A Time of New Beginnings

June is the month of graduations. Today, there are graduations from pre-school right on down to college and even post-graduate. From high school and college, it is a transition into an adult world that seems so impossible to conquer. It is a time of job-searching in an economic climate where sought after jobs are scarce.

I remember the valedictorian who spoke at my high school graduation many years ago. She spoke of a fear of the unknown future. What would the tomorrows bring? Back in the days when education after high school was mostly the privilege of the affluent, I remember going to my first job interview. I was scared to death. Am I wearing the right outfit? What do I say? What questions should I ask?  Fortunately, my future employer was kind and aware of the normal jitters of a recent graduate, and I was hired after my first interview.

Transitions are always difficult and sometimes threatening, particularly those which thrust us from youth to the adult life. That may be why the Bible is full of the encouragement to trust God.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)

"Trust in God at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us." (Psalm 62:8) 

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation." (Isaiah 12:2)

The Bible is full of additional verses which encourage us to trust in God. He is utterly trustworthy, and by trusting Him, we are assured peace and security.

Life is uncertain. Whether you are a young adult facing post-graduation uncertainty or at an age when you face the same uncertainty at post-retirement, God is the same - yesterday, today, and for every tomorrow. His wisdom is perfect, and He knows each step of your life journey. He wants to walk that journey with you, promising never to leave you as you trust Him. Even when the way is uncertain; take courage from the promise that you are not alone.

The prophet Jeremiah knew about the uncertainties of life and he offers this encouragement:

"Most blessed is the man who believes in, trusts in, and relies on the Lord; whose hope and confidence is in the Lord. He shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river; and it shall not see and fear when heat comes; but its leaf shall be green. It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of the drought, nor shall it cease yielding fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7-8 Amplified Bible.)

As a child, I was taught a simple poem that describes common plight of so many people today.

Said the robin to the sparrow,
"I would really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so."
Said the sparrow to the robin,
"Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no Heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me."
-Anonymous-

God is trustworthy. Do not be afraid to turn your heart, your mind, your life over to Him, for He cares for you. 

Another prophet, Isaiah, discovered the secret of security in this life of uncertainty. He said of God, about the person who trusts in Him: "You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in You." (Isaiah 26:3)

That's how simple it is – just trusting and following God who is our rock in all uncertainties. That's what I want for myself, and that's what I pray will be your experience.


Written by Gloria Hohn

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Comfort

Comfort - we all crave it. Commercials advertising comfort repeat hundreds of times. Comfort food, get a relaxing massage for only $49, come sip fancy drinks on our Caribbean cruise. How much is too much? These messages can lead to complacency and an expectation that my comfort is a priority and all that matters in this life. Being comfortable can easily become the status quo. 

Isaiah, the prophet, speaks of another type of comfort. The words recorded in this book of the Bible are often shared at this time of year because they speak about the coming of a Messiah - one who would bring comfort. The type of comfort described in the writings of Isaiah sound a little different than the world's view on comfort.  

Isaiah repeats words describing comfort more than a dozen times throughout his writings.  Isaiah 40, a passage often used during advent, speaks of this comfort: 

1 Comfort, comfort my people,
    says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
    and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,

11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:
    He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
    he gently leads those that have young.

28 Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
Isaiah 40:1-2a, 11, 28-29 (NIV)

Verse 11 highlights the way God cares for His people. He watches, pulls us close, looks out for those with children, and we are loved. Verses 28-29 reinforce the comfort and care He provides. It never ends - He does not grow tired of caring for us, and there is a special place for the weary and weak in God's kingdom. 

God's view of comfort reminds me clearly of the way he arrived in the flesh. There was nothing comfortable about his birth. A long donkey ride, straw, smelly animals, scrounging for a blanket. Who was told about this arrival? The weak and least of these, simple shepherds tending to their sheep in a field.

In this season, we can become easily distracted, believing comfort can be found in trinkets, relationships or comfort food. Jesus' arrival reminds us of an everlasting comfort that lavishes care, love, and strength on His children. Embrace that comfort this season.

Written by Chip Kelly
Territorial Lay Leader
Development Bureau Director

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