Redeemer Lutheran and St. Theodore’s

By Lisa Rotchford

Reverend

This pandemic has made us all focus on how we live day-to-day, from sunrise to sunset. In the past three columns I’ve talked about through Scripture how we are to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, and when we do so, we are never alone. God has given us these tools to live in this world and, at the same time, to live — abide — with God.

When we abide in him, we acknowledge that God is God. There are many people today who try to talk themselves out of believing in the one who gave us life. We are no different than our ancestors who doubted and were given the 10 commandments with the very first one being “You will love the Lord your God.”

Jesus reminds us to believe in God, summing up all the commandments in the Great Commandment – to love your God with all your heart, mind, soul and resources. We have a purpose, a direction in life, and that is to abide in the one who created us and loves us and to whom we will return. Its not just a resurrected life after we die, but we are given the tools to live a resurrected life now.

Because to ABIDE in him means “Acknowledging, Believing, Inviting the Spirit, and Deciding that Everywhere” we go we are abiding in God’s kingdom. We are not alone. God abides in us through every aspect of our life, wherever we find ourselves.

The I of ABIDE is to invite the Holy Spirit to strengthen us in our journey. Without the spirit abiding in us we can get lost on our journey.

We must Decide — make a commitment to living into God’s purpose for your life. In the sixth chapter of John’s gospel, you can almost hear the concern in Jesus voice when he asks Peter about what the disciples are thinking – will they choose his way of life of love and peace and resurrected life for all – and Peter reassures our Lord, with “where else would we go?”

As we are blessed to watch beautiful sunsets from Leisure World, we can remember the word’s of the Rev Henry Francis Lyte’s most famous hymn as he wrote watching the sun set in 1847. Highlighting the last line of each stanza, we can hear a man who knew how to sing, ask and live by abiding with God: 1. Abide with me: fast falls the eventide; the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.

When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

2. Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day; earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away.

Change and decay in all around I see. O thou who changest not, abide with me.

3. I need thy presence every passing hour. What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?

Who like thyself my guide and strength can be? Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.

4. I fear no foe with thee at hand to bless, ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.

Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still, if thou abide with me.

5. Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes. Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.

Heaven’s morning breaks and earth’s vain shadows flee; in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

From sunrise to sunset, we can always go to God for strength and comfort. We can make a concerted effort and outright decision to follow God through life. In so doing, we will be abiding in God no matter how many pandemics or sufferings befall us. Be assured and rest in the knowledge that God is with us, abiding with us, through it all.