Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Then the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid”(John 8:12-13).
I love what John said about Jesus saying, “I am the light of the world”, and that “whoever follows me will never walk in darkness.” It is important to note that (in John’s chronology) Jesus said these words right after he had shamed the Scribes and the Pharisees who brought a woman caught in adultery for him to judge. Their intention was to test Jesus and put him into conflict with the law so they could invalidate his claim, but he outsmarted them. Out of pride they refused to accept Jesus’ claim. The fact remained, however, that Jesus was the light for everyone in the story so that no one could cast a stone or cause harm to the woman.
Yesterday I drove my son to work at McDonalds and saw more traffic and people walking than ever since the first “Safer at Home Order.” It seems as life is back to normal, but does it really safe? On Wednesday, the ruling of the Wisconsin Supreme Court caused every county to scramble to decide what to do to protect their citizens from Covid-19. Likewise, churches and pastors are caught in the political cloud and in confusion while they are aware it is not yet safe to return to in-person worship. We need “the light” when we are in darkness or feel uncertain; we need someone who can outsmart even our judges, or city and state officials.
I believe our Conference’s Covid-19 Task Team has worked hard to put out a good recommendation for our churches and will continue to update it as necessary. I pray we will carefully review and apply it to our individual congregation as appropriate. At the same time let us follow “the light” in our planning so that we will never walk in darkness, today or tomorrow and forever.
Jesus, you are the light of the world, and the light of our lives. Shine your light that we may not walk in darkness. Give us your wisdom to discern what is right and noble to do for the coming days as we anticipate a return to in-person worship in your church. Amen.
Yexus rov has rua cov Falixais has tas, “Kuv yog qhov kaaj rua tuabneeg plajteb. Tug kws lawv kuv qaab yuav tsi taug txuj kev kws tsaus ntuj nti, tabsi nwg yuav tau lub neej tshaaj ntuj nrig.” Cov Falixais has rua Yexus has tas, “Tej lug kws koj has ko yog koj rov ua koj tug timkhawv xwb. Koj tej lug ko yeej tsi tseemceeb dlaabtsi” (Yauhaas 8:12-13).
Kuv nyam qhov Yuhaas sau Yexus has tas, “Kuv yog qhov kaaj rua tuabneeg nplajteb”, hab tas, “Tug kws lawv kuv qaab yuav tsi taug txuj kev kws tsaus ntuj nti.” Tseemceeb kws peb yuav tau paub tas Yexus has cov lug nuav yog tomqaab kws Yexus tub ua rua cov Falixais txaaj muag thaum puab coj tug quaspuj ua txhum namtxiv tuaj rua Yexus txavtxim. Puab lub homphaj yog ntxag kuas Yexus yuamkev txhum Musxes kevcai hab tau thuam Yexus, tabsi Yexus ntse dlua puab. Kuas puab tsi xaav poob ntsejmuag puab tsi kaam leeg has tas Yexus yog qhov kaaj. Qhov tseeb tag, Yexus yeej yog. Yexus ua rua cov tuabneeg nyob rua zaaj lug nuav pum kev txhaj tsi muaj leej twg ntau pobzeb rua tug quaspuj hlo le.
Naagmo kuv tsaav tsheb coj kuv tug tub moog rua haujlwm tom McDonald kuv pum muaj tsheb hab tuabneeg taug kev coob dlua le txij thaum nomtswv tsaab cai “Safer at Home Order” xub thawj. Zoo le lub neej tub rov qaab nyob zoo le qub thaum tsi tau muaj tug kaabmob Covid-19, tabsis puas yuav zoo tag? Nub Wednesday Rooj Txavtxim Qeb Sab tau txavtxim kaw txujcai “Safter at Home Order” ua rua cov num tswv ntawm txhua lub khaubtis tsi paub faajxeeb ua caag lug paab cov pejxeem tivthaiv kaabmob. Ib yaam nkaus le ntawd, cov xwfwb hab pawg ntseeg los tsis paub ua caag. Peb yuavtsum muaj “qhov kaaj” paab peb thaum peb nyob rua txuj kev tsaus ntuj lossis tsi paub ua caag, tug kws muaj kev txawj ntse dlua le tej xaam txavtxim hab tej nom tswv.
Kuv pum tau tas tsaab ntawv kws Conference paab Covid-19 Taskforce ua tuaj rua cov ntseeg yeej zoo siv lawm hab tseem yuav txhimkhu ntxiv raws le kev xaav tau paab rua peb cov pawg ntseeg. Kuv thov Vaajtswv paab kuas peb muab ua tuabzoo saib hab siv rua peb txhua pawg ntseeg raws le tsimnyog. Tuab lub sijhawm thov peb lawv “qhov kaaj” thaum peb lug npaaj kev rov qaab moog pehaw nyob huv lub tuamtsev peb txha tsi taug kev tsaus ntuj, tsi has nubnua, pigkig lossis moog ib txhis.
Tswv Yexus, koj yog qhov kaaj rua tuabneeg nplajteb, hab yog qhov kaaj rua peb lub neej. Thov ua teeb ci rua peb pum kev peb txha tsi taug kev tsaus ntuj nti. Thov koj pub koj lub tswvyim rua peb kuas peb paub lug npaaj rua yaav tomntej kws yuav rov qaab moog pehawm nyob rua huv koj lub tuamtsev. Amees.