Dear brothers and sisters in Christ –
There is a parable told in India about the selfish man who inherited a rice field. The first year the man irrigated the field, and it was fruitful. The water, in fact, flowed into his neighbor’s field, and this too produced a bountiful harvest.
But the next year, the selfish man decided: Why should I let this water flow through my field into his? Water is precious, and I must keep it. So he built a dam. This prevented the water from flowing into his neighbor’s field, but it proved disastrous to his own crop as well. Irrigation water nourished the field only if it flowed. When it did not move because of the dam, the water became stagnant and the field a swamp.
We own no rice fields. Still, the parable is clear. Think of what we have inherited from God. Think of all He has given us. If we are selfish and keep it all for ourselves, our lives become stagnant, a dismal swamp of mere existence. But if we give back to God by giving to others, both the giver and the receiver share in the fruits of God’s love.
I see clear examples of this principle here at Our Redeemer.
First is the Vicarage program. From the north to the south, from the east to the west, we have men serving as pastors who once did their Vicarage here at Our Redeemer. Twenty-one men have served their Vicarage here at Our Redeemer, and I am blessed to be counted among that fraternity. You, the members of Our Redeemer, have been able to give to others, our Vicars, and now they are sharing the fruit of God’s love with others across this country. What a joy it is to be part of the Vicarage program.
Second is this facility we call Our Redeemer. This facility saw major updates in the mid-90s and the mid-teens. Yet again, we are embarking upon facility updates. Now, “decades-old dreams meet present-day needs to become a new reality” with this Cross and Entrance project. For 18 years, we have talked about adding canopies to the exterior entrances, even a second door at each entrance. During the 1996 project, awnings were removed to save money, and the same thing happened in the 2016 project. This is what we mean by an old dream becoming a present reality.
Third is our relationship with the Lutheran Churches of Panama and the Parish Nurses of eSwatini. As I have said before, this congregation has taught me to love missions. What joy it is to bring our resources to help! What bliss is it to bring encouragement to so many who are toiling day in and day out! This is what we get to do when we share our resources with these two very different geographical locations.
It is important that we remember:
If we give back to God by giving to others,
both the giver and the receiver share in the fruits of God’s love.
May God continue to richly bless you!
Pastor Hartwig