Sisters and brothers,
Happy Monday to all! Yesterday, we worshipped our great God and Savior and recognized His great love for us. We sang one of the old hymns of the faith that reminds us of God’s great and undeserving love, “And Can It Be,” by Charles Wesley. I love mysterious truth that it teaches us about God’s love:
“And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Then we thought from God’s perfect Word in 2 Corinthians 1 about God’s contagious comfort. We learned that no circumstance in the life of believers is wasted. Even the most difficult and tragic of circumstances God uses in our life for our personal good, the good of His children, and for the glory of His name. Although sometimes we say it flippantly, it is true that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” We saw that as believers know God’s comforts in life’s most difficult circumstances, we can then later share that comfort with others. We can also as believers realize that life’s greatest difficulties remind us to trust in God and not our own strengths or abilities.Believers know God will bring His contagious comfort to us in every difficult experience and we can share that contagious comfort with other sufferers.
Donald Smith’s celebration of life service will be held on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at Gunderson Funeral Home, 5203 Monona Drive3, Monona, WI 53716. Visitation will be held from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, and the service will take place at 12:00 PM. Following the service, there will be an interment at Highland. After this, East Madison Baptist Church will furnish a meal for those who can attend at our building. Please keep praying for the Smith family.
Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.
Love being your pastor!
Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church