Comfort, Comfort

Advent is a season of preparation, anticipation, and joy. It is a time of great hope, peace, and love. At least it should be, but what happens when it’s not? What about those times when we face pain, anger, doubt, and heavy loss? Is it really Advent? Could it really be Christmas, because it doesn’t feel like it.

We hear all of the popular songs around this time of year telling us to have a holly jolly Christmas, that it’s the most wonderful time of the year, or that we should be rockin’ around the Christmas tree, but you just don’t feel it right now. If fact, we may feel like we don’t even want to hear about silent nights, midnight clears, or anything about mangers and swaddling clothes. It would be better if silence was all around us. We don’t want anything to even remind us about this season of not only preparation, but also of celebration.

You may know about this feeling of not being sure that you even want to face the next day. This may be due to an illness, a diagnosis, a broken relationship, or a devastating loss of a family member. Last year, just before Christmas, my mother-in-law passed away which made the season incredibly difficult. We thought this year would be different, however, my wife recently lost a niece. This same family who faced a devastating loss in the matriarch of the family a year ago, now faces another loss of good woman, a mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, niece, and friend. Where do we go from here?

I can only speak for myself when I say that I lean heavily on my faith and my belief in the everlasting. I know that there is more to this life than what we see on this earth. While this will be an incredibly difficult journey, I know that God will be beside us every step of the way. I am reminded that Advent is not all about lights, hot chocolate, carols, and celebrations. This season first came when the world was groaning, filled with pain and loss. It was a place that desperately needed a savior, a child who would be born to deliver us all.

In the midst of all this pain, unrest, and uncertainty, we hear the prophecy from Isaiah 40. This is one of the most quoted prophecies and is even a major portion of Handel’s Messiah. While it talks about making the rough places plain and straightening our roads, preparing the way for the Lord, it begins very differently. This passage begins; “Comfort, comfort my people. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem.” Yes, this season of Advent begins with a word of offering comfort to a hurting people. This could very well be you today.

We may be hurting this year because of a great loss, or maybe health, relationship, or spiritual troubles. If this is where you are right now, please hear the message which begins this season of Advent. God offers comfort in the loss, peace in uncertainty, and hope in the deepest despair. This does not mean that tomorrow everything will be holly jolly or filled with joy to the world, but it can be the first day toward healing and peace in your life. This is the hope and promise found in Advent and in the birth of the Son of God.

While our world might seem incredibly dark and shrouded in pain and loss, there is hope. Isaiah 9:2 says; “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light, on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” It may still seem dark, but the light is coming. It may seem like there’s no hope, but it is on the way. God will journey with us along our paths in the valley, always beside us. So, go ahead and grieve, this is a natural process and one that we all must journey at our own pace. But know that God is with you, grieving with you, longing to bring peace and comfort to your soul.

With A Little Help…

There was this mildly popular song back in ’67 by a few bugs, then released by a gravelly voiced crooner by the name of Joe Cocker in ’69. It was a song that talked about friendship and how those relationships help when times might be difficult. You’re probably already singing the song in your head, but if not, it is “With a Little Help from My Friends.” I’m sure we’ve all had difficult season in our lives. We’ve all faced days when it felt like we should just stay in bed, rather than attempt to tread through a day that we regret. Sometimes those days are far easier when we have others to encourage us and cheer us up when we need it…

There are times as a pastor, that days are difficult. There are many demands on schedules, people pulling in multiple directions, and some days that pastors wonder if what they do makes a difference. While we have the month of October as “pastor appreciation” month, those months are still a year apart. It is certainly wonderful to receive cards and gifts during that time, but even a note when you least expect it can offer reminders of the importance of ministry.

Recently, I received a card in the mail, and while I will not share who sent it or what was detailed in the heart-warming words inside, I do want to share what it meant to me. You see, this was not a card that simply said that I was doing a good job, although those are certainly welcome. It was a card that on the cover stated that this person gives thanks to God for my presence in their life. That would have been enough, however, there was more.

Inside the card was a long, hand-written letter, detailing the many ways God had used me to help her grow in her faith and get through some difficult times. It was truly her faith journey, and I was blessed to play just a small role in what God planned for her. This letter touched my heart in so many ways and it will go in that special drawer I have of encouragement, so that when I have one of those difficult days, questioning whether this makes a difference, I can re-read that letter and remember.

It was a wonderful reminder that being a pastor is what God has designed for me. It is also a reminder that what I do, matters. This life of ministry, while difficult, frustrating, and exhaustive at times, is my God given vocation.

