June 2012

Fires!

These have been unreal days in Colorado. Just about everyone has been impacted in some way. We have friends who have either lost their home or have been evacuated. I know of two pastors who's homes are in harms way of the fires right now as I write this news letter.

This has been a very sad and surreal week as we have watched the news and pictures of these fires and their destruction. Our prayers go up before the Lord on behalf of all involved and affected.

On the 17th of this month I was in Colorado Springs to do a wedding at Glen Eyrie. That morning I attended worship service at the Flying W Ranch. It is now gone. Glen Eyrie has been spared up to this point, but was surrounded by fire.

As I reflect on this week (June 22nd-29th) I am reminded of how much we need the Lord in our lives and our communities and our world. Life and what we have here is so fragile. This life has no permanence. And we know that, but often we, myself included, get so caught up in this world's concerns that we loose sight of the temporariness of the here and now, and the reality of eternity fades from our minds.

As I contemplated the potential of having to flee from my own home, I have asked myself, what really matters? What would I gather up if I had to leave quickly? And as I looked around, I realized there is not that much that really is terribly valuable in light of the circumstances. Yes it would be sad to loose most everything, but the real riches we possess as followers and believers in Christ cannot be touched by the flames of this world's fires or even the flames of God's judgement in the days to come.

In Matthew 6:19-20 Jesus reminds us
of where we should invest:
¹⁹ "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."

How are we investing in the eternal things of God?

Something else that struck home was the fact that even the things I would gather up to save had something to do with memories of special relationships.

May we take comfort and hope in the treasures and riches we have in knowing Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior today, and in the relationships we have with one another.

God bless! Pastor Rick 
Pastor of a church without walls.