by Virginia Flo, Regional Director of Minnesota & National Conference Director
Do you remember these verses from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”? Are we rejoicing always, praying without ceasing, and giving thanks in all circumstances? It can be difficult, especially now. Yet, in spite of all of the unrest and the concern for staying safe and healthy, we know that God, through Jesus Christ our Savior, has our back.
Although it might feel like our lives have been turned upside down, we still have our loving God watching over us and protecting us. Thus, we have so much for which to be joyful because He is the same as He has always been. Remember what being Lutheran is about.
Grace alone: God gives us physical blessings, especially the gift of his Son, Jesus. God’s grace gives us life and salvation enabling us to do His will.
Faith alone: By grace, God gives us faith that enables us to place our trust in Jesus. Through faith, with God’s strength and wisdom, we, as ordinary people, can do extraordinary things. Stewards guided by faith become Jesus’ hands, feet, and mouth.
Scripture alone: Through Scripture we know the truth and the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ our Savior. We know Scripture to be without error—we can trust it!
Christ alone: The one and only true Savior is Jesus Christ. He came to set us free from sin and gave us the gift of eternal life. That is reason to rejoice, pray, and give thanks.
It seems difficult to be the good stewards we would like to be as we find ourselves somewhat handicapped as Christians with the Coronavirus making worship and other Christian activities difficult. Yet, they are not impossible. Nothing has or will ever shut us down spiritually. We are worshiping, although with a few physical restrictions. We have found new ways to reach people through the use of video and other online technologies. We are still communicating either in person, by mail, by email, or via Zoom and other online tools. We are even evangelizing through these new tools.
Do we want to be back together through corporate worship with a full sanctuary and congregational singing, as well as other fellowship activities? Absolutely! That day will come, hopefully soon. In the meantime, exercise your stewardship life through worship as you can, partake in the Lord’s Supper, be part of a Bible study group, have an active prayer life, read Scripture regularly, and do what you can to watch after and care for your family, friends, and neighbors.
And, as we give thanks, we want to be sure to include our gratitude for the generosity you have shown toward Lutherans For Life during these difficult times. May we all continue to support our ministry in the many ways we are able going forward.