It seemed the leaves changed color overnight.One morning last month I looked out the window and the redness of the leaves on a tree across the road grabbed my attention. It was cold the night before and that brought vivid, beautiful color to the leaves.

Many of us view less sunlight and colder temperatures as harsher weather, but they bring out beauty in the trees. Harsher conditions in our lives are something we don’t enjoy and seek to avoid, but they can enhance our view of the beauty of the Lord.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 2:2-3). Testing and trials can be hard. Our first thought is often not joy and thanksgiving. But the trials can lead to growth in us and a better vision of the beauty of God’s grace and love.

Trials and harsh conditions are as inevitable as the change of seasons and the coming of fall in certain regions of the world. Sickness comes. Families face hard times. We live out the reality of Jesus’ declaration: “In this world you will have trouble.”

We give thanks that along with telling us of the inevitability of trouble, Jesus also proclaimed another certain truth: “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Because He has overcome, in Him we “may have peace” (John 16:33).

In our congregation some people have faced harsh conditions. But in the midst of it, beauty has been seen.

It was beautiful to see a number of people giving up a Saturday to help a family going through a ton of trials move to a new place. It has been beautiful to see congregation members taking others to doctor’s appointments and urgent care visits and sitting with them in waiting rooms. It is beautiful to see one part of the body of Christ lovingly making food to feed others.

When you go through difficult days try to look for the beauty. Sometimes it is right there in front of you like the tree across the street. Other times it might take a while. We trust in the promise of God and go forward in hope. The beauty of God’s grace and love will be seen.

Psalm 27:4-5 says: “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple. For in the day of trouble He will keep me safe in His dwelling; He will hide me in the shelter of His sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.” We give thanks that in the day of trouble God still cares for us. We are still able to gaze upon the beauty of our loving, gracious Savior.

Getting hurt isn’t the most enjoyable way to learn things, but it can teach you about the human body. I was trying to carry too much down some stairs and I tripped and fell. I fractured bones in my wrist and elbow. They are healing well and I didn’t need surgery. It could have been worse and I have much to be thankful for.

The Bible describes the human body as probably the best illustration of what the church is like. Experiencing how my body responded to the break has provided some lessons in the nature of God’s church.

Soon after the fracture my wrist started to swell. Blood was rushing from other parts of my body to the injured part. White blood cells got the word that a part of the body was hurting. They headed to the hurt in an effort to help bring healing.

The body of Christ should work in a similar way. When one part hurts the other members of the body jump into action. We don’t go away from the part that is hurting. We go to them with love and compassion and a desire to help in the healing process. “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26).

I have been blessed, on numerous occasions, to see members of the congregation come alongside another member who is going through a tough time. They have done so in sympathy, for they have gone through similar trials. They have hurt with the one who is hurting.

When one of your hands isn’t working at full strength, you realize how much easier it is when you have good use of both hands. Some everyday tasks become a bit of a challenge when you’re trying to do them with only one hand. The body works best when all the parts are working.

It is similar in the church. When one part isn’t functioning, the rest of the body is affected. Nobody in the congregation should think their part is insignificant. “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable” (1 Corinthians 12:21-22). Everyone in the congregation matters and everyone has an important role to play. We need each part to do its part.

My arm was in a sling and a splint for about two and a half weeks. That isn’t a long time, but it was enough for my arm to start freezing up a bit. It has been an illustration of the phrase: “Use it or lose it.” Now I’m receiving occupational therapy. I’ve been given exercises to do to restore range of motion and get the arm back to normal use.

Our service in the body of Christ can work in similar fashion. If somebody isn’t serving and is failing to use the gifts God has given them, those gifts might start “freezing up” in a way. If a person stops caring for others, stops looking for ways to share the love of Jesus, they’ll start on a downward path where service will seem harder and less natural.

I’ve known people who have been up in years but kept doing some exercises because they knew they needed to keep their bodies moving and functioning. I’ve known others who have kept their souls active as well. They kept faithfully praying for their family and others around the world. They kept striving to grow in the Lord. They showed the love of Christ to people God brought into their life. They kept using what God had given them.

When the accident first happened there was pain that let me know something was wrong. Now when I do exercises I feel some pain, but that is to be expected. I need to keep doing the exercises.

We get tempted to want to avoid any pain. Talking to somebody about Jesus isn’t always easy. It can feel a little painful at times to talk about sin and the need each of us has for a Savior. Serving can be hard. Loving people can wound your heart and soul. But don’t stop just because it hurts.

