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Hi everyone! 

I trust your week is going well. I have heard that a few members of our congregation were affected by this last week’s flooding, but so far the news I’ve received hasn’t been too catastrophic, for which I’m very grateful. Hopefully things are getting back to normal for those who’ve had wet carpets, etc.

We do need to be in prayer for neighbors who have been affected in much more serious ways. Flood damage can create a terrible mess. No doubt you’ve seen the news footage of the houses and businesses that were severely damaged—some to the point that they may need to be entirely rebuilt. And of course, our hearts go out to the families that suffered injury and even loss of life. May God bring them to mind often as we pray in these days. May He give some of us opportunity to help in practical ways where possible. And may we all be freshly reminded of the real human toll when we see news stories of floods in other parts of the world that inflict broader and more severe damage than the relatively brief and limited impact we’ve seen here in the past week.

It’s been quite a reminder that unexpected challenges can arise anywhere, and that life can turn in a completely different direction for any of us in the blink of an eye. I’m reminded of the wise advice of James, from chapter 4, verses 13-16:

Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.

May we always live in the awareness that our plans and paths are directed by our Lord. Fortunately, He is good and He watches over us, rain or shine.

On other fronts, for those who are wanting to read ahead in preparation for Sunday’s message, you’ll be happy to hear that this week we’re looking at a short passage. We’ll be thinking about 1 Corinthians 6:1-8. Once again, it’s a fairly straightforward and practical passage, but it illustrates a number of very important themes that run through 1 Corinthians and the whole of the NT. While you’re reading through it, you might want to reflect a little on the ways these verses echo things that Jesus teaches, especially in the Gospel of Matthew.  

That’s my news for now.  Have a wonderful week. Richest blessings!

Pastor Ken