Snow and Ice Don’t Bind Up God’s Word
Monday’s Verse:
From Mark 2:27 ESV
And (Jesus) said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
There is a specific kind of weight that sits on a church leader's shoulders when the forecast turns gray, and the snow begins to pile up. We look at the parking lot, then at the altar, and finally at the names in our parish directory—thinking especially of those for whom a patch of ice is a genuine danger.
The decision to "close" the church doors on a Sunday is never easy because we have been conditioned to believe that faithfulness is measured by attendance in a specific pew at a specific hour. But in Mark 2, Jesus offers us a radical bit of "Pastoral common sense." When the Pharisees criticized the disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath, Jesus reminded them that the Sabbath was created as a gift for humanity’s benefit, not a rigid cage to trap us in.
When weather forces us to stay home, we aren't "missing" church; we are simply moving the sanctuary. If the Sabbath was made for you, then God’s grace is not restricted to a GPS coordinate in Garfield or New Milford.
Faithful Living from the Living Room: Closing the building for a day isn't an "off day" for our faith. Instead, it’s an invitation to practice the "Priesthood of all Believers" right where you are:
The Liturgy of the Table: Breaking bread with your family and finding God in the quiet of a shared meal.
The Cathedral of the Word: Opening your Bible (perhaps that Kindle app!) and reading the Sunday lessons together.
The Service of Prayer: Lifting up those who must be out in the cold—first responders, plow drivers, and the homeless.
God’s Word is not bound by snow or ice. Whether we are under a vaulted ceiling or a cozy roof at home, the Sabbath remains a gift of rest, safety, and renewal.
✝️ A Prayer for Today:
Lord, thank You for the gift of the Sabbath. Help us to remember that Your presence isn't confined to four walls, but lives within us through Your Word. Keep our community safe, warm, and connected in Spirit, until we can gather again in person. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Luther’s Morning Prayer:
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For 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.