Life on the Pasture

Today was my first experience with teaching using my computer to interact with my students for Religion and World History. I was in my office facing my computer, seeing my students’ faces on the screen and hearing them respond to questions and even laugh (especially when I shared toilet paper alternatives suggested by Backpacker, including pinecones and rocks). While it was a shorter time than usual, it was great to just be together again.

One thing I asked them to do was to write a comparison between the Black Death, the Spanish Flu of 1918, and the current situation. This was after a brief discussion in Religion over Jesus’ words in Luke 21:11 about pestilences in various places, and the descriptive language of Revelation 6:8, “I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.”

History does have a way of repeating itself. Pandemics, locust infestations, tornadoes, earthquakes, wars, etc. recur throughout history. In Genesis 4, we read that it didn’t take all that long before the first murder in history was committed as Cain killed his brother Abel.

History may often repeat itself in negative ways, but His Story repeats itself in very positive ways – our Lord’s story of mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and a new day. Often before that is experienced, there is a time of hardship and testing. But as David says in Psalm 30:5, “His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”

That’s the pattern of Good Friday and Easter. In a most challenging time, we do what others have done throughout the history of the Church. We look to Jesus and His Story – the cross and the empty tomb, sorrow and joy, darkness and light.

And so we pray as Martin Luther did: “Into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.” And we rest secure in knowing that His Story will repeat itself.

– Pastor Schmidt