Question: How many Lutherans does it take to change a lightbulb?
Answer: Change!?! My grandfather installed the light socket and my grandmother put in that bulb! My parents
were married underneath that light bulb. Change!?! We can’t change it!
We are having a conversation during our services of worship this month about how God is at work in our lives creating a future with hope. One of the things that we have to deal with is that the future God is creating will not look like the past. Change in the church is always challenging. While my little joke about the light bulb is silly, there is much truth hidden in it. Whether we are talking about simple things like the color of carpet or the songs we sing, there are always “light bulbs” that we don’t want to see changed.
When we come to church we all have expectations. When changes occur and we aren’t as comfortable as we might prefer, it may be harder to feel at home, harder to say our prayers, to worship and to give. In our heads, we know that things don’t stay the same yet change can sting our hearts in ways we didn’t know could be stung.
I believe that if we cling so tightly to the way things have always been done, we miss a good many opportunities. I remember traveling through Wisconsin once on some back roads because of a detour. Moving from place to place, I prefer to have a clear path in front of me. I like to know how I am going to get from point A to point B. Detours, challenge me. On this particular road trip, my detour took me through row after row of cranberry bog. I stopped and got to see how cranberries grow. Without the detour, I would have missed the chance to see how those tart little berries are harvested.
Change involves risk. We don’t know where we will end up. Psalm 32 tells us that “steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the Lord”. When we take risks, our scripture reminds us that we are not alone. God is with us through times of change and will be with us at the end of our journey. With every opportunity we encounter, God is there.
We might wonder what happens if we take a risk and fail. If we fail, God will catch us. God will be with us in triumph and defeat, in all things, and through all seasons. As we ponder anew what the Almighty can do and what the Almighty is calling to do, we honor the history of this place. There is risk and challenge. There is doubt and fear. There is also hope and the promise that as we ask God for guidance, we trust that with God all things are possible. Maybe it is time to change a few light bulbs!
