Pastor's Corner

During the Second World War, a church in Strasbourg was destroyed. After the bombing, the members of this particular church went to see what was left and found that the entire roof had fallen in, leaving a heap of rubble and broken glass. Much to their surprise, however, a statue of Christ with outstretched hands that had been carved centuries before by a great artist was still standing straight.

It was virtually unharmed except that a falling beam had sheered off both hands.

The people hurried to a sculptor in town and asked if he could replace the hands of the statue. He was willing, and he even offered to do it for nothing. The church council members met to consider the sculptor's proposition – and decided not to accept his offer.

Why? Because they felt that the statue without hands would be the greatest illustration possible that God calls his people to be his hands in this world to do the work he has given. And not only our hands, but also our feet, our lips, our eyes, our ears, our intellect, our abilities, our resources – God has given all of these to us to carry out his work. God has no body, but us. Have you ever thought of yourself this way? I would like you to take a moment as you read this article and examine your hands, take a very good look at your hands. Have you ever thought of yourself as the hands of Jesus?

Here is a wonder thought I would like to share with you, there are three important elements that occurs in Worship” (when we gather together in our sanctuary for worship).

-First, is our Exaltation of God in thanksgiving and praise with hands and voices.
-Second, our Encouragement of one another, in prayer and fellowship, and
-Third, Worship is our basic Witness to the world that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish.

Jesus, when he preached tailored his message to the people of his time. We, too must do likewise, we must find a strategy that is based on under-standing our times. Christians need to be “meaning-makers.” What is a meaning- maker...it is someone who can make sense of life, someone who can make sense of God, someone whose life is clear in the ambiguous culture we live in, someone with integrity, someone who lives in today’s world and with their life and lips announce that Jesus’ death is the source of vital life. People in today’s world are likeable, warm, and considerate. They are just trying to find happiness where they can.

Therefore, when we get excited our faith in worship it shows in our witness of Jesus Christ. Thus, Jesus chooses to do his work through your hands. May be they seem to be the frailest of hands, weakest hands, maybe not the most beautiful hands, maybe they ache with arthritics pains, wrinkle with age, the least potentially successful hands, or the least qualified hands — but you know what! those are the hands God uses.

Some of us build, some can teach, some can sing like angels. But all of us can love like God loved us pure, and simple with our serving hands. Throughout Scripture God chose simple people to be His hands from the great to the least. God can also use you and I. God is not looking for ability, but availability. Are our hands available?

Take care and God richly bless and keep you in his peace.

Best wishes from your friend and pastor,
Pastor Samuel K. King-Kabu

Web Page prepared by:
Roger Kenner & Jette Blair.
Content-New Topics Last Updated: 2009/01/03
St. Ansgar's Lutheran Church - Montreal