Rollercoaster of Life

Good afternoon everyone,

The last 24 hours have been interesting. Yesterday was my son's 11th birthday. We celebrated as a family, but my wife was sick with a migraine so she was not able to go to the movie with us last night. A bummer, but Ethan had fun. When we got home, I turned on the news to hear the story of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Since our church has supported missions to Haiti through Climbing for Christ, there was a deeper sense of concern and compassion for the Haitian people. I have remained updated on the progress of the villages our missionaries have served through the Climbing for Christ website (www.climbingforchrist.org). I continue to pray for them constantly, as well as Miguel Guante, as he ministers to the people and villages in Haiti.

If I remember correctly, in the movie Parenthood, the grandma refers to life as a roller coaster - up and down, up and down, up and down. Sometimes the movement makes us sick or we become ill just thinking about it. But, it is a reality. It is our lives. Filled with the joys that are associated with birth and emptied by the loss of lives. Up and down, up and down.

This morning, as I dropped off my kids at school, I was at the stop sign and noticed something on the ground that reminded me of a life event that happened to me while on a mission trip in London. While the actual life event isn't important, I was reminded in that moment of the power certain things have to help us remember things we may have forgotten.

God knows the power memories can have in our lives. Sometimes they are good memories, sometimes they are bad. Some may be tragic and others may have us at the top of the world. Our memories may be up or down. But, they are important when we are able to see how God is working within them.

In Joshua 4 of the Holy Scriptures, Joshua provided a means by which Israel could remember that God had acted on their behalf. They laid cairns (pronounced care-ins) or memorial stones and every time they looked at these stones they were reminded of God's activity in their lives and encouraged to remain faithful to Him. These cairns would be a place of solace and hope as they rode the rollercoaster of life.

What are the cairns we surround ourselves with today that remind us of God's activity in our lives? What are the visual experiences we have that tell us, with all certainty, that God is with us when we are celebrating the joys of life or experiencing the sorrows of death?

We decorate our homes and our bodies with crosses, ichthuses, Bibles, doves, angels, peace signs, etc. But, what if we saw worship as a cairn in our lives? When we worship together, we are reminded again and again of God's activity and presence among us. We are reminded that our Lord is with us and that His grace abounds in our lives. We are reminded that whether we are chugging up the hill, or at the zenith of life, or quickly descending into the valley, God is faithful!

When we come together as the Body of Christ to worship our Lord, we remember who God is, what He has done for us, and how He journeys with us. When we worship we are encouraged to remain faithful to Him and we find solace and hope as we ride the rollercoaster of life. But, to be reminded, we need to visit this cairn of worship on a regular basis. Let's continue to remember how God remains active in our lives and how God continues to desire a full relationship with us. One powerful way we can do this, is through our worship together.

Gracious, loving, God, I want to thank You for being with me through the ups and downs of my life. Remind me again and again of your faithfulness and help me to worship You in the midst of whatever life brings. In Jesus' holy name. Amen.

Take Care & God Bless,

Pastor Don