Our Hope in Christ

          You may have heard the joke that asks, “How many Lutherans does it take to change a light bulb?”  The answer is, “CHANGE?!?”

          Certainly, it is not only Lutherans who have difficulty with change.  Most of us human beings are creatures of habit (some more so than others).  We have our regular routines, and we like to stick to them.  However, the only thing that is constant, other than the presence and power of God, is change.

          These days, this seems to be particularly evident.  We have had constant changes throughout the pandemic, never really knowing ahead of time what might come next.  From week to week, we don’t know who might need to isolate or stay home because they are sick.  Any plans that we do manage to make are always subject to change.

          At the same time, a number of transitions are underway at St. Luke’s Zion.  We said farewell to Faith at the end of November, and it remains to be seen what the future might hold for our worship and music.  Meanwhile, our Shared Youth Ministry Steering Committee has been discerning what the future might hold, as Lisa moves on with husband, Ad, to become camp directors at Luther Village.  Then, just this week, our satellite internet equipment finally arrived after weeks and months of delays.  This will precipitate further changes in how we conduct our online ministry.

          To some extent, all of this is to be expected, as we live in a rapidly changing world.  Our anchor in the midst of all of this is not that everything in the church would stay the same, but the hope that is ours through Jesus Christ.

          Throughout the Scriptures, and particularly in the New Testament, God’s people are always evolving.  They grow in their understanding of who God is and what God is like.  Those who are disciples of Jesus seem to be challenged at every turn – both when Jesus was physically with them, and after his resurrection.  It is easy to imagine that the disciples were stressed out quite regularly, as Jesus challenged them to grow in their faith and in their understanding.

          Still, times of transition and change are stressful for all of us.  We struggle sometimes to regain our equilibrium and to have the capacity to deal with that “one more thing.”  Particularly during this pandemic, many have found themselves without the capacity to deal with things that normally wouldn’t phase them.

          Now, more than ever, we need the hope that is ours through Christ.  Hebrews reminds us, “We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul” (6:19).  The same writer assures us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8).  This same Jesus, who is our hope, promised to be with us always “to the end of the age” (Mt. 28:20).

          An image that often comes to mind is Jesus in the boat with the disciples in the midst of the storm.  While the disciples are scared to death and think they’re going to die, Jesus is asleep on a cushion, secure in the knowledge that all of them are in God’s hands.  However, once awakened, Jesus also exhibits the power of God to still the storm.  And, just as Jesus commands the wind and the waves, “Peace! Be still!” – so he speaks to our inner turmoil in the midst of the storm.

          In Christ,

          Pastor Lynne Hutchison