We pray that your “April showers are bringing May flowers” as they have in Chuckatuck. Today is a wonderful day as April slowly draws to a close. The butter cups are littering the lawn, the rhododendron are dropping their flowers, and the fledglings in the yard are getting bigger every day. Even in the middle of our isolation we have surprise meetings: today it was Juanita H. who dropped by the church yard to visit her husband’s grave; it is nice to see friends who aren’t local and to chat with them about life and how they are. These “chance” meetings (never a “chance” – there’s always a reason) reinforce the connectedness of our church, even in the era of social distancing. I pray you are seeing enough new folks (even from afar) to keep your connections with society and other human beings.
We headed into the 3rd Sunday of Easter with the story shifting to the reminder that Easter isn’t just about the resurrection; Jesus’ life and resurrection is part and parcel to our ability to stand redeemed from our sinful self to being in God’s presence. The reading from Psalms reminds us that God hears us, as long as we call to God. There is no “right thing or way” to call to God – simply to offer our selves and souls to God for grace and assistance. Acts served as a reminder that we cannot simply absorb our redemption and salvation, we must reach out to be saved. The Epistle from Peter reminds us of the cost and the function of Jesus’ presence on earth – to bridge the gap between our sin and God’s grace. The reading from Luke is the story of the walk to Emmaus and the passive nature of the disciples. They felt like they were simply going to receive salvation and deliverance by the Messiah – little did they realize that they had to actively be in the Messiah’s presence. We can be redeemed and see Jesus present in our lives – we just need to look for Jesus.
I invite your comments,
Les+
Readings: Acts 2:14a, 36-41; Psalm 116:1-3, 10-17; 1 Peter 1:17-23; Luke 24:13-35
Worship Video from April 26, 2020: https://youtu.be/OmmIII5pgN8
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