In my Bible Study this year, we have been focusing on the book of Revelation. Sometimes we take a small break to draw in some other scriptures to complement our study. This week we focused on the book of Daniel. Now Daniel if you recall your children’s studies was the guy with the lion, do you remember? Now Daniel was extremely firm in his faith. He and his friends were harvested by a warring kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar. All the handsome and intelligent young men were taken from Judah and brought there for a term of three years for education. To say that they were pampered is fair. Now Daniel bargained with his overseer to keep his diet clean and continue in his faith in God. Kings came and went and because Daniel was skilled through God and with God’s blessings, able to interpret dreams, an ability much needed, he was kept on. Now it turns out that Daniel stood before King Nebuchadnezzar and saved those whom the king had summoned to interpret his dream. Only through God did Daniel find the answer. He was rewarded and respected for this blessing. Many kings later and many things given to Daniel, he was envied by many and they sought to put an end to him. They tricked the king Darius into making a new decree that they knew that Daniel would not keep as he only worshiped God and thus found himself in the lion’s den. Now the king, frantic, rushed to the den the next morning and found that God had indeed spared his servant Daniel. The others who had convinced the king to make such a decree found themselves and their entire families in the den and met with death. Then king Darius lifted up Daniel’s God for all to know that one and only God.
So what is my point in bringing this Bible reading to you? Great faith is needed, all will see. Even those who are trying to dissuade you from your faith. God knows your heart, He knows what is coming, He is in control. Yes, He is even in politics and this environment we are walking through today. Daniel prayed and prayed, he knew where his strength and stability came from. I know that I beat that drum, pray, encourage, be mindful and understanding. Listen, love, care, we all have something that we are struggling with. Bring them to God in prayer, He has already decided how things will go. Let us grow in our faith, God has much to do through us. Now a few words from our Council president, Marc Funderburk.
All Saints Lutheran Church: A Case of Insanity?
Albert Einstein is often attributed with the quote, “insanity is doing the same thing over and
over again and expecting different results”. In fact, the quote is from Rita Mae Brown’s novel,
Sudden Death (1983) and attributed to the character, Jane Fulton. This point of clarification is
somewhat irrelevant, but the definition is certainly relevant to our plight.
As I pray, meditate and talk with God, I find myself often drawn to this fact. We keep going
through the same motions and expecting different results. What we’ve done in the past may
have worked, but it’s not working now because we are different. If we are to achieve what God
asks of us, then we will need to “break the mold” and set goals that exceed our grasp but are
achievable. The concept of “Up, Down, In and Out”, wherein we connect with God and in turn
connect God with each other and our neighbors, is a great concept and encapsulates our
mission. If we’re going to achieve our mission, then we need to start thinking outside the box.
For the remainder of my term as Council President, it will be my mission to talk with each and
everyone of you to gain a deeper understanding of your concerns and issues with our
congregation and to solicit new ideas from all. No idea is too crazy, too tame, too big or too
small. We need to pray individually and collectively. We need to talk with each other and not
“at” each other. We need to listen and encourage, not listen and discourage. We need to be in
fellowship with each other and come to know each other. How would we have ever found out
that Brother Abera was a big fan of Westerns and John Wayne without being in fellowship and
conversation?
My goal, and I hope the goal of the church, is to come together at our first Town Hall meeting in
January and brainstorm and plan how we’re going to “reshape” our congregation to do what
God is asking of us.
Yours in Christ,
Marc Funderburk
Through Christ, Seek God,
D.J. Schoneweis