Pastor's Message
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| Ramapo Reformed Church 100 Island Road Mahwah, NJ. 07430 |
Dear Friends,
No matter what time of year it is, dead of winter with the snow blowing all around, or heat of
summer with the air heavy with moisture, our lives continue to unfold and time never seems
to stand still. Sometimes it feels like life is passing us by and we worry because there isn’t
enough time to get everything done. Yet at other times, we worry because there is free time
and we must therefore not be doing enough. And there always seem to be difficulties of one
kind or another that pop up out of no where. Rarely, it seems, are we satisfied that life is just
as it is meant to be. The question is, then, do we focus on the worry and the problems, or do
we accept that they are there and focus, instead, on the things in our lives that are fun, loving,
and joyous?
In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells a story about weeds and wheat growing together in the
field (Mt 13:24-30). The farmer had planted the wheat, but then an enemy had come along
and planted the weeds. The farmer’s helpers want to pull the weeds, but the farmer will not
let them, because the wheat might be harmed. It is better to error on the side of protecting the
wheat, the farmer says, rather than on getting rid of the weeds. The farmer’s choice is to wait
until the harvest and then to sort things out. If we think of this in terms of God being the
farmer, and us being the wheat, the message is that God loves us too much to risk harming
us at this point in time by getting rid of all our problems. That may not make sense, but it
seems to be true. Agriculturists say that one way to have fewer weeds in a garden, or field, is
to have healthier plants. And plants grow healthier with more sun, fertilizer, and water.
We, too, can help lessen the impact of the weeds in our lives by growing healthier, not only
physically, but also mentally and spiritually. Spending more time with God, through prayer,
bible reading, and worship will help us shift our focus away from the weeds and more
towards the wonderful things in our lives. The weeds will never completely go away in this
life, and sometimes they will be more numerous than at other times, but our lives will be
better, because our focus is on the positive and not on the negative.
If we can help you on your journey at all, please do not hesitate to call or to visit us on
Sunday mornings.
Blessings & Peace,
Pastor Bill
No matter what time of year it is, dead of winter with the snow blowing all around, or heat of
summer with the air heavy with moisture, our lives continue to unfold and time never seems
to stand still. Sometimes it feels like life is passing us by and we worry because there isn’t
enough time to get everything done. Yet at other times, we worry because there is free time
and we must therefore not be doing enough. And there always seem to be difficulties of one
kind or another that pop up out of no where. Rarely, it seems, are we satisfied that life is just
as it is meant to be. The question is, then, do we focus on the worry and the problems, or do
we accept that they are there and focus, instead, on the things in our lives that are fun, loving,
and joyous?
In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells a story about weeds and wheat growing together in the
field (Mt 13:24-30). The farmer had planted the wheat, but then an enemy had come along
and planted the weeds. The farmer’s helpers want to pull the weeds, but the farmer will not
let them, because the wheat might be harmed. It is better to error on the side of protecting the
wheat, the farmer says, rather than on getting rid of the weeds. The farmer’s choice is to wait
until the harvest and then to sort things out. If we think of this in terms of God being the
farmer, and us being the wheat, the message is that God loves us too much to risk harming
us at this point in time by getting rid of all our problems. That may not make sense, but it
seems to be true. Agriculturists say that one way to have fewer weeds in a garden, or field, is
to have healthier plants. And plants grow healthier with more sun, fertilizer, and water.
We, too, can help lessen the impact of the weeds in our lives by growing healthier, not only
physically, but also mentally and spiritually. Spending more time with God, through prayer,
bible reading, and worship will help us shift our focus away from the weeds and more
towards the wonderful things in our lives. The weeds will never completely go away in this
life, and sometimes they will be more numerous than at other times, but our lives will be
better, because our focus is on the positive and not on the negative.
If we can help you on your journey at all, please do not hesitate to call or to visit us on
Sunday mornings.
Blessings & Peace,
Pastor Bill