— Midweek Meditations:
thoughts, inspiration and encouragement
from ACF community members —
This past season has been one of the hardest of my life. My closest person (my father, or as I call him, my Baba yes with a B and not P) recently went through heart surgery. By God’s mercy, he came through it and is now recovering well. But those days of waiting, of not knowing, of being so far away,not being able to visit, weighed heavily on my heart.
At the same time, I’ve been under a lot of pressure with the immigration office. Everything with my visa is so draining. Work hasn’t been easy either. My current job isn’t full-time. It’s good for my CV, and I know it’s better than nothing, but if I’m being honest, I started hating it. I’ve been applying everywhere, but so far, nothing has opened up.
Yesterday was my birthday, I turned 28. Believe it or not, I already feel “old.” I was worried about the day, not wanting to spend it alone. I prayed about it, asking God to make it special somehow. And He answered in the sweetest way. My best friend, who had been so busy, suggested coming a day early so we could celebrate in my Birthday together. We spent the whole day enjoying my birthday, she stayed over, and the next morning we shared a beautiful, simple time. What could have been a lonely day turned into a gift of joy and companionship.
Then later, I had a phone call with my father. Just hearing his voice, his encouragement, his love, seeing his smile and happiness just by talking with me, it changed everything. For a moment, the weight lifted. Even in weakness, even after surgery, his love for me was steady and strong.
And it made me think: if my earthly father, fragile and human, can love me this deeply, how much more must my Heavenly Father love me? He is the One who blessed me with my Baba in the first place.
Jesus says in Matthew 7:11: “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!”
This is the heart of the Gospel. My life feels uncertain (Immigration office drama, my work, even my sense of home, missing my family and friends and not being able to see them) but my security doesn’t rest in those things. It rests in the promise of God’s love in Christ. This is the “theology of the cross”: God meets us not in strength or success, but in our weakness and need. He shows His greatest love not in our victories, but in the cross of Jesus, where He carried all our burdens.
So when I feel drained, discouraged, or lonely, I remember: I am baptized. I am God’s child. His love for me does not depend on my job, my visa, my strength, or even my feelings. It depends only on Christ, who has already secured me in His death and resurrection.
That is my comfort, my source of hope, and the assurance that I am never beyond the reach of my Father’s love.
Reflection Question: In times of weakness or uncertainty, how might God be drawing you back to His promises in Christ, the place where His love and strength are most clearly revealed?
The ACF Midweek Meditations
are written by a diverse group of our church members with the intention to seek God’s fingerprints in our lives. They range from somber to humorous and are inspired by all facets of live and faith. Written by ordinary people from all walks of life, they reflect a wide range of Christian backgrounds and spiritualities.
Each week’s text portrays the individual viewpoint of its author. They might not always resonate with everyone, and are not meant to be understood as representing the Anglican Church Freiburg as a whole. Yet, as a church that is aiming to ‘Build a Community of Grace’ we seek to practice learning from and listening to one another.
We pray that these humble ponderings add a small spark of blessing to your week.
Freiburg Anglican Church 