Hi! My name is Sonja Wetzel. I have been writing these blogs since June, so I thought I should probably introduce myself. I’m also quite terrible at doing this in person, so if you’ve seen me and I haven’t introduced myself, it’s most likely because I panicked and forgot my name. :) Or how to people. When I was 4 or so, a woman working with kids at our church asked my mom if I could talk because I hadn’t spoken one word. I can still be that way, unless you get me talking about something I’m passionate about.
I am a Covenant pastor’s kid through and through. A Covenant pastor’s grandkid, too. The Covenant is definitely in my blood, and after so many years of being out of the Covenant, it is a blessing and a bit of a relief to be back “home.” I am a recovering Pharisee (meaning, I have to work every day to not be judgmental), and it is a difficult habit to get rid of, but God is working on me.
I spent most of my early years with anxiety and fear issues. I have a vivid imagination, and it was a curse when it came to fear. I was 28 by the time I finally fully realized the truth of Matthew 6:25-34. Steve and I went to a movie with friends, and I felt like I was smacked over the head by a line in the middle of it. In the movie, Norse warriors are settling down for the night even though they know something terrible is probably coming to attack before dawn. A foreigner in their midst asks how they could even think about sleeping. One of the warriors answers, “The All Father wove the skein of your life a long time ago. Go and hide in a hole if you wish, but you won’t live one instant longer. Your fate is fixed. Fear profits a man nothing.” It was a forgettable movie except for that moment. My life was completely changed. I still have moments of fear and anxiety, but it is easier to find my way out with God’s light showing me the way.
As Pastor Chad has been talking about prayer, Hebrews 4:14-16 has been a reminder to me of how awesome the connection we have with God is. We are invited to come boldly, and we are reminded that Jesus “understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.” (v.15) This is incredible! He understands. He knows what we’re going through. Even in the midst of new technology and new inventions, there is nothing new under the sun. All of the temptations that come our way have the same underlying sins. The same sins that Jesus faced in His time on earth. For all the times we feel we are all alone, Jesus is there. He will never leave us. At the throne of God, “we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (v.16)
Sometimes those promises are the hardest to remember. You are not alone. In the middle of your fear, your despair, your frustration, you are not alone. God is waiting to hear from you. He is waiting for you to open the door, invite Him in, and sit down and have a chat. Please make time for Him today and the next and the next.
