Across the Pastor’s Desk

The Rev. Joel Vano, Zion Luthern Church

Every morning I go through my usual routine as I get ready for the day. But before I am even able to take care of myself I must “release the hounds!” During these summer months where the grass seems to grow an inch each day I delight in watching them run wildly out into the long grass (apparently the lawn didn’t get mowed … again)! As my two whippets chase each other around the yard the morning dew flies up behind them like rooster tails on two speeding bass boats. I shake my head as I realize that my son probably won’t be able to mow the lawn until much later in the day (if it doesn’t rain….again).

But the long grass laden with dew also reminds me of a couple valuable lessons for life. Particularly, the words of the prophet Jeremiah come to mind. “This I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:21-23). We live in a world where hope often seems to be fleeting. Jobs are lost, homes are foreclosed, marriages end in divorce, children are beaten by their parents, wives are abused by their husbands, friends betray us, governments misuse their authority, men and women die in wars around the world, tornadoes destroy property and storms claim lives. In short it appears that God has abandoned us. Jeremiah felt the same way and so he cries out in the verses just before those quoted above, “I have been deprived of peace … I remember my affliction … and my soul is downcast within me.”

Has your soul felt downcast lately? Then look to the morning dew as it clings to the long grass and waters the ground each humid summer morning. Just like that morning dew God’s mercies are new every morning! Jeremiah recognized that even though he felt downcast there was a reason to have hope. God’s mercies never fail! While everything else in life may fail us God will remain faithful to his promise to love us. In fact, Jeremiah realizes that if it wasn’t for God’s love toward us we couldn’t go on living, just like grass couldn’t go on living without the precious moisture of the morning dew.

I remember the words of Billy, a dear friend well advanced in years, as he would respond to my casual greeting asking how he was doing. “I’m great! God decided to give me one more day above ground!” While I often laughed at his apparent humor I also understood the message of hope he shared in his greeting. He lived one day at a time, thankful to God for the gift of one more day to be showered with God’s mercy. And while there were many days that life’s problems rose like the scorching sun and he felt that the dew had dried up there was always the next morning when the dew of God’s mercies would appear again.

Today Billy doesn’t reside above ground. But grass grows above the place where his body lies. And each summer morning that the dew clings to that grass I am reminded of how Billy would cling to the cross of his Savior, Jesus. It was on that cross that God showed the extent of his love and mercy. Jesus died in our place. We don’t get what we deserve (that’s mercy) and an innocent man suffers and dies in our place. Jesus received the punishment that was rightfully ours because of our disobedience toward God. But that man was also true God and so he rose from the dead. It is Jesus’ resurrection that gave Billy hope in the future, a day when he will once more see the dew on the morning grass.

In our world many have forgotten that God loves them and many more have never even heard the good news of God’s mercy and love. I encourage you to look to the morning dew and know that God’s mercy will be there for you tomorrow, without fail. Allow this truth to give you hope for living each day, no matter what the world may bring your way.