Settle
Christmas Greetings!
What matters in life? We “settle” a lot in life. It may not be the perfect car, job, house, or whatever but we know that realistically nothing is perfect so we make decisions on what we can deal with and what we need or want the most and then decide which one we can settle for. That’s not a bad thing. In fact we usually are happy with the things we decide upon and settle for.
Did God have to settle on us? We fell from perfection. The way we are was not his first choice in how he created us. Did God end up settling on us?
This word has been floating around in my mind for a while now. So, I decided to look it up. That was encouraging. The first definition is: established or decided beyond dispute or doubt.
God decided to love us beyond dispute or doubt. Isn’t that amazing. Much different from my version of “settle”. Reminds me of the song Jason, my oldest son, sang with his Captive Free Team when he came back from India and Nepal called “Isn’t It Love” by Andrew Peterson. I heard the song on my way home from Chicago yesterday. It always makes me feel good inside because of Jason singing it and because of the great words about God’s unconditional love without dispute or doubt. Here are the lyrics:
Lost my luggage out in Kalamazoo –
Same way I tend to lose my conscience, too.
Another day in these dirty old blues, and I don’t seem to mind.
This is a thing that confounds me;
You can find me; You surround and remind me.
I lose my way and I forget about You
But You still remember me.
Oh, isn’t it love:
This rain that falls on the sinners and the saints?
Isn’t it love:
This well that won’t run dry?
And when I think about that prodigal son,
I’ve got to smile when I see the old man run.
And I know that You love us the same,
‘Cause the sun came up today;
Just as if we deserved it –
Just as if any one of us fools was worth it;
Truth is that we’ll never be perfect, but You love us just the same.
Well, isn’t it love:
This ran that falls on the sinners and the saints?
Isn’t it love:
This well that won’t run dry?
Isn’t it love? Isn’t it love?
Isn’t it love to look down from the sky
And see Your only Son on the cross asking “Why?”
And somehow let Him die that way
And not call the whole thing off?
All for this man stuck in Kalamazoo
Who loses his bags and his way sometimes too.
But that was something that You already knew,
And still You died for me.
Isn’t it love?
And isn’t it love:
This ran that falls on the sinners and the saints?
Isn’t it love:
This well that won’t run dry?
Isn’t it love?
His mercies are made new every morning.
Isn’t it love?
Isn’t it love?
And isn’t it love?
God is with us loving us all the way!
Hope
Announcements for First Trinity Lutheran Church
Sunday, January 2
This Sunday, January 2, at 10:45am we will talk about gifts during worship and take the spiritual gifts inventory so we know which gifts the Holy Spirit has given to us to use in our community. Refreshments and fellowship follow. I’m on deck for this Sunday. Also bring your barn banks and food items for the Sharing Place.
Monday, January 3
Women’s Bible Study at 11:30am. Come join us and bring your lunch if you’d like to as we stay and eat together at 12:30pm. Bring a cup for a blessing. What shall our name be?
Tuesday, January 4
Women’s Bible Study at 7pm. What shall our name be?
Thursday, January 6
Women of Design at 11am. What shall our next project be?
Special worship service on Thursday evening, January 6 at 7pm with Our Redeemer at First Trinity to celebrate Epiphany. King Cakes and Wassail after.
We remember in prayer:
- Those undergoing cancer treatments or are recovering:
- Pastor David Yoder
- Pastor Jerry Curry’s wife Alice
- Pastor James Caper’s wife Barbara
- Mack Stowers, Sylvia Ackles step-father;
- Beverly Lancia, Jo O’Connor’s sister;
- Nancy Winters;
- Valerie Murphy;
- Calla Keith
- Cheryl Burg, Carl Anderson’s friend
- Bob Moss and his family as he has seen a neurosurgeon this past week for a brain tumor which is not aggressive. They will take another MRI in 6 weeks and go from there.
- Pastor Dan Strobel’s wife Nancy as she seeks a diagnosis for problems with her leg
- Michael Henley and Jason Gregory as they serve our county overseas.
- Jillian Apel, infant daughter of Pastors Wade and Heather Apel from Bethel, Noblesville. She has been in Riley for many days with omphalocele and other complications but is home now and doing well.
- Our Bishop Bill Gafkjen, his family, staff and ministry.
- One of our Conference churches - St. James in Greenfield - as they take a 2nd first vote on Sunday, January 2 to leave the ELCA
