Imagine with me a sleepy summer morning where the sun is up, but it’s not too hot yet. Where the world is still waking up, except for that early bird. Where the only place you have to be is out in your flower bed to do some light pruning. A day where you can’t wait to get the grill going later today for the burgers and brats you got at Market. The kids are asking to set up the slip n Slide today, and the dog is laying in front of the fan (which reminds you to schedule his grooming appointment).

Do you have that morning in your head? Isn’t it a beautiful picture of the perfect summer day? Maybe yours involves a pool, some iced tea, or a campfire with S’mores. Whatever it may be, there is one thing to remember with it: that day should be just as valued as the worst possible summer day. You know the one, where it’s thunderstorms all day, the same day you planned on mowing the yard, the kids wanted to go by the creek, and the whole family was going to go for a picnic in the park. On top of all that, the dog left a mess inside because the thunderstorm scared him.

No matter what the day is, it is a blessing from the Lord. Why? Because even on days where we are afflicted – not simply days that don’t go according to plan, but the days where it seems the world is falling apart – God’s mercies are renewed every day.

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

Lamentations 3:21-24

There is a lot of distress in the world right now. Racial injustice, the waning pandemic, and whatever personal issues that might be going on are proof of this. Yet God has not abandoned us. Rather, He continues to provide for every need of ours. The biggest reminder of that for us is found in the Gospel, where Christ died on the cross for our sins. Our transgressions were placed on Him, so that we may be the righteousness of God. So, on the mornings that are perfect, and the nights where we don’t know what to do, we must remind ourselves constantly of the Gospel. Let us remind ourselves today of God’s unending mercies.

Pray for our teens, as they face uncertainty with what the school year will look like. Pray that we, as a youth group, will come together soon and continue in communion with one another. We hope to continue alongside the church in the study of the 10 commandments, and look forward to the upcoming series for our teens over the school year!

As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

1 Corinthians 12:20-26

One body, many parts. The human body remains a fascinating thing in my mind. I have a memory from childhood of sticking my arm under the corner of the table, so that I saw my hand but not my forearm. I moved my hand this way and that, moving my fingers in different ways and twisting my wrist from the palm of my hand to the top of the same. It fascinated me that though I could not see what my hand was attached to, I knew exactly what it was doing because my mind sent it directions. Of course, other times that communication would get mixed up somewhere along the way and I would…trip up the stairs, fall over my own feet, or bang into a door jamb that I misjudged. Through bruises and broken bones, my body would recover with scars and memories and I often shifted my behavior to better care for the vessel given me.

In the passage above, Paul lets the Church know that they (we) are Christ’s body, put together by God to provide one another with what we ourselves may lack. Today, the truth remains the same: we need one another – now more than ever.

The left cannot say to the right, “I have no need for you,” nor vice versa. The younger cannot say to the older, “I need not see or call you,” nor vice versa. We have been called to one body under one baptism, One Lord, and One Holy Spirit. If one part of our body suffers, then we all suffer. Have you ever stubbed your toe in the middle of the night? Your body will surely react and respond until the pain is gone. As the body of Christ, we need to continually call, check up on, visit (as able), send cards to, and message one another. In this time of isolation where depression and anxiety can run high, connecting with a brother or sister in Christ can ground those emotions and remind us: we are One in the Lord….I am not alone.

My challenge to you: Grab your directory, call, message, send a card, email five (5) people a week for the next month. Give them a call, identify yourself and let them know you attend HCOB, and see how each other are doing. How can you pray for them? How can they pray for you? Do either have a physical (food, a ride, etc) need to be met? We need each other. Let’s be the body