Where is God? He is Calling You

We are often filled with silent fears, burning guilt and heavy sorrow. We can feel that we are without hope and imagine that God is absent from our lives. We believe that God has forgotten about us. When sorrow burdens our hearts, worries pester our minds, and the world simply scoffs – where in the world is God? Our series this Epiphany season will show our God exactly where he is, and where he is found.

Jesus called fishermen to leave their nets and follow Him. We might think it would be nice to abandon our family schedules, work requirements and routine obligations to do some exciting mission work for the Lord. Yet for most of us, Jesus calls us to follow Him in the faithful vocations of a working dad, a stay-at-home mom, a carpenter, electrician, or office manager. God calls us to faithful service. In that service, we live and share our faith wherever we are and whatever we do.

Where is God? He is Healing You

When sorrow burdens our hearts, worries pester our minds, and the world simply scoffs – where in the world is God? Our series this Epiphany season will show our God exactly where he is, and where he is found.

We are sick. Whether we want to admit it or not, we are sick with illness or suffering or loneliness or pain or grief. Jesus is the Great Physician of both body and soul. He uses the scalpel of His Word and Sacraments to cut, clean, bandage, and heal. Our God heals.

Where is God? He is Delivering You

When sorrow burdens our hearts, worries pester our minds, and the world simply scoffs – where in the world is God? Our series this Epiphany season will show our God exactly where he is, and where he is found.

So often we put on our happy Christian face so when people ask us how we are doing, we reply, “I’m fine.” But we are anything but fine! On the outside we appear good, faithful, and even almost holy. On the inside we know there is nothing good that lives within us. We are captives to our sinful nature. We have a Savior who steps into our lives to deliver us from our prison so that He can really make us good, faithful and truly holy in Him.

Where is God? He Is Strengthening You

When sorrow burdens our hearts, worries pester our minds, and the world simply scoffs – where in the world is God? Our series this Epiphany season will show our God exactly where he is, and where he is found.

As far as miracles go, changing water into wine at a wedding party doesn’t seem to be all that important. Yet there is comfort for us that Jesus chose to reveal His extraordinary power for the first time in a very ordinary situation. There comes a time for each of us when the wine runs out. Yet we have a Savior who cares enough to help us and strengthen us in both the ordinary and extraordinary issues of life.

Where is God? He is there: Baptizing You

We are often filled with silent fears, burning guilt and heavy sorrow. We can feel that we are without hope and imagine that God is absent from our lives. We believe that God has forgotten about us. In our uncertainty and vulnerability, we often cry out "Where is God?" During the season of Epiphany, we see exactly where God is in our world - He is in the person of Jesus Christ. We may ask “Where is God”, but through His holy writers of the Gospels, God tells us that He exactly where He is.

Despite our best intentions, we find ourselves caving in to the cravings of our sinful nature. In Baptism, we are renewed and reborn. We no longer have to give in to our sinful cravings. Christ stands in the Jordan River in our place, washing us clean of filth, forgiving, restoring, and saving us through the precious waters and words of Baptism.

The Savior Comes for All - The Epiphany of our Lord

We’re right to expect big things out of Christmas. Unfortunately, we often look for those things in all the wrong places. Just like he did at the first Christmas, God often gives us these blessings “undercover.” He puts his best gifts in the last place we’d expect to find them - like in a manger. Just as no one would have guessed that the Son of God and Savior of the world would have been born in such lowly circumstances, so also no one would have guessed that the experts and insiders of his day would be left out in the dark while strangers and foreigners from distant lands would be drawn to the light. God’s wisdom often looks like foolishness to us. Rather than trusting our wisdom for everything, true wisdom is found in the worship that results when we recognize God’s wisdom.