The apostle Paul told Timothy, “endure hardship” (2 Timothy 4:5). We need to endure the pain and keep doing the exercises. Keep serving the person who is hard to serve. Keep sacrificing comfort and ease in order to share the good news of Jesus. There might be pain and hardship now, but we trust the promise that the spiritual exercises make us stronger and one day it will all be so much better.

We were on a hike in the area around Mt. Baker. The mountain had been hiding behind clouds for much of the day. Finally the clouds moved on and the mountain came into full view. Soon after that we met a young couple on the trail and mentioned how we had been waiting for the mountain to show itself. After we said that they looked up with surprise and said, “Oh, there it is.”

They were hiking in the direction of the mountain. A nice view of it had been in front of them for quite a few minutes. But they were busy looking at the trail. We wondered how long they might have kept on hiking, while missing the beautiful view of the mountain. It was available if they just lifted up their heads.

It is easy for us to get busy, hurrying along in life. We look at what we have to do right now. Our present challenges dominate our focus. Too often we rush along down the trail of life and fail to pause and gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.

“One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: … to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple” (Psalm 27:4). It is good to take time to gaze upon God’s grace as we are told of it in the Bible. It is crucial that we take in a clear view of the love of Christ.

We get tempted to think we have to hurry along the trail of life and keep our eyes fixed on our next step. It is important and beneficial to often pause along life’s journey and look up. “I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2).

It is okay to take a break and gaze at the glory of God’s Word, gaze at the beauty of God’s creation, gaze at the good work God is doing all around us. Lift up your eyes and see the beauty of the Lord.

The tulips took their time this year.Weather conditions caused the tulips in Washington’s Skagit Valley to bloom a bit later than some years. Some businesses in the area depend heavily on the economic boom that comes from people pouring into the valley to see the beautiful tulips. Much planning and preparation goes into the festival, but a little bit of helpless dependency remains. The tulips bloom when they bloom.

Waiting isn’t easy. We have invented many devices to try to speed things up. We have grown accustomed to getting things right now. Grumbling starts if we are forced to wait ten seconds for a web page to load. Waiting more than a day for a package to arrive feels like an eternity. But some things, like tulips blooming, can’t be sped up. As much as we don’t like to do it, sometimes we have to wait.

“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7). The Creator of the tulips often works like the tulips. He might answer one prayer quickly. Another time the answer we long for seems to take forever. God’s Word is planted in one life and growth is seen right away. In other people the growth might be far more gradual.

We can rest in God’s promises. We can be still. We can be at peace. Be patient and not anxious. God is never slow. He always does His work at the best time and in the best way.

I’m glad the people at the fields didn’t give up on the tulips and try to pull the flowers out of the ground. We would have missed out on a lot of beauty. When we lose patience and give up waiting on God, we miss out on seeing Him do beautiful work.

The prophet Jeremiah did not see much beauty around him. He saw the ugliness of sin as people ignored God and suffered terrible consequences because of it. In the midst of it, though, he trusted it was good to wait on the Lord. “I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:24-26).

When voting for political leaders we don’t often ask: “Which candidate is most gentle?” We are drawn to leaders who appear strong and assertive. We think the candidate who is tough and aggressive will be the most effective leader. Gentleness is a trait we appreciate in caregivers, but consider a shortcoming in leaders. We fear a gentle leader will get run over by opposition and not get much done.

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday He fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah that said, “See, your king comes to you; gentle and riding on a donkey” (Matthew 21:5). Your King Jesus did not come loud, assertive and full of boasting. Your King came gentle.

Roman leaders would enter a city on a chariot being pulled by large white stallions. They didn’t ride a donkey. The chariot and the large horses looked impressive. They also looked intimidating and were not something people were comfortable getting near. A donkey did not strike terror and fill the crowd with awe. People were comfortable getting close to a king on a donkey.

When the Romans made their grand entrance they would often drag behind them chained opponents they had defeated in battle who were now their captives. They were giving the message: “This is what happens to any who oppose us.”

Jesus did not have captives trailing behind Him as He entered Jerusalem. Instead He entered Jerusalem to willingly become a captive. His purpose was to become a prisoner in chains who would suffer the punishment reserved for the most guilty of criminals, all in order to set us free.

Jesus is the leader who “was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). He is the Lion of Judah who was willing to become a gentle Lamb. We need the gentle Jesus, who was willing to be the lamb who went to the slaughter to pay for our sins.

