Pastor's Blog

Note: This was written for the April 2009 issue of the Inter-Lutheran Theological Seminary monthly newsletter by Pastor Jay Weidner. May the Lord comfort he and his son Adam in the loss of their beloved Theresa.



April 2009

Dear Friends,

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Romans 5:1-5 KJV)

There are two difficulties we face when we go through a time of economic trial as many people in our world are now. On the one hand we can lose hope and become hopeless being driven to despair. Hopelessness is a bad state to find oneself in because it normally leads to depression and a fearful inertia where a person doesn’t know how to act to relieve their situation so they become fearful to act at all. On the other hand we can keep our hope intact but see it only as having future value so that we slog on moping through our earthly lives dejected but hopeful of other worldly relief. Both of these conditions show that at times we have the wrong hope. Our hope is present here and now; it’s Christ who is our hope. We have our glory not just in future deliverance from tribulation but in the midst of the tribulation itself. Christ is with us always that is His promise, but when we begin to focus on the difficulty instead of Christ we lose hope for our situation seems hopeless. Yet we must understand that Christ is with us in the here and now and is showing the love of God toward us through the Holy Spirit even in the midst of trial.

Think of what it was like for the disciples when Jesus was crucified and they returned to the upper room without Him, they were full of despair. Certainly they were questioning what they were going to do with their lives; they were disappointed and filled with fear over what was going to come of them. Then Jesus appeared to them alive on Easter Sunday and cheered their hearts with His peace, gave them His Spirit and assured Him of His abiding presence with them forever. This is how much God loved them; He gave His Son to shed His blood for their sins to secure their redemption, to give them hope. Now even in the darkest of days the love of God by the Holy Spirit sustained them so come what may they went on with joy in their hearts. God doesn’t love us any less and couldn’t love us any greater. We have all the same benefits as the apostles; the love of God by the same Spirit is in our hearts and in the midst of difficulty we are to hold firm in that love, not focusing on the trial but on the Lord of the trial and its resolution. He is our Lord and He loves us to the end. May God spread abroad in our hearts the hope of Easter so that even in our time of trial His love would strengthen and encourage us to hold fast to Him trusting in Him whose hope cannot disappoint. May the hope of the risen Christ be our hope and stay in our time of trial during this Easter season and forever.

God’s Peace,

Jay Weidner

Drinking From and Digging Wells


"Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:15-21)"

As we bask in the joy of the knowledge as well as the experience in our hearts of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we continue our journey through life, thanking our God for the visitations of His Spirit that He showered upon us during this time of remembering and reflecting upon His great love for us. A love that John describes in his first epistle: "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:10 During these refreshing times in our lives, we come to better understand the words that were spoken by Nehemiah long ago when he told his people, " The joy of the Lord is your strength." As we are refreshed as well as renewed in strength, we receive new motivation and power to plant and water the Word of grace to others.

Recently we had a missionary speak at our church and he spoke of this matter. Referring to one of the Psalms, he mentioned that those who traveled through the dry country in the ancient world would dig wells so that they could drink, not only for themselves, but so that those coming after them could also drink of the thirst quenching water. He then compared this with Christ, Who is the Well of Living Water, relating of the blessing that we receive from the previous generations who have drank of the Living Water and have faithfully looked to bless the next generation through providing for the opportunity for them to drink of Christ. In like manner, as we drink from the wells that have been provided for us, may we also be mindful to continue to make provision for the future generations who will come after us, beginning now.

In the verses which are at the beginning of our writing today, the Apostle Paul wants to help us to "see" the blessing of being called by grace; the glory that we have today as well as in the future and of the immeasurable power of grace that He wishes to "be" in us so that we may bring the Gospel of Christ to others. Lord, please give unto us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You through your Son Jesus Christ.

Pastor Orval Wirkkala