This Sunday Elizabeth will preach on the story of Jesus going away to pray, then walking across water to calm the fears of the disciples in the rough seas. (Matthew 14:22-33.) The Old Testament passage, which the authors of Seasons of the Spirit pick up on, speaks of a rough patch too -- the Joseph story in Genesis. The story of Jacob’s sons is the longest narrative in Genesis and Joseph is a good example of going through a rough time, ultimately for good reasons. Psalm 105 says he was chained and bruised until what he said proved true and “The king sent and released him, the ruler of peoples set him free. He made him master of his household, ruler over all he possessed, to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom” (Psalm 105: 20-22).
Certainly belief in God can give one perspective and hope. But there’s another necessary step to get that hope. “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:14). You gotta be there to hear it.
See you Sunday,
Bill
