Friday, Jan. 01, 2010

Pastors' Corner

Romans 8:23-25 - For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. NIV

As I sit down to write this article, I realize that we are inching closer to 2010. The busy schedule of the holidays often leaves us tired, weary and ready for the new year to start. I look to 2010 with great hope that it will be better than 2009. Even though many good things happened last year, 2009 was a very difficult year for many people. It was a year of great struggle to press on and continue to do what God has called us to do, many families faced difficult financial hardship with our nation's financial crisis, we lost many loved ones and members this past year as they were promoted to glory. Yet in the midst of this great struggle I find perseverance, in the face of great hardship I find strength, through the deep pain of great loss I find a hope that comes from above.

Our Children's Pastor, Rev. Alaina Rauh said in one of her sermons this past year, "When you are in a storm, you need a vision of a better day." The Apostle Paul was looking forward to a better day in this passage. He makes reference to hope. Our eternal hope of glory is the idea of looking forward to the day when we pass through the gates of pearl and walk on streets of gold and become eternal citizens of heaven. Paul had a string of difficult years as he travelled on four missionary journeys spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ around the world. At one point he even says that the only thing that he could count on happening everywhere that he went was that he would face opposition. He was beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned, and stoned among other things. No wonder he looked forward to heaven with hope.

The hardest part of hoping for our future is the waiting patiently part. We have already experienced 2009 with all of its ups and downs and we await the arrival of 2010. Yet, we don't know what the new year will bring. Instead of looking forward with dread or fear, let's look forward together with hope on the year to come. The same God that carried us through all of the difficulties in 2009 will surely carry us through all of the blessings and hardships of 2010. I believe that God is getting ready to do great things in the city of Los Banos and I look forward with great hope that He will do what He said He would do. Until these things come to pass, I wait patiently for God to do His good work in me and in Los Banos.

Rev. Stephen Hammond is the Senior Pastor of Bethel Community Church