We kind of have a usual format for these devotional messages. A verse of the Bible and then a couple short paragraphs of comment or interpretation. Well, I want to change that here - Paul writes so clearly in the book of Ephesians that I have no comment except to say. Isn't God's love amazing in it's graciousness and depth?
Ephesians 2:4-7 4But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us 5even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
Friday, May 30, 2014
Thursday, May 29, 2014
ASLC Devotions - Thursday
Today is the festival of Jesus' Ascension. Today is the day we mark the end of Jesus' second run on earth, the time he spent with his disciples teaching them after his resurrection. Here is how the story is recorded in Acts:
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ 7He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ 9When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.10While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’
"Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven?" Stop staring off into space now. Turn your eyes downward. The life to which you've been called is not in the clouds. It's all around you. It's in your messy kitchen and your disgruntled board room and your smelly locker at school. That's your life. Live it in love.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ 7He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ 9When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.10While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’
"Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven?" Stop staring off into space now. Turn your eyes downward. The life to which you've been called is not in the clouds. It's all around you. It's in your messy kitchen and your disgruntled board room and your smelly locker at school. That's your life. Live it in love.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
ASLC Devotions - Wednesday
John 16:22 So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
Trends in the Christian church go on pendulum swings throughout history. Right now, and for the lifetimes of most of us, we are on a pendulum swing pretty far toward the church and faith being about right now - changing the world and making your life better - and less about the promise of eternal life. And that's a good thing. Faith is about right now. Jesus came to give you abundant life now, not just a promise about after you die.
But let's not forget the other side of the pendulum. There is a promise. And it is for something so awesome, so unbelievable, so majestic, that human words cannot possibly express it. It's not just ho-hum eternal life, you get to live forever on a cloud. No... it's joy that will never be taken from you. That is huge. And it's promised to you. It's signed, sealed, and not-quite delivered. But it will be. Thanks be to God!
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
Trends in the Christian church go on pendulum swings throughout history. Right now, and for the lifetimes of most of us, we are on a pendulum swing pretty far toward the church and faith being about right now - changing the world and making your life better - and less about the promise of eternal life. And that's a good thing. Faith is about right now. Jesus came to give you abundant life now, not just a promise about after you die.
But let's not forget the other side of the pendulum. There is a promise. And it is for something so awesome, so unbelievable, so majestic, that human words cannot possibly express it. It's not just ho-hum eternal life, you get to live forever on a cloud. No... it's joy that will never be taken from you. That is huge. And it's promised to you. It's signed, sealed, and not-quite delivered. But it will be. Thanks be to God!
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
ASLC Devotions - Tuesday
1 Peter 3:9 Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing.
It is for this reason that you were called. You want to know why you were called to a be a Christian? You want to know why Christians exist? So that you can replay evil with a blessing. That's it. That's the whole reason for the church. Vengeance has no place for the Christian. Getting even. Proving you're right and they're wrong.
I just read a great book about Hutterites during World War I in the United States. Hutterites are a church where one of their core founding principles is pacifism. During World War I, the right to conscientious objection didn't exist and/or was not observed in the United States. This book was about three Hutterite men in particular who spent the war at Alcatraz and Leavenworth for refusing to take up a weapon. Two of them died in prison. And none of their relatives fought back. To me, it is one of the most profound statements of Christian faith I've ever seen. They stayed committed to their principles even to death, bearing witness the whole way. Their witness paved the way for legal protections for conscientious objectors. They brought a blessing. You can too.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
It is for this reason that you were called. You want to know why you were called to a be a Christian? You want to know why Christians exist? So that you can replay evil with a blessing. That's it. That's the whole reason for the church. Vengeance has no place for the Christian. Getting even. Proving you're right and they're wrong.
I just read a great book about Hutterites during World War I in the United States. Hutterites are a church where one of their core founding principles is pacifism. During World War I, the right to conscientious objection didn't exist and/or was not observed in the United States. This book was about three Hutterite men in particular who spent the war at Alcatraz and Leavenworth for refusing to take up a weapon. Two of them died in prison. And none of their relatives fought back. To me, it is one of the most profound statements of Christian faith I've ever seen. They stayed committed to their principles even to death, bearing witness the whole way. Their witness paved the way for legal protections for conscientious objectors. They brought a blessing. You can too.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
Monday, May 26, 2014
ASLC Devotions - Monday
Genesis 9:16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.
