Faces on Faith: Finding a New Home
Recently, we invited our children and grandchildren over to celebrate my wife’s birthday. At this point in our lives birthdays are important but fairly low key. During our time together we played a game called, “How much do you know about Nana?” One of the questions was, how many times has Nana moved since childhood? We received a variety of answers but no one could imagine that she had moved 17 times. That is a lot of transition!
As I write this column, our oldest son is in a season of transition. He was recently called to a new church home in Detroit, Michigan. They now are in the process of selling and buying a home. This transition also includes securing a new school for both of their children. This process has been filled with fear, anxiety and hope. Our son’s situation is being played out throughout our country. Millions of people are experiencing transition. Whether it is a new job, new home or new place of worship, the key is this: in the midst of fear and anxiety, hope is what inspires us to move forward.
The Israelites faced similar challenges when they left Egypt to go to a new home called the Promised Land. Their hope was in the living God who promised to be with them and never forsake them. Yet, as we know, fear and anxiety often got the best of them. It took strong leadership from Moses, Joshua and others whose hope continued to be with the Lord who made heaven and earth.
In the Gospels, Jesus often brings hope to people stuck in fear and anxiety. He was constantly reassuring his followers that he would always be with them … even to the end of the age.
We are drawing close to the seasons of Thanksgiving and Christmas. While for many it is a time of celebrating with family and friends, there are also many who will be facing an empty chair, or some other significant loss.The fear and anxiety that comes can rob us of the hope that comes through faith. During this season of hope, may we draw near to God, who offers peace and who leads us to our heavenly home.
The Rev. Larry L. Marshall is the pastor at the Captiva Chapel by the Sea.