From the Pastor

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made… For God’s Glory
(Psalm 139:14; 3 John 1:2)

The 3^rd Letter of St. John is the shortest book in the Bible. At only 15 verses, there isn’t any room for extraneous detail! But inside this short and to-the-point epistle there is an ordinary phrase spoken from one friend in Christ Jesus to another that might just easily be spoken between any two of us: “Dear friend, I pray that you might enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, just as it is well with your soul.”

Not everyone can claim to be living out the blessing of “good health” as that may have been envisioned by the writer of 3 John. But whatever measure of health we or the people we love enjoy, it is always a gift from God’s hand. It is something we tend to take for granted. The Scriptures speak about the gift and mystery of physical wellness: “You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps 139:14). They also speak about what our bodies and minds are FOR: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Cor. 6:19). The gift of physical, emotional, and mental health is a marvel! Together with all the other gifts we receive from our God it is worthy of our gratitude and thanks. Yet even as wonderful as the health of our bodies and minds might be, it is for God’s glory… not our own. 

2024 is a year we at RLC have a critical target to live with gratitude. It seems only fair to add physical, mental, and emotional wellness to the list of every good gift “from above” (James 1:17) and, with thankful hearts, seek God’s guidance to be good stewards of our health and the health of others. Last month I was privileged to meet with several of you at RLC who have experience in the medical field. I’m grateful that these folks have chosen to join our congregation’s newly formed “Stewardship of Life and Health Team.” With roughly 20 current or former medical  professionals and people interested in maintaining physical and mental wellness involved, I see this as an invitation to minister to one another and our community. Here are just a few ideas of how members of our new Life and Health Team could serve:

• Have people regularly in our worship services equipped to respond in the event of a medical emergency;
  
  
• Encourage one another to get involved in fitness activities that promote wellness and social connection (e.g., RLC’s “Emmaus Way”);
  
• Partner with local health organizations to offer free/low-cost health screenings or check-ups;
  
  
• Provide information on a variety of topics important to our church members (when to consider palliative care, questions/concerns about anesthesia, what sort of networks can be helpful for caring for a family member with dementia, etc.);
  
  
• Other ideas? 

No matter what measure of health we enjoy, how can we take care of others if we don’t properly care for ourselves? May God grant us to share — and receive — the wisdom to use our physical, mental, and emotional health for His glory and the furthering of His kingdom!

Peace and joy in Christ,
Pastor Jonathan