Tuesday, January 27, 2009

HOW MUCH ARE YOU WORTH?

Last week Carol and I visited Puerto Penasco, Mexico, for two days with three other couples. It's located 200 miles from Casa Grande on the northern edge of the Gulf of California in an area called Rocky Point. We stayed in a newly built ten story highrise with huge condos on a beautiful beach with gorgeous sunsets.

If we had been transported there at night, we might have thought all of Puerto Penasco was rich and fine. But sunrise revealed a poor fishing village next door that today relies on fishing the pockets of tourists. Our buildings had 500 condos, but only a dozen of them held guests. 

My car, an 11 year-old Olds worth maybe $2,000, was one of the nicest in town. We probably had more money in our pockets than most of the stores had in their cash registers. It is the slow season there now, and I am wondering how much better it will be with the poor economy here in the states. The local people were happy to see us, but I wondered what they thought of us retired old Americans in our big cars. 

It felt great to return to the USA. We're a nation of great wealth, no matter how badly people here may think we have it. 

This past Sunday Carol and I attended St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Phoenix with Chuck and his family. The pastor had a fine Gospel-centered sermon on our worth in the eyes of the Lord. He was speaking to families with children which are good to see after living the winter among a lot of old folks. The pastor's message was pointed towards families who are struggling a lot more than my neighbors and I are.

It's easy during a recession to think we're "not worth as much now as we were before." But in the eyes of God we are all precious souls all the time, no matter what our financial portfolio may be. To our Heavenly Father, there is never a time when we are worthless. 

God made the trip into our world to show us the wealth of His grace and mercy, and though He lives in heaven, He has never really left us.  "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you," says our Lord (Hebrew 13:5). Jesus didn't just go home after a short visit. He's still here, in our hearts, in His Word and Sacraments, among His people who are all around us. 

If the economy starts making you feel sorry for yourself, take out a map and see where else you would like to live. Which other person in this world would you like to trade places with? 

Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to live in this nation with all its bounty!

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