Facing the Darkness
It’s not hard to get discouraged when we look at all that is happening in the world today. There is so much darkness around us. It’s even more discouraging when I think about the fact that the previous two sentences could have been written 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 years ago and would have been accurate then as well!
Some of us may be in a season that is marked by personal “darkness” right now. We all experience seasons of failure, disappointment, or discouragement from time to time. At our lowest moments it can even feel like the darkness around us is overwhelming and that defeat (or even death) has the final word.
Micah, our prophet for this coming Sunday, could relate. He ministered during a time of great darkness in Judah and as a great enemy (Assyria) literally began to invade and envelop the country. Yet this is what Micah says in Micah 7:8:
Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.
Micah and Judah are facing a seeming unbeatable enemy. Yet here Micah speaks with remarkable confidence. This confidence is not grounded in his own strength, but in God's faithfulness. Now Micah does acknowledge his failings and the darkness he faces, but here’s the key - he refuses to stay there! Why? Because his hope rests in the Lord, who is his light.
When we have trusted in Jesus as our Savior, our story is NEVER defined by one failure or one difficult season. We may hear the false accusations of Satan, who seeks to get us to believe that God doesn’t love us. We may be discouraged by our current circumstances. Unfortunately, at times, others may even question our faith because of those circumstances. In those times we must remember that not only does our Heavenly Father seek to lift up those who trust Him, He is really, really good at it!
God’s amazing grace is able to restore the fallen. He will shine brightly in even our darkest moments, to reassure us of His presence. And He will help us to keep moving forward!
Switching gears….for whatever reason, the beginning of August always catches me off guard! Our partner ministries have already started collecting items for Back to School. We are going to have a short collection window for these items at the Bridge…just this Sunday and 8/9. Sorry for the short notice! Here is what we will be collecting:
Pencils & Pens Small Packs of Tissues
Erasers Rulers
Hi-Lite Markers Colored Pencils
Crayons Small Hand Sanitizer
Elmer’s Glue (or other similar brands) Spiral Notebooks and Notebook Paper
We’ll have a designated spot in the lobby for you to drop off any items you would like to donate.
Here’s what’s happening:
SUNDAY – Summer Coffee Fellowship. Join us at 9:30 for a light snack and a cup of coffee before the service. There are still two spots available…please see the signup sheet in the church lobby.
8/7 – Youth Outdoor Movie Night hosted by Kevin and Tracy Alexander. Dinner at 6:30 with the movie to follow at 8:30. Youth should bring a snack to share and a blanket or lawn chair.
8/9 – Double Nickels
8/13 – Youth Group
8/23 – Worship in Woods Night at 6:30 pm. We will be gathering in the woods for a Hymn Sing! Please bring lawn chairs and a snack and drink to share (if possible). More details to come.
8/29 – Youth Missions Project with Good Neighbors Home Repairs.
8/30 – Baptism Service at 6:30 pm at the Hoover Pond.
It is a sad reality that not everyone who claims to speak for God actually speaks the truth of His Word. On Sunday we’ll look at the book of Micah and see what he has to say about false teachers. We’ll discover why we must practice discernment and measure every message against His Word instead of simply believing what we want to hear!