To that incredibly special person who sent that letter…THANK YOU! You are a blessing, you are loved, and you are an amazing child of God!

Holy Saturday

Today is Holy Saturday. It is that strange in-between day that many times we gloss right over. Maundy Thursday is a day to celebrate the Last Supper or Passover meal where Jesus gives the new covenant through the bread and wine. Good Friday is that day we remember the death of Jesus on a Roman cross. But then Saturday comes around, and it feels like we’re not sure what to do with ourselves.

If we are honest, this is the day many families will spend in Easter Egg Hunts, family fun days, and other celebrations, but is this what it is meant to be? Don’t get me wrong, I think that family gatherings are very important and this is surely a day that can be used to have those fun events, but do we think about the significance of this day?

Today I found myself in the middle of a cemetery. They had just laid the headstone for my mother-in-law’s grave and I drove my wife and one of her sisters out to place flowers in the grave vase. However, as I sat among the graves on this holiest of Saturdays, I found myself reflecting on the significance of death and resurrection.

We visit graves, trying to connect with loved ones we’ve lost, pulling memories from the past and letting them flash before our eyes. The good times linger, the difficulties fly by. We wonder how the time can go by so fast but yet still feel like the loss was just yesterday. Will healing come? Will the grief pass? All in due time, all in due time.

I sat in the midst of so many graves, cement and granite markers for lives that are no longer on earth. Some of the stones dated back to the 1800’s, and while I know that’s nothing compared to other cemeteries, it does point to the longevity of the granite markers. However, granite doesn’t hold a candle to the eternal life that Jesus offers through his life, death, and resurrection.

There could have been a headstone for Jesus in this field, but the epithet would probably read something different. The words would be “Do not look for me among the dead, I am not here, I have risen.” Many of us would agree with that statement, but I think there’s more. Because of my faith, I don’t go to cemeteries, looking for the dead. I go, expecting to remember those we’ve lost, but also to celebrate the new life that they are experiencing. The markers that are scattered all over the ground are reminders of the saints that have gone on before us, the lives that have been redeemed by the grace of God, through the power of the cross.

This Holy Saturday is a day that we remember the death of Jesus. As horrible as crucifixion was, as excruciating as the pain had been, death had finally wrapped its arms around Jesus. But that was not the end. As Jesus descended to the dead, death thought for a moment that it might have won. But that was not the end. Holy Saturday has given us pause, reflecting on the death of Jesus, but Sunday is on the way.

Jesus’ resurrection is not for him alone. His resurrection is for all of us. As I sat among the grave today, I could have felt sorrow for the field of death that I was in. But I didn’t. Yes, death seems final, it seems like it would have the last word, but death is not the end. Surrounded by names written in stone did not mean that I was engulfed in death. On the contrary, I was surrounded by names of saints who have joined with so many others in paradise, worship God and celebrating with others.

Today is Holy Saturday….and Sunday is on the way!

Pastor Jarrod Severing

How Long?

This morning, I was sitting in my office looking out the window as the snow was beginning to fall…again! I began to wonder how long it would be before spring actually arrived. I thought about my computer or other devices which gives the “spinning wheel of death” when the internet connection is slow. You might remember the words that sometimes follow, “site is not responding,” or “failure to load, site is unavailable.” Is spring unavailable this year? Doubtful, but still, you wonder. But then I remembered that I wrote those words “how long” last night, but for a much different reason…

I hope and pray that we’ve not become numb to the news of gun violence, especially when it comes to innocent lives that have been lost. Tragic, horrific, and senseless have been some of the words used when the news breaks on the scene with updates on yet another school shooting, church shooting, or any other ‘active shooter’ news story. I continue to hope that one of these stories would lead with a different word, preventable.

Please understand me when I say that I understand when people talk about owning firearms for protection, hunting, and even collecting, but I don’t understand the push-back against full background checks, waiting periods, registration, and increased ‘red-flag’ laws. I know that I am not fully up to speed on all of the talking points, and I probably have some of my facts mistaken. Therefore, I should just focus on my feelings and beliefs as a Christ follower. 

Here at Journey of Hope we’ve talked about purpose over personal preference, and I think that can also fit well with this topic. Personal preference talks about what I desire, what I deserve, regardless of the cost or who it might affect. Purpose points toward a greater plan, making our world a safer place, to transform lives, and to participate in the Kingdom of God. How long before we, collectively, look toward the purpose of a safer community, safer schools, safer churches, and value that safety over a desire to just make it easier to purchase tools of destruction?

