Pastor’s Thoughts
October 2016
Dear Members and Friends of Hosanna,
Recently I was reading in Dr. Gerhard Frost’s booklet, “Hungers of the Heart.” He addresses our human search for certainty. This is the hunger of the heart that informs the title of his writing. The problem is that certainty of faith is not a math problem to be solved by amassing the right data. Faith in Jesus Christ is found in living relationship with our Lord. Dr. Frost states it best in his essay entitled, “as I Bow.”
We long to know. We have a passion for picking at locks and prying into things. This curiosity is mostly good,, and is not to be discouraged, but in the life of the spirit, it can lure us away from the best. We have all invested time and energy in the Big Lie – that if we could only have enough answers, we would be forever blessed.
We suppose that if Jesus would only become “contemporary” in the away that we are contemporary, if he would walk on our street, or, better yet, up our alley and enter our homes, we would willingly let him enter our hearts. But the truth is that explanations never made disciples, and our lust for full and final answers is an enemy of our welfare.
Only in encounter with God, where God has the first and last word can we know the joy of discipleship. To “bow before the mystery” is to leave more and more, yes, even all, to God.
This is the “Blessed Assurance” we have as Christians. Our life and our faith each begin and has its ending in the living God. We are people of faith. We live in God’s promises. When we were baptized we entered into relationship with Christ Jesus. That living relationship empowers us as the people of God to do the work of the Kingdom? Love others as God has first loved us.
Celebrate the privilege of discipleship that you inherited on the day of your baptism. Live in the love, grace and service of God.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Bill Meiers
Advent Devotional Booklet 2016
Hosanna has a wonderful tradition of members writing daily devotions for the seasons Advent and Christmas. Please sign-up at the information desk for one or more of the dates. A Bible verse based on the theme of service is assigned for each day.