Tuesday morning I allowed myself to sleep in a little past 7:00 (those west coast baseball games are killers). Thinking I could have a pretty lazy morning, I proceeded to embark on my morning walk. Then suddenly, at about the ¾ point of my two-mile trek, I remembered that I had a 9:30 meeting with fellow pastors from the circuit at St. Peter’s Eastpointe! I finished my walk, got cleaned up and dressed, and jumped in my car. There was no time for fooling around. I arrived about 9:35 – just as the worship service was about to begin.
I don’t know about you, but when I arrive at a gathering after it has already started, it always takes me a little while to get up to speed. It’s like I start in a fog … and then ever so slowly I work toward becoming engaged. The fog lasted for most of the worship service … started to rise a bit as we communed … but wasn’t really burned off until 15 minutes into the Bible study that followed (have you ever noticed how many times Joshua was told to be strong and courageous?).
And even after we adjourned early in the afternoon, there was no time for fooling around. My next stop was Henry Ford Hospital. After a great and encouraging visit with someone going through an unfortunate story, I traveled to a home in the 8-mile and Kelly area. While there certainly are many smiles mixed with some laughter during most of these visits, I am not there to simply fool around. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ … active in Word and Sacrament … that is the consistent game-changer.
Next came a stop at Saint Thomas … and then – well I’m just not sure … except to say that it was after 4:00 as I answered my phone while walking into our condo. With no time for fooling around, I next sent out two text messages, and as I was hitting the send button for the second time, my phone rang again. And suddenly it was after 5:00! So much for the lazy day I had anticipated.
Fortunately, I was able to create time in the evening to relax with God speaking to me in his word. And what a word it was … a very clear word about our Savior’s identity. I invite you (no fooling around here) to take a moment to savor and enjoy as I did: “In (Christ) we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
“He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn over all creation.
For everything was created by him,
in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities –
all things have been created through him and for him.
He Is before all things,
and by him all things hold together.
He is also the head of the body, the church,
he is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead,
so that he might come to have
first place in everything.
For God was pleased to have
all his fullness dwell in him,
and through him to reconcile
everything to himself,
whether things on earth or things in heaven,
by making peace
through his blood, shed on the cross.”
(Colossians 1.14-20)
I don’t like many things that are currently going on in our world … and I understand things even less … but I am convinced that – in the midst of all of this – God is not fooling around. He is in control … he knows what he is doing … and we need not be afraid … only keep doing what God’s people have always been called to do … “encourage one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4.18) … which, of course, are the words of the Gospel