Yes, I know that cars can and have killed people. I know that they have even been used as weapons for domestic terror attacks, but we also require registrations, license, and training to be able to use them. We watch for signs that people might be unfit to operate them. Does this mean that no one who shouldn’t be able to drive, doesn’t? I think we all know the answer to that. There will always be those who break the rules, but wouldn’t it be better if it was more difficult to obtain those weapons, whatever they may be?

So many people are correct when they say that ‘thoughts & prayers’ are not enough, action needs to take place. I encourage you to reach out to local and national leaders, pleading with them to make the changes needed so that no parent will ever have to speed to a school, praying that when they arrive, their child will be waiting for them, still breathing, still with a heartbeat.

How long, O Lord?

Pastor Jarrod Severing

Let Your Colors Shine!

I recently learned about a few scientific words. Two of them are carotenoids and anthocyanin. These are fascinating things, once you get to know how they work. Some of you might already know what I’m talking about, but for the rest of you, they help in a process around this time of year. But in order to know how they work, we must also know about another word that you might all be familiar with, chlorophyll.

Every autumn, God’s creation puts on a show like none other. The landscape around us changes and for a brief window paints itself in beautiful colors, just in time for a nice drive down some country roads, or a good hike in a local forest preserve, maybe even Lord’s Park here in Elgin. Yes, the leaves begin to change. Of course, that’s just a precursor to the work of raking and bagging, but maybe we should just enjoy them for a while before the work begins.

Did you know that there are a few reasons why the change in color happens? The pigments in the leaves have something to do with it, but so does the duration of the dark nights and the weather have important roles. When the longer nights begin, the leaves slow their production of chlorophyll, and even stop at some point. Once all of the chlorophyll is gone from the leaf, the colors come out, and these are due to the carotenoids and anthocyanin.

What is interesting is that the carotenoids are in the leaf as they grow in spring and summer, lasting into fall. But the anthocyanins are produced in the fall. Both parts are present in the leaf while it is still green, but it is only in the dying away of the chlorophyll, that these two other parts are revealed which produces the vibrant colors we see at this time of year.

You probably know where I’m going with this, but isn’t it interesting that this part of God’s creation can tell us so much of how we should view our lives and the parallels that are present here? When we allow our sins and brokenness die away, offering prayers of confession, the grace-filled parts of our lives are revealed. God’s grace is always within us, we just need to remove the obstacles to that grace and allow the beauty of God’s creation in each one of us to shine through. 

Let the past go. Get your paint scraper out and scrape off the old stuff that is hiding the image of God in you and let your colors shine through! You are beautiful, you are loved, and you are created in the image of God.

Phone Calls You Don’t Want

As we journey through this life, there are moments that are forever etched into our memories. These can be times of absolute joy and euphoria, or they can be ones of tragedy and fear. I remember receiving a call about ten years ago when my daughter, Stephanie, was in her first car accident. I remember the fear and worry as I raced to meet her and Sherry at the crash site. These are the phone calls that parents never want to hear. Then a couple of days ago, the phone wrang again…

Jessy was calling shortly after she left for work. She was crying and explained that she hit a car. I could hear the fear, worry, and anxiousness in her voice as I tried to calm her down and told her that Sherry and I would be right there. 

When we arrived on the scene, we could Jessy near her car which had some pretty bad cosmetic damage on the driver’s side, but she was alright. I also notice the other driver standing by his vehicle, patiently waiting. The police officers took our insurance info and proceeded to fill out reports while we all waited.

During this time of waiting, after Sherry and I had talked to Jessy, I went over and began a conversation with the other driver. I found out his name was Kenneth and he had left work 30 minutes early that day. Initially he was upset about the accident, but when he saw how upset Jessy was, all of his feeling dissipated. He became more worried about how she was doing than anything that might have happened to his car. 

He explained to me that at the point of the accident, they were the only two cars in the northbound lanes, although there were certainly cars coming southbound. Had he not been there, Jessy could have drifted into oncoming traffic, making the accident horrifically worse. He didn’t say this, but I couldn’t help but think that there was a reason for him leaving 30 minutes earlier. I thank God that his large SUV acted as a barrier, keeping Jessy safe.

Kenneth was an amazing representation of how we all should handle ourselves in times of distress. He was calm, concerned, and friendly. In a moment where some might have expressed anger or resentment, he reached out and gave Jessy a hug, trying to comfort her. There is a lesson in his actions, and I know that need reminders like this at times. Maybe you needed this reminder as well. Cars come and go, but life is precious. I will remember Kenneth always.