In the culmination of the story of Noah and the ark we get the promise of God never to destroy the whole earth with a flood ever again. And the reminder of that promise - the rainbow. When we teach this story to children (or ourselves) I think we often get it backwards - we think of the rainbow as a reminder to us, in an Aesop's fable kind of way, of God's faithfulness. But that's not how the story goes in the Bible. The rainbow isn't a reminder for us - it's a reminder for God.
It's like God put a note in the Eternal Smartphone with an alarm. The phone buzzes and the message pops up: "Don't forget. You promised not to destroy the earth with a flood again." That's what a rainbow is. And I love this image. As someone who love to make lists and put reminders in smartphones, I do it because those things are important to me. Things that are important go on the list. We are important to God. So we go on God's list. We get a rainbow - because we matter.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
In the culmination of the story of Noah and the ark we get the promise of God never to destroy the whole earth with a flood ever again. And the reminder of that promise - the rainbow. When we teach this story to children (or ourselves) I think we often get it backwards - we think of the rainbow as a reminder to us, in an Aesop's fable kind of way, of God's faithfulness. But that's not how the story goes in the Bible. The rainbow isn't a reminder for us - it's a reminder for God.
It's like God put a note in the Eternal Smartphone with an alarm. The phone buzzes and the message pops up: "Don't forget. You promised not to destroy the earth with a flood again." That's what a rainbow is. And I love this image. As someone who love to make lists and put reminders in smartphones, I do it because those things are important to me. Things that are important go on the list. We are important to God. So we go on God's list. We get a rainbow - because we matter.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
Friday, May 23, 2014
ASLC Devotions - Friday
Genesis 7:5 And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him.
The story of Noah and the ark is one we all know pretty well. Whether it's the children's movie version or the mural painted on our church nursery wall or the new movie and some it's controversy. We know about Noah and his pair of all animals (or is it a pair of some and seven pair of others - depends on which verse you read). We know he went on the boat, survived the flood, and came out afterward and saw a rainbow.
But in all those details I think we sometimes lose the most important thing. We can lose the forest for the trees. And this is the forest: Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him. That's what we should remember from this story and the inspiration we should take from Noah. He did everything that was commanded of him.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Beginning this weekend, we change to our summer worship schedule. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. This week only, "Blessing of Bicycles" Saturday night! Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
The story of Noah and the ark is one we all know pretty well. Whether it's the children's movie version or the mural painted on our church nursery wall or the new movie and some it's controversy. We know about Noah and his pair of all animals (or is it a pair of some and seven pair of others - depends on which verse you read). We know he went on the boat, survived the flood, and came out afterward and saw a rainbow.
But in all those details I think we sometimes lose the most important thing. We can lose the forest for the trees. And this is the forest: Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him. That's what we should remember from this story and the inspiration we should take from Noah. He did everything that was commanded of him.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Beginning this weekend, we change to our summer worship schedule. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. This week only, "Blessing of Bicycles" Saturday night! Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
ASLC Devotions - Thursday
Psalm 66:16 Come and hear, all you who fear God,
and I will tell what he has done for me.
Testimony is a very important category of religious practice. It's a way of expressing your faith in God. Sharing your testimony about what God has done in your life: what you've seen, what you've experienced. Testimony is important for lots of reasons. It can inspire faith in someone else, it can help someone else think about their own life and learn to recognize God's work in their life.
But most importantly, testimony is about you. Telling what God has done for you reinforced it in you. It drives it home for yourself. Telling someone what God has done reminds you that it was God that did it, and not some coincidence. So share your testimony. Tell someone that God loves you. And that God loves them.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Beginning this weekend, we change to our summer worship schedule. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. This week only, "Blessing of Bicycles" Saturday night! Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
and I will tell what he has done for me.
Testimony is a very important category of religious practice. It's a way of expressing your faith in God. Sharing your testimony about what God has done in your life: what you've seen, what you've experienced. Testimony is important for lots of reasons. It can inspire faith in someone else, it can help someone else think about their own life and learn to recognize God's work in their life.
