St. Peter Lutheran Church
2929 F.M 972 (at F.M. 1105)
Walburg, Texas 78626
Office: (512) 863-
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Last Updated:
Oct. 30, 2019
St. Peter Lutheran Church at Walburg, Texas
2019 -
Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ Texas District
And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."
Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
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Everyone who gets a little older should attempt to get a little wiser. I know quite a few very foolish old people and know some very clever kids. Indeed anyone who has ever watched a new grandparent knows that it is very easy for a baby to dupe an elder who has "seen a thing or two." Still, as a rule, we should try to get a little wiser. October seems to do that for me as it is my birthday month. Birthday months are a good time to reevaluate our lives and wonder if we learned anything new.
The big thing I learned is the same old thing, "Christ's grace is sufficient." When we are young we live in a world surrounded by Grace. Speaking from my own experience, I knew food and play, a good education and a warm bed at night. These things came so freely that I really took them for granted. This is why I am always humbled when I meet people for whom these things did not come graciously. Tjeu discovered the beauty of grace later in life. Their appreciation was starker.
As we get older we are tempted to believe that "nothing comes for free." We work for some sort of status in life and we believe also that if we work hard enough we can correct defects in our soul. Yet, where is Christ's promise of freedom in this scheme? For we are both bound to worldly status and slaves to fearful realizations that we do not measure up.
For some time I had been in prayer about a problem I had been facing. Recently, it was removed and there was a joy as I initially thought that this was the answered prayer. (It is well known that God answers "yes," "no," or "wait.") However, upon reflection, that whole time I was waiting for the desired answer I had been missing the answer that God was continually giving me: "My grace is sufficient." It was only after God's grace had sunk deep into my heart that He could give me the answer I had long desired. My heart had been bent towards my works or my status, and not towards His grace. Only later did I comprehend that the real approval was His grace and not His dispensation of gifts. Indeed grace became the cure in the answer because it had been the balm in the patience.
I have learned that the main thing that separates a childish disciple from a true disciple is not that a disciple's work and status increase, but rather that his or her acceptance of grace matures. So each year, let us look around on our birthdays and marvel at the new ways in which God has shown us His grace.
Pastor Phil
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