It has been said that if men had to give birth to babies, Adam and Eve’s generation, and the whole human race, would have ended with Cain. That could be true. But newborn babies have a way of erasing the painful memory of childbirth, don’t they?
When Jesus was asked how we would know that the end was coming, he said, “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.”
The bad news is about wars and earthquakes and famines. The good news is that it’s not the end…it’s the beginning, the “birth pains.” Birth may not be a pleasant nor easy experience, but the joy that follows makes it all worth the effort.
Every new change, every new beginning, requires effort. This week’s lessons, all having to do with the “end times,” are pointing to an upcoming major change…whether you think it’s Christmas and the coming of the Christ Child, or just the coming of a new year, or a political change, it’s still a change.
The past couple of weeks have been harsh. A mass shooting and a series of wildfires that rank as the most destructive in our state’s history may not be the birth experience we want. How we react to these events, what we do in response to them, could bring us to a new place, a joyful place. Or it could crush us. Faith…hope…love…repeat as necessary.
Change is good, but it can still be painful. So buckle your seat belts, boys and girls, and hang on. Faith…hope…love….
Galilee Lutheran Church changes a little bit every Sunday at 10 a.m. We are located at 8860 Soda Bay Road in the Kelseyville Rivieras. Lay leaders Doug and Kris Andre. We invite you to drop in!
