All you inhabitants of the world,
you who live on the earth,
when a signal is raised on the mountains, look!
When a trumpet is blown, listen!
For thus the Lord said to me:
I will quietly look from my dwelling
like clear heat in sunshine,
like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.
For before the harvest, when the blossom is over
and the flower becomes a ripening grape,
he will cut off the shoots with pruning-hooks,
and the spreading branches he will hew away.
— Isaiah 18:3-5
The Bible is full of instructions for us to be on the watch for signs and wonders. Along with this are reminders that God works in God’s own way and on God’s own schedule. Signs and wonders, then, are not meant to be used to gain an advantage over another (no insider trading!) Instead, the signs and wonders are there to give us hope in challenging times. They are a reminder of God’s faithfulness in the time of trial.
In the last few days we have received information from pharmaceutical companies that there has been significant progress toward a safe and effective vaccine. Of course we still don’t know when we will be able to go back to being inside for worship. Indeed, there are troubling signs: such as the astounding increase in the number of cases. But there does seem to be some light at the end of an increasingly long tunnel. This can cheer us on, I pray that it will cause us to redouble our efforts to show our compassion for one another!
There are other remarkable signs of faithfulness among the people of our community. For example, in youth groups and our Messy Church we have found people seeking to reconnect through our virtual settings. These aren’t just signs, they are real people whose lives are being touched. Nevertheless, they point both to the fact that we are changing lives, and that there are many more we would like to reach.
This past Sunday we received 28 covenant cards, totaling $149,298. There is still a long way to go toward making our goal of each person or family receiving the blessing of making a commitment, but we are well on the way. I hope that you will take the opportunity to provide a sign, for yourself and for your church family, of your intent to be present, to be in prayer, to share your gifts, and to serve.
May you be blessed by seeing the signs of God at work in your life.
Pastor George
Thank you God for the signs you provide on our journey through life. Thank you for the light which guides our way. Thank you for Jesus, who shows us what it is to love completely. Thank you for the gifts of the Holy Spirit which allow us to light the way for others. Thank you for the reminders of your abiding presence in times of pain and loss; and thank you for the knowledge beyond hope that you are ours and we are yours. We pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.