Monday, August 24, 2020

Looking Ahead to August 30, 2020

 The Scripture Reading this week is Romans 12:1-21.

The Sermon title is Transformed!

Early Thoughts: The opening verses of Romans 12 have become favourite words of mine. In many ways they remind me what the life of faith is all about.

We are invited/encouraged/exhorted to let God transform us "by the renewing of our minds". It is my belief that if we allow that renewal and transformation to happen then the behaviours described in the rest of this passage will follow quite naturally.

The challenge of course is if we will let it happen. Will we indeed offer ourselves as a living sacrifice? Will we give up control long enough for God to go to work within and on us? Will we quiet our hearts and minds long enough to hear God's voice? Will we let go of our own agenda long enough to discern what God's will is?

The last 5 months have been a time of disruption. Our normal schedules have been heavily challenged. As I reflect on this disruption I find myself wondering if it will push us to re-evaluate how we set our priorities. I wonder how we might make different decisions (as individuals, as communities, as nations) based on what we have learned about ourselves (as individuals, as communities, as nations) as a result of COVID-tide.

Maybe that is where God has been in all of this. I would never say the God sent a pandemic into our lives. But maybe God is using the pandemic to push us in new ways? Maybe this is the chance for us to stop and let God into our priorities in a new way? I have often thought that God is a bit of an opportunist, jumping in when an opening is created. Is that happening this year?

God calls us to be renewed and transformed. God calls the world to be renewed and transformed. That is what the growing of the Kingdom of God is all about. When/as that happens those behaviours Paul lists will come so much more naturally (with a bit of practice).

--Gord

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