Pastor Steve's Recent Weekly Letter
Pastor Steve's Weekly Letter for Thursday, June 24, 2021
Sorrow and joy travel together throughout the days of our lives. Even when only one seems present, the other is lurking around the corner. For example, I’m always struck by how funerals are occasions for joy as well as sorrow. The joy comes from seeing family reunited and from reflecting on the gift of the loved one we lost to death. Likewise, birthdays or holidays—especially Christmas—are occasions of sorrow as well as joy. Even as we celebrate, we feel pain when we look around the room and notice people missing. The reason may be a move out of the area, a disagreement, or death.
The idea that sorrow and joy travel together, comes from observing life. But more importantly, it comes from Scripture. The idea is present in the command to rejoice always—in bad times as well as good times—and to give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16, 18). It’s present in Colossians 1:24 where the Apostle Paul says, Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you. And it is present in many, many psalms. For example, David wrote Psalm 59 out of an experience when King Saul had sent men to watch his house in order to kill him. David cried out for deliverance (verses 1-2) and described how these men return at evening, snarling like dogs (verses 6, 14). Yet, David affirmed his commitment to God to sing of your love and to sing praise to you (verses 16-17). Perhaps one of the most striking expressions of joy in a time of sorrow is Habakkuk 3:17-19:
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights.
Habakkuk closed his small prophetic book with these words. He had complained that God was tolerating injustice and violence in the city, and he asked God how long it would be before he (God) did something. God answered and essentially said, “I am going to do something. I’m going to raise up the Babylonians to wreak havoc in Judah.” This was devastating news for Habakkuk. How could God send an evil empire to inflict judgment? Yet, at the end of his book, he expresses his intent to rejoice even if life falls apart.
There are a few lessons we can learn from all of this. First, joy is a choice. That’s why Scripture commands it, and why Habakkuk presents it as a somewhat unexpected response to the bleak outlook for the future. This means we have to rise above what we feel to choose joy instead of responding with bitterness. It might feel unnatural at first, but it is possible to choose joy even in hard times. Second, joy is rooted in our relationship with God our Savior. That’s why joy is not artificial, even if we are hurting. We can rejoice because of what God has done for us. Third, joy is not a form of denial. Rather, it’s saying that despite present sorrow, we have a bigger reason for hope—a God who strengthens and sustains us.
This Sunday, June 27, I plan to continue our sermon series on Praying the Psalms by preaching Psalm 87. The title of the sermon is “The Shocking Truth about God’s Favorite Place.” Furthermore (drumroll here!), the parking lot is done! Work was finished on Wednesday morning. The barricades are still in place to give the asphalt a couple more days to cure. But the barricades will be removed Saturday evening, and you can park in the lot on Sunday morning! There are several people we will thank in due time for devoting hours and hours to supervising the work.
Finally, on the family front, Priscilla and I like to treat our grandkids to concessions when they are at Butler Lake Park for their siblings’ baseball games. However, one day last week, our daughter Anna instructed her kids not to ask Nana (Priscilla, their grandma) for money the moment she arrives at the game. On the way to Butler Lake Park, Anna overheard Miles (6) say to Kolby (9): “We aren’t allowed to ask Nana for money, so when she gets here, I’ll just tell Nana the concession stand is open.” Kolby approved of this plan. Halle (4) took another tactic. When Priscilla arrived, Halle said: “Hi Nana. Do you have your purse with you?” I guess when there’s a will, there’s a way—that is a loophole. Thanks for reading. Grace and peace to all of you!