Christ Memorial was a church plant of Salem Lutheran in Affton in 1948. Our history is God “sowing seeds” and “bearing fruit.” What will he grow in the next 75 years? Martin Luther once said, “Even if I knew the world would end tomorrow, I would still plant my apple tree today.” We continue to plant seeds for coming generations of gospel multiplication. More people loved in Christ, more people sent into the world.
Invocation
Make the sign of the cross, and say,
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation Prayer
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matt. 5:5) O Lord, I am lowly and humble. You alone are my inheritance. Amen.
Word: Isaiah 55:10
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater…”
Meditation
Roses by Ana Jacob
When I purchased my home, I inherited a rose bush. Not being an avid gardener, I was a little intimidated by it. I have never had a green thumb. I moved in during the spring and the rose bush was already growing and blooming. I did not do much to it, afraid I might kill it.
Later that Spring, I had a friend mention that rose bushes love acidity. She recommended putting my old coffee grounds at the base. I took her advice and sure enough the rose bush began to sprout new stems. It grew nice and tall throughout that summer and into the fall.
Then winter came. The blooms stopped appearing and the bush seemed dead. I remembered from my childhood that my parents would trim their rose bushes and then cover them. I was nervous to trim it, once again worried I would kill it by cutting the stems too short.
I took the risk anyway, cutting the stems down to a reasonable height. And the following year, the rose bush grew back even bigger. I became braver then, trimming off more the next year. And when that produced a bigger bush, I risked taking even more off. It became easy to see that the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward.
This analogy of risk and growth might oversimplify things. Most risks in life are not as simple. But when you look at it further, there was more than just trimming that went into the care of the rose bush. It took knowledge, which was gained from friends and family. It took patience, watching out for thorns. It took time, waiting every spring to see the new growth that would form.
We may feel that God has taken a great risk in saving us. But he has the knowledge, knowing us as our creator. He has the patience, taking on our thorns and the cross as our savior, Jesus. And in time, he rejoices in our rebirth and growth, bringing forth comfort as our helper, the Holy Spirit.
As you face your next risk, remember that it is okay to take things slowly. Reach out to friends and family for guidance. And most of all, remember that you have a God that cares for you and wants to hear your prayers.
Dear Lord, I thank you for your continued presence. Guide me when I face risk, providing me with peace and comfort. In your name I pray, Amen.
Prayer for Family
· For my immediate family (parents, spouse, siblings).
· For extended family (cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents)
· For close friends that are as family to me.
· For those who don’t have families, or whose families are broken.
· For forgiveness and reconciliation where there is division in my family.
· For provision where there is need in my family.
· For God to be the foundation, and the cross the center of my family.
· For a generation yet unborn, future members of our family.
Closing Prayer
O Lord and King, your Kingdom comes even without our prayer. But we pray that it would also come among us. We are desperate for your reign and rule, for all we see is rebellion. Come into my heart, my home, my family, my work, my church, my community. Rule with justice and with mercy. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.