Dear Friends,
The first month of 2020 is coming to a close, and I’ve got one question for you: how are those New Year’s resolutions going? According to a study done by U.S. News in 2018, roughly 80% of New Year’s resolutions have failed by February. Whether or not you’re part of that 80%, I hope that whatever changes or resolutions you’ve made to start this year are going well. But with all this talk of resolutions, I want to shift your attention away from resolutions that you make and may or may not complete.
Instead, I want to talk about the promises, or as they were called in the Old Testament, the covenants, that God makes with us. Unlike a New Year’s resolution that we make with ourselves, the promises that God makes to us do not hinge on what we do, but rather on what God does for us. As we celebrated just a little over one month ago, a promise that God makes to us is to dwell with us. He sends down His son Jesus Christ to be present with us and to dwell among us. And through Jesus, He promises to save us. These are just some of the promises that God makes to us and they are promises that we rejoice in and give thanks for daily, on our own and also when we gather together! We celebrate God’s promises for us, His people.
One of the reminders of God’s promises is actually seen in the photo at the bottom of this page, taken by our beloved brother in Christ, Roger Caldow. This photo illustrates a promise that God makes back in Genesis 9. God said, “When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth” Genesis 9:16. The rainbow is just one of the ways that we can literally see God’s presence and His promises among us.
A new year always seems to bring with it new joys and excitement, and also new challenges and sorrows. My hope is that in the midst of life’s joys or sorrows, you continue to find strength in the promises that God makes to you. And may St. Andrew continue to be a place where you know that you are surrounded with the love of God as it is demonstrated by your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Together, we rejoice in God’s promises and His love for us, through his Son, Jesus Christ and I am excited to continue to rejoice and celebrate with you!
Blessings + Love,
Pastor González