The Mosaic

Blown Away

Therefore, my dear sisters and brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58

This verse from Corinthians is one of the places in scripture that has deep meaning for me, and in reflecting on it again recently, I thought about how the storms of life bruise and batter us every single day. Maybe the news of a medical condition swept you off your feet. Maybe you finished a busy day at work only to get home to dirty dishes, dirty laundry, and a pile of bills. Maybe you are wondering why the people around you continue to lie and bully their way through life. Maybe you are simply tired and worn out. It’s on these days I lean into this Bible verse that reminds us to do the work of the Lord. And I not only want to do the work of the Lord because of some future resurrection or promise of heaven. I want to do the work of the Lord because people right here and right now need to feel like they are beloved. Our communities in Dallas are broken by unjust laws, hurtful actions, and irresponsible leaders. Our neighbors need us to stand firm in the Lord so that we can bring more possibilities, new life, and the hope of resurrection from their current struggles and situations.

As we stand strong in the Lord, even in the midst of the storms of life, I am reminded of the tornado that ravaged the church’s neighborhood only a few short months ago. We received some structural damage to our steeple and our roof. But one of the main things that revealed the storm’s power was the way the winds picked up the pergola outside of the kitchen. Many of us remember sitting under it when selling pumpkins at the pumpkin patch every year. The high winds picked up that pergola and shattered it into pieces. It was a stark reminder that the storms of life are strong and destructive.

Fred Binder has had plenty of storms blow through his life over the past several years. But he has stood firm in the love of God and the work of the Lord. And one way he showed this steadfastness was to purchase and rebuild the pergola for the church. So, on a sunny, Sunday afternoon, Fred, Harry Hunter, Jack Mullinax, and Mike Hurder faithfully put together the new pergola and attached it deep into the concrete. That pergola isn’t going anywhere. Next time you’re on campus, I invite you to go out and see it. It is a beautiful and sturdy reminder of God’s love, and we are grateful for this pergola that will continue to give us hope when the winds shake us to our core. The pergola and the people of Royal Lane will stand firm against any storm that comes along.

We are challenged in the Bible to have hope and to stand firm in the work of the Lord. And despite the devastation and heartache we receive in this lifetime, we will rebuild, stand firm, and be the hands and feet of Jesus to everyone we meet. “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Pastor Mike