Reflections From Sunday Evening

It is a joy to stand before the congregation week after week and see so many faithful followers of Jesus Christ. We may not always feel like it but the fact is we are God's people making a huge difference in the world. We should take heart and trust that God is using people like us to offer a redemptive witness in a needy world. When I think about culture I am convinced that God's people must stand for the best that God provides and against the worst the world produces. In our culture we witness some things that are far from the best God offers. We see a culture of violence. ...a culture of greed. ...a culture of all sorts of "isms". ...a culture of selfishness. ...a culture of death. ...a culture of confusion. ...a culture of exploitation. I could go on and you could list others that detract from God's best. There is good news. God has a people to be light in darkness, salt for savoring and hope in despair. Followers of Christ may be called to build bridges across our cultural divides. Here are a couple of thoughts about how to go about bridging the many divides in our times. First do not be threatened by people who disagree with us. To be non-threatened seek to understand (as best you can) others and be steadfast in that of which you are most convinced as being true. We do not have manuals for living is our specific times and cultures but we do have THE BOOK to lead us on the path of life. Just some thoughts as we rejoice in following, serving and loving Christ. It's been a good day. I hope you've had a good day as well. steve