Dear First Pres,
“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; Wait for the LORD!” -Psalm 27:14
Imagine with me, you’ve come home after a hard day and the smell of freshly baked brownies has your mouth salivating. But you gotta wait for them to finish baking. Possibly there is a vacation you’ve been planning for months and it is just out of reach, but you can feel the cool ocean breeze. Perhaps your waiting has been a bit more intense. Holding your breath as you wait for the test results of a pregnancy you’ve been longing for. Possibly as the month comes to an end, you are waiting on your next paycheck because food is getting scarce and gas isn’t cheap. Maybe your grief has felt more overwhelming this holiday season, the festivities and pressure to make people believe you’re just fine has led to wonder when there will be some sign of relief. Whatever circumstances you find yourself in today and wherever you long for Jesus to bring peace and comfort, he is present in our longing. May your spirit find encouragement in God’s word this new year.
As this year ends, what are you waiting for? What is it that you long to see God do? In what areas has He asked you to wait upon him? These are important questions to reflect upon as 2022 approaches. The turning of a new year comes with an invitation to reflect and set some new goals.
Now that I’m finished with seminary and ordination exams, I find my mental capacity is open to new challenges. Hence, I have been doing a lot of reading this season. I’ve also intentionally set some physical goals this season that have brought me new energy (ask me about box jumping sometime). And I’ve enjoyed the discipline of engaging with God’s word on a daily basis through reading the Bible in a year. As I reflect on this year, I’m grateful for God’s faithfulness in the midst of a hard season of life. We have endured a whole lot this past year.
As 2022 approaches, it’s time to pray and discern how God is calling us to engage in the coming months. I’m a three-month kind of person when it comes to goal setting. So I find myself reflecting on the past three-months and imagining what God has in store for the next three. Where do I long for Jesus to bring comfort and peace? Are there ways I can join God in bringing comfort and peace to others?
We live in the reality of the already but not yet. We stand in the security of Jesus the Messiah who came, gave his life and conquered death. We know his love and grace are powerful. God rescues us out of the mud and mire and sets our feet on solid rock, even as the world around us is shifting every which way. Yet there is tension as we long for Jesus to return, to save us out of the chaos, to make right what is broken and heal our wounds. We are a people who long for God’s peace and comfort today. May we be people who believe in the goodness of God with all of our hearts and minds, even amidst all the waiting. May we be compelled into 2022 with a strong desire to see Jesus work tangibly in our lives and in the lives of others. Church, may we be people of intention as we set goals for 2022, anticipating what God is going to do in and through us this coming year.
Blessings,
Pastor Meagan
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