This has been a year unlike any that we’ve ever seen. A tiny half-alive machine with a diabolical ability to profoundly damage the blood and lungs of a human being has swept across the world and changed our society in profound ways. Most of those changes have been extraordinarily painful, ranging from the inconvenient to the catastrophic. Across the world, tens of millions have been infected, while over a million have died. Meanwhile, efforts to deal with the virus have lead two radical economic disruptions worldwide, nationally, and locally. In all of it, the Lord has remained faithful to his people. We have had more than one member test positive for the virus, but nobody has become seriously ill.
While other hardships, sicknesses, tragedies, and deaths have affected people in this church family, the church itself has remained strong in many ways. Particularly, we are closer and more unified, while the faithfulness of God to provide and his people to give has remained simply astonishing. And yes, we just celebrated our 90th anniversary of ministry in Dundalk. I am profoundly grateful for all who came and participated, including our guest preacher, Dr. Kevin Smith, other guests, and particularly the ladies who put together the reception following.
As The holiday season approaches, I implore you to use this Thanksgiving to refocus your heart and mind on the faithfulness of our Father above, and this Christmas to remind yourself why Jesus came. Do you remember the reasons for the coming of Christ?
- to reveal the Father
- to defeat his Enemy
- to bring his Kingdom
- to restore the world
- to complete his plan for the ages
- to populate heaven and plunder hell
- to save his people
Please don’t squander the precious treasure of these Holidays by allowing them to be filled with worldly preoccupations and distractions like turkeys and snowmen and pumpkins and reindeer. Thanksgiving is about the faithfulness of the Father. Christmas is about the coming of the Son. Celebrate them in the joy of the Holy Spirit this year.