O God Our Help in Ages Past

Dear Church Family

   Today is March 31 and we find ourselves in the first day of a new directive from our Governor to stay at home. The infected number is now 1660, please be in prayer for all of them and include their families and care givers and the medical team surrounding them at this time.

   I was on a coaching call this morning and we were asked how did we feel in the middle of all of this. My answer came to mind pretty quickly. I was reminded of my first few days of Kindergarten. We were in Brussels Belgium, on our way to the Congo to be missionaries. We were supposed to have a year of preparation in Brussels before heading to Africa. I was five going on six, so I went to school. But my first few days I was in the middle of French without understanding a word of it. I just remember being so out of place. I am amazed that this feeling came back to me this morning as a result of the question.

   You too may be feeling really out of place in the middle of all of this. We have never been here before and we are all making the best effort we can. We are all hoping and praying that it will go back to normal soon. That may be a good thing, or it may never happen again. We don’t know what the future holds. We only know WHO holds the future. Our God.

   These almost daily devotionals are to help us all navigate this time together, even though we are absent, one from another. May God guard us along the way. Today our hymn of comfort devotional is about “O God Our Help in Ages Past”. Written by Isaac Watts 1719

1 Our God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast,
and our eternal home: 

2 Under the shadow of your throne
your saints have dwelt secure;
sufficient is your arm alone,
and our defense is sure. 

3 Before the hills in order stood,
or earth received her frame,
from everlasting you are God,
to endless years the same. 

4 A thousand ages in your sight
are like an evening gone;
short as the watch that ends the night
before the rising sun. 

7 Our God, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come:
O be our guard while troubles last,
and our eternal home.

 UMH. #. 117

   In the midst of this difficult time, the knowledge that God is with us and our helper is a very present source of strength. Jesus promised in John 14 that the Holy Spirit would be available for just a time like this.

   May the prayers of all your friends at church be a source of strength, always. God Bless each and every one of you.

Pastor Jeff