How has God loved, helped and comforted you?

How does God share his love with people today? Sometimes people learn and grow in God’s love through reading the Bible. Sometimes God shares his love through worship or the sacraments. Sometimes God shares his love through a word of encouragement or a hand of love on the shoulder from one of God’s other children. And it is not uncommon for God to prepare his children to show his love when we go through life’s trials.

Some may or may not have noticed that we recently lost someone from our St. John family. Karen Work’s absence might not be noticed because she came to worship on the wheelchair van, she was quiet and she left quickly after worship when the van left.

Karen was a friend of Norm and Barb Dietz. They shared with her through some struggles, and they invited Karen to receive the comfort of God’s help and love by worshiping with them. So, sometimes Karen came to worship with the Dietz family. Then, when Norm became ill and it became more difficult for them to attend worship, Karen continued to attend pretty regularly. Now instead of riding with Barb and Norm, Karen came on the St. John wheelchair van.

In fact, Karen didn’t just attend worship, she actively sought God’s help during the week. It was common for Karen to call three or four times during the week and ask for prayer. We would pray over the phone about her illnesses and ailments. We would pray for Karen’s family. We would pray for God’s strength and help. So, Karen had gone from little or no connection with the Lord to actively and regularly worshiping God. Karen went from little or no connection with the Lord to regularly seeking the love God gives through Jesus. All this happened because of the loving and quiet encouragement of friends who were kind to Karen during a time of struggle.

Have you ever thought of your struggles as God’s training so you can share his love? 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 tells us that is one of the ways God uses our trials: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”

Sharing Jesus is not always done by a 15-minute sermon. Sharing Jesus love can and does happen through an act of kindness or a loving word of comfort and encouragement.

Karen then responded in kind. She took the comfort of God’s love and forgiveness she had received and shared it with another. When Karen’s daughter went through trouble, Karen prayed for her, helped her and asked me to visit her. During Bible class March 9, Karen called me to tell me she would not be in worship that day because her back was hurting. On March 10, the Lord called Karen home. But as Karen passed away, she knew from faith and from experience God’s love for her in Jesus.

How has God loved and helped and comforted you? Who do you know who needs the same help you have received?

Jonathan Rockey is pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer. Contact him at jonrock53@mtaonline.net.

Opinions expressed on the Faith page are the author’s and are not necessarily those of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, its staff or its parent company, Wick Communications Co. To submit a column or other news for the Faith page, send email to news@frontiersman.com, or call 352-2250.