Don’t Forget to Remember… God Is in Charge

Sometimes we forget the simplest truths.

Last week in worship we talked about the disciples forgetting the bread—even though Jesus is the Bread of Life. This week we remembered something else we often forget: God is in charge.

In Mark 5 we see two desperate people whose lives collide at the feet of Jesus: Jairus, a synagogue leader with a dying daughter, and a woman who had been suffering for twelve long years. On the surface they couldn’t be more different. One is respected and named. The other is anonymous and marginalized. One likely has resources and influence. The other has spent everything she had on doctors.

But life has a way of evening the playing field.

Sometimes life hits us with things our money can’t fix, our friends can’t fix, and our strength can’t fix. Moments when all we can do is throw up our hands and say, “God, I don’t know what to do… but surely you do.”

Both Jairus and this woman pushed through the crowd to get to Jesus. They were desperate. And desperation has a way of opening doors that complacency keeps shut.

But one moment in the story really stands out.

When Jesus arrives at Jairus’ house, people are already mourning. They laugh when Jesus says the girl is not dead but sleeping. The atmosphere is thick with doubt and disbelief.

And what does Jesus do?

He puts them out.

Before the miracle happens, Jesus clears the room.

It makes you wonder if sometimes the miracle isn’t just about what God wants to bring in, but also about what needs to be pushed out.

Maybe this is a season not just to tell your miracle to “get up,” but to tell some things in your life to get out.

Fear — get out.
Anxiety — get out.
The lie that God has abandoned you — get out.
The voice that says nothing will ever change — get out.

Because the truth is this: God has authority.

In the middle of chaos, in the middle of waiting, in the middle of watching other people receive miracles while you’re still praying for yours—God is still in charge.

And when your faith is connected to His authority, something powerful happens.

So today, whatever you are facing, don’t forget to remember:
God has the final say.

And that is very good news.

Don't forget to remember (not to forget!)

Have you ever had one of those inside jokes with dear friends — just a sentence that, when spoken, sends everyone into laughter without another word? One of ours is this: “Don’t forget to remember not to forget.”

It sounds ridiculous… until you realize how often we do exactly that.

In Mark 8, the disciples are in a boat with Jesus. They’ve just witnessed Him feed 4,000 people — miraculously. And yet, as they climb into the boat, they panic because they forgot to bring enough bread.

Bread.

They are worried about bread… while sitting next to the Bread of Life.

Before we judge them too quickly, let’s be honest — aren’t we the same? God answers a prayer. God provides. God heals. God opens a door. And a few months later we’re wringing our hands again, wondering if there will be “enough.”

Jesus gently reminds them:
“When I fed the 5,000… how many baskets were left?”
“When I fed the 4,000… how many baskets were left?”

In other words: Have you forgotten already?

Here’s the good news — the miracle of the loaves didn’t just happen once. It happened twice. That means if God did it once, God can do it again. The same God who carried you through before has not changed.

And I love this: Jesus doesn’t ask, “Why don’t you have more?”
He asks, “How many loaves do you have?”

That question changes everything.

Instead of obsessing over what we lack, Jesus invites us to take inventory of what we’ve been given. A little faith. A little strength. A little creativity. A little compassion. In our hands, it may not feel like enough. But once placed in His hands? That’s where multiplication begins.

And here’s something else that moves me deeply: Jesus cared about their souls — and their stomachs. He preached truth, yes.

But He also fed hungry bodies. Our God cares about your salvation and your circumstances. Your faith and your bills. Your eternity and your Tuesday afternoon.

If it matters to you, it matters to Him.

So today, whatever boat you find yourself in — whatever “not enough” you’re staring at — don’t forget to remember not to forget:

• God has provided before.

• God is with you now.

• God will do it again.

Take what you have.
Place it in His hands.
Trust Him — even in the breaking.

Because our God still multiplies. And there will be leftovers.

Created for Community

On Sunday we were blessed to have Mike Gordon hang out with us.  What a treat for me to sit and listen to him share a simple and powerful truth: we were created for community!

He told us that we are living in what many are calling a loneliness epidemic. Sure, we are more digitally connected than ever before, yet many people feel unseen, unknown, and isolated. We can scroll for hours and still feel alone. We can sit in crowded rooms and still feel disconnected.

From the very beginning of Scripture, we are told something profound.

In Genesis, after declaring creation “good” again and again, God says something is not good: “It is not good for the (hu)man to be alone.” Everything else in creation was good—but isolation was not. Before sin entered the world, before brokenness and division, loneliness was identified as something contrary to God’s design.

We were created for community.

We were formed for relationship — with God and with one another. To be known. To be supported. To share burdens. To celebrate joys. To laugh, pray, serve, and grow together. Community is not a luxury for the spiritually mature; it is essential for being human.

And yet, loneliness creeps in quietly. It can happen in every season of life — in young adulthood, in parenting, in retirement. It can come through loss, transition, misunderstanding, or simply busyness. Sometimes it isn’t the absence of people; it’s the absence of meaningful connection.

So what does this mean for us at Amberlea?

This is what I took from what Mike shared with us….It means church is more than a Sunday service. It is more than attending worship and heading home. It is an invitation into belonging.

Being part of Amberlea as a community might look like:

• Staying for coffee and conversation.

• Joining a Life group or Bible study.

• Serving on a ministry team.

• Reaching out to someone you don’t yet know.

• Saying yes when invited.

• Asking for prayer when you need it.

Community requires intention. It requires showing up — not just physically, but relationally. It requires vulnerability. And yes, sometimes it requires courage.

But here is the beautiful truth: the church is not a place for perfect people. It is a gathering of those who know they need one another. When we lean into community, we reflect the heart of God — the One who said it is not good for us to be alone.

If you’re feeling lonely, you are not weak. You are human. And you are not alone in that feeling.

Let’s be the kind of church that notices one another.
Let’s be the kind of church that creates space at the table.
Let’s be the kind of church where no one slips in and out unseen.

Because from the beginning, God declared it clearly: we were never meant to walk this life alone.