Dear Rose Park,
Within the past week I received two phone calls that varied tremendously. One call was filled with tears, the other with joy. One call was about a funeral, the other about an engagement. The first call was from a beloved member letting me know that her dad passed away, the second was from a friend that I haven’t heard from in almost three years. Though these calls varied in emotion and tone, they both displayed the faithfulness of God in times of sorrow and joy.
The Apostle Paul writes to the church in Rome, “rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.” The season of Advent seems to be an embodiment of this verse; for some of us, we rejoice and for others we weep. We rejoice as we gather with family and friends around the table, but we weep as we notice an empty chair. We rejoice as we welcome little ones into the family, but we weep as we say goodbye to our well-seasoned loved ones. We rejoice as we plan the wedding, but we weep as we experience the funeral.
In both circumstances, God is faithful and He calls us to be faithful as well. So, let us be faithful to God despite our circumstances but let also be faithful to each other. I’d encourage you throughout these next few weeks to make some phone calls. Reach out to your neighbors, your loved ones, even your friends you haven’t heard from in almost three years. Whether it’s to catch up, make amends, rejoice or weep, make the call. Remind each other of the faithfulness of God and then embody the faithfulness of the Church.
As we light the final Advent candles and prepare for Christmas Eve worship, let us give glory to God in the highest while we rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mark