Fields United Methodist Church

Side by Side with Jesus.                                                        Pastor Tom Joyce

February 10, 2021

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”

Romans 8:35

An athlete disciplines themselves to keep focus on winning the race that is set before them. There are many excuses that are used to break the discipline of training; I have used many of them myself! It is too cold, too hot, muscles ache, no time, not motivated…. In uncertain times, not unlike our current season of pandemic, we can be distracted by so many things that keep us from fully living out Jesus Christ in our lives. There are times when current events overtake our time and only if we are not exhausted from the endless news cycle or dealing with putting on our mask where ever we go then we reconnect with the Word of God. When we put Jesus at the forefront of all that we do, nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God. Sometimes it is hard though to focus on the love of God through Jesus when life becomes hard; we become distracted by the reality of living. Jesus still loves us and is still with us yet because our focus is elsewhere, the help and rest we need through Jesus seems far away.  Growing up I felt the effects of being bullied in school, and for a long while it hurt me deeply. Yet I found refuge in my loving family, friends, and the church; when my focus was no longer on those who were causing me harm and more on the love of Jesus through family, friends and the church my whole outlook changed. I still was affected by those who seemed to like hurting other people, yet I gained the courage to overcome those challenges by the amazing love of God witnessed through those around me. There is nothing stronger, nothing greater, nothing that is as enduring than God’s love for you, no matter the challenges along the way. You are loved by God, especially you for who you are as God’s beloved and nobody can ever take that away. Just as an athlete needs to stay focused, stay focused on the One who has promised to be with you always, who is inviting you lay down your burdens and be healed of all that is keeping you from living life in the abundance of God’s grace.

Rev. Tom Joyce