Dear Church Family,
I trust this letter finds you blessed and in health. When researching in preparation for Mother’s Day I came across the phrase “Invisible Moms.” It made me think back about my mother as I grew up. She was always there behind the scenes, doing laundry, cleaning the house, cooking meals, buying clothes and I know many other things I didn’t notice. I have to say some guilt hit my heart, as I read this, at how underappreciated she was.
I read about another mother whose friend gave her a book on the great cathedrals of Europe with this note. “With admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.” After reading the book she said she learned four important things about the builders of those great cathedrals.
1.No one can say who built the great cathedrals – we have no record of their names.
2.These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
3.They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
4.The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
I know mothers are not perfect, and they may often be the first to downplay how valuable they are by emphasizing how many mistakes they have made. Mothers, you may have faults, every human does. However, I want to say thank you for all the work you have done and do, often unseen, day after day, after day, after day etc… You are truly building cathedrals (temples) to God’s glory. 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” I can only hope each of you mothers will truly feel how valuable and noble a work you have done and are doing. I pray that each of us will live a life that brings honor to the mother given us by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
This Sabbath, May 3, Our Lubbock Junior Academy students will be in charge of the church worship service. Hopefully, you will be here to witness their “Zeroes to Heroes”, their “Goliath’s Last Stand” play, and the Reader’s Theatre presentation of “Jonah Was His Name.” Witnessing the development of the students is a blessing to me. I have to admit I also feel a bit of pride that this Church has a Church School designed to prepare students for the joy of service in this world and in the world to come.
Sabbath Morning 11:00 O’clock Worship Services for the remainder of the month of May promises more bountiful blessings as we gather together to worship our God and King.
Mother’s Day, Sabbath, May 10, We will “Thank God, for Mothers” and spend time on some of the great gifts God has given us through mothers. I believe we can understand God better through the love He has placed in the heart of mothers.
Sabbath morning, May 17, in “The Heart of the Matter” message we will look more closely at the connection with God, that I believe, we were designed to have. Many have called it a “God-shaped hole” in the heart. I would like to spend some time together looking at the origins of the separation we all inherit. With the help of the Spirit we will more importantly gain better understanding of how God is working with us to restore that connection and fill the void.
The stories of the Bible are packed with lessons and challenges for us. Some uplift and encourage, some correct and rebuke, and others challenge our faith and understanding of God. II Timothy 3:16 makes it clear that each story in God’s word is placed there by our Lord for a reason. I believe the greater the challenge the greater the blessing at the end.
The story of Jephthah, one of the Heroes of Faith in Hebrews 11, may be one of the most challenging stories in the Bible. Thus it is with some fear and trembling I plan to explore this with you in a two part series. On May 24, “Jephthah’s Victory”; followed by “Jephthah’s Loss” on May 31. It will be a journey of faith you will not want to miss. If you are not familiar with this story you can find it in Judges chapter 11. I encourage you prayerfully start the journey early to be prepared. By the blessing of Jesus and the guidance of His Spirit we will gain much of what God has placed there for our profit.
Please pray for me as I pray for you!
God’s richest blessings,
Pastor Jeremy McCombs
Lubbock Seventh-day Adventist Church
P.S. I want to draw your attention to the enclosed invitation from our Women’s Ministry and Pathfinder Club. This will be a great opportunity for you to enjoy Mother’s Day and support our Pathfinder Club’s endeavor to raise funds for the OshKosh Camporee. Invite a neighbor or friend to come along. The food will be “home-cooked” and the program promises to bring blessings and smiles. Child care will be provided for children up to 9.
Your charitable donations support our ministry and are deeply appreciated. For your convenience there is an online avenue to give to our ministries at: www.lubbockadventist.org
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