UBC Wed For Life

                                                    Another year is coming to an end. In many ways, this year was almost as tumultuous as the last. We've all likely experienced some hardship and loss. However, no year is all bad or all good. Every year has a mix of both. As we reflect on the passing year, let's be sure to remember all the ways that God blessed us in addition to thinking back on the trials we faced and overcame. Let's thank him for all that he did for us and all that he brought us through and ask him to help us build on the good to make 2022 even better. Many people choose to bring the new year in with parties and celebrations. That is fine, but we at United pray that everyone has a safe and blessed transition into the new year. If you do choose to party, remember that even festive merriment can be used to serve and bless God. As the Bible says: Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts

                                     Christmas is a much beloved holiday for people around the world. Even nonbelievers partake in the holiday, and, in general, whether people believe in God or not, this time of year is often associated with kindness, mercy, compassion, generosity, and a whole host of other good things of which this world needs more. Of course, for Christians, this holiday is even more meaningful. We are celebrating the birth of our Lord and savior. We believe that Jesus is the living God, meaning that he was God come to Earth in the flesh, a supreme being, living and interacting with us mere mortals. His very birth was miraculous as he was born to a virgin. That same birth was unbelievably humble given who Jesus is. He was born in a stable amongst farm animals and not with all the pomp and circumstance that you might expect to be associated with a king and a god. Jesus lived his life as a reflection of his birth. He performed the type of miracles expected of a

                 Recently, Kyle Rittenhouse was found Not Guilty on all charges. Many people were upset by that decision. Those people felt he was a murderer and should have been judged as such. Others felt that at the very least, he had committed some crimes and shouldn't have been allowed to walk away without suffering any consequences. Still others, believe the verdict was correct, and that he did not break any laws. One thing is common among almost everybody, particularly in the U.S., when we feel like someone does something wrong, we expect to see them punished for it. When that doesn’t happen, it angers us. We’ve all seen examples of that anger in the form of riots and retribution in past events. When someone wrongs us or just does wrong in general, we want that person to have to suffer consequences. With that being the case, isn’t it curious how we sometimes read the Bible or hear the Word and question the punishments that God delivers? We often call God merciful, b