We live in uncertain times. That is a nice way of saying that it seems like the world has been falling apart for the last several months! So many things in our lives and in our world seem uncertain right now. That is one of the many reasons that it is so important for us to gather physically together for church. You see, our worship service is a place of certainty. As we gather together, we speak and sing God’s Word to one another, reminding us of what is certain (Colossians 3:16). We remind one another that God is good (Zechariah 9:15). He is in control. He is at work, even when we don’t see it (Job 38-39). We remind each other that God uses bad situations for our good (Romans 8:28). Together, we cling to the certainty of these truths as found in God’s Word.
We also remind each other that our relationship with God is what truly matters, and that through Christ, that relationship is certain. Because of the blood of Christ, we can be certain that our sins are forgiven (I John 1:6-9). Because of Christ’s perfect life, we are certain that God views us as perfect (Colossians 1:21-22). Because of Christ’s resurrection, we are certain that in the end, He wins the final victory (I Corinthians 15:21-26). Because of His victory, we are certain that we will enjoy heaven with Him, where there will be no more sin, political unrest, or disease (Revelation 21:3-4).
It is so easy to worry about what is going on in our world. It is so easy to forget about these certainties. That is why God has designed us to live the Christian life together as a church family. As we gather together, we refocus on what is certain. In uncertain times, we should not avoid church. Uncertain times remind us of how much we need church. During this Covid-19 situation, many of us have been willing to risk getting sick in order to get together with our families. Shouldn’t we also be willing to take risks to be with our brothers and sisters in Christ?
This last summer, it has worked well for many of you to attend our outdoor worship services. I’m so thankful for the volunteers who helped make those services possible so that we could be together. The council recently made the decision to begin holding services back in our sanctuary on September 13th. I’m thankful for the thoughtfulness of our leadership as they have developed preventative measures to follow for our indoor services. These precautions are part of how we love one another in our church family. We want as many of our people as possible to feel comfortable attending.
I understand that some of you need to be extremely careful to not contract Covid-19, because you have a health condition (or an age) which makes it a very dangerous disease for you. This has been an extra scary and difficult time for you. I support you in being cautious, and as your church family, we want to do what we can to help you feel safe coming to church. We also understand if you decide that it would be best to stay at home and watch online for a while longer. If that is the case for you, I would love to come visit with you. We could social distance in your backyard. I would love the opportunity to gather together in a smaller way to encourage you and remind you of what is certain!
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16[1]
[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Col 3:16). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
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