We, often, are drawn more to ones who resemble the Roman emperors on their chariots, rather than ones who follow the example of gentle Jesus on a donkey. The loud, assertive leader may impress with his appearance of strength. The gentle Jesus has true strength. The gentle Jesus saves us.  The gentle Jesus is the King we need and the King who comes to us.

I belonged to a few different groups when I was in high school. One day I was thinking about the differences between the groups. Sport teams valued me if I was helping the team win. Music groups liked me more if I played my part correctly. My performance on tests determined my standing with academic groups.

It was different with the people at church. They simply loved me. Their love wasn’t based on my achievements or performance. I did some singing at church. Sometimes I did well and sometimes I didn’t. Whether I was in tune or out of tune, the congregation still loved me and kept on encouraging me. Their love, support and welcome was different than what I experienced anywhere else. It wasn’t conditional. It wasn’t based on what I did. They loved me because of what Christ had done in loving us and giving His life for us.

I have always had the privilege of being a part of a loving congregation. It has made a huge difference in my life. It has made me a big believer in the importance of everybody having the opportunity to be a part of a congregation where the good news of Jesus is proclaimed, the risen Lord is worshipped and the love of Christ is shared. God wants everybody in every country of the world to be a part of a loving congregation. And so we plant congregations and build up and encourage congregations.

Congregations that love unconditionally demonstrate the love of Christ. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Christ gave His life on the cross for us not because we earned it but because we needed it. His love for us is not based on our performance. He loves us when we are successful and He still loves us when we fail.

The world’s affection for us comes and goes. God’s love remains forever. “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us” (I John 4:16). Through all the ups and downs of life, we can count on the love of Christ. We give thanks for congregations that help people to know and experience the dependable love of Jesus.

It has been a year. A year ago my pastor, my mentor, the man who was like a second dad to me – Pastor Alvin Grothe – went to be with the Lord. When you are busy living life it is easy to not think much about the difference somebody is making in your life. When they are gone it can cause you to reflect.

Various times during this past year I have been reminded of how blessed I was that Pastor came to be my pastor when I was 13 years old. He was an encourager during times of trial and sorrow. He was an example of what it looks like to follow the Lord and serve people. His firm faith helped me hold on to my faith during times when I wrestled with doubts. When I would question my abilities and whether I could be effective in serving the Lord, his belief that God could use me helped me to keep on going.

He is now gone, but we keep on going. The Savior he loved and pointed the rest of us to is still here. The Bible promises: “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:8). That promise was made to Joshua as he was facing the reality that Moses was about to die. His mentor would soon be gone and Joshua would need to lead the people. The same Lord who strengthened and guided Moses promised to be with Joshua.

The ones who walk the path ahead of us can’t be with us forever. But their example and prayers continue to bless us. When they go it may seem like we have to be the ones in the lead. While in one way we do lead, we can also trust the Lord Himself is in the lead. He goes before us. Others have to leave us, but we don’t have to fear. The gracious Lord promises to be with us forever.

I was supposed to be in India today, teaching a class for pastors and church leaders. But instead I’m at home in the state of Washington. After Christmas I started having vision trouble in one eye. A couple of weeks ago I saw a doctor who said I had a detached retina that needed to be treated right away. If I went to India and delayed the surgery there was real danger I might lose vision in that eye. So with regret and disappointment we had to cancel the trip. Hopefully we can go next year.

The surgery went well. The recovery involved spending a week facing the floor. We rented a type of massage chair with a donut-type pillow that had a hole in it that I could look through. It came with a tray below the hole that I could put a book or iPad on so I could read. It also had a double mirror set up that made watching TV possible. We also got pillows set up for sleeping on my stomach.

At the follow-up appointment the doctor said recovery is going along well and I can start gradually resuming normal activities. I can lift up my head, make eye contact with people and look out the window. It feels a little like being set free.

We had what we thought were good plans. It is tempting to wonder why God didn’t make things happen the way we wanted them to go. But Proverbs reminds us: “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps” (Proverbs 16:9, NLT).

Sometimes God has different plans than we do. He is the Lord of lords. He doesn’t owe us an explanation. He doesn’t take orders from us. But He does promise to be with us and care for us, even in those times when things go differently than we expect.

During this change of plans I have been blessed in many ways. My wife, Cathe, has been a wonderful, loving caregiver. I’ve grown even more appreciative of her during these days.

I have been blessed with many caring, praying friends. The congregation I am a part of in Ferndale has been very supportive and praying and my home congregation in Astoria has been also.

