But we beseech you, beloved, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we exhort you, beloved, admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit, do not despise prophesying, but test everything; hold fast what is good, abstain from every form of evil.
May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:12–23 (RSV)
I have been thinking about the community of our churches, how they are faring in the pandemic, and what we will be when it is behind us. The Church has withstood all manner of storms throughout the ages. I do not doubt that it will withstand this one as well.
The Church will always be; not even the gates of hell will prevail against it. I give God thanks that His Church is eternal. Still, I wonder what will become of our little congregations within the disruptions of this pandemic. There is much in which we can rejoice as we consider our congregations. Both have faithful and dedicated believers whose hearts are undeterred by the pandemic. They love their Lord and His Church that lives in First and St. Paul.
At the end of his letter to the Thessalonians, St. Paul describes the life within a congregation devoted to Christ. It is a place where all are honest with one another. We are truthful about our shortcomings, not as a means to have control over others, but in Christlike mercy and compassion, we encourage one another to mature in the faith.
We are attentive to God's Word and His Holy Sacraments so they may have full sway among us, for the uplifting and nourishing of our souls. We are in prayer for each other, for the stranger, and the outsider. We raise our thanksgiving to God for His grace that saves and sustains us.
My heartfelt prayer is that the Lord will preserve all the congregations of His Church through the pandemic. I pray that we come through this time of trial with more profound, more mature faith in our Lord Jesus. Still, in all these trials, we pray 'Thy will be done,' trusting that whatever our congregations will be on the other side of the pandemic, we will still be serving our Lord.