He Has Remembered

“He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.”          Psalm 98:3

Any family that has dealt with dementia or Alzheimer’s knows the hardships of not remembering.  Our hearts go out to anyone who has dealt, or continues to deal, with such memory loss and the emotional suffering that accompanies it.

Pastor Lutz had endured such memory loss for a number of years now.  Like so many who suffer from it, he fondly recalled many people and events of the past, while having more difficulty with newer memories.  We hope and pray for the Lord to relieve the many people who face such challenges.

We also have a sure and certain hope in the One who remembers us!  Christ Jesus “remembers” His steadfast love and faithfulness to you, His beloved, baptized children.  At the same time, because He has nourished and sustained you with His Means of Grace, He remembers your sin no more.

We rejoice that this week, after a long and fulfilling pilgrimage on earth, Jesus welcomed Pastor John Lutz, remembering none of his sin, and echoing, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of your Master.”  (Matthew 25:21)

Thanks be to God for the 93 wonderful years that He gave His servant, and especially for the 33 years that He called Pastor Lutz to serve His people here at St. John’s!

Yours in Christ’s service,

Rev. Richard A. Heinz,

Pastor,

St. John’s Lutheran Church,

Chicago, Illinois