I have to apologize for not keeping up with my weekly post, but the last several weeks have been a bundle of frustration, anticipation, joy and excitement. These last few weeks could best be described with one word….Change. We live in an ever-changing world and we go through this life trying to avoid change as much as we can. We like our lives planned out so we know exactly what we are doing and when. We have our daily routines, we travel the same routes, we do the same things with the same people, and we punch in and punch out at work. When something happens to mess up our routines though…look out!
Change starts the moment we are born, and our lives and bodies continue changing until we die. Change is a part of every life. Resisting it is as futile as it is frustrating. John Foreman once said, “Today is all that we will ever have in this life. If we spend our time obsessing about the future or regretting the past then we will never live. Tomorrow will always be tomorrow and yesterday cannot be changed. The wise man seeks God in the now and brings both his regrets and fears before Him. The freedom that we are offered is truly amazing: to live, today, free from even our own fallen desires. This is where I want to be.”
James 1:17 says “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” The one thing that doesn’t change in life is God and His love for us. His word doesn’t change, nor does His promise to us, even though many people try to change His word to justify their own bad choices. Whatever God is, He always is. There are no “sometimes” attributes of God. All of his attributes are “always” attributes. He always is what He is. Malachi 3:6 reads “I the Lord do not change”.
When we get to the point in our life where we begin to understand that God is in control of everything, then we begin to accept the fact that change is a part of life. If we believe that He is the Creator and the sovereign God, then we have to believe that we are going through a season of change for a reason, and that ultimately He will reveal that to us. Trusting and putting our faith in an all powerful and all knowing God is a difficult thing to do sometimes, but when we do it then the changes that life brings can be seen in a different light.
The last few weeks have been a time of growth for me. I am thankful every day for the blessing’s I have been given and for the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”. Isn’t it great to know that in a world that constantly changes we can find rest in the one that remains the same?
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.
In Christ,
Greg
Psalm 102:25-27
A Prodigal's Journey
Showing posts with label Change. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Change. Show all posts
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Random thoughts from a great weekend
Well this week has been a blessing in so many ways. First, our congregation confirmed the Elders recommendation for a new lead minister on Sunday and we are excited about the direction that we will be taking as a body of believers. Then on Saturday we had a block party for the local food pantry which is supported by 6 local churches. It was truly an amazing event. As I reflected on both of these events I made a couple of observations that I wanted to share with you.
At the block party there were over 100 servants (volunteers) assisting and helping the various families in need. These volunteers ranged from Junior High in age to senior adults. They represented six different churches, and they all shared a common goal of reaching out, in the name of Jesus, to help those in need. It was truly a blessing to be a part of this. There were stations for face and fingernail painting, free haircuts for the kids, and free school clothes for those in need. They had various games and free lunch for everyone. It was a great way to be the hand of God in the local community to the people who needed to feel it.
The great thing about the event is that people were able to see Christ projected through the servants that were helping. Isn’t this what we are supposed to be doing everyday? Projecting Christ in our lives and showing how our life has been transformed by Him. As I thought about my own life, I know it is real easy to project Christ in my life when things are going well, but when the difficult times come along, it becomes harder. It will only be with the help of the Holy Spirit that I am able to do this, and it is a learning experience everyday for me. We are conditioned by the world to react and act out when things aren’t going our way, but because of Jesus we are transformed and that should show in our actions and words everyday.
As Christians we need to be projecting Christ in our life every day. When things are going lousy at work and the boss is on your case…project Christ. When the kids at school are being mean…project Christ. When you are having a disagreement with your spouse or your kids…project Christ. It is not easy, but we are called to do it. We are not to conform to the ways of the world but we are to be transformed by God. (Romans 12:2, 2 Cor. 3:18) So be aware this week of what you are projecting, because we live in a world that needs to feel, see and hear Christ-like words and actions.
The second thing I thought about concerned the confirmation of our new lead minister. There is always a certain level of excitement and apprehension when there is change involved in our lives. We humans don’t like change on any level because it moves us out of our comfort zones. Well, God has a way of challenging us and moving us into areas that we are not comfortable with. It is through change that He is challenging us to grow in Him. Remaining the same and doing the same things allows us to maintain, but maintaining is not what God desires for our lives. So as each of us encounters change in our lives, let us look for the ways that God is challenging each of us to grow. We serve a BIG God so let’s prayerfully anticipate the vision and directions that God will lead each of us as we encounter change in our daily lives.
In Christ,
Greg
John 3:16
At the block party there were over 100 servants (volunteers) assisting and helping the various families in need. These volunteers ranged from Junior High in age to senior adults. They represented six different churches, and they all shared a common goal of reaching out, in the name of Jesus, to help those in need. It was truly a blessing to be a part of this. There were stations for face and fingernail painting, free haircuts for the kids, and free school clothes for those in need. They had various games and free lunch for everyone. It was a great way to be the hand of God in the local community to the people who needed to feel it.
The great thing about the event is that people were able to see Christ projected through the servants that were helping. Isn’t this what we are supposed to be doing everyday? Projecting Christ in our lives and showing how our life has been transformed by Him. As I thought about my own life, I know it is real easy to project Christ in my life when things are going well, but when the difficult times come along, it becomes harder. It will only be with the help of the Holy Spirit that I am able to do this, and it is a learning experience everyday for me. We are conditioned by the world to react and act out when things aren’t going our way, but because of Jesus we are transformed and that should show in our actions and words everyday.
As Christians we need to be projecting Christ in our life every day. When things are going lousy at work and the boss is on your case…project Christ. When the kids at school are being mean…project Christ. When you are having a disagreement with your spouse or your kids…project Christ. It is not easy, but we are called to do it. We are not to conform to the ways of the world but we are to be transformed by God. (Romans 12:2, 2 Cor. 3:18) So be aware this week of what you are projecting, because we live in a world that needs to feel, see and hear Christ-like words and actions.
The second thing I thought about concerned the confirmation of our new lead minister. There is always a certain level of excitement and apprehension when there is change involved in our lives. We humans don’t like change on any level because it moves us out of our comfort zones. Well, God has a way of challenging us and moving us into areas that we are not comfortable with. It is through change that He is challenging us to grow in Him. Remaining the same and doing the same things allows us to maintain, but maintaining is not what God desires for our lives. So as each of us encounters change in our lives, let us look for the ways that God is challenging each of us to grow. We serve a BIG God so let’s prayerfully anticipate the vision and directions that God will lead each of us as we encounter change in our daily lives.
In Christ,
Greg
John 3:16
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