THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR

Persevering Because of God’s Love

 Dear Fellow Children of God,

If you are a baseball fan, as I am, or even if you are not so much of a fan, you may have nevertheless been struck by the excitement and suspense of this year’s World Series.  The St. Louis Cardinals (yes I lived in St. Louis in the 1970’s and 1980’s) were not even supposed to be in the playoffs this year.  But, they won the World Series in 7 games, and game 6 was a game for the ages with the Cardinal coming from 2 runs behind both in the 9^th and 10^th innings to stay alive.  Twice in that game they were one strike from defeat.  But they kept fighting, and even won.  The hero for the Cardinal was their third baseman, David Freese, who had more RBI’s (runs batted in) and more total bases than anyone else ever before in baseball playoff history.

What many don’t know is that this somewhat unknown player had a difficult road to travel to arrive at this role of unlikely hero.  After high school he quit baseball because he was ‘burned out.’  After returning to baseball and ending up on his hometown team, the Cardinals, he suffered numerous serious ankle and wrist injuries.  Also lost in the excitement of his achievement is something he revealed in interviews that he does not drink alcohol . . . any more.  Freese was an unlikely hero who got to this point by perseverance.  And, oh yes, I also found out that he is a member of a St. Louis area Lutheran (LCMS) congregation.

Romans 5 says, 3 . . . we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.  In listening to the story of David Freese it is obvious it took perseverance and character to make it through the many disappointments he faced.  Not everyone who perseveres succeeds so spectacularly.  But, if people give up the first time adversity is faced, there is little accomplished and little character grown.

Do you see how God can and does use even the trials of life to bless us?  Imagine Paul saying, we also rejoice in our sufferings.  But, when life overwhelms us there is something that never disappoints us, the love of God.  When life is going badly we can count on the fact that God is beside us loving us, forgiving us, and saving us.

When life overwhelms you, I pray that the Spirit of God reminds you that even when the good times leave, God’s love is constant.  We can persevere in life’s trials, because God continues in love for us.

A Child of God, Thankful that when trials come, God’s love never ends,

Pastor Jonathan