Letter to the Congregations: 27th September 2025

Our Dear Brethren,

“Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your mercy, because of Your truth. Why should the Gentiles say, ‘So where is their God?’ But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases” (Psalm 115:1-3).

The writer of this psalm makes the case for the fact that our God is very real. In contrast, the gods of the peoples of the earth (“the gentiles”) have been created with the hands of those who worship them. They are idols made of precious metals, having faces and bodies that are useless. “Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them” (verse 8). Relying on the false gods that people either create with their own hands, or the objects and people that others seem to worship as if they were gods, leads only to further sorrow. In contrast: “The Lord has been mindful of us; He will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron” (verse 12).

Even those God is happy to bless us in all sorts of ways, there is a condition to the blessings we receive from Him. This condition is stated clearly in this very same psalm: “You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord, He is their help and their shield…He will bless those who fear the Lord, both small and great” (verses 11 & 13). To rely on the blessings from God means to fear Him and trust Him. This means following His instructions in our lives, not just sending our requests to Him. Our Heavenly Father knows what is best for us. Do we trust that this is true? We may claim that this is true, but do we act on it?

This time between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement is a time of contemplation about whether or not the fear of God is in our hearts and seen by Him in our lives. If we truly turn to Him and trust His word, if we truly honor and revere Him with proper obedience and self-sacrifice, then He will be faithful to honor His promise to bless us greatly!

“May the Lord give you increase more and more, you and your children. May you be blessed by the Lord who made heaven and earth” (verses 14-15).

Our love is with you,

Lewis VanAusdle

Pastor, United Church of God

NYC, NJ, CT, Malawi, Zimbabwe