Dear Friends in Christ,

This has been a tough winter. We've had a lot of snow and the temperature has been consistently cold. We haven't even had a January thaw. Winters like this make a person want to move south.

Some people - me included - would like the temperature to be 72 degrees year round, mostly sunny, but some rain during the night to water the lawn and gardens. But that's not the way it is, at least in New England. We can't expect the weather to be to our personal liking all of the time.

The same is true of life. Even as Christians, we do have days that are difficult. Some days can be very hard and unpleasant. Job once said, "Shall we not accept good from God, and not trouble?" (Job 2:10). He knew that life on this side of heaven could be hard and burdensome. But his faith in the Lord gave him the strength and peace to endure.

After the flood God made a promise to Noah. As Noah was worshipping God, the Lord said, "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of His heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, will never cease" (Genesis 8:21-22).

The seasons we experience are a reminder of God's mercy to us human beings. No matter how evil and corrupt we may become, the Lord will continue to provide the time of seedtime and harvest, as well as summer and winter. His ultimate mercy and grace is revealed in Jesus Christ, our Savior, who died for our sins and was raised victoriously from death.

The next time you see another winter storm heading our way, thank God for the mercy He has revealed to us! And may that same Lord give you the strength when you receive trouble as well as gratitude to the Lord for the good things you have.

-Pastor