This could have happened to me in India, which would have presented a challenge. Instead it happened in an area where I had access to excellent medical care. Not everyone in the world has the opportunity to receive the care I did. It is not something to take for granted.

During my week of being face down I read a biography of Eugene Peterson: “A Burning in My Bones.” It was an enjoyable and appropriate read. Peterson often wrote about the value of quiet and having times of silence and contemplation. I had some times of quiet imposed on me these past few days. I hope to continue to have times of quiet, even when they are not forced upon me.

As I was recovering I couldn’t follow in a literal manner the call of Psalm 121:1: “I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” With spiritual eyes I could look to the Lord, and look forward to the day when I could look to the mountains with my physical eyes.

As I was facing the floor I could contemplate the call of another Psalm: “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us” (Psalm 46:10-11).

We can be still when our plans don’t work out. We don’t need to stress and worry. God is still on the throne. He is still with us. He is still caring for us. It is a great blessing from God that we get to be still.

My grandmother left the little town of Aga, Norway in 1905. She was 20-years-old. The people of her village on the Hardanger fjord thought she and another young lady were sharp and full of potential. They believed the girls’ chances of realizing that potential would be better in the United States. So they raised the funds to send them to America.

My grandmother left behind a box with her name on it. It appears she kept school supplies and other things she valued in it. She never returned to Norway. Her brothers who stayed kept the box and passed it on to their children and grandchildren. My wife Cathe and I recently visited Norway and my cousins let me bring grandma’s box back to the U.S.

My grandmother died before I was born but still had a big influence on my life. She had a strong faith in Jesus that impacted her daughter, who became my mother, who passed on to me what she had received.

As I look at the box that once contained school supplies I think of what my grandmother learned. She learned intellectual truths at school. At home and church she learned spiritual truths. She learned that Jesus died for her sins and rose again from the dead. She learned she could have a personal relationship with the living God. She learned the Lord could be trusted to care for her as she ventured into a new land.

It couldn’t have been easy for her to leave her home and family and cross the ocean and begin life in a new country, speaking a new language. She had learned, though, that she could trust the promises of God. She believed the Bible was God’s Word. She knew she needed to hear God’s Word proclaimed. She knew, as she started out alone in a new land, that she couldn’t remain alone in following the Lord. She needed to be part of a congregation. So she became a charter member of a Lutheran Free Church congregation in Luverne, Minnesota.  

The box once contained things of value to my grandmother. It was empty when we got it, but the things of greatest value to my grandmother have already been passed on to me. She valued faith in Jesus. She valued the Bible. She valued her local congregation. She valued missions and sharing the good news of Jesus with the world. She valued her family. She valued loving God and loving people.

I’ve been blessed to have a grandmother who lived out what it says in Psalm 78:4-7: “… we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done. … so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God.”

It is good to have grandma’s box. As I look at it, though, I am reminded of the more valuable things I received from my grandmother, even before I was born. A box that is over 100 years old is good to have, but a hope that is for all eternity is priceless.

The game of peek-a-boo has a point.It helps babies learn that people are still present even if they can’t be seen. It’s called learning object permanence. Out of sight for a moment doesn’t mean gone forever. 

 People of all ages need to learn that truth when it comes to spiritual matters. The Spirit of God can’t be seen, but He is just as real and present as the dad who puts a book in front of his face. We rejoice in what we could call “Spirit permanence.”

Before Jesus went to the cross He told His disciples He would send His Holy Spirit – “the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:17). Even though the Spirit can’t be seen, He can be known. He doesn’t have to be visible to be present and active and doing great work in our lives.

What we do see far too often in this world is warfare and shootings, heartbreak and hurt. At times we might not feel like we see the Spirit’s work going on. We get tempted to wonder if the Spirit played a game of peek-a-boo but never came back. 

Jesus promised the Spirit He gives is “another Counselor to be with you forever” (John 14:16). Even when what we see with our physical eyes is evil and tragic, the Spirit is still here. His work might be hard to see at times but we trust God’s promises.

After His resurrection Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). We don’t see the wind, but we see evidence of its work. We don’t see God’s Spirit, but the Lord can give us eyes of faith that see evidence of the Spirit’s gracious work all around us. 

We get to enjoy a beautiful view of Mt. Baker from the deck of the parsonage in Ferndale, Washington – many days. Some days it is cloudy and the mountain can’t be seen. On those days we know the mountain is still there. On those days when the work of evil clouds our vision, we can trust the Creator of the mountain is still here. The Spirit of the living and loving God is still with us and still at work.