What’s on the Inside?

A little earlier today, I had to pick up my car from the repair shop. Yes, this was Kellenberger’s and they did a great job with the repair, but something hit me as I was thinking about what needed to be done. The original problem was a “seep” in one of my radiator hoses which keeps the anti-freeze flowing through the engine, pretty important to the long life of a vehicle. Well, what started as a “seep,” turned into a leak which signaled the need for an immediate response. It wasn’t the radiator, water pump, or other engine component, but a rubber hose. How can something so simple, cause such problems…

Jesus once told some people around him that they were “whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of uncleanliness.” (Matthew 23:27) He is speaking harsh words to the scribes and Pharisees of the day, telling them that while they are trying to live up to the law of Moses, they are missing the greater picture. They want to be seen as perfect and pure people but are wasting away on the inside.

Sooner or later, the decay that they are experiencing on the inside will surface. This will cause great trouble in their spiritual lives as well as the lives of those around them. Jesus is asking for a change of heart, a repair of the soul, maybe even a cleansing from within. The inside should match the outside.

How is your spiritual life? Does it look good from the outside but lack spiritual depth? Are you more concerned by what people see than what God sees?

As I thought about the radiator hoses on my car, I realized that on the outside they looked fine. These hoses seemed to be doing what they were designed to do, but upon a mechanics inspection, they could tell that something was wrong. They knew that they were deteriorating from the inside out and would one day cause a catastrophic failure. What I, and others around me, couldn’t see, was about to tear up the engine that gets me from one space to another. It was certainly a good thing to have someone diagnose the problem before it became a real problem.

Is the Holy Spirit diagnosing something in your life? Do you need to make a change? Lent is a season of reflection and repentance, so maybe God is working on you in this time, asking for a change in the flow of life-giving water from Jesus Christ. How are the hoses that allow that allow that water to flow in your life? Do they need to be changed? Maybe it’s time to schedule a visit to your “Mechanic.”

Change?

So, something happened to me today that got me thinking. I know, that’s a dangerous thing at times, but hear me out. This morning I got in my car to head off to the Wednesday morning Panera Bread Bible study group. When I sat in my car, I was very aware that I was not the last person to drive it. My wife took my car into Rockford the day before. It is obvious that my car is much better on gas mileage than her van. If you haven’t notice before, her legs are shorter than mine and therefore driver’s seats change with each time we drive one another’s vehicles. However, it is rare that she will drive my “stick-shift” Chevy Cruze.

We switch back and forth with the van seat often, but my car’s driver’s seat rarely changes. It probably has been a good six months since the last time she drove it. Well, when I sat down, I felt like I was in the back seat. She had been kind and moved it back, so I didn’t bang my knees on the dashboard, but the seat was still not where I had it before. It took a little adjustment time before I felt comfortable again, but then I realized something. After the adjustment, I realized that I was sitting a little further back than I normally was, and it was more comfortable than the previous setting. Imagine that, things were better than before!

As I thought about our journey as Christians and the many ways God challenges us to make changes in our lives, I began to wonder about the ‘normal’ stance on change. We don’t like it, we resist it, and we fight it. But why? So many times, we find out that life after the change is better. We’ve been driving with our seat in the same position for so long that we just ‘know’ that it could never get better.

But then something happens, and we are forced, whether through God’s nudging, outside circumstance, or just a deliberate decision that we make, to change something in our lives. To our surprise, the new circumstance is better than before. Maybe we are more productive, streamlined, or just more comfortable. The change wasn’t so bad after all, it was just the fear of the process that held us back.

John’s vision in Revelation 21 tells us, “And he who was seated on the throne said; Behold, I am making all things new.” We are in a constant mode of change. This is what it means to become more like Christ in our daily faith journey. Every day brings about new circumstance where we can learn, grow, and expand our understanding of the Triune God.

When your seat gets moved, don’t just complain about it. Try something new, change your approach and open your heart to a new message. Follow the Spirit’s guidance as you learn new paths and new destinations. There are lessons everywhere.

Big Picture?

I think we can all agree that we have different ways of doing things. Some people are right-handed while others, clearly in their right mind, are left-handed. Some like to make sure all the detailed planning is done before they start a project and other just wing it as they go. Some people love meat on their pizza, and other, whom we shall not name, will put pineapple on it. (The audacity!) Ok, I’m just kidding, after all, I should probably try it before I knock it. Isn’t that what I asked of you with the whole ‘pudding on toast’ thing? Well, I think you get what I mean, but something stuck out to me last week in a conversation with Nancy Gardner…

The day was just beginning, and I had just finished our midweek prayer service in the Sonrise room. It was that special time on Thursday morning, coffee with the pastor. These are special times when open and honest conversations happen. It just so happened that Nancy joined me that morning and we picked up on an activity that Mary VanSlyck and I participate in during our Vintage 325 days. We started working on a puzzle while we talked. 

