The Pastor's Peace - July, 2009
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Fear Not! – This, of course, was the main theme of our vacation bible school week. This was my first VBS and I have to say that it was great. All of the people that helped out did such a wonderful job and I know that the kids who participated had a great time and learned so much about their faith. It was a truly wonderful experience and a good mission to the families in this area and beyond. I am proud of what we do here at Beaver UCC and this VBS reminded me of that each day.
It was interesting that even though we were dealing with children, and teaching simple lessons, the themes that were covered are complex ones that many adults struggle with. How do we deal with the scary things of the world? If God is so powerful, why do we have to suffer sometimes? These questions and others would periodically come up and I appreciated the time to reflect on them, even if it did involve being covered in silly string.
It was interesting that even though we were dealing with children, and teaching simple lessons, the themes that were covered are complex ones that many adults struggle with. How do we deal with the scary things of the world? If God is so powerful, why do we have to suffer sometimes? These questions and others would periodically come up and I appreciated the time to reflect on them, even if it did involve being covered in silly string.
Ultimately we know that God is powerful, but sometimes we wonder why things go wrong in our life. I don’t think that we can ever answer the question of why bad things happen, but God’s power in dealing with our struggles is everywhere. If we have faith that there is something just and good beyond what we see with our eyes, then it gives us the will and power to continue. Without that faith, I think many might quit along the way. The love that we find in Christ and each other gives us compassion and instructs us to look to a just and peaceable kingdom, if we listen to our hearts.
Fear not, indeed; it is a lesson we all can learn. We banish fear, not because we think God will wrap a bubble around us and protect us, but rather because we know that God is ultimately with us throughout our existence. No matter what happens in life, faith and love will always help us to weather the storm. They are more powerful than any army, disaster, injustice, or any other thing we fear. Sometimes we might have a long road to travel, but at the end there is always God’s love waiting for us.
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Brian
Fear not, indeed; it is a lesson we all can learn. We banish fear, not because we think God will wrap a bubble around us and protect us, but rather because we know that God is ultimately with us throughout our existence. No matter what happens in life, faith and love will always help us to weather the storm. They are more powerful than any army, disaster, injustice, or any other thing we fear. Sometimes we might have a long road to travel, but at the end there is always God’s love waiting for us.
Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Brian