At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was Your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” ~ Matthew 11:25-30
This was the text I used for my third sermon in Homiletics I, and it was fitting for this quarter. The last few months have included much labor, hence the lack of a post in such a long time. My labor was my studies - writing sermons, studying the Lutheran confessions, writing papers on the gospel of Luke, and learning a second new language, Hebrew, in addition to the usual field education and Greek reading requirements. Pamela’s labor was maintaining a functional household with four young boys - cooking, cleaning, educating Logan and Camden, and tutoring in our homeschool community. Even the boys labored - homeschooling, the occasional special project, daily chores, and swimming lessons.
All that being said, Jesus’ words here are actually more about spiritual labors than physical ones. Those who are heavy laden are the ones who think they need to work out their own salvation through the law, whether God-given or self-imposed. This is an impossible burden. Of course it is good that we strive to be wise and understanding in the ways of the Lord, but it is neither our wisdom nor our labor that will save us. Just as we do not expect our children to earn the good things we give them, our heavenly Father does not expect us to earn His love and forgiveness. The rest Jesus gives will be complete and eternal after our earthly deaths, but it is rest for our souls even now. This was a reminder I needed more than once this quarter. After laboring all week to meet the demands of man, I was able to find rest in the Divine Service where God asks nothing of us and gives His gifts freely.
Can you tell I have preaching on the brain? Considering so much has happened since my last blog post, I’ll conclude with a summary of some of the highlights from December through February.
The outpouring of support in December was beyond our imagination. Countless donors - those of ours personally and those of the seminary - gave extra to ensure our family had a merry Christmas. We are extraordinarily thankful!
Special holiday events included a children’s program and cookie fundraiser at church, an Advent service, meal, and gifts at the seminary.
We were able to visit many family members and friends during Christmas break, although illness prevented us from seeing everyone we wanted to see.
Kantorei went on an Epiphany tour in January to Cleveland, Columbus, (OH), and Indianapolis.
February was a month of birthday parties. Logan’s included four friends coming over for sledding, a Nerf gun battle, playing Beyblades, and tacos. He was also invited to a couple birthday parties that month.
The week of Valentine’s Day included special treats and projects such as red, heart-shaped pancakes, origami heart bookmarks, and cards for grandparents.
Pamela was able to attend a pastors’ wives conference and an end-of-the-quarter gathering with seminary wives.
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