“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?... Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25, 34, ESV)
Life goes by way too fast, that we have a hard time keeping up with it. Seasons come and seasons go and the greatest conflict that we face is struggling to find the time to fit everything in. We spend most of our lives preparing for the next big change in our lives. If we are young we look toward the beginning of the next school year, whether in eager anticipation or in fearful dread. As we age we look toward our first job, our first house, our first … anything. We want to be ready for these firsts, whether having the right skills or having enough saved up, we attempt to be prepared for anything. And then As we have children and as our children age, we look forward to their firsts, trying to prepare them for their own firsts. We prepare our minds, our bodies, and our hearts for the changes that are set before us.
In my own household we are busy already preparing for the next big change. Something happened during pastor’s time away that seemed to turn the corner upon this year. One moment we are in the middle of vicarage, and then suddenly we are near the end. We are preparing to leave and return back to Fort Wayne for one more year, God willing. We are preparing for Lydia to continue growing and developing, often a little quicker than we are really ready. We are preparing for change. And we are not alone in our preparation. The church too is looking forward to change with the coming for the next Vicar, Vicar elect DeBlieck. As one person disappears a new one appears. It is the way of things, life changes, never staying the same from one moment to the next.
It is easy to grow uneasy in the midst of so much change, to wonder what is going to happen. We try to be prepared for everything, but there always seems to be the one thing that we didn’t think about, or we didn’t have enough time to prepare for. Jesus spoke to his disciples about these things in Matthew 6:25-34 telling them not to be anxious or worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will come as it will. We take comfort in the knowledge that even though we do not know what comes, that God will continue to care for us through all situations. He sent us His son for our salvation, so that we would be prepared for life everlasting through His actions. We cannot ask for anything more than that.
It has been a joy to serve here this short time that I have dwelt among you, and I will always remember this year. Many things will change, but as we in the church move forward, we know that God’s love will never change. We trust in the Lord, for He has taken care of all our preparations.
God’s Blessings,
Vicar William J. Shupe, #42
