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March 19, 2020 by Rev. John Hartman

Friends,

I hope and pray that God is giving you his strength and grace in these unprecedented times. I am 57 years old, and I can’t remember anything like this happening in my lifetime. Some of you may remember Pearl Harbor, and see comparisons there. Others of you may remember the Cuban Missile Crisis, or the weekend the nation stopped and sat glued to its television set after JFK’s assassination and then his funeral. This obviously feels different from a hurricane, earthquake, or any other natural disaster, because they tend to be narrower in scope and geography.

The only thing close that I can compare it to is September 11, 2001. But even then, we were encouraged to get on with our everyday lives, to not let fear grip us, or the terrorists defeat us. And as a sports guy, games resumed within about 2 weeks, as things got back to normal around the country. Now I see sports event after sports event being cancelled or postponed indefinitely. Whether its golf tournaments, baseball, basketball, and hockey leagues, and signature horse racing events like the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness, I know we are in a time in this country that we have not been before. And sports is just one aspect of our lives being disrupted from their normal routine. For many people, this is serious business. This is true for those who have family members that have died, are sick, or are at a higher risk to contract to virus. I read today that 18% of U.S. workers have lost jobs or hours since the coronavirus hit, which is nearly one in five U.S. workers. So, the impact of what we are experiencing is intense and wide-ranging. So, please let us know how we as a church can minister to you and support you in these times.

When I was growing up in New Jersey, I would listen to a sports radio host named Art Rust Jr, on WABC 770 AM. He was sort of ahead of his time of what we see on TV or hear on the radio today. He would invite guests on his show, take calls from listeners, and basically wax philosophical about the world of sports. What I remember the most is how he signed off his radio program each day. Right at the end he would say, “Yesterday’s a cancelled check. Tomorrow’s a promissory note. Today is all we have, — so spend it wisely!” I think what Art Rust was saying is that the past is the past and in the rear view mirror, the future is uncertain and fret with problems on the horizon, today is all that is guaranteed, so make the most of it. I guess there is some truth to what he was saying, but as Christians we need more than that. And the good news is that we have much more than that. Whenever I think about Art Rust’s statement, I can’t help but think of that wonderful verse from Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” It is the perfect message that speaks of the consistency, dependability, and faithfulness of Jesus Christ who was, and is, and is to be. It speaks of the God we worship as one who is with us through all of the circumstances of life, and who has promised to be with us to the very end of the age.

I love the story of the man who went to see his old music teacher. Rather flippantly he said to the teacher, “So what’s the good news for today?” The old man never said a word. He walked across the room, and he picked up a hammer and a tuning fork and he struck the tuning fork. As the note sounded out through the room, he said, “That is ‘A.’ It is ‘A’ today, it was ‘A’ five thousand years ago, and it will be ‘A’ ten thousand years from now. The soprano upstairs sings off-key, the tenor across the hall flats his high notes, and the piano downstairs is out of tune.” He struck the note again, and said, “That is ‘A,’ my friend, and that’s the good news for today!” In God’s Word we hear the timeless, unchanging truth which is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And friends, that is the good news for today, tomorrow, and forever.

May the Lord bless you and keep you, and may his radiant face shine upon you and bring you his peace, this day and forevermore. Amen.