Greetings in the name of Christ to my Sisters and Brothers,

We continue to find ourselves in a place of unease and unrest, fighting a viral pandemic as well as facing a crisis of social discord in view of perceived inequalities and injustice, and the devastatingly unfortunate carry-over of violence and destruction to people and property. We need pause and look intently to God for our guidance and for the peace that God alone is able to provide.

In times like this, we are called to be constant in prayer and become attached to God's holy word revealed in Scripture and through the lives of his saints. One of my "go-to" passages in Scripture to help me center on the true identity and way of God is from Hebrews 4:12-13- "Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render account."

We are to be assured that our God is an active, living God who is able to "see" piercingly into our lives, our intentions and our actions. Better than we are able to "know" ourselves, God "knows" us from inside and out. God penetrates the depths of our souls and spirits, and by so doing is solely in a righteous position to provide proper judgment of the times; God is just in will and purpose. God is abundantly aware of each and every one of us, truly understanding our thoughts, motivations, and actions. And in each and every turn we have made, God in Christ responds with the intercessions necessary to bring us back into God's way, a way of peace and justice for all.

Even, and particularly, in times of our weaknesses and uncertainty, the writer of Hebrews depicts Jesus as one who "is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness" (5:2). Our call to be obedient to the word of God is directly related to the obedience Jesus himself lived in his earthly life, an obedience that became the source of eternal salvation, an obedience expressed in tears, prayers, and supplications: "Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him" (5:8-9).

There is no time like now to listen to the word of God and respond with obedience, an obedience that leads to and supports God's peace.

Stay safe and keep the faith.  Pastor John