Our Wednesday devotional was prepared by Ann Soukup, a member of our congregation.
Scripture
Psalm 27:1 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
Reflection
The other evening I saw from the window a beautiful Nebraska sunset. To understand my appreciation of this particular sunset, you need to know that I often feel God is speaking to me through a sunset’s beauty. The sky was light blues and pinks. Gradually it shifted to deep blues, purples, yellows and oranges. Through those colors a light was shining. To me that was God’s sign of Hope and Love.
Then I took note of a solitary tree silhouetted in the foreground. Its dark branches stretching high made me think of the coronavirus reaching out to fill the space around it. The tree represented the darkness of fear, pain and loss. Yet through the branches I could still see the light of the sunset.
The next morning, I went to the tree. Each branch has the beginnings of a leaf or a bud. God again shows us hope. Many individuals are hard at work fighting the virus. They are God’s light working in the world. All around us in this time of fear, pain, and loss, we are surrounded by the Light of God.
Prayer
Lord, We have become frightened . Thank you for reminding us that you are always with us. You are the light at all times. You surround us with your hope and love. Thank you. Amen.
Important Announcements
1. Good Friday. We will be streaming a special Good Friday service on Friday at 7 pm led by Pastor Beth and Lily. You can access the service live by clicking on https://www.facebook.com/christumclinc/. If you miss the service on Friday evening, you can access it later on Facebook as well as the worship page on our website. Our Facebook page is open to everyone, so we encourage you to invite friends, who may not have access to church services during this time of social isolation, to join us for worship. Of course, they can also access the recorded services online at our web site listed above.
2. Don’t forget the Bread and Grape Juice! Beginning sometime next week, the pastors at Christ UMC will be offering the celebration of the Sacrament of Holy Communiononline.To participate, you will need to provide your own bread and grape juice (or wine), as you watch the service at home.Your elements (the bread and juice) will be consecrated online during the service, so that you can join with others in celebrating The Lord’s Supper.Be sure to add bread and grape juice to your shopping list for your next trip to the grocery store.