Welcome to 2021! I don’t know about you, but boy I am sure going to miss 2020 – SAID NO ONE! It was an extremely hard year. I just read that 1 out of 1000 Americans died from the virus last year. I know that I am looking forward to getting back to a normal life. I am looking forward to stop doing the drive through at Mickey Dees and going in to dine, like I used to. I am looking forward to not wearing masks just to go and check the mail! And most of all, I am looking forward to hugging one another at greeting time during the Sunday morning services. I thank God for this new year and most of all I thank him for His faithfulness to us during this pandemic. He is truly good.
Speaking of being good I have to share this story with you. Grace my oldest granddaughter has an admirer named Zeke. This little romance between the two has been going on since they were in first grade. Grace is now a sixth grader. Zeke will shower her with gifts from time to time just because. Once, while her mom and sister watched, Grace, who was already surrounded by the flowers that Zeke had given her, unwrapped yet another present from him. It was a set of Legos. Once Grace had finished opening all her presents from Zeke, it was time to start putting up the Christmas tree – a family tradition at the Schluter home. Nearing the end of decorating the tree, Gabriele looked up to her mom and my daughter could tell by her face she had been pondering a great mystery and was now ready to reveal her conclusion. She said simply, “I’ve got to get a boyfriend”.
Her simple conclusion makes me wonder if the world looks at us and sees His goodness in our lives, His joy, His love, His peace; to the extent that they say “I got to get what they have.” As Paul says in Romans “Know you not, it is the goodness of God that leads you to repentance?” As we leave our homes in the morning and interact with this broken world they should see a hope in our lives that radiates to all we come in contact with. We have something much better than a boyfriend who showers us with gifts. We have a Savior that walks with us through the fire and through the storms of this life. He picks us up when we fall, and in the greatest struggles we face he never leaves us alone. Rather, he is always there to surround us with His arms of love. This is what the world needs to see in us. So much that they say, “I want what they have,” and when they do we can lead them to a relationship with Jesus. May many come to a saving relationship with Jesus in our neighborhood this year, and may we grow together as a family.