But most importantly, testimony is about you. Telling what God has done for you reinforced it in you. It drives it home for yourself. Telling someone what God has done reminds you that it was God that did it, and not some coincidence. So share your testimony. Tell someone that God loves you. And that God loves them.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Beginning this weekend, we change to our summer worship schedule. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. This week only, "Blessing of Bicycles" Saturday night! Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
ASLC Devotions - Wednesday
John 8:36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
Lots of things promise to help you, to make your life better. Lose weight. Focus on your work. Improve your relationships. Feel better about yourself. Our entire society (or economy at least) seems to be based on promises to make your life better. It could be said, these are all promises to make you free. Free from disease and unhealth. Free from discomfort or bad relationships. Free from fear.
And we all learn that those are all empty promises. Some things do make life better. I enjoy my iPad. But nothing sets us free like the Son. Nothing really sets us free except Jesus. And Jesus truly sets you free. Free from sin and guilt and death. Free.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Beginning this weekend, we change to our summer worship schedule. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. This week only, "Blessing of Bicycles" Saturday night! Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
Lots of things promise to help you, to make your life better. Lose weight. Focus on your work. Improve your relationships. Feel better about yourself. Our entire society (or economy at least) seems to be based on promises to make your life better. It could be said, these are all promises to make you free. Free from disease and unhealth. Free from discomfort or bad relationships. Free from fear.
And we all learn that those are all empty promises. Some things do make life better. I enjoy my iPad. But nothing sets us free like the Son. Nothing really sets us free except Jesus. And Jesus truly sets you free. Free from sin and guilt and death. Free.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Beginning this weekend, we change to our summer worship schedule. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. This week only, "Blessing of Bicycles" Saturday night! Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
ASLC Devotions - Tuesday
Proverbs 3:9 Honour the Lord with your substance
and with the first fruits of all your produce;
The call from the Bible for the life of people of faith has always been to offer the first fruits of our produce to God. Of course, this call is based in an agrarian culture. The idea was that after the harvest (of wheat, sheep, corn, whatever) the first things you harvested would be set aside for God's work. They would be given to the temple for the support of the priests directly or for sale and the proceeds to benefit the temple.
Not many farmers read these devotions. Some do, but not many. So what are the rest of us to do with our direct deposit paychecks? Here's how I think "first fruits thinking" applies in our time. The idea is to offer your best and to make offering to God a priority. This isn't supposed to be what's left over at the end of the week. It isn't supposed to be - I forgot to write a check and I have a sawbuck in my pocket. It should be the first thing we ponder in our budgets. Ponder it.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Beginning this weekend, we change to our summer worship schedule. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. This week only, "Blessing of Bicycles" Saturday night! Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
and with the first fruits of all your produce;
The call from the Bible for the life of people of faith has always been to offer the first fruits of our produce to God. Of course, this call is based in an agrarian culture. The idea was that after the harvest (of wheat, sheep, corn, whatever) the first things you harvested would be set aside for God's work. They would be given to the temple for the support of the priests directly or for sale and the proceeds to benefit the temple.
Not many farmers read these devotions. Some do, but not many. So what are the rest of us to do with our direct deposit paychecks? Here's how I think "first fruits thinking" applies in our time. The idea is to offer your best and to make offering to God a priority. This isn't supposed to be what's left over at the end of the week. It isn't supposed to be - I forgot to write a check and I have a sawbuck in my pocket. It should be the first thing we ponder in our budgets. Ponder it.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Beginning this weekend, we change to our summer worship schedule. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. This week only, "Blessing of Bicycles" Saturday night! Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
Monday, May 19, 2014
ASLC Devotions - Monday
Exodus 13:17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was nearer; for God thought, ‘If the people face war, they may change their minds and return to Egypt.’
You've probably all heard the commentary: God doesn't give you more than you can handle. I've never been comfortable with that thought, for a variety of reasons. The first is, God doesn't give us everything we have. Cancer isn't from God. Hatred and warfare are not from God. Sometimes we give ourselves problems. Sometimes other people give us problems. And sometimes bad stuff happens. God doesn't give it to us. And the other reason is, there are times, whether they have ever happened in your life or not, when you get WAY MORE than you can handle. That's just the reality.
