Caring for Ourselves

Our confirmation classes are back in session – but they’ve moved online.  And we’re sad about that.  But what a great opportunity for families to watch this content on the 10 commandments together and discuss “What does this mean?” right there in their living rooms.  Please hold our young people in prayer (along with their teachers and pastors!), as they work through the challenge of distance learning, and discover new ways of learning and encountering God.

I promised last week that we would talk about this idea of self-harm as it relates to the 5th commandment.  It’s a sensitive topic, but one we must explore.

Of course, God’s command against killing implores us to refrain from physically harming others.  And as we discussed a few weeks ago, it also demands that we help our neighbors in any way we can with all his or her physical needs.  But I believe this commandment also directs us regarding ourselves.

God command on killing includes the imperative to care deeply about ourselves.  So please, take inventory of your personal health today and think about ways you can better care for yourself.  Talk to a friend, doctor, or personal trainer for advice on ways to make positive changes. 

The 5th commandment also warns us of the dangers of actively harming ourselves.  You are a special, important, valuable member of God’s Kingdom!  God only made one of you and equipped you with special gifts.  I know some days it’s easy to focus only on your failures and shortcomings.  Some days, you might even wonder what the point of living even is.  And in those moments of despair, it’s so tempting to dull the pain with chemicals, to “eat our feelings,” or to even consider a more serious form of self-harm, to weigh out what it would be like to end our lives by suicide.

Please.  If you are having these feelings, talk to someone you trust.  Me.  A friend.  A family member.  Don’t experience this darkness alone.  Feelings are normal.  Acting hastily on those feelings is dangerous.

So move bravely forward, my friends in faith.  Find ways to care for your neighbor.  And find ways to care for yourself, too.  I’d love to journey, especially in the moments that are most challenging and dark.  Let it be so.


Giving Tree is now up – online, at least!
We are doing our annual giving tree project again this year.  But instead of a literal tree in the concourse, tags can be checked out online.  Elana also has tags in the church office.  You can do the shopping yourself, or check out the tag and donate some money … and we’ll do the shopping for you!  Visit wadenaimmanuel.org and click on the Christmas tree to learn more.  Call the church office 631-2738 with any questions.

 

Facebook Live, YouTube, and the Radio … and House Church, too – there are lots of other ways to be the church at this time.  You can watch our Sunday services on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/immanuelwadena/), watch our YouTube videos (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVMFQfq69KQTMX70_5fwARQ), listen to us on the radio (KWAD 920AM at 9:30am each Sunday) or participate in House Church (https://www.wadenaimmanuel.org/housechurch).

 

Fair Trade Coffee is Available

Your favorite fair trade items are still available at the church building during the week. We've set up a display in the kitchen with prices marked. Stop by the church building during the week and pick up anything you'd like. Fair trade coffee, tea, and chocolate make great Christmas gifts too! Make checks payable to Immanuel Church Women" and put "Fair Trade" in the memo line. You can drop off checks in the church office. Thanks for helping support small scale farmers around the globe!

 

Check out our news page to learn more and for other important announcements: https://www.wadenaimmanuel.org/announcements

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Treasure Greater Than Heaven and Earth!

Last week, we started this journey through the catechisms’ (Large and Small) thoughts on baptism.   And we remembered that baptism might seem like a human act – but is really God’s action. Today, we forge ahead with more.   After hearing such wonderful news about God’s action in baptism, about the benefits we receive, including forgiveness and the promise of everlasting life, our next thought might be that of skepticism.   So the Small Catechism leads us to ask, “How can water do such great things?”   The answer: “It is not the water that does these things, but God’s Word with the water and our trust in this Word.   Water by itself is only water, but with the Word of God it is a life-giving water which by grace gives the new birth through the Holy Spirit.” In the Large Catechism, Luther says even more on this topic: “Yes, my friend! Who does not know that water is water, … But how dare you tamper thus with God’s ordinance and rip out his most precious jewel?...
Read more

Forgive ... Forgiven

Today, we finish our brief series on forgiveness from the Large Catechism.   And our focus today is the practical application of forgiveness. There are two important parts of forgiveness.   One is the forgiveness we receive from God.   The other is the forgiveness we receive from our neighbors.   And both are essential to our faith and life in the community.   When people come to me with a guilty conscience, I ask them if they would like a word of absolution.   Sometimes, though, I can see that before they are forgiven by God, they need to seek forgiveness from their spouse, child, parent, neighbor, or friend.   Other times, they have been forgiven by the person they’ve wronged, but they cannot forgive themselves.   Other times, still, they have offered the sincerest apology they can and have not been forgiven.   And a strong word of forgiveness from God is needed – and we pray that the one they have wronged will forgive them in time. S...
Read more

Who is Worthy to Receive Communion?!!

Today is our third week on the Lord’s Supper/Communion.   So far, we have discovered that this is God’s meal, not the result of human actions or work.   Also, we discussed last week the importance of our faith that the bread and wine actually become Christ’s body and blood. Today, we focus on the question of who is worthy to receive the gifts of communion.   This is a topic of special interest to Luther.   He is especially interested in the idea that one could be too sinful to receive this gift.   For Luther, it is easy to look at your sins and shortcomings and decide you are not worthy to receive such a gift.   God’s goodness contrasts so sharply with our sinfulness, “then because of this, such people will not go to the sacrament and wait until they are prepared, until one week passes into another and one half-year into yet another.   If you choose to fix your eye on how good and pure you are, to wait until nothing torments you, you will never go” (...
Read more