Things Are About to Change

[n.b. This is Pastor McDermott's final sermon as regular pastor of St. Peter.]

 

 

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Things are about to change. This is the way of things in this world – they change. You are not the same as you were yesterday, and neither is the world around you or the things in your world. Things are changing.

Today's lessons speak about change in what appear to be very different ways, but they parallel each other in a few key points.

"Power Belongs to God"

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation.” With these words the Psalm today opens. Words of waiting, of expectation, of hope. You wait in hope for the fulfillment of what has been promised to you from times past. Great hope abounds for the gifts to come when the One who promised them returns.

And so it is as the people of God in times of old waited for the coming of the promised Messiah. The Lord God had promised to send to them one who would be Immanuel, God with us, the one anointed to save His people from their sins. They waited.

The children of Israel waited, just as children now wait eagerly for the return of their father, even from a short trip. They wait to find out what Father has brought home. Will it be a new doll, or a toy truck, or some tasty treat for supper? Will it be good news, or some unexpected blessing? Children await eagerly the coming of their father, because they have confidence that he will give them all good things, whatever he knows that they need.