I have been devoting this space to a commentary on our construction preparation, but today there is no news. We are between events. Our Capital Funding Campaign is over but there isn’t an accounting of results available yet. The Building Committee has sent its plans out to be viewed and bid by contractors but they haven’t responded yet. The Finance Committee has sent request letters for terms of loans to several local banks but they are still thinking. This moment is like the silence before the storm. I’m thrilled and ready to rock and roll but I must wait until all the factors come together. This is a good time to remember God.

Do you remember the story of God’s people being led into the wilderness from the mighty grip of Pharaoh? God was leading them. They came to the Red Sea and paused on the edge. Pharaoh took the pause as a sign of weakness and brought up his entire army. The people (men women and children with all their animals and possessions) cried to Moses: “It would have been better to serve the Egyptians than die in the wilderness!” Moses said: “Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you and you have only to keep still.” (“Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10) Then God said to Moses: “Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. But you lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground.”

That’s the kind of moment we have just now. Though it is not life or death, we are at a pause waiting for the factors to come together and the wait frees our minds to look back at where we were and it doesn’t look so bad compared to the mystery ahead. I have experienced this kind of moment of reflection and terror before. I think you have too. After a challenging process of preparation there often comes a moment of indecision trying to weigh the options. Faithful people faithful people sometimes have choices. It is possible to quit the process. For example, today I heard that Continental Airlines chose not to proceed with a merger with United Airlines. I don’t know how much prayer was involved, but that moment was a moment of choice charged with the energy of concern for the families of the corporation. My point is that people without fear may realize that they are free to exercise options that they wouldn’t have seen if their minds were closed by fear. Remembering that we are God’s people and we are not afraid helps us think and take action together. Here is another often quoted verse: Joshua 1:9 “Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

It’s exciting to think that we are following God into a mysterious future. When we pause to consider our circumstances it is well to remember that we are waiting on the Lord who cares for us. When the word comes, we will proceed on dry land through the divided waters, a path that was closed only moments before.

Pastor Peter Ruggles  

You can reach Pastor Peter at:

Pastor Peter Ruggles at: P.O. Box 788

(715) 387-2731

E-mail us at: gslc2@verizon.net

Website: http://www.gslcwi.org