What then are we to say? Should we continue
in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go
on living in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ
Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism
into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the
Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:1-4
A parishioner
shared her story of when her house and everything in it was destroyed by a
devastating flood. The family, including two preschoolers, evacuated to a local
shelter. The only possessions they still had were the clothes they wore that day.
Then, a shelter worker brought them personal care kits containing basic hygiene
supplies. Through this small gesture, she felt that God hadn’t deserted her and
her family. She began to sense that all would be okay. There would be renewal
and hope in their lives.
When disaster
strikes, it is as if our whole world falls apart. People who’ve lost everything
they own because of fire, floods or other disasters often feel lost themselves,
not knowing where to begin. It would be so easy to wallow in their sadness and
give up.
In these verses,
Paul calls out to us, “Wait a minute! Don’t you remember that through your baptism
you’ve been incorporated into Christ? And, because you are bound up with him,
you share in his destiny. Not just tragedy and death, but more than that. For, he’s
given you resurrection and newness of life.”
Lutheran
Disaster Response-Eastern PA, a ministry of Lutheran Congregational Services,
seeks to do just that – to live out the meaning of baptism by being bound to
those who suffer disaster – and walk with them into recovery and renewal of
life.
Merciful God, in the darkest of moments,
when I’m ready to wallow in fear and self-pity, your Spirit calls me to new life
and helps me find ways to start again. Amen.
The Rev. Paulette
Obrecht serves as a hospital chaplain, disaster case manager for Lutheran Congregational
Services and a member of the LCS Advisory Board.
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