September 16, 2001, was the first Sunday after 9/11. The church was full that day. The foundations of our nation and our lives were shaken. We arrived at God’s house to pray, to seek meaning, and to hear words of hope.
Nearly 14 years later, our world seems to be even more dangerous and unsettled. We will forever be a post-9/11 world. Fourteen years later I would like to share with you a quote from that September 16th sermon: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Well guess what? Our hearts are troubled. So what does God’s Word tell us about the events of this past week? Expect it. Expect evil. Expect persecution. Expect cancer. Expect death. Prepare for it. And when it comes, when the world crumbles around you, do not be afraid.”
We need to hear those words again. Watching the news could lead us to despair. Reading the headlines day after day could cause us to lose hope. We need to hear those words again. Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid, for our hope is not found in a world of peace or in bodies that do not age. Our hope is found in the love, forgiveness, and promised presence of God.
I am preparing for a funeral for Joan Bergman. Joan’s life was shaken twice as she lost two husbands in the prime of their lives to tragic accidents. She could have given her life over to despair, but she did not. She worked hard, cared for her children, served her community, and died in peace at home.
Joan was born in 1932. In 1932, the world was stuck in the Great Depression, tuberculosis was rampant, the Dust Bowl devastated the Midwest, six people were gunned down on the streets of a small town in Missouri, the Yellow River flooded killing nearly 2 million people in China, and 5 million people died of starvation in Russia. It seemed like the end of the world, and World War II was just a few years off.
The world always has and always will be a dangerous place. There is nothing new under the sun. And Jesus says, “Let not your hearts be troubled.”
Blessed to be a blessing! Let us work for justice and peace. Let us help the poor and hungry. Let us share the good news of God’s grace with all people. But let us never lose hope—for our hope is found in God.
My love to you!
