:1)"
Dear Friends,
Imagine being Noah on the ark – being alone, isolated, and not knowing what will come next. Surrounded by water, Noah can’t get off the boat and he’s stuck with his family and all of the animals of the world. Noah probably wanted to be alone, or see a new face, or even just to have the whole thing finished.
Sounds like the last few months of our lives, right?
During these months, we have run the gambit of emotions. Loneliness and depression, hopefulness and trust, excitement and disappointment, distress and relief, frustration and peace – all have been in extreme ways part of our lives. Young people even tell me there is an affliction that people have labelled as the “Fear of Missing Out.” We can be consumed by what we don’t know and there might be something great happening without us. I am sure Noah went through all of these, too.
Yet there at the end of seventh chapter of Genesis, something amazing happens. God remembered Noah. In not just the most difficult time in Noah’s life, but in the most difficult time in the whole world, God remembered him. And, yes, we could debate if God ever forgets, but the stress in this passage is that God remembered.
During these days, God remembers us. What great comfort we take in that! God remembers us, wherever we are and in whatever we are doing. As events around may become better or may become worse, God remembers us. As individuals or as whole congregations, God remembers us. In praise and worship, and in work and rest, God remembers us.
Conversely, we remember God. We recall all those things God has done for us. We remember God sending his Son into this world. In a world that seems “flooded” by so much chaos, we remember. Goodness and holiness enter into the world and we remember. We remember God and the church, the Body of Christ.
At Friedensaal we enter a time of remembering. We remember the Reformation, where the Gospel was stressed to be for all people. We remember all the saints who have gone before us on All Saints’ Sunday. We remember the blessings that God has already given us and will give us as we celebrate Thanksgiving. We remember the world of long ago and the world today as we prepare for the birth of God’s Son.
God remembered his people and gave his Son. That is the relationship that we have with God. God constantly remembers us. During the incredibly difficult times and in the times of “smooth sailing,” God remembers us while we in turn remember God. It is in this relationship that we live and that we find we have gained eternal life!
Yours in Christ,
Pastor DeStephano