Pastor's Desk
What am I thankful for as a Pastor in 2024?
By Pastor Neil Wehmas
I give thanks first and foremost for the wonders that our God has and continues to do. If anyone every needs help in being thankful, read the articles of the creed in Luther’s Small Catechism.
Consider the first article…God has made me and you. Therefore, I give thanks for eyes to see, so I don’t walk into things. Eyes to see the grandeur of his creation. He has given ears to hear beautiful words of speech and music. He has given tongues to sing, express our needs and desires. He has given clothing, food, our houses, the things that go into building our cars, televisions, computers, and so much more. He has given us the intellect to design and use these things. He has given us each others. Sure our relationships can at times be quite strained, but in these relationships we experience love and companionship. It has been well documented the damage that complete isolation has upon the mind and even our immune systems.
I realize that not all of us have good in some of these gifts. A person may be blind or deaf. A person may have lost a mother or father, or had abusive parents. Even then there are still other gifts, if one were to pay attention and look around.
Then we look at the second article of the creed. Yes, God has given us many good things. But the Ten Commandments shows the abundance of our sin. It shows that we come far short of the glory of God. It tells us that those who break God’s law, is deserving of eternal death. So, the second article the creed shows us hope. It shows us Jesus. Jesus who is indeed true God was born of the Virgin Mary and he became man.
Wow. Think about that. God! The one who created the Earth and everything in it, became human like me and like you. Why? For what purpose? It was to be hated. It was in order to be humiliated, to be tortured, and to suffer death by crucifixion. He did all of this for me and for you. For you see, our God is a just God. His justice and his wrath was poured upon Jesus, that you and I may be spared.
Yes, indeed Jesus purchase and won you and me not with silver or gold, but with his innocent suffering and death and his blood shed on the cross. For this I give thanks. I give thanks that he didn’t stay dead, but he rose from the dead and prior to ascending to heaven sent forth his disciples to proclaim the Gospel to the world.
I give thanks for missionaries around the world who preach Jesus to those who need to hear it. I give thanks to the missionaries that went to Finland and made it possible for my grandparents to know Jesus. I give thanks for my dad and mom who made sure I was baptized and catechized in the Christian faith. I give thanks that they made sure that I was confirmed and faithfully received the Lord’s Supper throughout high school.
The third article of the creed tells us that I cannot by my own reason or strength come to know Jesus as Lord. Scripture tells us that our sinful nature is so great that none of us would willingly follow Jesus, out of hatred for him. Therefore, on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon the crowd and empowered men and women to follow Jesus and confess Him as Lord.
I give thanks for the Holy Spirit. That he works through utterly ordinary water, combined with God’s word and promise to forgive our sins, cloth us in righteousness, and save us, I give thanks or this thing called baptism. I give thanks that I received this gift on September 12th, 1982.
I give thanks that through ordinary bread and wine, he gives us his very body and blood, a mystery so profound. I give thanks that in the Lord’s Supper, in this Holy Communion, I am forgiven of my sins. I am given strength to walk through this not always easy world. I am even given the opportunity to dine with all the company of heaven who are in the presence of Jesus at all times.
I give thanks for the many pastors in my life. From the pastor that baptized me to Pastor Linderman who confirmed me to Pastor Baldwin who ordained me to the many professors of Concordia Wisconsin and Concordia Seminary. I give thanks for how God formed me through their labors. I give thanks for Pastor Schornhorst who supervised me during Vicarage. I give thanks for Pastor Gaunt who supervised me at me Field Work Church in Seminary. I give thanks for Pastor Salcido who was an excellent co-servant at St. Paul for seven years. I give thanks for all of my fellow pastors in the ministry.
I give thanks that God has granted me the incredible privilege to preach the Gospel to you. To baptize many in our congregation, both young and old. I give thanks that I get give the Lord’s Supper to you. I give thanks for the privilege to be part of your lives in weddings, confirmations, and yes, even funerals. Every death is sad and tragic, but I rejoice in the hope of the resurrection, and give thanks for the opportunity to speak that hope unto you and your families.
I give thanks for our council members: Presidents (past and present), Vice-President, elders, various boards, I give thanks for your time and work. I give thanks for the wonderful musicians of our congregation. Organists, praise band and praise team, those who work the computers and sound system, I give thanks. I give thanks for those who serve as ushers and readers and help serve communion.
I give thanks for the incredible service of the LWML and all of our youth. I give thanks for being part of the journey of each youth. Of course, I give thanks for Diane and all that she does for this congregation, and all the ways that she helps me serve this congregation better.
I realize this is long, and I know there are those that I likely left out. However, I hope that this gives you cause and ideas as to what you might be thankful for. I pray that thankful hearts would lead all of us to serve. It would lead our hearts to be the reason that someone else may be thankful. We do this, not so we would be thanked, but for the simple privilege of helping others.
So, we donate our times. We donate our talents. We donate our treasures. We give and serve and pray and worship out of gratitude and thankfulness for our Savior. Indeed in the midst of it all. We give thanks for the one who creates and sustains us. We give thanks for the one who redeemed us by His blood. We give thanks for the one who sanctifies us through word and sacrament. We give thanks for and look forward to the resurrection of the body on the last day. Until that day, to God be all glory, and may His glory shine through us.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Last Updated: 11/5/2024