December 1, 2019 "Snow Angels"

December 1 2019 Matthew 24.36-44 “Snow Angels” Pastor Jacqueline Hines

As winter approaches, I am reflecting on snow. Snow comes from the Lord says Job 37.6. And we all know God has a purpose and a plan for everything, including snow. Every snow fall brings a message (like angels) of truth and peace and good news to counter all the bad news that comes our way.

Allow me a little snow humor to begin:

One snowman looked over to another one and said, “Do you smell carrots?”

What do you call a snowman in the summer? A puddle  

This is the season when we are expecting snow. We do not live in the 20 to 40% of the earth that is always covered with snow. We listen carefully for the news of its prediction. Meteorologists give us their most educated guess about what the weather will be like. With technological tools of radar, satellites and, weather balloons, they are most accurate within two or three days.

Even still, weather can be predicted but it cannot be controlled. It is good for us to always be ready for the unexpected, to be prepared with our listening ears on, to move at the impulse of God’s love, to be prayed up, living right, to be right with God, and to be responsible for whatever God has given us to take charge of.

Now more than ever the atmospheric weather as well as the spiritual weather seems to be unusual. Now more than ever we are being surprised, even shocked as atmospheric and spiritual weather patterns shift in unexpected and undesirable ways. A few weeks ago Sandy was on her way to Bethel from Downingtown and found herself in the middle of a snow squall! Others may have experienced such recently, too.

Some scientists say that humans are causing these catastrophic shifts in the weather. They say that we have polluted the earth with our lifestyle, our burning coal in power plants and all forms of transportation that emit carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide absorbs heat. The more carbon dioxide we put into the air, the more heat is contained in it. The earth then, gets warmer and warmer and warmer. Warm air holds more water. That means heavier rainfalls. In other places, higher heat means unprecedented heat waves, forests become kindling and water sources drought. Warmer oceans means an increase in the number and the intensity of storms.

Using cleaner technology from 2005 to 2015 has helped decrease our carbon footprint one source says. At Bethel, we have done our part by switching to LED lighting. Globally, however, we have a long way to go. Who knows how long we will experience melting glaciers, floods, forest fires, and water scarcity?

Since most of the earth is water, measuring the temperature of water has been used to determine atmospheric changes. It is predicted that the temperature of the earth is approaching 3 degrees which will mean catastrophe. No wonder we say more often that the world is coming to an end.

Few of us want to drive our cars less or use less plastic. It is very inconvenient to go back to a lifestyle that is healthier for us as well as for the planet. As it is we all may be eating at least a credit cards worth of plastic every week, because plastic is so much a part of our lives. We are living a life of luxury and tremendous convenience. Who wants to give that up? If the rest of the world changes, if government policies dictate change, that helps us all. Without change, a crisis is easy to predict.

Matthew predicts in verse 39 that the Son of Man is coming. During seminary, we pondered over who that is and what that means. In the end, most agreed it is Jesus who was coming back when we least expect him. To me Jesus’ return means he will show up anytime, anywhere, and in any situation he deems necessary. Jesus shows up whether we are ready or not, whether we are interested or not, whether we like it or not. After all the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, including suffering, including snow.

The work of the Holy Spirit is to help us prepare for the unexpected as   verse 44 says - ⁴⁴Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. How do we get ready? We stay awake as verse 43 says. In the bible to be asleep can be a synonym for prayerlessness. In order to be ready for anything, we must pray about everything! Prayer is like a wall of fire protecting us against our enemies. Prayer matters! When we take our burdens to the Lord in prayer we are lifted up in the arms of love. We are changed for the better. We are guided to face anything and everything that comes our way. Even when we disagree with the outcome, God is faithful and just.

Just as every snow flake is unique, every encounter with Jesus is unique. When icy cold water falls and touches an itsy bitsy piece of dust like us, it shivers and forms a uniquely designed 6 armed crystal.  

We are all uniquely beautiful, and we are all uniquely loved. We are all precious in God’s sight. When we really believe this, we will stick close to Jesus. By ourselves, like a single snowflake, we are amazing but we may not seem to add up to much. But, as you know, when snowflakes stick together, we can stop traffic.  

Stick with Jesus. He shows us how and he shows us how and when to stick close to one another! Amen.