March 2021 Newsletter

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

            A year ago this month … all of our lives were changed. A year ago, the initial waves the Covid-19 virus started to make its impact on the world. The way we interacted with people changed, the way we did business changed, the way we worship and do ministry changed.

            We could reflect upon all the negative things which have happened. In doing that though, we usually find ourselves getting stuck there.  Reflecting on the negative things leads us to start pointing fingers, assigning blame, voicing opinions in blunt and harsh ways. Once started down that path, the path only tends to get muddy, slippery, and messy.

            When I was reflecting on this past year and trying to figure out what to write about, I decided to go through some of the devotions I had written for our youth. In doing so, I came across one which I had written two years ago which I feel fits life today.

            Have you ever seen one of those balloon boxing bags? They are really loved by little kids. I remember playing with one when I was a kid. Heath got one a couple of years ago and loved it, until he for some random reason poked a hole in it. Kids! But I digress …

            Those punching bags, they’re a lot of fun!!!  You hit it and, boom, it hits the floor. Then, bing, it bounces back up. You stand there and do this repeatedly. Boom, on the floor, bing, back up again.

            Boom, bing, boom, bing, boom, bing!!!

            In the boot camp/cross training class I did when I lived in Nebraska, on Fridays, we did boxing workouts. We used the speed bags, normal punching bags, body opponent bags, boxing mitts, and then we had these which popped back up after you hit it. Our instructor was brave enough or crazy enough that would even put on some body pads and let us hit him as we bobbed and weaved. (I have to admit, this was one of my favorite stations as I showed no mercy!)  As part of our workout, we would rotate between these different types of bags.

            When my time was up with the bag which pops back up, I would give it one last extremely hard hit. You could say I gave it a “knock out” hit. You know what happened though? That crazy bag, no matter how hard I hit it, it would come back up again.

            Now I’m sure you know why these types of bags, whether it be one used in a gym or at home by a little kid, would bounce back up again. The bag bounces up because the base is weighted. The base is heavier than the rest of the bag. The heavy foundation weight in the base causes the bag to stand up … no matter what one does to it.

            In a sense, this is what I think of when I reflect on this past year. This is what it is like to have Jesus as your rock solid foundation. If you learn to trust Him, if you learn to be obedient to His Word … when one of life’s storms hit you, boom, you will bounce back, bing!

            When Satan goes whop, you will go bing!  When everything is against you and the world unloads on you, wham, boom, boom, boom, you will go … you got it … bing, bing, bing! After the storm, the person whose faith is built on the solid rock of Christ will still be standing!

            This past year, we have all taken quite the hit … but by having our faith grounded on the solid foundation of Christ and with His help, we have bounced back. Christians, you and me, we are resilient because of who we have in our corner, because of who we stand upon. 

            So as you face a storm, which we know is not an “if” but a “when”, when you face that storm, remember who your foundation is.  Your rock solid foundation, which is stronger than anything this sinful world can throw at you, is your Savior Jesus Christ!

            As the first verse of the great hymn “My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less” says:

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
No merit of my own I claim
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

            Stick to Jesus and His Word and whatever storm you face, whatever storm we face, that storm will not have the final word.

In Christ!
Pastor Mike                

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