Pastor Martin's Message for JULY 2009

The Apostle Paul writes "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels nor rules, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

June 12, 2009

"The Day when Television would no longer be as we knew it!"

Were you ready for June 12, 2009 when the television signal would become digital? Maybe you are connected with a cable or disk company so you could not be interrupted in any of your television viewing? Maybe you have a new television set that is already programmed to receive the digital signal? For your Intentional Interim Pastor, I do not watch enough television to warrant the expense of a cable or disk connection and I am just too thrifty (cheap) to buy brand new television sets. On Monday, June 8, I thought I had plenty of time to receive the government coupons so I could go out and purchase the two converter boxes I would need by the Friday, June 12 deadline. When I went online that Monday, I learned that my coupons would be mailed first class Monday, June 15, so I wouldn't have the converter boxes in time for Friday's cutoff date. That Friday being the day off and wanting to observe history, I purposely watched as the television signal on each of the local stations became nothing but fuzz. In reflections over that Friday, I was reminded of my most recent Lenten observance when I gave up television for Lent and how this was far different. With the Lenten observance, I still had the possibility of finding the remote control and watching whatever I absolutely needed to watch and extend my Lenten observance, if necessary. This was far different as I went for the remote control and found nothing but fuzz on each of the local networks as of Friday, June 12, "a day that will go down in history." Since then, I have received my governmental coupons and converter boxes and am watching whatever television I absolutely need to watch, along with the additional television stations.

That particular Friday, June 12, was far different from my Lenten observance, because I was totally disconnected from the television signal; and in my procrastination, I would have to wait a week or so before I would be reconnected with the television networks and programming I absolutely need to watch. The connection that some of us have with our televisions can help us be reminded of the connection we have with our Savior Jesus Christ. With all that we have done to keep connected with our television signal, we may feel we have to do something to keep connected with our Lord Jesus Christ.

St. Paul tells us in Romans, there is nothing we can do that can "separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." This is certainly good news that comes from our Savior who loves us unconditionally, that nothing, absolutely nothing, can ever separate or disconnect us from God's love through our Lord Jesus Christ. In the past weeks, we have been reminded of what we need to do so that we keep connected with our televisions and the programming that we need to watch. May this be a time we are also reminded that there is nothing we can to do that will separate and disconnect us from God's love through Jesus' life, death and resurrection. May we grow and celebrate in that connection we have with the unconditional love of God through our Savior Jesus throughout this Pentecost Season and share that connection with others!

Pastor Martin