Pastor John’s view for November 2020

It had snowed all the previous day and night and all day that day but by evening, the sky was clearing and stars began popping out from behind the clouds. The moon was up there somewhere too and creating a diffused light over the white landscape. Trees laden with several inches of snow labored under the burden.

With dinner over, we bundled up and strapped on our cross-country skis and slid down the driveway onto the quiet street. Unusually, no one had yet driven through the last six inches of powder and we made our way to the cul-de-sac where an old road led down into some meadows. Skiing under the 60 and 70 foot ponderosa pines was actually a bit risky when the branches would release their burden of snow on my head and, of course, down the back of my jacket. Just a few hundred yards and we broke out of the trees into the first meadow.

I don’t know quite how to describe the scene. Moonlight on fresh snow. The only sound our breathing and skis sliding on snow. The snow absorbs sound, so even the distant roadways were quiet that night. Shadows of trees cast stark contrast to the sparkly white, fresh powder. We sat in silence stilling our own breaths so we could ‘hear’ the silence. The old song, “Sound of Silence” comes to mind. There is a sound of silence, our own beating heart, a reminder of life in a black and white landscape. A beating heart keeping my body warm. Life.

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection, I am the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever believes in me will never die. Do you    believe this?” (John 11:25-26) Jesus spoke this to an angry Martha after her brother, Lazarus, had died and Martha believed Jesus had failed to arrive in time to save him. Our earthly physical bodies will  eventually die but because of Jesus, we will live. He is the “beating heart” of our spirit, the life-giver. Do you believe this? If yes, then the power of the Holy Spirit is within you to persevere in all circumstances. If not, take a chance, what have you to lose, but the gift of eternal life, the hope of a certain future.

~ Pastor John