July 1, 2026 Midweek News
Happy July church family!
The globe is engulfed in World Cup fever right now! So many folks are engaged in watching as many matches as possible. This week I saw an inspiring story of a father with a creative solution for his blind son. The father created a model soccer field, and guided his son’s hand throughout the game, moving his hand as the ball moved on the field on the tv. When global superstar Cristiano Ronaldo scored for Portugal, the boy experienced the exhilaration and joy! Watch the short video here: https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/30/sport/video/iranian-dad-helps-blind-son-world-cup-digvid-vrtc
The willingness to develop creative solutions for impossible circumstances reminds us of our scripture from last Sunday. Climbing Mt. Moriah with Abraham forces us to confront some incredibly harsh realities. Jewish faith traditions offer an insightful perspective here, choosing to call this narrative the binding of Isaac rather than the sacrifice, because Isaac ultimately did not die. This focus on binding reminds us that traumatic and impossible situations happen all around us every single day.
Many people in our community find themselves bound by difficult choices, a painful past, or a heavy illness. Like Isaac carrying the very wood for the fire on his own back, the weight can feel entirely too much to bear.
But the good news embedded in this mountain story is the name Abraham gives to the altar: the Lord sees. We serve a God who actively witnesses our suffering and meets us on the difficult trails. Just as a ram appeared in the thicket, and just as Christ carried the wood of the cross up another mountain centuries later to bring resurrection out of death, God specializes in finding creative, powerful solutions in the middle of our darkest valleys.
Blessings,
Pastor Jared