Pastor's Word for June 2021

Transmission problems ... The other day I told someone that my current Subaru Outback is the fourth one that I've owned (well, actually, my first one was a company car). AND it has been the most trouble free of all. You know when you say something like that you should go ahead and wait to be proven wrong ... For instance. A month after I told someone "This is the most reliable Subaru I've ever owned ..." BAM! A costly transmission problem happens. Mind you, not all of the Subarus of this model year have this problem, but yep, mine does.

The owner of the transmission shop drove the car and said "It's one of the bearings, a small part and relatively easy to fix. However, we need to take apart the entire transmission in order to get to the bearing." And Subaru transmission parts are NOT cheap. I especially liked it (I'm being sarcastic now) when he told me that Subaru makes the best CVT (transmission) on the market today -- he'd buy one in a heartbeat. That didn't make me feel any better because apparently mine was the exception to the rule and it was going to cost me plenty. Not only did he find one bearing that was bad, but two. So both were replaced, but at no additional charge. This kind of customer service restored some of my faith in humanity.

You just never know what will happen in life. We can plan for every perceived contingency -- like regular maintenance on the car -- but there are way too many variables that come into play.

The same thing can be said of ministry -- any kind of ministry. We just can't predict what the Holy Spirit will do.

I wonder if, early in his ministry, Jesus knew that he would be betrayed, abandoned, crucified and resurrected. If he did know, I wonder if he shaped his ministry around this. Or did he simply live each moment and fill it with as much of love, mercy, forgiveness, and grace as he could muster?

However he approached his life, I, along with the rest of the world, past, present and future, are benefiting.

I thank God for that.

Peace,
Pastor Brent