Thought for Today
Genesis 1:5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy.
Luke 6:5 Then he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath."
Luke 11:3 Give us each day our daily bread.
Do you have a favorite day? A favorite day of the year? Of the month? Any sort of favorite day? Some of you might choose your birthday; some might choose Christmas or some other favorite day of the year. Hopefully it will come as no surprise to anyone that my personal favorite day is Sunday. It seems eminently appropriate for Sunday to be the favorite day for a minister and hopefully that is usually the case . . . but I cannot help bur wonder if it is so. Churches are assemblies of people, and churches are not immune from all the attendant problems associated with people.
Yesterday was the first Sunday of Lent. Yesterday we welcomed a new couple to our family of faith. For me, yesterday was a triply favorite day. I do not bet on much of anything,, but yesterday I felt like I had hit a trifecta. Please do not ask me to pick between the three things for which would be in first, second or third place. All three, Sunday, beginning of Lent and welcoming new members would be my choice for first place.
Can we have multiple favorites? Can more than a single thing be a favorite? If, like Greta and me, you are blessed with grandchildren, you know that it is not only possible, it is inevitable that you have multiple favorite grandchildren. That was also the case for their parents. Greta and I did have a favorite child. In fact, we had two favorite children. I love to tease my youngest granddaughter by telling her she is my favorite youngest granddaughter. She is, but I always receive an eye-roll as she reminds me that I only have one youngest granddaughter. The same idea of being a favorite is true for her sister and for their cousin. Each is my favorite.
The same is not true for the days of the week or the days of the year. I am certainly more fond of my birthday than of most other days. More so each year as I continue to have birthdays. Honestly, however, I am more fond of Greta’s birthday than of my own. Each day in my prayers, I thank God for her presence in my life.
There are probably holidays I prefer more than others. Easter is high on my list, as is Christmas, the celebrations of Christ’s birth and resurrection. Thanksgiving certainly ranks high. What’s not to like about a holiday celebrating food and football? Today is Presidents’ Day, a day created by Congress to commemorate the birthdays of two of our presidents. Like Labor Day and many other holidays created by Congress, I am ambivalent about today.
But, yesterday may well be my favorite day for 2024. Sunday, the first Sunday of Lent and new members of our family of faith! Sundays are always wonderful days, focused on worship of our Creator God. In words and hymns we express our love for God, our wonder at God’s Creation, our acknowledgement of God’s love and grace. Both the worship service and the fellowship of the coffee hour following it are celebrations of God and God’s grace. And, we get to celebrate each week!
Yesterday we began our worship journey toward the horror and agony of the betrayal and Crucifixion and the wonder and joy of the Resurrection. Each Sunday until the last day of March, we will walk with Jesus toward the Cross and the Empty Tomb. Yesterday, we began that symbolic journey in worship and in the act of welcoming two new members to our family of faith. Together we affirmed their baptisms where they were made one with us in the body of Christ, the church. We all affirmed our faith together, in unison. Yesterday, we all began, together, the Lenten journey toward the wonder and joy of the empty tomb on Easter morning. What a joy yesterday was!
This Lent, think about your own baptism. Whether baptized as an infant or as an adult, think about your own being made one with all of Christendom in the body of Christ, in the Church universal. Look forward in anticipation to the joy of Easter morning, in the full realization of God’s affirmation of Jesus as the Christ, as the Messiah.
Stay safe, journey with Jesus, trust God,
Pastor Ray