Sion Lutheran Church

     On Sunday evenings I usually call home to check in with my Mom in Ohio to hear how my family is doing.  Typically, things are “fine” she says.  But, once in a while she tells me… “Aunt Susy is upset with Uncle Bill again or Uncle Ted is mad at the Pastor.”  Being far removed from it all, I listen, I feel concerned, and I also feel a bit helpless thinking… “What can I do?” 

     I’m sure many of you have been hearing concerns about our large church family, the ELCA.  One can’t help but hear about the complaints and frustrations from the news, neighbors, or family members.  Unfortunately, this is what it means to be a family too!  Often times I hear Sion’s members define themselves as “family”, because we care for one another.  But we are also all aware that there is no such thing as a perfect family. All families go through conflict from time to time.  So again I question, what should we do? 

     Even though conflict might make us feel uncomfortable, conflict within a family is normal and is nothing new for God’s family.  When we open up the Bible and read about God’s family since its existence we hear that God continues to call, bless, and redeem God’s chosen family even though we keep making a mess of things.  For instance, when we read the book of Genesis we hear about God’s family members stealing, killing, and lying to one another.  Joseph’s brothers tried to solve their problems on their own by taking Joseph out to a pit and leaving him there to be killed by wild animals.  Yet, Joseph lives through it and at the end of Genesis we hear Joseph share with his family, “Do not be afraid.  Am I in the place of God?  Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.” (Genesis 50:19-20)

     What can you and I do?  We can be afraid.  We can complain.  We can try to fix things on our own.  But I ask you, are we in the place of God?  Are we standing in the way of what God is up to? Or is God using us to speak the truth? The answer is yes! And, God reminds us to not be afraid.  We are a family because we have the same heavenly Father who only wants what is good for us.  God desires to continue to preserve a numerous people, just as he is doing right now for you. 

~Your fellow family member In Christ, Pastor Melodi Hagen~