Welcome to MPC Connected! With our church family separated, we will be communicating with you throughout the week in a more intentional way, including emails from Max and Jeff, opportunities to serve others, and more. Enjoy!
Dear Church Family,
I told Jeff and Donna this morning that I have only recently even begun to truly understand the part of the Lord’s prayer where Jesus instructs us to ask God for our daily bread. Grammatically and logically speaking, of course, what Jesus is saying makes complete sense, and I’ve also understood the fact that there are those throughout history, and even today, for whom that petition is a painful reality. I’ve even grasped, theologically speaking, that all that I have is, ultimately, provided by God. But until the past few weeks, I don’t think I’ve ever really understood that petition in an existential way.
Of course, one brief glance at the news each day is a reminder that I am still far from “needy,” relatively speaking. The store shelves in West Chester are usually well-stocked, and even if one store is lacking a particular item, a quick drive to another just down the road usually results in procuring what we need. I realize that such is certainly not the case for everyone in the United States and, especially, the rest of the world. There is still far too much that I take for granted each day. That being said, I have found that this current situation has forced me, unwittingly, into a position of thankfulness for things I never really considered before.
How many times in the past has Michelle pulled into the driveway, fresh from the grocery store, and my sole preoccupation been rounding up whoever is available to help carry in the (far too many) bags? Now, however, whenever Michelle or I venture out for supplies, I find myself uttering a quick prayer that what our family needs will be there, that we will return with our health intact, and that I don’t scare anyone unnecessarily with my “hooded sweatshirt-baseball hat on backward-bandana up to my eyes” look (that prayer only applies to me). But, mostly, I find myself not so much petitioning, but rather thanking God when I see our basic necessities being provided, when I see bread, milk, and eggs being pulled out of the grocery bags and placed on our shelves, and when I sit down to eat dinner and find that the casserole dish is as full as it ever was. I even thanked God this morning for a bag of flour, something I know never happened before!
How about you? Has the Lord been growing you in ways unexpected during this season? I only pray that when (Lord willing) things return to normal, I don’t stop remembering to thank him for his daily provisions.
If you're looking for something to watch, Westminster Theological Seminary has been putting out weekly conversations that you might enjoy. The three men involved in the conversations are Dr. Peter Lillback, Dr. David Garner, and Dr. Gregory Poland. Drs. Garner and Lillback are professors at Westminster Seminary, pastors, and members of our own Philadelphia Metro West Presbytery Dr. Poland is an American physician and vaccinologist. He is the Mary Lowell Leary professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, as well as the director of the Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. He is also the editor-in-chief of the medical journal Vaccine. I have found their discussions to be informative, challenging, and comforting. I hope you do, too.
And if you're looking for something to read, I have found this book to be incredibly comforting during this time. It is a fascinating look at the heart of Christ for his children:
Love, in Christ,
Max
Though we are separated during this unique season, we want you to know we are available. We will be doing our best to stay in touch in many ways, but if you need prayer or just need someone to talk to, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. You can always send a prayer request to Donna (mpcadminteam@gmail.com). You can also email or call Max or Jeff or any of our elders. Max's email is mbenfer@meadowcroftchurch.org and his phone # is 484-886-7726. Jeff's email is jeff@meadowcroftchurch.org and his phone number is 540-818-6215.