Dear Easter People,

Happy Mother’s Day! We all have one thing in common – we have a mother. As I ask God to bless and keep all our mothers – the ones who bore us, the ones who cared for us, the ones who love us, I know not everyone’s “mother experience” is the same. No matter who you consider to be your mom, I hope you appreciate their help – their teaching, their comforting, their encouraging, their presence along the way. In these and many other ways, our moms have helped us get to where we are today.

I understand our experiences with our own mothers are all different – and for me personally, I’m more thankful than you can imagine for the help and support mine has given me throughout my life. But as much as I know she helped me in my life, there’s another who has helped me … who has helped all of us … even more. God tells us He won’t leave us alone, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18) He gives us another Helper, the Holy Spirit to be with us forever; to dwell within us all the days of our lives (John 14:16-17).

It is this gift of the Spirit that enables us to live as God’s own children, His sons and daughters. The Holy Spirit, given in baptism, takes up residence in our hearts. He helps us to live our lives in accord with God’s Commandments, loving Him and loving our neighbors – the people we like – who look, act, and agree with us, as well as the people we don’t like – who don’t look, act, or agree with us. Keeping the Commandments perfectly is impossible. But that’s where the Spirit helps us most. He helps us see how we fail to keep God’s commandments. He helps us turn back to God to ask for His forgiveness – which He gives. Then He helps us continue on, loving better than we ever could without Him. It’s the exact help we all truly need.

ALLELUIA! CHRIST IS RISEN!

Pastor Jim