TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH IN CAPE GIRARDEAU: OUR HOPE IN CHRIST OUTLASTS OUR TROUBLES

Editor's note:

A new reature of the Religion section, "Pastoral Perspectives," begins today. It was formerly known as "Church of the Week."

Twice monthly, an area pastor or church leader will write a devotion or scriptural message to be featured in the Southeast Missourian.

If your church is interested in participating, please call Laura Johnston at 335-6611, ext. 126 for details.

The Rev. David V. Dissen has been serving as administrative pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church since 1981. He is a graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary in St. Louis. He vicared in Havana, Cuba, during the days of the Castro revolution. Dissen has served churches in Salida and Leadville, Colo., Beloit, Wis., Chicago and Clearwater, Fla.

To the Jewish and Gentile Christians who were scattered throughout much of Asia Minor and were undergoing various painful testings of their Christian faith, Peter writes: "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials." (1 Peter 1:6)

Yes, God's people of all ages do experience troubles in their lives despite their belief in God.

There was a time when Elijah in the Old Testament was so overwhelmed by the difficulties of his work that he simply gave up and prayed to die. We are no different, are we?

At times, life may seem unbearable to us. For many, including Christians, like the Christian woman who walked in off the street recently and talked with me, suicide seems the only answer. It seems the easy way to end my troubles, sufferings, health treatments or whatever I am faced with for the moment. But that's all the lie of the devil who wants to keep us away from the "living hope" we have in Christ Jesus.

Someone once said: "When you say a situation or a person is hopeless, you are slamming the door in the face of God."

Yes, I'd be the first to admit that it's not easy to lie in a hospital bed day after day or to come home when somebody in the family believes the only answer to life comes out of a bottle or to live with the knowledge that we have disappointed ourselves, family members and above all God by some stupid sin that we have committed.

But none of these problems are too big for God! To give up on life is to give up on our Almighty and Forgiving God!

How can you and I give up on God when he gave us physical life? How can we give up on God when he sent his Son into this world of sin and heartache to pay the price of all our sins and to reconcile us unto himself with the sure hope of heaven?

Our God will not give up on us! Our God is more than equal to every hurt, heartache and trouble that we face!

Please remember that every problem in life is only temporary for those who believe in Christ as their Savior, including even death itself. If you think otherwise, keep in mind that both the cross and the tomb of Christ are forever empty! Jesus has conquered all for us -- including sin, Satan, death and hell!

By God's grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, we can outlast any problem and share in his gift of life that stretches all the way into heaven.

When Elijah prayed that God would let him die, God instead patiently listened to his troubles and then renewed his hope in the promise of the Lord.

As we approach God's throne of grace in prayer through faith in Jesus Christ who loved us and gave himself for us, God listens to us. Talk to God in prayer. Listen to God talk to you in his word of promise, hope, life and comfort in sacred scripture. Then conquer each day with its various difficulties through faith in a God who truly cares for you and proves it in sending us salvation in Jesus Christ.