Anaheim SDA Church

Mid-week Pastor’s Update

12-29-2021

Dear Anaheim Church Family,

It’s cold now. That’s what the winter season brings. Stepping outside to feel the frosty sharp air scrape your cheeks, as it sends chills down your arms, as it reaches your feet and tickles your toes. Yes, the cold can be uncomfortable but it can also bring an awakening like no other.

The coldness of life has hit our country, county, community, and clans hard during this covid conundrum we call a pandemic. Yet in the midst of chaos, we find calm in the celebration of Christmas. It’s not a physical place, but a spiritual one.

“8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.” – Luke 2:8-9

I’m sure in the coldness of the night the Shepherds also found comfort. Yet, when the angel appeared it brought much fear, yet, it didn’t last because celebration soon followed. Jesus, the King, the Promised Messiah is now here! Hosanna in the Highest Heaven! Salvation, yes! Hope is now here!

You see, it’s not just during the physical seasons or hours of the cold that we can find awakening and celebration, but also in the spiritual ones.

Throughout Scripture we find celebration amongst the chaos. After the fall of the Israelite Kingdom, the prophet Jeremiah looked around and saw the city in ruins and lamented so grievously it become known as the Book of Lamentations. Yes, in the midst of the chaos, he paused to find reason to celebrate. It was not a physical but spiritual reality.

“22The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” – Lamentations 3:22-23

This is what knowing the Lord brings! He brought newness as a babe to the lives of Mary and Joseph, he brought newness of life to this dark and hopeless world, he brought a newness of life in the awareness of Jeremiah that hope is not lost as long as life persists in the LORD, and despite all the chaos we still experience today from an overbearing cold chill of calamity of covid…Jesus still brings newness of life because the New Year Reminds us that His mercies are New Every Morning. Great is His Faithfulness!

As you ponder the past, I invite you to plan anew the New Year ahead with Christ as your hope, anchor, and celebration amid the chaos. He still brings new mercies every day. Great is His faithfulness.

Merry Christmas 2021

And

Happy New Year 2022

-Church Pastors

Mark T. and Nathaniel S.