Seeking love in a world of change

Be renewed in the spirit of your mind…

Ephesians 4:23

The Bible tells us that we need to be renewed in the Spirit.  Indeed, the Christian faith is all about renewal, rebirth, and new life.  However, there are times I lose sight of this perspective.  Life becomes ordinary, and I stop looking for the in-breaking of God’s Kingdom. 

Today the Corona Virus is bringing about a new reality.  It is causing a lot of troubles and real tragedy, but the virus is also forcing us to have a new perspective.  I know I am seeing everything a little bit differently.  First of all, I am reminded of how little control I really have.  Just a couple weeks ago, I was certain about almost everything in my life.  Now I am surrounded by uncertainty.  There are people being furloughed or laid off.  I know people who are sick, and there are others who are feeling the real danger of this virus.  It’s like everything changed in an instant. 

As difficult as this entire situation is, the virus has also shown me the importance of love.  I am so grateful for the blessings I have in my family, and I really value the time I have been able to spend reaching out to the people I care about.  It is certainly not a time that I would ever wish for, but it has caused me to take a deeper look at everything.

Today I hope you all can take a bit of time to take a fresh look at your life.  Our world may be flipped upside down, but God is present… I hope you can all open your hearts to the new work that God is doing!

Blessings,

Pastor Brian

Faith and Love

Where is God leading you?

Our church is in the midst of a sermon series taking a look at the story of Abraham and Sarah.  The Bible speaks of these two individuals as heroes of faith.  When God asked them to leave their homeland, they left.  When God asked them to follow an unpredictable path, they listened.  They lived by faith, but they also had times of doubt.  They questioned God, and they laughed at God.  However, day by day they opened their hearts to God’s unending love. 

Their story reminds me that we all live by faith.  We do not always have the power to control others or even ourselves.  Sometimes things fall apart.  Other times, things come together.  However, these Bible stories teach us that we are loved regardless of our circumstances. 

As I look at my life, it is pretty easy to see that I am not in control. :) My one year old is always at the urgent care, and my 4 year old turns 5 on Friday!  It just reminds me how fast time is flying.  We start kindergarten next year, and before I know it, both kids will be graduating...  Now I still have a significant amount of influence and power over their lives, but I recognize there will be a time when I can’t just force them to do whatever I want.  I have to trust in love.  I have to trust that God is with them.  Today, I hope and pray that we all open our hearts to this kind of love!

Blessings!

Pastor Brian