As I said earlier, we all have different ways of doing things, like assembling puzzles. I usually start with the frame, the outside edges, and then work on the inside. I usually have the box artwork right next to me so I can figure out where certain pieces should go. I refer to the picture quite often. However, Nancy shared that she rarely looks at the image and simply assembles by colors and patterns on the individual pieces. I must say that she did say there must be some kind of message in this concept, and of course I would think about it later. 

We are faced with different situations every day. We participate in activities, ministries, family events, and many other things. Do you ever stop to think about how all of those circumstances fit into God’s plan for your life? Do you ever wonder, especially when going through a difficult time, how that could ever be a part of something bigger, more beautiful, more meaningful? Many of you know about the birth of my daughters and how difficult that time was. But more than that, how God was able to use that moment in time to prepare me for situations during my Clinical Pastoral Education time at Rockford Memorial Hospital. During that time, I got a glimpse of the bigger picture, just a glimpse. 

I used to ask God for that view all the time. I wanted to know how everything was going to turn out. I wanted to see how my little piece of the puzzle would fit into God’s wonderful salvation plan for the world. I wonder if you’ve done the same thing. 

Nancy didn’t want to see the big picture of the puzzle. She was content with focusing on the individual pieces. When you narrow your focus, you begin to notice the little things. You see how one prong is oddly shaped, or that a special point in one corner could only fit in one specific place. You notice the connections between pieces, and those are more important that the whole puzzle because if you put two together that are close but not fully connected, the rest of the puzzle will not work.

Maybe we shouldn’t be looking for the big picture. Maybe we need to turn our focus on the individual connections, building those relationships. Maybe we need to trust God to work all things for the good, for those who love him.

What kind of person are you? Are you the kind that wants to see the big picture? Or do you want to work really hard on the individual connections and relationships in your life? It makes you wonder…

It All Started With a Little Gift…

Conflux moments come in different shapes and sizes. They are moments that we don’t expect, nor are they the result from actions which we thought we knew. Take this past Christmas season. Yes, I know that it has been over a month since Christmas. However, there has been something going on for me and another special person for over a month now. It all started with a little gift…

One day I came into the office to find a Christmas gift wrapped in wonderful Grinch paper. It was waiting on my desk without a card or note to say who it was from. These kinds of surprises are wonderful at times, and this was certainly no exception. Inside was a t-shirt and mug with the caption; “Pastor warning, anything you say or do might be used in a sermon.” No truer words have ever been spoken.

I was content with not knowing who the generous person was, however, about a week later, I posted on Facebook an image of this mug, thanking the anonymous person who gifted it. It was only a day or two later that I received my first of many notes from this person, egging me on to find out who it was. I received note after note, clue after clue, but still could not figure it out. I thought it might have been Gwen, Mary Becker, Lisa Eby, Nancy Gardner, and maybe Penny Ball. I dropped hints of my own on social media only to be informed that I was wrong. I even approached some of my ‘suspects’ face to face, only to be disappointed at my error.

I sat down with my ‘evidence’ and poured over the clues. I even examined handwriting from previous cards of encouragement that I keep, ordination cards, and other written correspondence. I even pulled out the ‘time and talent’ forms from previous years and examined the writing of those I thought were involved.

I’m not sure what it was, but I finally hit me that I knew who this person was. I confirmed the handwriting and confirmed the clues that I had. Last night, I approached Carol Zweig at choir and asked her about one of the clues, in effect, accusing her of this wonderful work. She started laughing and glowed as she told me about the things she had done. She even told me how she shared it with her granddaughter and how it affected their relationship. (It was good!)

We laughed and reminisced about all the clues and the process of not only leaving them, but also trying to decipher what was there for me to investigate. It was a wonderful journey, one that almost didn’t happen. Had I not posted the image on Facebook, and had Carol not decided to leave that first note, we would never have this story to tell.

This was a conflux moment where God joined together with Carol and I on this journey of friendship. And even more than that, the conversations that Robyn had with Carol as she shared my thought processes and suspect lists, and all who have followed along on social media with our story.

One more thing, you can guarantee that I will use this story in a sermon at some time! So, I guess the mug was right, Carol.