University Blog

When the Lord your God brings you into the land He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied  be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery…

In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?” tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.  Before our eyes the Lord sent signs and wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household.  But He brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land He promised on oath to our ancestors.  The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.”

Deuteronomy 6:10-12, 20-25

 

Friends,

Jet…Lag…

We had an amazing journey, but eight time zones crossed at airplane speeds has an odd effect on people. Sleepy, groggy, a little confused in the middle of the day and wide awake in the middle of the night. It sort of feels like you don’t belong in your body or don't believe the time the clock keeps telling you it currently is.

This word from Deuteronomy suggests that God’s people are susceptible to getting confused about who they are and where they are in God’s story. The people of Israel are warned as they arrive in the land of promise that they should be careful to not forget the Lord who delivered them.  With them, we are reminded that God’s call and provision have a purpose. 

Read it again. Notice the call to be rooted in God’s past action, remember our present standing and keep sight of our future responsibility. This passage is the antidote to spiritual lag. If we forget, it reminds us. If we lose track, it restores our way. If we wander, it calls us back to who God is and what God has done.

I am pretty excited about where we find ourselves in God’s story at University. We can look back at what God has done in the history of this community and take courage. We can look around at our present moment and be filled with joy. We can look to the future with expectant hope. We may not be all the way to the land of God’s promise, but it does feel like we are on our way.

We are asking folks to prayerfully consider what investment they plan on making in our ministry and mission for the coming year. This Sunday, we will have a time of prayer to dedicate these commitments to the Lord’s work in our midst. If you would like to complete your estimate of giving card online, click here.

To get to serve alongside the people of University in this moment in time and to be a part of God’s story for this community is one of the deepest and truest honors of my life.

Blessings,
Pastor Ben