Thursday, November 8, 2018

Devotion - Thursday, November 8

As we planted our 500th Anniversary of The Reformation Sister Tree last night, I told you one of the reasons was to show our dedication to "hope."  When Luther made his comment about what he would do if this day was his last, he showed his hope in God's providence by replying, "Plant a tree."  We lift up and aspire to a similar level of confidence that God is with us and that God's ends will prevail.

I also shared with you last night how deeply worried I am - for y'all.  I have a few years left on this earth, but you have many decades.  I worry, that those decades might not be as joy-filled and as prosperous as the decades of my youth and young adult life.  

This morning, I woke to the news of another shooting.  Everyone of these hits home in some way; this one because it was in a dance hall adjacent to our Lutheran College in Thousand Oaks, California.  Social media will kick into action in the next few hours and we will know if any Pacific Lutheran students were among the victims.  Pepperdine and CSU Channel Islands are also close by.

I want to avoid the temptation for the tone of this reflection to turn into a call to action.  There are things which can be done and must be done, but that is not what consumes my heart this morning.  I am worried, I am sick, I am heartbroken - for you.  

I planted that tree last night, and I will continue to speak loudly and passionately of my hope and trust in God's goodness and God's grace.  I will.  

I will also assure you that you have my heart and you have my prayers and you have my ear.  My years on this earth are drawing short.  The years with which I have been blessed have brought a confidence and a calm which I will eagerly share with you, should that be helpful to you as you make your way through these troubled times, the endless batter of disrespectful speech, and senseless acts of hatred of others.

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