CHANGES AND CHALLENGES

So much in life involves the changes and challenges that are caused by living in this world: change in our world, change in the church, and change in our lives. Sometimes change is the change we desire, and sometimes change is thrust upon us by the circumstances and challenges of life.

How we as Christians live and deal with change is important. Not only will our response to life impact our own spiritual journey, but it will also affect our witness in the world.

As I listened to interviews following the tragic event in Charleston, I heard a woman who was interviewed say, “I would rather see a sermon lived any day than to hear one preached.” She was referring to the responses of the event where those most deeply affected were quick to forgive. We are indeed living sermons. How we live, what we do, and how we respond directly flow from what we believe. Our response to the challenges and changes in life become part of our living sermon. The way we live is the sermon we preach.

At St. Margaret’s, we are striving to be living sermons. We seek to be helpful in our community with things like making sandwiches for those in need. We are growing a garden that produces vegetables that we can share with others. We are looking for ways to be inviting and caring to all people. We are seeking to share the love of Christ with a hurting world. Through prayer we are seeking God’s guidance in our lives. We are the sermons the world sees.

The spiritual disciplines of worship and prayer form us. These disciplines shape us to be a living sermon and testimony of faith. These are disciplines that help us grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ. He is our rock of stability when trying times and changes of life come. It is in him that we put our trust from day to day, when faced with challenges, and when we go out as a witness into the world.

Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

~ Deacon Anthony Jones