The Mighty Waters Will Not Reach Them

Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
    while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
    will not reach them.
                                            (Psalm 32:6 NIV)

In time of trouble we pray. Well, not always. Sometimes, we get so caught up in the turmoil that we forget that we can go to God in prayer for comfort; for deliverance. With Hurricane Irma bearing down on the Caribbean and heading ever closer to Florida, we prepare for what might come to us. But, whether Irma decides to visit us in Flagler County or not; she will surely visit someone and so we pray for all people who will be affected by the strength of her power. We pray that God would diminish her power.

I received a prayer request from Chaplain Edward M. Reistetter of the Flagler County Sheriff's Office last night. He asked us to do what we Christians do best:  Pray. He asks that we keep in our prayers today and in the coming days the follow petitions and whatever else God places on our hearts:

"1. That Hurricane Irma weakens and causes little or no damage, flooding, etc
  2. The safety of our Sheriff Staly and his Deputies, and Bunnell and Flagler Police Departments as
  they maintain safety and order during the storm,
  3. For the safety of all First Time Responders who may intervene in perilous situations,
  4. For the safety, health, and welfare of all Flagler County Residents, and Florida State residents,
  especially the disabled and the aged,
  5. The safety for everyone's pets.
  6. Assistance to all those affected by Hurricane Irma who live in the Caribbean area,
  7. Anything else the Lord places on your heart

Let's agree in faith, knowing and believing that God does exceeding beyond what we can imagine or think!  Let's anticipate wonderful testimonies of answered prayers.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we ask that you guide us so that we might be filled with courage and with love so that we will think of and help all of our neighbors through and after this storm that threatens us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Troll Has Received His Promise

Troll with one of the classes he prepared for their first Communion

as they receive their first Communion.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
    He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
    he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
   for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
   I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
   your rod and your staff—
   they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    my whole life long.

                                      Psalm 23 NRSV

No matter how dark the valleys may get, those who believe in Jesus the Christ know that Jesus is with them guiding us; comforting us. My dear friend Troll (Michael) died last night. Troll joined Zion Lutheran Church in Skanee a number of years ago. He quickly became very active; teaching our children in Sunday School and preparing them for their first Communion. The children loved him. We all loved him. I do not recall ever seeing him at the church without his Bible in hand and when I visited him after he fell ill; there was the Bible and the church directory beside his bed. He never left home without them.

Troll's journey through life was not always easy. He suffered even before the strokes with PTSD. He had served as a medic stateside during Vietnam, trying to minister to those who had come back wounded. His retirement came after years of service as a police officer in lower Michigan, which also lends itself to having to experience major traumatic incidents on an ongoing basis. But, through the darkest of valleys, his faith did not leave him. Sometimes, he felt as though his faith was buried too deep within him. After he retired he searched hard for more faith. That more faith came to him as a gift from God. Today, even as I remember him and grieve our loss, I am confident that goodness and mercy has followed his life on earth and he dwells in the house of the Lord for all of eternity.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Honor Your Father And Mother

The Fourth Commandment.

Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother [that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long upon the earth].

What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we may not despise nor anger our parents and masters, but give them honor, serve, obey, and hold them in love and esteem.

(http://bookofconcord.org/smallcatechism.php)

In this fourth commandment we are told that we are to honor those who have authority over us so that it may be well with us and that we might live long upon the earth.  Think about the chaos in so many homes and our school systems because many young people; rather than honor their parents or teachers, are allowed (and sometimes encouraged by other people in authority) to be outright disrespectful; defiantly rejecting all authority. How much learning can be done in this kind of environment? How many children are being taught to disrespect and connive against our police officers who have sworn to protect us? It makes it very difficult to serve and protect or teach anyone when one is being cursed at or emotionally or even physically attacked.

God has given each of us people in our lives who are meant to teach and guide us; to care for us. Parents, police officers, teachers, doctors, employers are just a few examples of such people today. Sadly, not all of them have our best interests at heart. There are those who think that everything should be done for their glory to the detriment even of the children. Martin Luther reminds us, in the Large Catechism, that even though the Commandments do not speak directly to the duties of those in authority; scripture reminds us all that we are to love and care for one another. This applies to not just the parents; but, anyone and everyone who might have the duties to teach or care for or protect our children. If we teach our children that it is all right to disrespect others; they will also learn to disrespect us.

We should honor all in positions of authority and those in authority would be wise to guide those who they have authority over; to teach them the ways of the Lord. Do not enable them to disrespect others in authority. If honor, respect, and even integrity could make a come-back; then we would all live long and peacefully upon the earth.

God's Peace - Pr. J