If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?
Acts 11:17
2020 has been a year for the record books. For me personally, as the coronavirus crisis began for the world, I was beginning my own difficult journey. The discovery of a small ovarian tumor in early March soon gave rise to surgeries, a cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy. This certainly was not the way I had imagined 2020, not to mention the early years of my marriage and ministry. This year seemed to be themed, “what next?” and there were very few answers.
The disciples are in a similar place in the Book of Acts. They are trying to get their bearings in a new reality after Jesus’ resurrection. What will come next? Who can be a disciple? What are the requirements and qualifiers? There was resistance and suspicion towards these Jesus followers—what new dangers would they face, and could they survive? What next? These are some of the very same questions I’ve found myself asking throughout a chaotic 2020.
The truth is there’s no way to predict what will come next in life and there are very few certainties. This truth is hugely unpopular with us human beings. And so we expend lots of energy controlling as much as we can to make us feel safe and secure. Except…things still happen. People get sick. We lose loved ones. We lose jobs and worry about basic needs. What next?
JESUS.
Try as we might, we simply cannot predict what the future will hold. What we can hang onto is this sure and certain hope: in the ups and downs of life we have a Savior who is on the loose in the world, meeting us wherever we are, assuring us that in life, and in death, we are his--today, tomorrow and to the end of the age.
Merciful Lord, in the uncertainties of life give us strength to focus on you, your will and your ways. We pray in the name of Jesus who is our all in all. Amen.
The Rev. Jenny Heavner is Pastor at Star of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Bethlehem, PA.
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