UCLC News

   Happy Eastertide! I pray everyone had a wonderful celebration of Our Lord and Savior this past Sunday. This season of Easter is one filled with hope and new life. Even though Easter was early this year and all the spring flowers are not in bloom, they soon will be. The celebration of Easter lasts for more than one day. Many Christians celebrate a whole season as Eastertide. This church season runs from Easter Sunday to the day of Pentecost, which this year is May 19th. During Eastertide we are continually reminded of the resurrected Jesus Christ and the events that happened between him and his disciples after Jesus was raised from the dead.

   All of these events are filled with hope and change. All record Jesus sending his disciples out into the world to spread the message he had taught them, both before and after the resurrection. The disciples were sent into all the world to preach the gospel and to let everyone know that they are beloved children of God. John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” This is good news that deserves to be shared with everyone. Some may not listen or believe this good news, but followers of Christ are called to spread this message without concern whether it takes root in the person we are sharing the good news with. I do not believe this means we pester people with the gospel, but when the opportunity presents itself, we should be willing to talk about why we believe and what Christ’s message means to us.

   Eastertide is a time in the church year when we are strengthened for this work. Let us never forget the most important part of Christ’s message is to love God with all our being and our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). This is called The Great Commandment. The Great Commandment also requires us to radically respect the dignity of every human being. This sounds simple, but it is something we all need to work on, especially with those who are different than we are.

   May this Eastertide remind all of us how much we are loved by God, and may God give us the strength and courage to share that love with others.

   “Mountaintops are for views and inspirations, but fruit is grown in the valleys,” Billy Graham once stated. Interestingly, the Bible talks of mountaintops and valleys 500 times.

   Sometimes we are in a valley experience. The familiar mountain is currently behind us, and now our days seem shadowy and even dark. Instead of being refreshing, even the trees look large and foreboding with weird and unexpected shapes. Sometimes the people we are with even appear different, distorted, and unfamiliar. We long for the sunshine, color, and internal happiness we felt, and we probably wonder when we will ascend out of the valley and back into the sunshine.

   Often while in the valley, we feel that it will be our permanent home. Mountain days were quick and fleeting, and nights were restful. But in the valley, nights seem never-ending, full of troubled dreams and unanswered questions. Valley nights can be more painful than valley days.

   Throughout the valley days, whether they are brief or seemingly ceaseless, the only control we have is of ourselves. We desperately want to change the circumstances, challenges, and even our traveling companions, but the knowledge that we cannot causes valley days to seem longer than they actually are.

   In these times of dark distress, the only options are clinging to our Shepherd, choosing to ask Him to change us, and surrendering to the process. And, as we grieve and admit the reality of the dark days, God works. He works in ways unimaginable to us, producing fruit and preparing us for greater service!

   As we sojourn together, even through distressing valley days, may we find relief by reading, especially, Psalm 104 with its timely reminder: God is creator and sustainer. Verse 10 states, “You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills…” (ESV). And with those springs comes great fruitfulness!

   Moving to the New Testament, Christ exemplifies the valleys of life and reveals He is also the redeemer. Jesus gave His greatest sermon on a mount, was transfigured to His Heavenly Glory on a mountain, and climbed up whenever traveling to Jerusalem. This same Savior, however, prayed fervently in the shadowed wood, asking His Father to help Him to accept His Father’s will. At His death, He even descended to the valley of hell.

   He arose out of that valley: victorious, stronger than ever, the Great Deliverer to give eternal help and life. He knows firsthand the betrayal, pain, and suffering of valleys. And HE CONQUERED IT ALL! May we know that valley days are temporary, that deliverance will come, and the Conquering Christ can be our Conquering Savior!

   As Kelly Willard so beautifully sang in the song “Hidden Valleys:”

   “Hidden valleys produce a life song. Hidden valleys will make a heart strong…Hidden valleys turn shepherds to kings.”