God's Life-giving Word
The twenty-four hour news is enough to fill anyone full of anxiety. It is not that the news media invents such things as a new corona virus, COVID-19, or a wild downturn in the stock market. Rather, it can amplify, dramatize, and analyze the “what ifs” to death.
By way of comfort, and for starters, my advice is that we limit the amount of exposure to news and commentary that we take in each day. Ignorance is not bliss. But endless exposure to negativity, and to ranting and raving, produces anxiety and will drain a person.
Although we may be baptized believers, it is still important that we remind ourselves and each other that we are to think and act as Christians. This reminding is necessary because we have been well conditioned by our fallen, sinful nature; the world’s wisdom, and the lies of the devil. In baptism we were gifted with a new nature! But without vigilance we easily fall back into old habits. This results in thinking and acting in a worldly way.
Believers are not exempt from trials and tribulations. And we know that the world in this present age is passing away. But as Christians we know the promises that attend to our Lord Jesus’ victory over sin, death, and the devil. We belong to the kingdom that is permanent, and moves beyond this present age. And we know of the promise of our Lord’s abiding presence and the working for our good even in the midst of the trials (Mt 28:20; Ro 8:28).
To be sure, as Christians when we are cut we bleed. We are not immune to fears and afflictions. Yet, we also know where and who to turn to in our plight. We know how to pray. “Lord, have mercy.” And we can pray, “Our Father who art in heaven.” And we know the promises are recorded in Sacred Writ.
No matter what we face in the coming days, we will find ways to be connected and sustained with God’s life-giving Word!
Since You Asked…
Why do we celebrate Holy Communion nearly every Sunday?
The celebration of the meal we call Holy Communion has consistently been the chief act of Christian worship since the age of the Apostles. The Lutheran Reformation did not break with this tradition of 1,500 years. In fact the Augsburg Confession (our principal statement of faith) declares Holy Communion to be the chief act of worship for Lutherans on Sundays and festivals (Art. 26). (from “Manual on the Liturgy” companion to the LBW, from Augsburg Pub.)
You might think of Holy Communion as spiritual bread and drink for our journey (pilgrimage), for our Lord’s Body and Blood is true nutrition indeed!