Holy Trinity Lutheran Church - Ankeny, IA

  • Home
    • Church Calendar
    • Mission Partners
    • Council
    • Staff
    • Governing Documents
    • Building Use
    • Employment
    • Mobile App
    • Realm Tips
  • Worship
    • Worship
    • Welcome Card
    • Devotions
    • Music Ministries >
      • Adult Choir Schedule & Resources
    • Baptism
    • Weddings
    • Prayer Requests
    • Flowers
    • Serve
  • Learn
    • Children's Ministry
    • Middle School Ministry
    • High School Ministry
    • Adult Learning
    • Grace Notes
  • GIVE
    • Give
    • Capital Campaign
    • Memorials
  • Participate
    • Sign Up
    • Small Groups
    • Calendar
    • Email News
  • WELCOME
    • Welcome
    • I want to Join
    • Our Mission
    • How We Worship
    • What to Expect
    • Contact Us
  • Food Pantry
  • Home
    • Church Calendar
    • Mission Partners
    • Council
    • Staff
    • Governing Documents
    • Building Use
    • Employment
    • Mobile App
    • Realm Tips
  • Worship
    • Worship
    • Welcome Card
    • Devotions
    • Music Ministries >
      • Adult Choir Schedule & Resources
    • Baptism
    • Weddings
    • Prayer Requests
    • Flowers
    • Serve
  • Learn
    • Children's Ministry
    • Middle School Ministry
    • High School Ministry
    • Adult Learning
    • Grace Notes
  • GIVE
    • Give
    • Capital Campaign
    • Memorials
  • Participate
    • Sign Up
    • Small Groups
    • Calendar
    • Email News
  • WELCOME
    • Welcome
    • I want to Join
    • Our Mission
    • How We Worship
    • What to Expect
    • Contact Us
  • Food Pantry

Stilling the storm

3/5/2020

1 Comment

 
​The storm is raging.  Each day the national news begins with breaking headlines about the corona virus: the number of new diagnoses, how many states are affected, the current number of deaths.  We feel fragile, at risk, fearful. 
​We know it will probably get worse as more people are infected. Travel will become more restricted. We wonder just how much change to our routines will happen.  I know some of you have plans for spring break to travel, and you wonder if that is still a good idea.  We live in a world now exchanging elbow bumps instead of handshakes,  electronic meetings instead of traveling to meet with groups of  people, and the hand sanitizer is always within reach.  Instead of being present in the moment, we wonder what will come next.  We live in uncertainty, and we let our imaginations get the better of us.  We want answers, and we want to know that we will be safe.  We want to have certainty in our lives, but we don’t, and we miss it.

However, when we get right down to it, there is not much in life that is certain.  We can let ourselves spiral out of control with anxiety, but of what good is that?  We search for certainty, but certainty doesn’t exist for any protracted amount of time.  Certainty promises us a life free of worry, but it is always fleeting. 

Even though there is worry and uncertainty about the COVID-19 virus, it doesn’t have to shake us to our core, because at our core we have what we need.  A certainty that will outlive any virus and will outlive all time: Jesus.  Fear is prevalent in the world.  It is a weapon we use when we are on guard and uncertain.  It takes over when we forget that our utmost trust can be placed in God.  Repeatedly, the Word of God to us in scripture tells us, “Do not fear.” Maybe we will get the virus, maybe we will not. But do not fear.  Trust in God to carry you through the rough waters of this time.

The Psalmist tells us, “When I am dismayed, I put my trust in you.” (Psalm 56:3) Our temptation is to put our trust in ourselves, but if we keep our focus on God, the one who is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, (Ps. 46:1) we can find calm in the mist of the storm around us.  I  find myself in the shoes of the disciples as they are in the boat on the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 8:23-27, Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25).  Jesus is in the boat with them sleeping.  A strong storm arises with high winds and waves so forceful they are shooting splays of water into the boat.  The disciples, in panic, run to the sleeping Jesus to wake him. Once awake, Jesus rebukes the wind and the raging waves.  They cease and there is calm. How we love calm! The disciples were both afraid and amazed.  Jesus questions them, “Where is your faith?”  We need this story today. Jesus can still the raging storm around us.  That’s what trust in Jesus will do.  Our perceptions change with this trust.  Our foundation is firm.

“Where is your faith?” Jesus asks.  Are you distracted by the storm around us, or is your faith in the foundation that created the world?  The distraction produces anxiety. Faith grounds us in our loving God and Savior who knows our propensity for fear and anxiety and so promises never to leave us alone.  Jesus will be with us through this storm and all the others to come.

In Christ,
​Pastor Pam Schroeder
1 Comment
Karen Dyer
3/19/2020 03:12:26 pm

Thank you for this message. So inspiring and so helpful at this time. 🥰🙏

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    ​Categories

    All
    Learning
    Outreach
    Spiritual Transformation
    Stewardship
    Worship

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019

    RSS Feed

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
A congregation of the Southeastern Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
517 SW Des Moines St.
Ankeny, IA 50023
Phone: 515-964-4348
Office hours: M-Th 9:00 am-3:00 pm

Worship Schedule:
Sundays at 8:30 and 10:00 am
Livestream on Sundays at 10:00 am on YouTube

Picture
Picture
Privacy Terms

Subscribe to News
Realm
download our app
Calendar