|
|
 |
 |
 |
Today's Lenten Devotion
|
|
|
|
|
We Are Not Alone
“They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.”
-- 1 Corinthians 10:3-4
As many of you know my daughter Kristin is serving a mission in Weald, England with Time for God through our ELCA Young Adults in Global Missions program. When Kristin first received her assignment she was contacted by phone and e-mail by the church Vicar Michael Howard. Michael as she came to know him, was to be on vacation when Kristin arrived in Weald so he wrote her e-mails telling her about the church and himself and Weald. He was introducing her to the congregation and the area she would be living in for the next year. By the time Kristin arrived in Weald she felt like she already knew the people and was very anxious to meet her new e-mail friends.
Kristin has been in Weald for a little over 5 months now. She has been working with the youth of Saint Georges Church and in the town public school. She teaches the confirmation class with Michael and would meet with him twice a week for direction in her work in Weald. Kristin had truly found a man of faith who inspired her in her work.
When we visited Kristin in Weald over Christmas we had the pleasure of meeting Michael and spending time with him and his wife Judith. Michael was everything you would look for in a leader for your congregation and we understood why Kristin was so honored to be working with him.
Sadly Michael passed away suddenly on Monday February 7 and we were informed of this at 3:30 AM Tuesday morning with a phone call from our devastated daughter. Kristin’s loss and pain is immeasurable and as a parent it is very hard to know your child is going through a difficult time when they are so far away. I have tried to comfort her on the phone and through e-mail. Today when I read the verse quoted at the beginning of this devotion I took much comfort in realizing Kristin is not alone. God is with her and will comfort her. As I took communion on Ash Wednesday I remembered Kristin, as well as Michael and all of us at Holy Trinity eat the same spiritual food and drink the same spiritual drink. That food and drink comes from our rock Jesus Christ. That food and drink sustains us and helps us through difficult times as it did the people of Israel as they traveled through the Red Sea and the desert to escape slavery in Egypt. It too will comfort and sustain Kristin and the people of Weald and Saint Georges Church.
Dear Lord, help us to remember that you are always with us and we are never alone. We are all in the same family of Christ and we all are sustained by the food and drink of our rock Jesus Christ. Amen
Doris Morton
dumbodrop@aol.com
... home |
|
|
|
