By Pastor Steve Nickodemus

Welcome, Henry!

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link

“You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.'”
John 3:7 New International Version

This Sunday little Henry becomes a child of God.  Henry wasn’t born very long ago, but this Sunday he is born again, born into the family of God by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  And we are all going to rejoice with all of Henry’s family!

Just a few days ago, Henry’s grandpa died and we had services for him.  Mark was far too young and left a huge hole as a grandpa, father, and husband.  It was a sad day at the graveside.

And yet underneath all that, there was joy.  For you see, Mark too was a child of God, baptized into the name of Jesus.  And he is now face to face with his Savior and with many, many other saints who have gone before him.

Mark may have left his earthly family for a time, and we will all miss him, but he hasn’t left the family of God, and in Jesus Christ we will all soon be reunited in the Great Resurrection.

As I read 1 Thessalonians 4:17 at Mark’s grave, I felt all of this coming together…. “After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

Don’t grieve like those that have no hope, family of God.  It won’t be very long and we will all be together again.  Yes, some are born and some die.  But for those in Christ Jesus, all are born again into a sure and living hope that in Him we live forever and ever as the family of God.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church Colorado Springs, Colorado