The Israelites had lots of problems, and they didn't come from God. They came from Pharaoh. They came from the Philistines and their armies. And they came from the Israelites themselves, in the form of fear. So God led the people to Israel in a roundabout way to keep their fear at bay. To keep them safe. To make sure they felt safe. No - the phrase I like a lot better is not "God doesn't give you more than you can handle." I think it's much more true to say "God handles whatever problems you get."
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Beginning this weekend, we change to our summer worship schedule. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. This week only, "Blessing of Bicycles" Saturday night! Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
You've probably all heard the commentary: God doesn't give you more than you can handle. I've never been comfortable with that thought, for a variety of reasons. The first is, God doesn't give us everything we have. Cancer isn't from God. Hatred and warfare are not from God. Sometimes we give ourselves problems. Sometimes other people give us problems. And sometimes bad stuff happens. God doesn't give it to us. And the other reason is, there are times, whether they have ever happened in your life or not, when you get WAY MORE than you can handle. That's just the reality.
The Israelites had lots of problems, and they didn't come from God. They came from Pharaoh. They came from the Philistines and their armies. And they came from the Israelites themselves, in the form of fear. So God led the people to Israel in a roundabout way to keep their fear at bay. To keep them safe. To make sure they felt safe. No - the phrase I like a lot better is not "God doesn't give you more than you can handle." I think it's much more true to say "God handles whatever problems you get."
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship this weekend. Beginning this weekend, we change to our summer worship schedule. Saturday night worship at 5 pm and Sunday morning at 9 am. Both with Holy Communion. This week only, "Blessing of Bicycles" Saturday night! Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
Friday, May 2, 2014
ASLC Devotions - Friday
1 Peter 1:13 Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed.
Peter here is continuing to talk about that belief that we read about yesterday. We believe in Christ even though we haven't seen him. We celebrate the joy of the resurrection even though we have not seen him and put our hands in his wounds.
He continues to say that this belief must have consequences in our lives. Discipline yourselves with hope. Don't let your life be strayed off track by bad news and gloomy outlooks. Discipline yourself with hope. It matters.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11 and Education Hour at 9:45. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
Peter here is continuing to talk about that belief that we read about yesterday. We believe in Christ even though we haven't seen him. We celebrate the joy of the resurrection even though we have not seen him and put our hands in his wounds.
He continues to say that this belief must have consequences in our lives. Discipline yourselves with hope. Don't let your life be strayed off track by bad news and gloomy outlooks. Discipline yourself with hope. It matters.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11 and Education Hour at 9:45. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
ASLC Devotions - Thursday
1 Peter 1:8 Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy
This is a description of our life as Christians today. Frankly, it's been true of Christians for something close to 2000 years now. We haven't seen Jesus. We didn't walk with him. We didn't put our hands in his wounds after Easter to "prove" that it was really Jesus who had been crucified and was living again. We haven't seen him, but we love him anyway. We don't see him, but we believe in him and we receive the Easter news with joy.
That's what faith is about. Believing in something you don't see. Believing in life even when we see death. Believing in hope when the news is grim. Celebrating with joy even if the news isn't all good. Hold on to faith. Hold on to joy. Hold on to Alleluia! It's what you can't see that is often most profoundly true.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11 and Education Hour at 9:45. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
This is a description of our life as Christians today. Frankly, it's been true of Christians for something close to 2000 years now. We haven't seen Jesus. We didn't walk with him. We didn't put our hands in his wounds after Easter to "prove" that it was really Jesus who had been crucified and was living again. We haven't seen him, but we love him anyway. We don't see him, but we believe in him and we receive the Easter news with joy.
That's what faith is about. Believing in something you don't see. Believing in life even when we see death. Believing in hope when the news is grim. Celebrating with joy even if the news isn't all good. Hold on to faith. Hold on to joy. Hold on to Alleluia! It's what you can't see that is often most profoundly true.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
This devotional message is a ministry of All Saints Lutheran Church. Join us for worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11 and Education Hour at 9:45. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for full calendar and information and respond to this email message to request to be removed from our distribution list or to be added.
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